{"id":5025,"date":"2017-03-30T14:34:21","date_gmt":"2017-03-30T14:34:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/?p=5025"},"modified":"2017-03-31T10:31:39","modified_gmt":"2017-03-31T10:31:39","slug":"wolof-studies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/2017\/03\/30\/wolof-studies\/","title":{"rendered":"Wolof Studies"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
The Mountain of Wolof<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
And our LONG journey to climb it<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We started Wolof studies over 3 years ago. \u00a0When we started out we had just begun ministry so we were able to go at our language study with full force.<\/p>\n

\"\"
We began our studies pushing hard like we were on a motorcycle and making good time.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
Then our chain broke stopping us in our tracks<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Pretty quickly ministry responsibilities started in full swing cutting down our time in Wolof significantly. \u00a0We dropped down to pursuing Wolof 3 mornings a week so that the rest of the time could be dedicated to other ministries.<\/p>\n

\"\"
We kept pushing on going more at more like a bicycle’s speed as we balanced ministry on the side<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Then the travels began and we started to miss weeks and sometimes months at a time. \u00a0Travels often would hit us in seasons where we would be gone for large chunks of time over consecutive months. \u00a0Each time we had a big season of travel we were forced to stop sessions and when we would get back that last thing we wanted to do was get back started in language study.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Then we had to get off the bike and run alongside<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
but anyone who has run for long knows it is hard to keep up a good pace<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As time wore on we started to feel the exhaustion of it more and more. \u00a0Then we started to question ourselves, maybe we have enough? \u00a0Is it really realistic to press on? \u00a0However usually soon after these questions arose we would be in a situation where Wolof was exclusively being spoken and we would get reignited to press on. \u00a0It was an up and down battle that we were constantly fighting.<\/p>\n

Finally I had to make a shift in my thinking – shifting Wolof from being a short term goal to a long term goal.<\/p>\n

\"\"
We finally decide to set out at a walking pace<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There was no way with our work load to just pound it out and be done. \u00a0It would be slow drip and I needed to be okay with that. \u00a0I needed to see each drip as adding to the bucket and knowing that eventually given enough time the bucket would still fill. Once I made that shift in my thinking the frustration of it lessened and the desire to quit left as was no longer disappointed with our progress.<\/p>\n

\"\"
We continued to press on one step at a time on the long journey ahead of us<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

So….slowly but surely we are plugging away at Wolof. \u00a0What we did with French in 2 years will be more of a 5 year journey for us in Wolof, but it will still be worth it. \u00a0We try to acknowledge for ourselves the progress along the way to keep us encouraged. \u00a0We try to be faithful to listen and study even when away from home on travels. \u00a0 We try to keep forcing ourselves to use it even when French is a lot more convenient to use.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Pray for us as we continue to grow in our ability to communicate<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We understand a lot now, which is a huge step in the right direction. \u00a0BUT…. speaking is so still hard and humiliating. \u00a0So pray for us as we press on. \u00a0Pray that we would be faithful to the task. \u00a0Pray that we would continue to progress even with our less than ideal circumstances. \u00a0Pray for people who would be patient enough to stick it out with us as we try to communicate. \u00a0Even the little Wolof we have has been a huge help to us in our relationships, so we know it is worth it and we just need to keep persevering.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We started Wolof studies over 3 years ago. \u00a0When we started out we had just begun ministry so we were able to go at our language study with full force. Pretty quickly ministry responsibilities started in full swing cutting down our time in Wolof significantly. \u00a0We dropped down to pursuing Wolof 3 mornings a week […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":830,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2545],"tags":[448,637],"class_list":{"0":"post-5025","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-updates-and-news","7":"tag-ethnos360","8":"tag-new-tribes-mission","9":"entry"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5025","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/830"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5025"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5025\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5025"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5025"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5025"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}