Take Off!

I’m not planning to blog often while I’m stateside.  However, this past Thursday was a special day and worthy of a post. :)

A small group of SAMS missionaries are piloting a second language acquisition course.  If you’re not familiar with what that is, it’s a course that helps someone learn how to learn a language.  Think of it as a prerequisite to a language course, but not just a general language course; rather one that’s personalized to learn just what you need for your specific situation.  As a teacher, I LOVE setting people up for success, and this course does that.  As their coach, it gives us all a foundation to work with so we can actually go places!  

So, it’s a Thursday--2:00 PM for me, 11 AM for the instructor, 8 PM for one couple and 9 PM for the rest!  I love the international world. :). Despite being midday, I’m in bed, fighting a virus!  Not sure that the blurred background  has really hidden the reality, and my raspy voice doesn’t help.  Thankfully, my speaking is limited this session.  Two of our learners are without electricity—one on solar power, the other shows up in the dark.  What a group for our first lesson!

I've seen God's hand all over the course coming together, including the fact that our instructor lived and served in the same region and even same country as most of the participants!  As each person shares their expectations and learns about how to set a long-range language plan, I feel so incredibly grateful for this moment that we are sharing together.  Tackling a new language with foreign sounds and different system is quite an undertaking, and each person on the call is facing that challenge head on!   

I was reminded this morning of our role to bring God’s work and heart into action through prayer.  I am praying for this important work that our missionaries have of learning the language of the people they are serving.  I’m also praying for our instructor and for myself as I coach them. We need His Holy Spirit to help and strengthen us for the task ahead.  Thank you so much for your own prayers for this.  Would you take a moment right now to lift up the learners taking this course as well as the instructor and me as their coach?  Thank you so much!

A Few of My Favorite Things!

If you're expecting a rhythmic tune that will get the Sound of Music stuck in your head, sorry to disappoint. Just wanting to take the time to delight in the things that make me happy these days.

I really love getting to coach others who are trying to learn a new language and culture.  I have added a learner, very informally, a friend who's moved to France within the past year, via text!  (Gotta keep up with the times, ha ha).  It's special to get to "coach" someone in a country and for a language that I do know and can actually relate firsthand to what it was like to go through the language/culture learning process!  

On the other hand, it's humbling and an honor to coach those who are serving in a place I've never been (Rwanda) and have only visited (Thailand).  I'm so grateful to be gaining more resources that I can share with these learners and only wish I had more time to study and research!  

On a selfish note, it's also fun to learn things through them.  This week, for example, I learned that Thai people almost never express their emotions, so much so that my friend who's lived there for 12-12.5 years has never seen someone raise their voice or get angry--ever! I also learned that in Rwanda, people buy phone cards to...pay for their electricity.   Oh man, I just can't help but admire those who up and move to new places with new customs.  To get to come alongside them is definitely a favorite thing!

Then--jump with me to the chocolate shop--imagine getting thanked and gushed at for simply handing someone a delicacy that you did nothing to make and can take no credit for whatsoever (though I did get to help make mendiants one day, but still won't take credit as I just added the toppings to the melted chocolate, ha ha--but so fun!).  This happens regularly  and is a perk of working at a fine patisserie/chocolatier.

Another favorite is not something that I get to do on a regular basis, but has become a regular event every three years since 2016: New Wineskins!  I hope to see you there, but heads up that if you can't make it, they are offering live-stream!  

I have a whole new appreciation for all that's involved in this endeavor after being behind the scenes in the A/V booth the past several months.  That, too, has brought joy when I hear of people--some very dear to me--who haven't been able to physically attend a service or event but are able to still join and even somehow feel connected.  Yes, I'll add that to the list as one of my favorite things!  What are some of your favorite things?  

Tie It Up In a Bow

Me:  "Apparently, I don't know how to tie a bow."

Ashley: "Oh..." (The lack of words conveyed the mix of surprise and concern in her voice.)

This was a snippet of a phone conversation I had with my sister my first week of work at the chocolate shop.  Let me add that I've been tying bows my whole life!  Something else I didn't know is that, according to Farlex Dictionary of Idioms, the English language has an idiom "to tie up in a bow."  (Am I the only one who doesn't know this expression?)  

It means "to take care of, finish, or resolve something fully and completely in a way that is satisfying or pleasing."  I suppose that is fitting as that is the end result of tying a beautiful, perfect bow...where the satiny side is up, textured side down, both bottom pieces are facing the same direction--again, keeping the satiny side up--is tight enough so that it will not move around, and everything is equally proportioned.

