No one likes being the object of a joke nor having people laugh at them. Yet when it comes to being a missionary, one must throw out such sensitivities. Every week or so Ingrid and I go to the retreat center to give Juan and Carolina a bible study called, Nueve Vida en Cristo: Pasos basicos de la vida cristiana (New Life in Christ: Basic Steps of the Christian Life). We both read the questions and the scripture verses and then answer the worksheet. After reading one verse, I asked Carolina how my accent was. She started smirking. How depressing never mind all the little things that when we translate too literally from English to Spanish can give a completely different meaning that can be really embarrassing at times. Juan and Carolina's sons Alejandro and Ismael will sometimes start smirking after I've said something. After I have compelled them to tell me, I realise that I've accidentally said something inappropriate and unbecoming a missionary. Such are the adventures in language learning.
1 comment:
I completely understand! Being able to laugh at yourself has to be a trait high on the list for missionaries!
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