We will be one year in Thailand a few days from now– September 12 to be exact. So… one year is a long time. If you ask me if I have done “anything significant”– disciples, perhaps? planted a church? raised the dead? No. I haven’t done any of those yet. I don’t mean to be defensive, but I really believe that language is a great challenge to muster when you are in Thailand. I have managed to “survive” Thailand in the last couple of months and I feel good. But I am not here to survive. I am not just here to instruct a taxi driver which way we should go, or simply buy fruits and vegetables in the market… or make friends. I am here for a reason much more than that. Which is why I need language.
I found this in my co-learner’s study table during my first day at language school.
I will have my disciples here in Thailand. I know, because God would never have to send us here if He did not have this in mind. Discipleship requires pouring out of our lives, and I would need language to do that. I don’t find Thai easy to learn, and there are many times that I just have to close my eyes and mumble so many vocabularies until I fall asleep. It’s not easy. I am not here on a holiday. I am willing to pay the price, to do whatever it takes. Jesus spoke our language when He came here. He stepped down to our level to reach us. I should not be scared to do the same– for Thailand and its people.
I agree – it takes time to learn language and yet it is the most important thing to be able to communicate! Frustrating though when you can’t – my task now is to learn Bengali!
(^;^)
Moms,
Somebody told me that language learning is a ministry.Why? Learning the language of a certain people makes the people of that language feel important, loved, special.
I experienced that too. Kana ganing murag wala kay nabuhat k wala kay nawin of nadisciple? But I was healed months later after I arrived from China that God has a program. And what’s going on in our lives is part of His program or plan.
Preparation takes time…
I’m with you and so is God