This is one of many examples of feeling incompetent in a new situation, as exciting and fun as the setting can be and as grateful as I am for the position.  It's timely, though, because this is exactly what happens to those who move to a new country with a different language and culture from their own.  I can speak from firsthand experience that incompetence is part of the daily routine in a new cross-cultural setting!  I suppose it's apropos for me, then, to be in a situation where I can relate to those I'm coaching.

And yes, I'm coaching!  The couple I mentioned in my last post did move to Africa--praise God!--and we have had two sessions already.  I'm also coaching my friend who's learning Thai and meeting with my mentor weekly and doing the coursework.  The unit I'm currently working on is coaching adult learners, and this very issue--the need for adults to feel competent--is addressed!  

I'm having to adjust a lot with so many new things and so much to learn, but I am incredibly grateful for each role I've stepped into in this season.  We all know that feelings of incompetence are not just for cross-cultural learners, but can greet us even in our hometown (as I'm being reminded)!  Not sure if you may be facing similar situations that tug at your emotional strength?  If so, I'll include you in my own personal pep talk: may the Lord be the security we need in humbling circumstances, whatever our location or life stage.  May He tie all of our loose ends up in a bow so that when we've made it through the trials, we will be stronger and more like Him because of it.  Ooh--feeling "pleased and satisfied" how that all came together...assuming I used it correctly, ha ha! ;)

And we're off!

Last week was an exciting week as I launched into coaching!  This calls for a huge thank you for those who have prayed for this as I've had several answered prayers that allowed for me to start sooner than I expected.

My first learner is a dear friend and coach herself, who is an intermediate Thai learner.  Even though she could coach herself, she values the role of a coach and is game to take the role of a coachee.  As thrilled as I am to coach her and am learning so much already, I needed a beginner level learner for the coursework.  I'm thrilled to write that the Lord provided a couple going to Rwanda this August!  We met last Wednesday, and they'd like to begin hopefully in August, depending on their leave date.  In the meantime, my instructor/mentor gave me a case study to work on, and we met last Thursday to talk about it.  It went really well!  

I've been memorizing Psalm 20, and verse 4 states "May He grant you your heart's desire and fulfill all your plans!" Just to be clear, I don't believe this guarantees us getting whatever we want in life; but I did feel like each session I prepared for and each person I met with last week was playing out Psalm 20 in my life.  Please pray that I will continue to seek the Lord first and have His desires and be mindful of His plans.  I pray that for you too!

Okay, now I'm off to the chocolate shop for my first day on the job.  Stay tuned... :)

What is Language/Culture Coaching?

I said in an earlier blog that I'd need to explain the coaching, so here goes:

Often when I talk about language/culture coaching, I am met with blank stares or questions.  A Language/Culture Coach can look differently in different contexts; but I’m interested in helping those–specifically missionaries–who are moving to a new country to learn that language and culture so they can be successful and remain on the field.  

Moving to a new country is a major event!  If someone is moving to a location that speaks a different language, basic skills like speaking and listening are no longer possible!  Let’s pause to let that sink in.  Basically every area of life is going to be impacted and hindered–not just practically, but also socially and relationally. 

The reason that missionaries even dare leave behind their family, friends, comforts, and all that is familiar is for the sake of relationship.  Ultimately they want to introduce others to Jesus whose relationship allows people to then get to know God the Father…and let’s not leave out the Holy Spirit who helps reveal Jesus and births the life that is meant to be continually relating to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  I started to apologize for the theological detour, but no way! :)

Imagine going through the blood, sweat, and tears (mostly figurative ;)  it takes to learn a second language to be able to at least communicate even if there is embarrassment or struggle.  If that were the only hurdle!  Language, however, is intricately tied to culture.  When we don’t understand the culture of a group of people, we can master the linguistics but fail to communicate–or worse, send messages of arrogance or disinterest.  This, of course, closes people off rather than cultivating relationships.  As a coach, one of my roles is to help the learner understand where culture plays into their experiences, relationships, communication, and language-learning so that they can be effective in their mission.

While Jesus supersedes us on so many levels, He Himself is our perfect example.  He humbled Himself to become not just man, but first a baby, unable to talk.  He developed His skills which thankfully do come much more naturally as an infant and child as He learned Aramaic; but He still went through the language acquisition process.  He absorbed the culture of the Bible because this was where He lived and what He experienced on a daily basis.  Olive branches, mustard seeds, farming, fishing, sheep–He grew up with these; so He could communicate with the people of Israel because He spoke the language and knew how to relate to them culturally.  He could also beautifully relate to and bring the Gospel to those outside of his home culture despite the cultural and linguistic challenges, which is the precise role of a missionary.  

