Further Thoughts on Language Learning

Last semester, I acquired an old book from the free cart at school entitled Missionary Life and Work by Harold Cook of Moody Bible Institute. I haven't had the chance to read it until now, and oh, what a gem of a book I'm finding it to be! Even though parts of it are outdated (since it was written in the era when most missionaries sailed to their destination on a ship), there is still a great deal of wisdom to be found in its pages. I am underlining important things to remember all the time! You will probably see some of these portions of the book make their way onto the blog in the coming weeks as they are too good not to share.

But for today, I simply wanted to post a few quotes from Missionary Life and Work as pertains to language learning, for they have been an encouragement to me to keep persevering in this department.

"You must learn to speak to others in their language. Unless you do, you can never really communicate the Gospel to them. A message in an unknown tongue benefits nobody. Even a message in a language that is comprehended with difficulty is largely ineffective.

For example, you may have studied French in school. Then if you go and hear a message given in French, you may be able to grasp some of the facts that the speaker presents. You may gain a small amount of information, but the speaker will not move you to action. You spend all your effort in trying to understand what he says. There is no time to think of the implications of his statements. It is the message in our own familiar tongue that stirs us to action. What we hear then are not just words whose meaning we have to puzzle out. We are scarcely conscious of the words. We are hearing ideas, ideas with overtones of feeling that stir up a response within us.

Language is the missionary's major tool."

"Grammar alone is not enough. It will help you puzzle out the meaning of what is written. But until it becomes so much a part of you that you will apply it without conscious effort, you have not really learned the language. You haven't learned to talk until you cease to think of each separate word. What many people seem to fail to realize is that language is a matter of habits. You learn to express a though a certain way. You repeat it that way over and over until that form of words comes spontaneously to your lips whenever the thought calls for expression...Grammar is the skeleton, vocabulary provides the flesh to cover it, but only constant practice can make the language a living, working body."

"Practice what you have already learned on every possible occasion. This is one of the secrets of the rapid learning of little children. They don't hesitate to repeat what they hear in every conceivable situation. A new word is like a new toy. By practice they find out what they can do with it and what they can't. And they don't worry about their laughable mistakes. This is part of the learning process. If you wait until you can speak faultlessly, you will never speak. It is the one who isn't afraid to talk, in spite of mistakes, who makes the most rapid progress."

Blessings

Look who I found in my home city...

...a traveling music group from RGBI!

Even better, they were performing at the Brookwood Community, "where adults with special needs contribute to the world." It just so happened that I had the privilege of growing up at Brookwood since my parents worked there as home teachers. It was a great blessing not only to re-connect with my friends from school but also with some of the residents and staff at Brookwood that knew me when I was a little bitty girl! Great music, delightful fellowship, the meshing of two special worlds...it just doesn't get any better than that!

May Newsletter

Adventures with Jesus

May 2011

Year in Review at RGBI

Have you ever been overwhelmed by the goodness of God?

The Bible says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” Well, this past year, God’s goodness has been poured forth so abundantly upon my life, I feel like I have done much more than simply taste it...I have been feasting upon it!

Priceless friendships. Growth in Spanish abilities. Laughter around the meal tables. Evening prayer walks. Glorious sunsets. Music ministry. Weekend volleyball. Excellent classes. Street evangelism. Wednesday night devotions with the dorm girls. Prayer times with kindred spirits. Heartache and tears. Trials and tests. Spiritual enrichment. Discipleship of teenage girls. Dancing butterflies. Drama presentations. Rich Latino worship. Flute lessons. Babysitting precious little ones. A campout. Youth rallies. Grateful church members. Surprise parties. Cookouts. Sundays with special people. Answered prayer. Palm trees. Puppet shows. A mission trip. Long phone calls home. Packages received. Soccer games. Riding the waves at South Padre Island. Graduations and weddings. Unforgettable memories.

How amazing that one school year could hold so much! I entered the missionary language program at RGBI in August with great excitement and high hopes for a wonderful year of learning and growth. This past weekend, I left RGBI with profound gratitude for the goodness of God outpoured that made my year there truly one of the best of my life.

