We have translators. They are awesome. For the most part they have given up a month of their lives to work with us, eat with us, live with us and laugh with us . . . and at us!
Without them we would be up to our necks in frustration- moreso than we were in Mexico or Guatemala because of the nature of our work here. Not a day goes by that we aren’t speaking in public places, not to mention all the door-to-door stuff we’ve been doing.
Even with tranlsators it is head spinning how quickly things can change here and how challenging it can be to either speak or hear clearly what is being communicated.
Case in point: On our calendar for today was Sports Ministry. All we knew was that it involved Futbol (soccer) and Volleyball in a local park. It sounded like we were being billed as the US National Volleyball Team or something. We are learning to be prepared without going overboard in our preparations. Good thing too. Turns out the day was mostly for us to enjoy playing some games with church members and whoever happened by the park. Ministry Happened I think . . . but not because we had a strong program or agenda.
Same thing last night. Ministry in a Park. Have a skit and a couple songs ready. Turns out we did about 3 skits, about 3 testmonies and a couple sets of songs. It was awesome. The team is really learning to roll with the punches. To be ready in season and out of season.
Same thing the past Thursday night. Go to a school, go eat, go to a Cell Group. NOT! The school assembly started an hour later than we planned. We ate at a church members home and then went to what was supposed to be a really scary park with lots of street kids and gang members. Either they weren’t all that scary or God was really taking care of things. They were just kids and they responded well to our goofy skits and Stacy’s rendition of the Titanic theme song.
Speaking of Ministry Happening. There’s this guy in the community that I think thinks we should know Boy George because we are from the States (despite my best attempts to tell him Boy George is from England, therefore we haven’t met). At the concert/ministry in the park last night he was really distracting me from praying for the team. I had already stopped and humored him a few times so when I saw him approach me again I started praying against any spirit of distraction from him specifically. When I could see peripherally that he was right next to me, I finally turned to address him and he was just speechless. He started to speak and couldn’t get any words out. He tried at least twice before just turning and walking away. No more distraction. Thank you Jesus.
