The Value of Language School

If there is one thing that I, Ginny, would do over again in answering God's call for our family into missions, it would be to have insisted that we all learn Spanish very well before moving to Mexico. While I know that learning in Chiapas is far more desirable (because we are learning the same Spanish that is spoken in this part of Latin America) the absence of a strong command of the language is a hindrance.

If you have seen The End of the Spear, you know that the missionaries might not have been killed had they been able to speak the native language. Now, I have no reason to believe that our lives are in danger here, but still, that aspect of their story was not lost on me. The ability to communicate effectively can make all the difference in showing God's love through our words in addition to the living out of our faith in other observable ways.

Language school in San Cristobal is challenging, long and fun. We are in a class with one instructor just for our family ---- with 3 hours of direct instruction and then as much as 3 hours of additional homework! Needless to say, there's not a whole lot of studying other subjects! We are living with the family of Isidro Entzin, a Tzeltal attorney. Because they speak no English at all, we are truly immersed and practicing our new skills day and night.

I have wondered....when God responded to the Tower of Babel by causing the people to no longer understand each other's language, did he know how hard it would make it to spread the Good News later? I envy the missionaries we have met who so comfortably converse in Spanish or Tzeltal or Tsotsil. They are able to give all of their attention to the person, to concentrate on the deeper meaning in their communication with each other, and to be themselves completely. We ask for your prayers as we strive to learn Spanish, improve our understanding of the Spanish and Indigenous Mexican cultures, and follow God's leading in our service.