By workers in Asia
The Hierarchy of Language
We are a confusing lot of foreigners in this land. On the outside, we look like the average family from the U.S.A. Most of the time, we just let that perception exist without trying to disrupt it. However, we challenge the norm by hanging out with people from the specific group we love so much. On Friday nights, I put on a sparkly shalwar kameez and speak the language with ladies from Central Asia. My husband spends time in the bazaar where thousands of the men work. We open our mouths and speak a language that isn’t considered a very important one in this country. It is only spoken by the people who are here working the very lowest and dirtiest jobs.
A Pleasant Surprise
The other day, two neighbor kids were playing near my parking area when I pulled in after picking up my daughter from school. I could tell that the kids were from the people group by their clothing, so I greeted them in their language. They were shocked that the white lady could speak to them in their own language! We chatted for a few minutes, and they still seemed to be in disbelief that we could communicate. They were giddy.
I asked about their mother. They said she was back in their homeland for a few weeks but she’d return next month. The kids promised to return and tell their mother that I wanted to meet her.
How Language is Love
The people are always in utter disbelief when they see that some ragtag westerners not only care about them, but also love them. Can you imagine what they feel when they finally believe that God has a love for them that far surpasses any love they’ve ever experienced on this earth?
They believe that the language of Heaven is Arabic that God only communicates in a language that is not their own. We believe that communicating the truth of Jesus to them in their own language is a first step in understanding that God loves them. Not under the condition that they speak a foreign language.
We have a very long way to go. But we desperately want to excel at having deep conversations about issues of the heart. Please lift up this language journey, asking God for His help and strength as we dig deeper.
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