I am interrupting our current blog series on language learning for something that has just been made public. A few years ago Vision Baptist Missions published a documentary called “Light in the Darkness”. I have never seen anything like it! It opened up my eyes to the need of the Gospel in India as well as other countries around the world. Many churches bought the DVD and showed this documentary in a service. It has stirred hearts. This 30 minute documentary is professionally done and is worth your time to watch it. I have imbedded the video below. You are free to watch it and share it with everyone you wish. I pray that God blesses and stirs you through it!
Language Learning: Part VI
One of the greatest advantages we have to where and how we are learning the language is that we get to be an active part of a great church in La Plata, Argentina. Lighthouse Baptist Church (Iglesia Bautista El Faro) was started by a missionary friend of mine over 10 years ago. The missionary trained a man named Jorge who has been the Pastor since the missionary lead the church to be indigenous. Pastor Jorge is a godly man who has been a very big encouragement to me. He has allowed me to pray in the church, give a testimony, and give the offering devotion numerous times! With all my grammatical errors he encourages me to try again. He has allowed me to go with him on special visits before. He and his wife, Johanna have become our friends!
There is much more to learning the language while attending church. For one, it is obvious that everything spoken during the service is in Spanish. Any greetings are done in Spanish. Everything is in Spanish! Every time we meet is an opportunity to learn the language. Sunday School, Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night, and Saturday visitation. Special events like men’s meetings and work days at the church are also great times to learn the language. Our daughters look forward to every service. They like arriving early so they can play with their friends (their friends also speak Spanish). On top of it all, we have made friends that we have been able to spend a little time with outside of church. Every hour counts as we are learning the language. Attending Lighthouse Baptist Church is an incredible blessing and honor for us! I can tell you they are far more a blessing to us than we are to them. This is another way we are endeavoring to learn the language.
August 2016 Missions Letter
Great Advances in Spanish
We have been in language school for two months now. We have learned many different rules, exceptions to rules, tenses, moods, and the like but more than that we have had the opportunity to put into practice what we are learning. I was given the opportunity to give the offering devotion eight separate times. This involves reading a verse in the Bible in Spanish that pertains to giving and expounding upon that verse (or small passage of verses) for 2-3 minutes. This doesn’t seem like much, but it is a great opportunity for me to practice in front of a church. Iglesia Bautista El Faro (Lighthouse Baptist Church) is where we attend while in language school. Pastor Jorge has given me these opportunities to preach. There are many men in the church who could do this better than I can, but Pastor Jorge still allows me the opportunity! I make mistakes as I speak, but the people in the church are very forgiving and encouraging. I am very thankful for every opportunity I am given!
More About Learning Spanish
The offering devotion is just one of the ways we are learning Spanish. We have a blog series on our website about Language learning. We encourage you to go to AdvanceTheGospel.net and read about the different ways we are learning Spanish.
Serving Together,
Patrick, Leslie, Lily, Piper, and Ivy Henry
Language Learning: Part V
Learning the rules of a language and learning the language are not the same. The rules are important, but learning to communicate is far more important. This series on language learning is not just something I think might work, it is what I am doing right now. I am in the midst of learning Spanish. This involves language school, but it continues far beyond our short time we have with our language school teacher.
On Monday and Tuesday nights, I have the unique opportunity to attend the seminary that is a ministry of the church we attend here. Classes are from 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM. The leaders of the seminary are very kind to let me attend classes there. These classes are more opportunities to learn and practice Spanish. I don’t say very much, most of my learning is by way of listening and watching the interaction between teacher and students. I can see the progression. When I first started going I was more engaged at specific words that were being said. At some point there has been a dramatic shift. Now I have arrived at the place of paying attention to the topic and what is being communicated (which is far better). I find myself wanting to interject some thought here and there (although I am not quite sure my mouth can say what my mind wants to say). I sit there on those nights learning what is being said! I probably understand 80-85% of what is being communicated in class. It helps that the subject matter is something I am familiar with, but I am learning. I still write down the words that I hear but don’t know the meaning. I look those words up in a dictionary afterwards. We have a break about halfway through the night. This is an opportunity to converse for me. I try to stand outside in the cold night (it is winter at this time) and talk to someone about whatever I can. We almost always talk about how cold it is. We have talked about class and what we were just discussing in class. We talk about upcoming days. Anything I can find to talk about I try to do so. We resume class after the break and I finish listening to the last portion of class. At 10:00 PM, we dismiss and I start for home (about a 15 minute drive). I arrive home to a dark house. Leslie and the kids have already eaten and are now in bed. There is a plate of food left out for me to eat. Leslie will usually get out of bed to greet me and tell me about dinner. I will eat at the table and think about how incredible my life is! We get to learn a language and get to do so in some amazing ways!
At the time of this blog, it is winter break. Right now is is a very nasty, rainy day. Winter break lasts 2 weeks. We resume classes next week. I am looking forward to it. The leaders of the seminary have asked me to teach a short class in November/December in the seminary! I should be fluent by then, at least fluent enough to teach a class! This is just another way I am learning the language!
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