laupäev, juuli 31, 2004
Hints and Whispers
Today there was no rain until the afternoon, so we were able to tour some of the historic sites the kids have really wanted to show Mary-Kay, like the observatory, Angel's Bridge and the ruins of the dome church, which was constructed in the 1300s and has warning in Estonian and English, but the English came across with unintentional humor: "Warning, building is liable to fall down."
Walking around Tartu and seeing the sights of the city have really given us a love for Tartu. It is a beautiful city with a rich history and seems almost idyllic in many ways. Yet I know that I am here as The Salvation Army and hand-in-hand with sharing the gospel, I am here to serve those in need. But can there be people in need in an idyllic place?
Of course I know the answer to that question even as it's being asked, but we have yet to discover our role here. What we will do has not been obvious; we're still watching and listening. Yet there are hints and whispers that seem to be just out of range, slightly beyond my grasp. It's like the conversations in Estonian I overhear where I can pick out a word or two, but still don't know the topic being discussed. I have no doubt I'll figure it out in time, but the waiting isn't easy.
What gives me great hope is that I don' feel at all foreign here. I've been amazed at how I've taken in stride not being understood, not understanding what another says, figuring out the baffling traffic signs, discovering at the grocery that liha (meat) is not a sufficient definition because it could be from any number of animals,or having to do currency conversion from krooni to dollars in my head. After only three weeks, Tartu feels like home; it is the place God wants me to be.
And so I embrace each day as an opportunity for discovery, trusting that just as my Estonian improves gradually every day, so will my understanding of the work God wants to do in Tartu. I'm willing to be patient.
--Tim
Walking around Tartu and seeing the sights of the city have really given us a love for Tartu. It is a beautiful city with a rich history and seems almost idyllic in many ways. Yet I know that I am here as The Salvation Army and hand-in-hand with sharing the gospel, I am here to serve those in need. But can there be people in need in an idyllic place?
Of course I know the answer to that question even as it's being asked, but we have yet to discover our role here. What we will do has not been obvious; we're still watching and listening. Yet there are hints and whispers that seem to be just out of range, slightly beyond my grasp. It's like the conversations in Estonian I overhear where I can pick out a word or two, but still don't know the topic being discussed. I have no doubt I'll figure it out in time, but the waiting isn't easy.
What gives me great hope is that I don' feel at all foreign here. I've been amazed at how I've taken in stride not being understood, not understanding what another says, figuring out the baffling traffic signs, discovering at the grocery that liha (meat) is not a sufficient definition because it could be from any number of animals,or having to do currency conversion from krooni to dollars in my head. After only three weeks, Tartu feels like home; it is the place God wants me to be.
And so I embrace each day as an opportunity for discovery, trusting that just as my Estonian improves gradually every day, so will my understanding of the work God wants to do in Tartu. I'm willing to be patient.
--Tim
