Spanish Grads

     Not many children get to attend their parents' graduation.  But this night was different.  Mark and I graduated from The Spanish Language Institute in Costa Rica with our precious children in the audience, listening to the long speeches, and clapping politely when required.

     First each missionary student walked into the chapel with the flag from their country of service. 

Then Mark and I had the opportunity to give a speech in Spanish, representing our graduating class.  It was exhilarating and the first time we've ever given a speech together. 

Our teachers recognized our personal qualities and gifts, everyone prayed for us, and we said some more painful goodbyes.

10 "Charlas" a Week = Lots of Great Friends!

     We knew that our FARO conversation class would require a significant time commitment, but we didn't realize it would hurt, too.  On our very last day in Costa Rica, our living room was stacked high with luggage, but it didn't stop our Tica friends from stopping by for one last visit.  We smiled for the camera to bring some memories with us, but we sadly left part of our hearts in San Francisco de Dos Rios. 

"What are these called???" 

Mark's friend eats a Rice Krispy treat for the first time. 

His "New Jersey" ballcap reminds them of their time

raising their children in the U.S. before returning to their

hometown in Costa Rica.

We'll miss Monday night dinner conversation with Rafael.

Serving Jesus.  We were blessed with many Christian friends

who served Jesus faithfully by patiently conversing in Spanish with us and

with many other missionaries at the institute.

It's especially hard to say goodbye to wonderful neighbors.

This sweet young woman loves the Lord and is a faithful

witness at her local public high school.

More than I Could Imagine

Miss Jana's room downstairs was a favorite hang out.

     I know God answers my prayers.  But very often I forget that He answers by giving me more than I asked for or even imagined was possible. 

     Mark and I signed up for our last trimester of school wondering who would be with the children during their school break.  Sojourn Academy offered a summer camp, but our oldest daughter requested slower, summer like mornings and more time at home.  This was a reasonble request since she had just finished her first year of traditional schooling and was tired from the constant demands of tests and projects.  All the kids wanted to spend more time with each other, too.

     I prayed, asking God to provide a Costa Rican to care for them at home in the mornings and help them with their Spanish.  I thought it was a reasonable request, but I should have known better.  I should have prayed much bigger.

     I should have prayed for someone bilingual, someone who grew up knowing both Spanish and English, a young woman old enough to be a leader and fun enough to goof off with the kids, a 3rd culture kind of person who faced the trials of growing up on the mission field and yet persevered and conquered in God's strength, someone who could sing and play the guitar, a lovely Christian who could teach by both Word and deed, and someone who was so beautiful on the outside and inside that the kids would instantly fall in love with her.

     I should have prayed bigger, but I praise God that he loves to give us more than we could ask for or imagine, and he generously gave our family OP Missionary Jana Crum.  After a rather speedy introduction to Costa Rica, she got right to work organizing a daily routine for the children.  They were on summer break, but a little structure goes a long way.  Each morning they read their Bibles and prayed individually and then discussed what they learned.  They straightened their rooms and cleaned up after breakfast.

It's almost time for church to start.

 

     And then the real fun started.  They were all enrolled in the Crum boot camp and did sit ups, push ups, planks, wall sits, lunges, they jogged around the block, and enjoyed plenty of park time.  They also memorized verses in Spanish.  We all enjoyed lunch together in Spanish.  And if one of us mistakenly used English, we had to repeat the Spanish translation three times. 

     Jana also volunteered during VBS week at the Presbyterian and Reformed Church in Cartago.  She went with the children each day and helped with the music ministry. 

     She stayed at the house with the kids in the afternoons when Mark and I had Spanish conversation appointments, walked with Sabrina to dance class, washed dishes, cooked for us, and helped us in countless other ways.  Mark and I could not have completed FARO with our sanity intact without Miss Jana.

at the fruit market with a crazy Richline kid

Taxi Passengers, A Captive Audience

     Praise God, we received our student residency visas for Costa Rica.  This kept us from taking 3 long, costly trips out of the country, and waiting for hours each time we crossed the border.  I'm working on the same process for Uruguay and Lord Willing I will have everything in order when we leave the states.
     Yesterday, God granted us a pleasant surprise.  Since we don't have a car, we rely on public transportation for any trip longer than a couple of miles. Mark always sits in the front seat of the taxi to use the opportunity to talk with the driver and witness to him.
     On our way to a grocery store yesterday,  Mark noticed the driver was listening to a sermon on the radio and asked him what he thought.  The question, a great conversation starter, would have been a good opportunity for Mark to share the gospel, but something surprising happened.
     The young man replied that many evangelical churches are preaching "a prosperity gospel" that is false. He then shared the gospel with us!
     He talked of man's sinful state, Christ's perfect life, death and resurrection, and our eternal hope.  It was a blessing to understand what he was saying and respond with affirmation in Spanish.
     He stated that Jesus is the only way to Heaven, and that we must search the Scriptures for answers instead of relying on tradition or popular preachers. While driving, he pulled out his Bible and waved it to emphasize the point, "¿Qué dice la Biblia?"
     We arrived at the grocery store, but stayed in the car for another ten minutes as he told us more about the merits of expository study of the Bible, the process of sanctification, and more.
     His testimony and understanding of the gospel amazed and encouraged us.  The Holy Spirit is using His Word to convict, regenerate, and embolden his elect in Costa Rica. We're praying for this young taxi driver and the many other passengers who will hear the same message.

