That is one of the big questions these days. Having settled on a departure date of September of 2006, we now are asking the question of whether or not we need language school. We realize that there are pros and cons to both scenarios, and we just want to seek the Lord's guidance in this matter. We would love to be in Togo as soon as possible, but we also want to be as prepared as possible. Spending a few months in France isn't the end of the world, but we have already done alot of waiting, and we are anxious to join our teammates in Kabiyeland.
Please pray for this decision. We believe that part of seeking the Lord's wisdom is seeking out counsel from our brothers and sisters, so if you have any suggestions or guidance, please feel free to comment.
1 comment:
My dad said that when his family moved to Norway, a lot of American children were put in American schools, and while they learned some Norwegian those kids were always viewed as Americans. His parents put him and his siblings into Norwegian schools. He said that (with the exception of him, because he's dark haired) after a few years nobody really knew anyone in his family wasn't from Norway.
He said that it helped his dad be a more effective preacher to have been so immersed in the language. The disadvantage was that they were sort of in limbo for the first few years. People don't always listen to broken Norwegian messages, but someone who can go in and talk without there being an added barrier to the religion one helped a lot of people hear the message.
So if going to France will help you learn the language so that when you get there you can already be on the same communication page, then it's a plus.
I guess the toss up comes when you consider the following:
Are the people more likely to listen and learn if you come in ready to go? Or are they more likely to be receptive to knowing that you, like them, are learning new things too?
Getting there sooner doesn't always mean starting things more quickly. In the long run it might take you longer to learn the language. So while your family is there showing a message, it would be a shame to have a language barrier for those who want to understand what you're showing.
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