After a somewhat warm and sweaty language session at Andrea’s house, I asked her daughter Natalie if she wanted to go to the creek. There were only a few days left before school started again, and she had been begging me to go. Andrea surprised me by saying she would come, too. She said, “I want to see how they swim in your land.” The creek is only slightly over my head in one spot, but most of the kids are too afraid to venture into the “deep” waters. Having grown up near a huge river, it seems like an overgrown mud puddle to me, but I promised to swim the whole way across.
Since I was showing off, I stood on my hands, did flips underwater, held my breath for a long time and floated on my back. This really got their attention! “Kochih pin ati,” said one Andrea’s boys—she’s sleeping on the water. “Come here,” I told Natalie, “and I’ll teach you.” With a series of giggles and shrieks she lay back with me holding her up. “Don’t keep yourself like a piece of wood,” I said haltingly, trying to think in Nahuatl. “Rest yourself. Relax. I won’t drop you.” Slowly, Natalie began to float.
I’m sure there are kids all over the world learning to float every day, but God really encouraged my heart with this seemingly carefree moment. “Natalia trusts me,” I thought. Her mom didn’t seem alarmed at what was happening either, but was calmly washing some clothes, occasionally glancing up at the universally common cries of, “Mom, look! Mom, look at me!” I am positive that this wouldn’t have happened last year. I’m not sure it would have happened a few months ago. Our continued presence and efforts to learn are paying off.
The people no longer ask us when we’re going to go back to our land. We live here now. They are no longer surprised that we want to learn their language, but patiently try to help us. They share personal stories and insights into their culture, and ask about ours. They ask for favors and do favors for us in return. Their children come over to our houses simply to play, to color, or to look at pictures. God is building in our hearts a love for his people here and trust is one of the responses to that love. We know GOD is doing this. It’s not common or normal—most tribal groups in Mexico are suspicious and mistrustful of outsiders. We know the Holy Spirit is at work. By simply being here, being a part, and being students, we are preparing for the day when we say, “We care deeply for you and so we have something important to tell you.” Please pray with us that the Nahuatl will be ready to hear and believe.