Learning Language

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I am learning a new language. The name for “canoe”in the language I am studying is “wikosh”

Thank you for continuing to pray for us. As we continue to learn this new ministry of orientation for church planting missionaries, a big part of their lives in the first 3-5 years is learning the culture and language of the people they will be planting a church among. So, in order to better prepare them, I thought it would be a good experience for me to go though that process as well.

Normally, our missionaries full time job (40+ hours per week) is devoted to the process of Culture and Language Acquisition (CLA). For me, due to my other responsibilities, I have been trying to set 1 day a week aside to work on CLA. As a result my progress has been very slow and discouraging. But, this week, I was quite encouraged. The Lord has worked it out that one of the main guys I have been working with to learn, we have hired him for part time work, and therefore he is on center almost every day. So, it provides someone who speaks the language for me to talk with everyday.

Here’s some things you can be praying for this week:

Prayer Requests

  1. Balancing my time… I am finding it difficult to balance all the other work I need to do, and still get enough time on CLA to make progress.
  2. Pray as I get out, that I will be able to build some good relationships in the community.
  3. Continued revision of the orientation curriculum. We made some good progress this week. We almost have the schedule figured out for the next class starting in January.
  4. Pray for the Poulsen family. We just heard this week they are going to be delayed yet again, due to not getting the all clear from his doctor. Pray they will stay encouraged in the Lord.
  5. Pray for the Murphy family. Their visa paperwork has been lodged but it’s going to be really close whether it will be processed in time. Pray God intervenes to expedite the process so they are able to come in January.

News

While it’s been discouraging at times, the process of CLA has been a really good experience. It is helping me understand more clearly what my “students” will be going through. But, it has also enabled me to get out into the community and build some relationships.

This week I was learning how to talk about sickness. The family I am working with has a few sick family members. My main helper has been quite sick, and unable to help me the past few weeks. Their mother is in the hospital, and may be in her last days. Here’s a couple sentences I learned this week:

  • Is your mother doing OK? naneg nen gua madoda
  • My mother is sik. naneg nen mia huni
  • How is your brother? neneg kak madoda?
  • My older brother is sik. neneg kak matu mia i funi

Our communications department has put together some good videos that talk about the CLA process. Check out ntmpng’s vimeo page. Here’s a video about “How to learn an unwritten language.”

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