Lessons Learned at RGBI

When we arrived at RGBI and had our first orientation with Dr. Manny Gutierrez, the dean of the language school, he informed us that we were not there just to learn Spanish. In reality, studying Spanish would only be a small part of the experience. He was confident that God had brought us there for purposes much deeper than merely learning the grammar and phonetics of another language.

He was right.

In a nutshell, here is just a brief summary of the lessons God had in store for me at RGBI:

~ He taught me to appreciate His amazing intelligence in the creation of different languages and His ability to understand them all at once.

~ He taught me to appreciate and respect the diversity that exists in the Body of Christ and not to judge people on the basis of cultural or personality differences.

~ He taught me to stand firm on the convictions He has built into my life and remain loyal to Him as my first love, even when it meant giving up a certain relationship and all the hopes and dreams connected to it.

~ As a result, He taught me a new dimension of contentment and trust and finding my fulfillment in Jesus Christ alone as a single girl right now.

~ He taught me to hate the pride of my own heart just as He hates it and to embrace the humiliating experiences He allowed to refine my character. Language school is a wonderful place to receive lessons on humility! How I praise the Lord for His patience as He conforms us to the image of His Son.

~ He taught me to cast all my cares upon Him in the midst of stress and pressure and to take life one day at a time.

~ He taught me (at long last!) through sheer necessity with the Spanish language to think before I speak.

~ He taught me through many necessary reminders that grades are not everything, but that honesty and diligent effort are worth more than straight As.

~ Lastly, He taught me just how much I desperately need Him in every area of my life, to be my strength, my wisdom, my delight!

Announcing... the Next Adventure!

It was December, 2010. My family was in Ukraine, visiting my sister and brother-in-law, and welcoming my new little niece into the world. As I cuddled Melissa close and observed five doting adults tending to her every need, I couldn’t help but think of precious babies just like her who lay in overcrowded state-run institutions or dirty alleyways with no one to love them, care for them, stimulate them, or teach them about Jesus. What will become of them?

God had put a burden on my heart for the orphaned, poor, and abandoned several years ago and one of the reasons I had signed up for language school was so that I might be better equipped to serve as Christ’s hands and feet to such little ones somewhere in South America. Now, Melissa’s tiny, helpless frame snuggled in my arms caused the thought to flit across my mind... "What about the babies? How I would love to join forces with a ministry that cares for abandoned babies!”

A New Arrival at Casa de Amor

Fast forward two weeks. I was on the computer doing a search for a particular book that I wanted to use for a teen girls’ Bible study back on campus when I “stumbled” (read: providentially encountered) across a website that caught my attention. Casa de Amor. A children’s home ministry caring for orphaned and abandoned street babies. Located in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Founded and directed by a young woman with a very similar background to my own: home educated and involved in mission work from an early age. Currently operating four homes and in need of more volunteers. I sat back from the computer with eyes as wide as saucers. In that moment, God seemed to say, “This ministry is for you.” I began praying about the possibility and felt continued peace that this was of Him. So, in February, I began the application process and was officially accepted last month.

Founder and Director, Jennifer Thompson

My plans at this point are to stay in Bolivia for a minimum of six months, starting July 1st. In addition to caring for precious little ones at Casa de Amor, I will also have the opportunity to get involved with a local church ministry and participate in music, evangelism, street outreach, or whatever the need may be. At the end of my six month term, I will have the option to extend my commitment there or move to Peru and join forces with my good friends, the Earnharts, in missionary work that will hopefully include the start of an orphanage. But of course, the Lord is in control, and for all I know, He may have something completely different in mind! I am just excited to be His and to be living these adventures with Him!

Thank you all for being such faithful prayer partners each step of the way! Please keep praying, and please stay in touch!

Last Days at RGBI - part 2!

Photos compliments of Alma Varela:

Recital Time

Voice and Flute students of Alma

Bible Reading at Graduation Ceremony

I'm finished!

It was really fun to introduce Mom and Dad to the Varelas and have lunch with them right before leaving.

Lots of laughter in this household!

Last Days at RGBI

Buddies: Nathaly and Katrina

Lovebirds: Samuel and Lidia

My favorite campus couple: Julio and Alma

Queridas Amigas: Katrina and Alma

Tuning up!

