Language

Our focus for the next few months is language learning so we can communicate well with the people. Will is learning Juba Arabic (a pigeon form of Arabic that is written with English letters instead of Symbols) and I am learning Moru (the local, tribal language here in Mundri). We are learning separate languages because of the people we are trying to reach. Will is mainly going to be working with the men in the area, and will also occasionally be traveling to surrounding areas for supplies. Because of that, the people he will interact with most will be speaking Juba Arabic. I will be working with children and want to communicate well with the women who live near us and who have shops in the market. The majority of women and children speak Moru. We will be able to reach more people as a couple since we will have the ability to speak to people in Juba Arabic and in Moru.

Will with his language helper, Frances

We are only about 2 ½ weeks into our time here in Mundri and I already have moments when “just” learning a language doesn’t feel like enough. I have wondered if I have enough purpose in this time. When I think about this, however, my mind goes back to something we learned at our pre-field training in Colorado this past summer.

They explained that for the first 2 years of a child’s life, they are learning language. They usually are not able to communicate in a way adults understand yet, but they are taking everything in. They are observing, listening and babbling to try to take in the language. After the two years, it obviously still takes a while for children to get the sounds completely right and string a sentence together correctly, but it eventually comes together.

Although it may seem pointless, those two years of “taking things in” are critical in a child’s ability to learn a language. They need this time of observing, listening and babbling to be able to eventually speak an understandable sentence.

This is the stage I feel like we are in right now (but hopefully it won’t take two years!). Some days it seems un-productive to my western mindset. I would feel better if I could go out and accomplish something that seems more tangible. However, God has been reminding me of the big picture. He is showing me over and over again that I need this time of “babbling” and saying things incorrectly in order to eventually be able to communicate well with the people.

I keep thinking that at the end of our language learning, I will finally be able to connect with people. However, that is not true. I can connect with them now, even if I look silly with my large hang gestures and butchered Moru attempts. We still bond with children before we are able to speak with them and have them respond.

So, there is purpose in this time. Learning two new languages (between the two of us) seems daunting, but it is critical to our future ministry here. We will, like children, take the time to listen and observe, and eventually we will be able to speak and be understood (and hopefully the large hand gestures will not be necessary anymore ;)).