Portuguese. Then, I study the Portuguese, practice pronounciation, and continue to refine it using words I think I'll remember on Sunday. And then there is always the shortening process, which is necessary because I always have someone translating into the local language as well, so any sermon takes twice as long. I'm also aware that the translator will wing it if he doesn't know what I said, and that can be a problem as sometimes what you meant to say gets all scrambled up, as has happened to me in the north a time or two. In the south, there are usually enough multi-language speakers that the translator has to stay on-track because there are enough checkers in the audience.
And then, you pray much, and when it is time to speak, you set the notes aside, and what comes out of your mouth is what comes out of your mouth! I still struggle with wanting to throw in English connecting words and conjunctions, but we've come a long ways. I always watch Ann as I can tell by her expressions how it is going and she always is there to encourage me along.
It was Pentecost Sunday and we had fun walking through the story in Acts and while talking to the children, we again played with matches and candles. I was surprised at the seemingly unfamiliarity with this special day in the history of the church. Some call it the birthday of the church because of the significance of the event. We continued the theme for the morning and I praise God for his graciousness covering my language limitations. This morning, we returned to the same church and a man approached me requesting a meeting with me and the Pastor to talk about what I had said, as he feels he needs to make some changes in his life. If one life is changed, it is all worth it!
But then, we met a young couple Saturday morning in their mid 20's. They were new missionaries here who spoke Portuguese fluently. We asked them where they learned to speak so well, and they said that it took them a long time (they were dead serious!) and had spent 3 months in Portugal taking language 3 hours a day, and that's where they learned. So, here we are at 4 years, not speaking nearly as well as this young couple. Oh to have the gift of language and be young again! How I wish I'd taken language learning more seriously in my 20's!
After church today, we spent the afternoon with a young couple who recently married. We had to miss their wedding and so enjoyed sitting with them and looking at their photographs. We ate together and they returned the wedding dress we had loaned them, thanks to dear supporters who have generously provided them. They are precious people who are making a difference in their community and at their places of employment. And, some friends stopped by while we were there and there was quite a spirited discussion of the upcoming world-cup soccer games in South Africa and which teams are the most favored. People love soccer here and true fans
are wearing plastic bracelets in the color of their favorite team.
We also have some dear missionary friends who are leaving to return to the states and who will not be returning to Mozambique on their next term. We have been helping them pack and prepare some, with it bringing back our own memories of leaving the States. They have moved out to where we live, staying in our guest house, and they go in one week. We hate to see them go as they have been faithful friends here. But, that is the world we live in now - people come and people go...
My side project of renovating a guest house on the property where we live has been doing wonders for me.
The one photo is of the outside - the left unit is renovated and use and we are working on the right side now. It is a simple block structure with an asbestos roof. I enjoy the physical labor and have been doing various repairs, installing a drop-ceiling, electrical work, fixing cracks in the cement, and generally trying to get it ready for use before we leave. It will provide more housing for teams and guests and needed some updating to make it more live-able. Ann took this photo of working in the space.
"For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has wrought through me to win obedience from the Gentiles, by word and deed..." Ro 15:18 (what a challenge this verse is!)
"...but no human being can tame the tongue - a restless evil,m full of deadly poison" James 3:8
"For he that would live life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking guile..." 1 Pe 3:10
No comments:
Post a Comment