We split up into different groups the other day, the girls went to the barrios and the guys went to move bricks at the center. It was the first day that we went out to the neighborhoods around the center to just spend time with the people, play some football, or whatever our hearts so desired. There was a group of people hanging out on the curb outside some homes, so we stopped and began talking with them. Salvador, our translator was doing a fabulous job at helping us communicate… however there isn´t enough translator to go around! The people were so friendly, they brought us out chairs to sit, even some cold coke ! how kind!
So the reality of the language barrier began to set in when Lindsey, to my right, began a converation with a beautiful 12 year old girl, stephanie, to my left, was talking with a woman and sharing the gospel with her, and hannah was sprawled out on the ground making all the kids laugh when she fell over everytime they poked her. and then there i was… sitting in front of this man, having no idea how to commmunicate with him, as we stared at each other awkwardly…. I tried to think of EVERY spanish word i knew, and then attempted to make some sort of sentence using the very few words i knew such as: momma, casa, bien, gracias, zapata…. I used LOTS of hand motions, even acted out some words! so our conversations went something like this: ” Donde estas tu casa? aqui.¨”
and ” Zapata, in English is shoe” and the man nods his head ( we were there for about an hour by the way)!
so im probably portraying it a lot worse than it was, we definitely laughed A LOT at my foolishness and he definitely tried to talk to me at least! 🙂 Its funny now to look back on it but at the time, it was not humerous. I was slowly getting frustrated at failed attempts, or so I thought, to communicate with him.
but as we left, the man told Salvador, our translator to tell me that it was nice sharing with me… and it was in THAT moment, after I felt defeated, the Lord told me that we use not our words to love, but our actions. and that there was no language barrier for love. Love is not confined by language, or culture, nor can it be stopped. and He was pleased. we are to be foolish for the Lord, and Im so thankful that although I do not know perfect spanish, i know a Perfect Love, Jesus Christ.
1 John 3:18
