Language Learning V: Day-One

Let the learning begin! Our fist day of class was full of excitement and STRESS. I have learned to not underestimate the amount of stress that goes along with language learning. Each learner had a personal tutor and I am sure that the tutors were going through similar emotions. Our first few days were based around learning greetings using the simple question and response described earlier. Honestly, from a purely scientific perspective I do not believe that the greetings are the best place to begin learning a language. Often, greetings implement complex sentence forms. In learning greetings the learner runs the risk of getting way a head of himself. However, learning a language is much more than scientific, there I said it.

There is an equally important HUMAN factor. The our-number one goal in learning the Karamojong language is to communicate to the Karamojong people. For this reason, greetings are the best starting point. If I walked up to a young man as he is keeping his sheep and began to recite the basic phonology of his language it would be uninteresting and weird to say the least. However, if I were to walk up to this same Shepard and say, “hello, how are you” I would not only spark the young man’s interest but he might even respond!

The Word Of Life

 

                                                                                            The greatest thing that I have learned in these first three months in Africa is a profound dependence upon the Word of God. For my entire life I have known that the Scriptures are important. However, this has not kept me from neglecting the discipline of communing with the Word. The reality in my brain failed to penetrate my heart. Yet, this all began to change a few years ago. Knowing that my life needed the word of God was not enough. Somehow, I felt that I could live without it. Maybe it was that so many of my "Christian" friends lived without the Word of God and they seemed to do just fine. I had bought into a lie. They were not fine.                              Any christian that neglects the God's Word is disobedient.  

            I remember talking to a dear friend of mind named Mowgli. I remember telling him, “We do not study Scripture because we think that it will make our lives better, but out of devotion to God.” In answering Mowgli’s question the Spirit spoke to me. Had I not been guilty of this very mindset? I had looked to scripture to improve my life and fix my problems instead of seeing devotion to His Truth as my reasonable act of service. The blessing is a byproduct. If the blessing is our goal we are reaching in the wrong direction. Christ must be focal point, not ourselves.