Backyard Garden Wedding

Vows by Sunset

Very cool tree decorations

Sandwiches for all!

Bridesmaid Angela

Friends: Pakis and Katrina

Glimpses of Graduation

I'm sorry the video clips are a little fuzzy! I think the zoom was on just a bit too strong. Nevertheless, hope you enjoy this small window into our celebration!

Music Chapel Montage

Our last chapel service at school was all music! Here is a sampling of the various musical numbers that were shared!

Graduation Hall of Fame

Well, I'm officially graduated from the Rio Grande Bible Institute's missionary language program! It feels great to be finished and on to the next adventure in South America (which I'll be telling about soon)! First, though, I am home for the time being where I am unpacking and catching up on blogs posts. Hope you enjoy these pictures of the dear friends from my life at RGBI!

Luis, my adopted brother and ping-pong buddy.

Alma, my beloved teacher, friend, and mentor.

Pao, one of the girls in my Bible study whose love for the Lord blessed my life!

Nathaly, my dear friend and tutor from Ecuador.

Shajid, a brotherly type of friend and inspiration when it came to sharing the Gospel.

Noel, a really good friend and fellow Houstonian with whom I shared many meal-time theological discussions, evangelism on the streets, and volleyball on the weekends.

Johanna and Yanerling, two of my dorm buddies.

Sofía, my suite-mate and tutor - a true joy-bug!

Samantha, my wonderful roommate.

Satsuki, my dear friend and study buddy.

Satsuki, Jessica, and Alondra - a circle of good friends!

Lidia, a married friend who was my prayer partner on many occasions and who nursed me back to health when I was sick.

Lorena, my first friend at RGBI and one of the closest!

Sarah and Jada, two of my classmates and partners in all things language school!

Jada was like a sister to me in so many ways and true friend!

Jada's little brother, Justus - a new little friend for the weekend who always made me smile!

Mom and Dad - my best cheerleaders ever!

Music Recital

This first video is for you, Katelin! Thanks so much for loaning me your flute this semester! I have enjoyed taking lessons and learning a new instrument!

Quick Pic!

Taking a quick break from an intense soccer game with Luis, my adopted brother from Paraguay.

Missionary Chapel Full Video

201105 - MLS Chapel Final from Chris Cisler on Vimeo.

Missionary Chapel

Every semester, the missionary language school students here at RGBI are in charge of leading a chapel service in front of the entire school body. The purpose of this assignment is to demonstrate what we've learned in our 9 months of Spanish studies. My graduating class gave our service yesterday and are so excited with how the Lord intervened on our behalf and allowed it to go smoothly, despite a rocky rehearsal the day before. From the music to the testimonies to the preaching, everything turned out well and people were blessed! We praise the Lord and give Him all the glory!

Eventually, we hope to have the whole service available for viewing online for our family and friends who couldn't be here. In the meantime, you might enjoy watching the following short clips. The first one is me giving a testimony about what God has taught me this year. The second one is what we produced as a class and showed during the chapel service for comedy purposes. The last one is the ladies' ensemble that sang to close the service. Hope you enjoy this small window into Missionary Chapel, Spring 2011!

Sounds of Heaven

Yesterday, my good friends Alma and Lidia sang a gloriously beautiful song in chapel while I accompanied on the piano. Hope it blesses your day!

Spring Camp Out

A week ago, we had a marvelous time going on a campout as a school! We relaxed in God's creation, played soccer and tetherball, listened to messages, sang around the campfire, went swimming, performed skits, and enjoyed lots of fellowship. You can see pictures from the trip here.

Object Lessons Explained

It was fun to hear feedback from several of you on the object lessons from the last post. :-)

Here is a brief run-down of the answers:

The first picture shows Helen dressed in different articles of clothing with tags on them identifying different character qualities that a Christian should demonstrate. Her lesson was about "putting off" and "putting on" bad/good qualities, as we "put on the Lord Jesus Christ." The costume made the lesson come alive!

In the next two pictures, Sarah identified all the necessary ingredients for baking brownies. The point she made is that while each ingredient may not taste very good on its own, when they are all put together, something delicious results. It's the same with our lives. Sometimes difficult things happen (related to bitter tasting vanilla or cocoa on its own) but God uses all things together for good to produce a desirable result. While we may only want the "sugar" experiences, God knows we need the "baking powder" and "flour" as well to come out with a tasty product! (Sarah then proceeded to let everyone sample the brown lesson!)

