Why is Language Study Worthwhile?
The Lord reigns forever;
he has established his throne for judgment.
He rules the world in righteousness
and judges the peoples with equity.
The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.
Those who know your name trust in you,
for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.
(Psalm 9:7-10 NIV)
Having already studied three foreign languages, I was contemplating how much effort I would need to put into studying another language. Then, I thought about all the refugee men I know. They have young families. I wrote their names down. Even the men I know in their early 20s cannot communicate with people like me who have access to the Gospel. How can I be equipped to share this gift from Jesus with them? As my list of families grew, I realized these men are so busy that they do not even have time to study English. This is where I come in.
They work long hours in factories with little opportunity to learn English. Some even have to drive Uber during their “free time.” Most of them have multiple children they need to provide for. Due to their culture, husbands often do the shopping. 3/4ths of them understand when I speak Malay, but it’s not the language of their heart. You should see their faces come alive when I play the Bible stories in their language and they can really understand!
Out of their population of 3-4 million, about 15,000 of this group have managed to make it to the US. As of today, there are only a dozen followers of Jesus and none in the state we live in!
I am so grateful for the opportunity our organization gives me to learn the language so I can share Jesus in a way they can understand and appreciate. Please pray for me as I spend time absorbing vocabulary and grammar. I was encouraged to hear from a linguistics PhD candidate that my age is not as big a barrier as I previously thought. Studies show adults are perfectly capable of learn a new language if they persevere. I am very grateful for the newly published videos in this language, and I am encouraged as I begin to recognize more vocabulary every week. I also thank God that he is bringing me more men who are happy to chat with me in their language. Pray for me to be diligent in using the language through speaking and writing, not just trying to absorb it.
This past Sunday, I got to ride with Kevin and two of his friends, shopping at both of the Myanmar shops that import these food-goods. I am amazed how this local convenience store is the “hangout spot” for the men to not just shop but drink tea and chew betel nut. I’m thankful for this valuable time of learning the language, building friendship and making new acquaintances.