{"id":5782,"date":"2021-04-09T09:25:26","date_gmt":"2021-04-09T15:25:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/jordan-husband\/?p=5782"},"modified":"2021-04-09T09:32:09","modified_gmt":"2021-04-09T15:32:09","slug":"early-evaluations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/jordan-husband\/2021\/04\/09\/early-evaluations\/","title":{"rendered":"Early Evaluations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Amy, with our consultant Adriana, in the middle of her language evaluation. (Her language helper, Lenny, is not pictured for reasons of local privacy)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

During Amy’s recent language evaluation, our consultant asked her to discuss colors. Looking down at her beautifully patterned traditional skirt, Amy pointed to a section and began to demonstrate her hard-earned vocabulary. “This is yellow,”<\/em> she said in Nahuatl to our friend Lenny – who had come to help with the evaluation. “And this…”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At this point, Lenny picked up on what she perceived was Amy’s train of thought. “Why, yes – that’s orange,”<\/em> she replied in Nahuatl. “And that’s red! And that part over there is green…”<\/em>. By the time Lenny finished, she had mentioned all the other major colors groups – rendering the subject of no further use in the evaluation. Fortunately, Amy was able to clarify what she was trying to accomplish – and proceeded to show off her growing vocabulary in several other ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tom – longtime friend and our second consultant – enjoying a cup of coffee with me in the morning, while getting acquainted with our new kitten Jack.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lenny initially misunderstood Amy’s intentions because of the simplest of reasons: she is not one of our usual language helpers! When everyone who regularly helps Amy and I study was unavailable for our evals, we turned to friends like Lenny and her son Efron to stand in the gap – fellow believers who know why we’re here, are excited to see God work through us, and want to do whatever they can to help. Lenny came determined to do her best, and – despite a couple hiccups – through her patient assistance Amy was ultimately able to demonstrate what she had learned. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Particularly in early language study, this kind of communication challenge often comes up with new language helpers. They are unfamiliar with our foreign ways of thinking, and need time and experience with us to better grasp our planning. We expect to work through early hurdles during language sessions, but Amy simply never had the chance to do so with Lenny before her evaluation day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Consultant visits provide an opportunity for fellowship and additional encouragement beyond evaluating progress in language. Here, Gaby – Adriana’s husband – is leading a team devotional.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Amy and I are working hard to acquire the language ability and cultural understanding required for clear communication with the Nahuatl, who were so recently unreached by the Gospel, that we may effectively make Jesus known among them. In order to do so, we need<\/em> trained language helpers! Missed sessions as things come up are common out here, and having multiple friends and neighbors prepared to help is more necessity than luxury. Please pray that God provide us with several faithful teacher-friends… ones who will persevere through language study’s challenges, and hang in there with us until the job is done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last month’s language evaluations left Amy and I with good, tightly focused direction for our next season of study… and the first couple of weeks – though busy! – have gone well. We are working through a plan to visit each family in the community, one house at a time – demonstrating in culturally significant ways our desire for friendship – and this is something we will generally continue as long as the Lord has us live here. As well, we have begun to develop more relationships with language helpers with whom we hope to work, build friendships, and share Christ in the months and years to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fluency in local ways and words is a goal still a long ways off, and one requiring much perseverance, sacrifice, and dying to self. Yet the ultimate goal of a mature Nahuatl church is worth these costs, and we trust in God’s enabling to uphold us as we serve Him. Thank you for praying for and with us through this amazing journey!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The awesome Jasson & Kim Farmer family – we are so thankful for these guys!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Praising God!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n