After 14 months and one week, we have reached the third level in our Spanish study! Wow, this road is not easy. There are days that I want to give up and go home. No, lets be honest, there are weeks that I want to give up and go home. I have thought “Lord, I am just not cut out for this missionary life”. But we are still here. We are still plugging away, not because we are awesome or superstars or extra holy, it’s because God is awesome and He is enabling us to do this work. (See the four levels of language learning below. We are now in Capable.)
Sometimes it’s hard to write blog posts and updates. Our days consist of this… “Wow, we made a friend today! Can you believe they actually want to hang out with us? Oh man, it’s 8pm. My brain hurts, I just want to go to bed. Oh no, the dishes turned into a mountain again and the laundry took over our whole house. And the dust, Brion why is there always so much dust?!? I should study, but I just want to sit down on the couch for a minute to rest”….. which turns into an hour.
There are so many times when we want to give up, but we know in our hearts that this is where God has us and He will use us for His glory. We listened to a podcast from our sending church the other day. Their focus for this school year is for each person to lead one person to Christ. Wow, what an awesome goal. I turned to Brion, “Bri, lets try to lead one person to Christ this year in Spanish! How cool would that be. OK, So maybe that’s a pretty lofty goal, huh?”
Guys, it is so hard not being in ministry. To not be able to convey our hearts to people. To have so many “conversations” with people, but all of them so surface (and we’re jumping up and down on the inside when we’re even able to get it all out correctly!). God knows our hearts, but this has been a lonely time for us. Now we actually have friends and can hold decent conversations, but it has been like sludging through the thickest, murkiest mud pit you’ve ever seen. And ya know what, once we feel super confident in this language, it’s time start all over and learn a tribal language.
I’m not trying to complain, because I truly love our life. Some days I want to cry and stay in bed all day, but I know that we are not doing this in vain. Being a part of God’s plan to reach the nations is humbling and awesome.
Ok, so if you’re still reading this…. We are excited to be a in a new stage of learning, closer to our goal and are waiting to hear what’s next for us after this stage. If you are praying for us, trust me, you have helped us get through some ugly days. If you’re not praying for us, could you think about starting to? This journey, as adventurous as it is, is not easy and we could use more prayer.
Damos gracias, por esta familia…..les conosco de cerca y valla han avanzado con mucho esfuerzo y dedicasion, aunque algunos dias son dificiles, para ellos con todo esto del idioma, mas criansa de los hijos y todo lo que hay que hacer para que la casa no se caiga de mugre….jajajaja. adelante muchachos que vale la pena servir al Señor, un abrazo.
Brion and Annette, know that we are praying for you as the Lord leads. Thanks for your blog posts and emails; we share them throughout our Global Advance team, and we ask the church to pray.
Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might!
(on behalf of Community Church, West Bend).
We are praying for you. Are there some creature comforts we can send you? Do you have internet at home? Have you tried duo lingo (https://www.duolingo.com)
You are doing a great work! Day by day your steps of faith and obedience are leading you down the path God has for you and that is INCREDIBLE. Keep it up friends!