Tower of Babel Experience

So what was it like? What was that moment like at The Tower of Babel when all of a sudden people spoke completely different languages? Until this past week I have not given that moment in history much thought. But now that I have found myself in several different situations were being able to speak the language people around me speak would be really helpful, it has given me a better feel for just how overwhelming that moment must have been.

Earlier today I went to a local sports store to get an attachment for my bike. After riding through the rain and spending a good bight of time trying to make sure I was getting the right part, I entered the checkout line. When I got up to the front the dialogue went something like this:

Cashier: Bonjour. Ca va?
Me: Ca va?

Cashier starts ringing up my stuff. I after putting all of my stuff onto the counter. I walk to the end of the counter where you pay. To get there you have to walk through security censers- security censers that started going off as soon as I walked through them. The lady looked at me with suspicion and I really can't blame her. After all, I was wearing a big raincoat with lots of pockets and I also had my backpack on. I opened my backpack to show her there was nothing inside and then set it on the counter. I walked through the detectors again, and again they go off. I emptied my pocket, took off my jacket, and even my hat. Each time I took something off I walked through the detectors and each time they went off. All during this time there was a dialogue of some sort going on that went something like this:

Cashier: Monsieur .... blah blah blah blah blah blah... Monsieur blah blah blah...
What I said (from the cashier's perspective): Pardon, Madame... blah blah blah blah blah...

This was one of those time speaking the same language would have been really helpful. Eventually she gave up. I payed and left the store.

Now, if simply buying a part of a bike can be so confusing when you don't speak the same language, I can only imagine how impossible it would be to work on a building project without a common language.

Well, all of that to say we finished our first week of classes, and we can say two things for sure. One, we are blessed. This school has been teaching people French for longer than we have been alive. They see their work as a service to the Lord by helping make sure missionaries that head to the francaphone parts of the world can communitcate the message of the gospel effectively.

This is not just the mindset of the administration, but also of the teachers and that shows in the classroom. Second, language learing is going to take more strength than we have to give, but not more not more grace than God will supply. This process, as everyone has told us, and as we are now witnessing first hand, is going to be very trying. However, no matter how trying it may be God is able and worthy.