  

Even if we were all language gurus and culturally savvy and sensitive to perfection, there is another element that language/culture coaching can address.  Cross-cultural living presents situations and needs that don’t exist or at least look very different from those in our home country.

 

Living in a different culture can be exciting and rewarding, but by nature it is stressful and depleting.   The constant change and different ways of thinking, understanding, and communicating put more demand on everyday tasks, making it difficult to identify the stress.

 

Though not an exhaustive list and maybe a bit repetitive, a coach helps the learner identify their language needs, sets realistic goals, and helps them to stick to or adjust the goals.  (S)he can help them locate resources and discern which ones are suitable for the learner at a particular time.  A coach can help the learner recognize obstacles or challenges and how to address them and encourage the learner each step of the way.  A coach is a fan and source of support, praying for and with the learner.  A coach may help the learner identify cross-cultural stress when it is not obvious.  These are just a few examples because every situation is complex, and each unique person in a particular ministry context will offer its own set of possibilities. 

 

For this reason, I believe that every missionary could benefit from a language/culture coach!  My desire is to come alongside missionaries who are preparing to move to (and are sometimes already in) a new country with a new language and new culture.  I also believe that short-termers would benefit from a coach, but that’s another article for another time. :)

 

Moving Once, Moving Twice…

‘Tis the season to be moving, it does seem.  As mentioned, I moved into an apartment practically across the street a couple of weeks ago.  It wasn’t as nice as before, but I wasn’t looking for nice as much as safe, clean, and affordable.  

It seems the downpour on moving day was ominous when my strategic plan of a 6-person moving crew of friends foiled.  We were grateful to move the boxes in that Sunday and the furniture the next day, thanks to the generous help of friends and family.

Tuesday I was dismayed when I realized I couldn’t even go into my bathroom or the laundry area without having to cover my nose and mouth because of the smoke smell, which we later discovered was pouring in from our smoking neighbors’ apartments through the vents every time they smoked.  By Wednesday, we were thankfully let out of our lease and had less than a week to find a new place to live!

We were able to find a place not very far at all, and by the grace of God, signed the lease in time to move in June 1.  This was technically move #3 because we’d temporarily stored our things in my parents’ garage. 

This was all happening the last week of school with two major events, and I had to move out there as well!  It took a few days to get unpacked, but by Tuesday our apartment was starting to feel like home.  That’s when we had to accept the hard truth that we had a bug infestation!

When I called the pest management company, the man told us we had to clear our cabinets out!  Move #3 or 4 depending on how you look at it, as we emptied the kitchen contents which covered our dining/living area!

There is no way to sugar coat this move.  It’s been one for the books! I pray that we are on the other side, and I choose to trust that there is purpose even in this. It may have been before the move (which was preceded by the flu, then 2 weeks of sleeplessness), the Lord reminded me that He trains our hands for war. May I and we allow Him to use the difficulties we face to prepare us for future hardships. May we continue to draw near to Him no matter what. He is for us.

A/V and Chocolate

 Since I last wrote, things have been busy!  To calm the suspense, I did get a car. :). I also unexpectedly joined St. Michael’s staff to help assist with the livestream, right in time for Christmas.  Talk about a major learning curve!  There’s still so much to learn, but we now have an A/V team, yay! I’m making progress and have enjoyed getting to serve the Church in a very different capacity than I have in the past.

As mentioned last post, I taught French at an elementary school this past year. Something that was reiterated this year is that I cannot pursue coaching while I teach. Teaching takes so much time and energy; and the coaching got put on the back burner. As it turned out, the coaching course I mentioned in a previous post wasn't ready for winter/spring; so I've enrolled for the summer. In case it isn't obvious, I did not renew my teaching contract for next year.

With the long-term goal of officially moving into the language/culture coaching role and possibly resuming fundraising status, I decided to make a few lifestyle changes to help set me up for the transition.  First, the Lord provided a roommate and apartment to help reduce living costs.  Second, He provided a second part-time job so that I don't have to teach, but will allow me time and energy to devote to the coaching coursework and coaching.

That’s where the chocolate comes in.  Starting July, I will be working at my favorite local French chocolate shop and patissier.  I don’t get free chocolate, but would love to see you!  I’m excited and looking forward to this new season, though there are still many unknowns.  I would appreciate prayers both for SAMS and me as we discern possibilities--whether internally or elsewhere--for me to coach in the future.