pühapäev, september 12, 2004
Language ... Again
It is very late at night, and we are home after spending the weekend in Tallinn at the Estonian Regional Rally.
I hate to keep blogging about the language thing, but it really is a major part of our lives here.
Today I had the absolutely most frustrating experience yet when it comes to language. And no, it wasn't having to write down the Estonian word for "butter" at the restaurant, because the waitress couldn't understand our accent (althought that was annoying).
In The Salvation Army, we have what we call an "altar call" at the end of a meeting. This is when we invite people to come forward to pray, usually right after the message. Well, I mentioned last night that we had several meetings today. So there was this prayer time twice today. It was SO frustrating for me not to be able to go and pray with people in their own language! I did pray with some (Russian-speaking) people, and I know that God of course understands all languages, but I was just not at all satisfied with the whole thing.
What motivation to learn language!! To not be able to pray ... is like not being able to breathe! Of course, I CAN pray, and there is a lot more to prayer than language, whether English or Estonian or Russian (or Finnish or Danish or Aafrikaans!). But not being able to deal with people at the altar -- this felt like trying to fight with both hands tied behind my back.
More lessons about relying on God to do the work for me. More lessons about losing the abilities I think I am good at. More lessons about the absolutely vital necessity of learning language.
I am tired of learning these lessons right now. And tired (väsinud!) and sleepy tonight.
Some good news! Our Regional Commander, Major Tyrrell, shared with us some copies of The War Cry magazine from the 1930s, in Estonian! I will have to stop there, because they really deserve a whole day's blog of their own! You just cannot imagine the thrill it has been for us to hold this piece of history in our hands.
One very interesting piece of information that we learned from looking at them is that the old corps in Tartu (from before communist times) was on Tähe street, which is the same street where our apartment was, and where our cadet will be living!
Head ööd (goodnight!),
Evelyn
I hate to keep blogging about the language thing, but it really is a major part of our lives here.
Today I had the absolutely most frustrating experience yet when it comes to language. And no, it wasn't having to write down the Estonian word for "butter" at the restaurant, because the waitress couldn't understand our accent (althought that was annoying).
In The Salvation Army, we have what we call an "altar call" at the end of a meeting. This is when we invite people to come forward to pray, usually right after the message. Well, I mentioned last night that we had several meetings today. So there was this prayer time twice today. It was SO frustrating for me not to be able to go and pray with people in their own language! I did pray with some (Russian-speaking) people, and I know that God of course understands all languages, but I was just not at all satisfied with the whole thing.
What motivation to learn language!! To not be able to pray ... is like not being able to breathe! Of course, I CAN pray, and there is a lot more to prayer than language, whether English or Estonian or Russian (or Finnish or Danish or Aafrikaans!). But not being able to deal with people at the altar -- this felt like trying to fight with both hands tied behind my back.
More lessons about relying on God to do the work for me. More lessons about losing the abilities I think I am good at. More lessons about the absolutely vital necessity of learning language.
I am tired of learning these lessons right now. And tired (väsinud!) and sleepy tonight.
Some good news! Our Regional Commander, Major Tyrrell, shared with us some copies of The War Cry magazine from the 1930s, in Estonian! I will have to stop there, because they really deserve a whole day's blog of their own! You just cannot imagine the thrill it has been for us to hold this piece of history in our hands.
One very interesting piece of information that we learned from looking at them is that the old corps in Tartu (from before communist times) was on Tähe street, which is the same street where our apartment was, and where our cadet will be living!
Head ööd (goodnight!),
Evelyn
