A: Bok! (Hi!)
B: Bok! Ja sam Missionary. Kako se zoveš? (Hi! My name is Missionary. What's your name?)
A: Ja sam Guyfromvillage. (I am Guyfromvillage.)
B: Dobro. Drago mi je! Kako si? (Good. Nice to meet you! How are you?)
A: Ja sam dobro. Mi smo tako sretni što su ponovno došli u ovoj godini. Imate li slatkiše? Kako o čipovima...... (I am good....????????)
B: ??????????
Mmm... This is probably what I will encounter in Croatia. During the training session today, we were asked of what we anticipate to be challenging in the mission trip. Language barrier is surely one big problem for me. I love talking, and through words I express myself and understand the other. Through words, usually, I spread the gospel. And now, while we will have a translator, direct verbal communication is limited.
It makes me think of why so many languages were created in the first place - the Tower of Babel... humans were cooperating too well in trying to build a tower that could reach the sky; we were challenging the Creator and were arrogant. So for such a language barrier to be present in a mission trip, it reminds us of a humble heart in serving. Afterall, a vision from God is something that humans cannot complete with our own strength but His power.
Yet in order to better prepare ourselves (bros and siss who came back from previous mission trips "strongly recommended" that we equip ourselves with more of the language to impact and experience the most in Croatia), the team practiced conversations in Croatian today! It was funny when we tried to generate ways to memorise words, e.g. "checkeye" (English pronunciation) meaning "wait" (Croatian); and when we started to mix Croatian into our English conversations... Anyway, I really hope that the Roma kids will be able to feel our true hearts through our body language and our hard work in learning the language. :)
B: Bok! Ja sam Missionary. Kako se zoveš? (Hi! My name is Missionary. What's your name?)
A: Ja sam Guyfromvillage. (I am Guyfromvillage.)
B: Dobro. Drago mi je! Kako si? (Good. Nice to meet you! How are you?)
A: Ja sam dobro. Mi smo tako sretni što su ponovno došli u ovoj godini. Imate li slatkiše? Kako o čipovima...... (I am good....????????)
B: ??????????
Mmm... This is probably what I will encounter in Croatia. During the training session today, we were asked of what we anticipate to be challenging in the mission trip. Language barrier is surely one big problem for me. I love talking, and through words I express myself and understand the other. Through words, usually, I spread the gospel. And now, while we will have a translator, direct verbal communication is limited.
It makes me think of why so many languages were created in the first place - the Tower of Babel... humans were cooperating too well in trying to build a tower that could reach the sky; we were challenging the Creator and were arrogant. So for such a language barrier to be present in a mission trip, it reminds us of a humble heart in serving. Afterall, a vision from God is something that humans cannot complete with our own strength but His power.
Yet in order to better prepare ourselves (bros and siss who came back from previous mission trips "strongly recommended" that we equip ourselves with more of the language to impact and experience the most in Croatia), the team practiced conversations in Croatian today! It was funny when we tried to generate ways to memorise words, e.g. "checkeye" (English pronunciation) meaning "wait" (Croatian); and when we started to mix Croatian into our English conversations... Anyway, I really hope that the Roma kids will be able to feel our true hearts through our body language and our hard work in learning the language. :)