Erin is pictured next with various things that are made from wood or grown from trees, and to be honest, I can't remember the analogy she was trying to make...but I think it was something like God's ability to take the same item (a tree) and produce many different things from it. I remember it being a really good lesson...I guess I should have been paying better attention!

Jada gave a great object lesson about how we use our time. Marshmallows represented top priorities like reading the Bible, praying, going to church, witnessing to others, etc. M&Ms represented necessary time pursuits for daily living like cooking, exercising, studying, working, etc. Finally, sugar represented the "extras" of life like hobbies, time on the internet, watching television/movies, etc. When sugar fills up the cup (life) first, and then M&Ms go on top, there is little to no room left for the marshmallows. However, when the marshmallows go in the cup first, then the M&Ms, and lastly the sugar, everything fits perfectly. This is the way it should be in our lives with the way we spend our time.

The last few pictures show the presentation I gave using a palm tree as my object lesson. Those of you who guessed flexibility were right!...at least for one of the three points. The basis for my talk was the verse: "The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree." Palm trees are victorious in the face of storms and even hurricanes, often being the only type of tree left standing when a fierce storm blows through. This is because of the palm tree's incredible root system and it's ability to bend with flexibility in the wind rather than snapping in half. In a similar way, God has given us as believers the ability to be victorious and flourish even in the storms by being rooted in Christ and by being flexible, accepting changes or hard times and rejoicing in all things. The third point is that the longer a palm tree endures, the sweeter it's fruit. God tells us as Christians not to be weary in well doing for in due season, we shall reap...if we faint not.

Everyone in the class did a great job with their lessons (only a few are pictured here) and I think we all learned a lot in the process! Slowly but surely, the Spanish language is coming along. Writing speeches and preparing presentations like this is proving to be a tremendous help in the learning journey!

Making Music Together

Last night, a spring concert took place here at school featuring a special guest pianist as well as several faculty staff. I participated as pianist accompaniment for a flute trio and also played a duet for two pianos. The Lord answered prayer and took away the usual nervous jitters I experience whenever I have to perform - what a blessing! It was a lovely evening of music. Pictured above are guest pianist Tricia Jeske, Ruth Windle (the president's wife and director of our music department), Alma Varela (grammar/flute/voice teacher), myself, and Luis Tyler (professor of Biblical languages).

Alma is not just a wonderful teacher but a dear friend and mentor.

Painting the Gospel

On one of our recent street evangelism expeditions, a fellow student went with us who does street preaching with paintings. I was fascinated by his presentation of the Gospel using these drawings and the way it got the attention of people on the street. When Marco offered to give workshops on campus to teach us how to do the same presentation, I jumped at the chance to participate!

The first Saturday, we prepared the drawings ahead of time and the second Saturday we completed them as we preached. Here are some photos from our class together:

David went first and did an amazing job!

Alejo takes a turn.

Here is what my prepared painting looked like before I got started. As you can guess, it is meant to capture people's attention!

I wasn't quite ready to preach the whole message in Spanish yet, without having done it first in English, so I preached in English but still used a painting with Spanish words. How's that for good Tex-Mex? :)

I guess in my switching back and forth between the two languages, I misspelled the word at the bottom which is supposed to say, "hombre." Oh well!

Oops! Another misspelled word! Soledad is supposed to have an 'E'...I was going kinda fast.

Our teacher, Marco, explains something to the class.

Jessica paints the word AMOR, which means "love."

Noel's turn.

Cresenciano was very deliberate and thorough in his explanation of the Gospel.

Live and in action! You can see Marco in this picture using a number game to draw a crowd over by the Gold Palace perfume store.

I was amazed at how many people stopped to see what was going on!

Here he is filling in the painting while he preaches.

Addressing the crowd.

Throughout the afternoon, we split up and passed out Gospel tracts. Here I am on the corner handing out million dollar bill tracts like candy. Many people came and asked me for more once they read the message so they could give them to their friends and family!

Crescenciano explains the Gospel to a passerby.