Do you have a minute?

Our Spanish conversation class will be moving outside this trimester!  We'll be hitting the streets, looking for people working in stores who don't look too busy.  And we'll ask them if we can stop by twice a week for conversation practice on a range of topics from politics to sports to religion.   We'll still have a grammar class every morning at 7:30, but that will be a cake class in comparison.

This is exactly what Mark and I need: 20-30 conversations in Spanish per week!  We didn't learn how to communicate in English by studying grammar books and taking tests because language is more naturally learned in a social context.  It's a great theory on paper, but the footwork required is daunting.

We have heard that this FARO class is difficult and some students drop out before completing it.  Can we do it?  Please pray that we will honor God in our commitment to completing the class and in our relationships with people in the community.  It is also our prayer that God will give us opportunities to share the Good News with the men and women on our routes.

The Spanish Language Institute

SPAN 304 FARO II.
FARO introduces the participant to a methodology of life-long language learning that utilizes the resources of the language community.

(F) the facilitator, a staff member of the Institute who lends direction, encouragement and accountability to the process;
(A) the helper ("ayudante"), a native speaker with some knowledge of English who assists the learner in preparing and practicing texts to be memorized, frequently in exchange for help with English; and
(R) the route, which consists of 10-15 people in the community (store owners, neighbors, etc) whom the learner visits twice a week; and
(O) listen and observe ("oir" and "observar"), two important responsibilities of the learner.

FARO participants meet three times a week with their facilitator: once individually and twice with their small group. They are expected to spend six hours per week on their route or in a planned activity and two hours a week with their helper. In addition to being a creative, learner-directed way of practicing Spanish, FARO has proven to be an effective means of sharing the gospel and forming lasting relationships with Latins.

Confident Swimmer in a Kiddie Pool of Spanish

While conversing with a Costa Rican friend, I attempted to describe what happened last weekend. I halted before every verb - perfect or imperfect? Regular or irregular? Ser or Estar? Reflexive or not? Pronoun first or not?

A minute of silence in mid sentence is what you call a VERY awkward moment. And when it happens in every sentence, you can just imagine the patience my listener needs to have.

My yellow Spanish grammar book is dog eared and coffee stained, and my verb book and pocket dictionary are grungy from daily use. And thanks to some amazing teachers at The Spanish Language Institute, I've covered 2/3 of the Spanish grammar book.

So what have I learned after 6 months of classes and immersion in Costa Rican culture?

I can read a Spanish Sunday School Lesson like a primary school student.  And because I can order confidently in a restaurant, give directions to a taxi driver (no addresses here!), exchange simple greetings, introduce myself to others, talk on the phone, and communicate what I need in different circumstances (though usually not correctly), I am just beyond the survival stage. This means, simply, that I don't break out in a cold sweat every time I walk out the front door.

Interestingly, many people are tempted to lose interest and plateau here. I'm tempted, too, but in a different way.

Beautifully, precisely spoken Spanish is a carrot dangling in front of me that seems so close on some days. I wake up each day with energy and inspiration to sculpt with more precision this crudely shaped lump of Spanish in my brain. Each time I walk into class I think, "Yes, I will speak fluently one day. (But not today)."

It's aggravatingly possible in the distant future, and yet embarrassingly impossible right now. And that's exactly why it's so tempting.

Where's my verb book? I need to memorize those past tense conjugations.

Public Speaking in a Second Language, Only Possible with God's Help!

Mision Christiana Emanuel Siloh has been a great blessing to our family.  They are mission minded in their community and also see themselves as encouragers to missionary families like us who are learning Spanish before moving to other Latin American countries.

Mark wrote out a sermon in English, one of the members translated it, and then his tutor read it aloud for him to practice.  He preached the sermon a few weeks ago.  He has also prayed in Spanish at services.  Our classes at The Spanish Language Institute have provided countless opportunities for him to practice since we students take turns praying before each session. The congregation has also been very encouraging through this whole experience.

Each week I prepare a Sunday School lesson in Spanish.  The challenge is magnified by the three missionary kids in my class who naturally prefer English.  It's quite a mental workout to have a group of kids all asking questions in two different languages.  God is blessing our time and the children are responding well to his Word.