Language Learning

The short essay on this is: It’s hard.
More details? My day largely consists of language learning. Most mornings I work on my homework from the previous day’s lesson. Then I make my way to the kitchen where sister Maria is preparing lunch for all the students, the staff and any guests that might happen to show up at the Centre. Matthew often has pastors or visitors from other countries dropping by to find out more about OM’s program and ministry. The students are in the Challenge into Missions program, levels 1 and 2. Level 2 are offering leadership to the level 1 students. They have classes most of the day for two weeks and then they are sent out in teams to the villages to put into practice the lessons of discipleship, service and evangelism that they have been learning. I was privileged the other day to be able to speak to them about prayer and how important it is not only to be praying for others and for the world, but also to have people praying for them. (I know how important that is, and am so thankful for all my faithful prayer supporters!)
So anyway, I help Maria in the kitchen, learning not only how she prepares the food but how to say cabbage, as I grate it, or carrots, as I chop them, or potatoes, as I peel them. And she asks me about my day or my activities and I understand maybe a tenth of what she says, but every day it increases minutely.
Dinner is at 1 pm and after that I either go for a walk, or downtown to run and errand and maybe speak some Romanian or maybe simply be jolted to death in the ignominious minibuses – what a ride that is! At 3 pm is my Romanian lesson and by the time 1 ½ -2 hours is up, I have had my fill of the language for the day. But tomorrow I will do it all again and I will know more than I did yesterday! Praise God for His patience with us!
Today I am sad because I missed the opportunity to go to the airport to say goodbye to Sarah. But I did give her a parcel to take home and deliver to Ben for me, so I am glad about that. Sarah, if you ever get around to reading this, la revedere!! And thanks for being here! God bless you real good!
As soon as my lesson is over I run for the computer as after office hours is the only time one can really get access to the internet. So here I am, thinking of you all, and glad to be receiving e-mail and to know that you are thinking of me! God bless you all!!