I never realized how much direction I draw from drive-by conversations, half-baked comments, things overheard. When suddenly you can’t understand ANYTHING, you realize how much the smallest things mattered.
After a day of relaxation, I was at church tonight, and the speakers kindly said a few phrases in English. “Now is the time to take our eyes away from each other and look only to God”…I’m almost ashamed to report how happy I was to hear those familiar words as the Arabic flashed on the overhead screen. Sometimes I let my eyes follow the beautiful writing as if it somehow connects me to the thoughts. Like riding a bike, my eye still starts on the left side of the page, and I sigh and shake my head, and remind myself that Arabic writing begins on the right. Not that it matters if you can’t read!
Anyway, enough…it’s good for me to experience the isolation and confusion others feel when they don’t speak English in America, as will probably be the case of any refugees who come from here. And there are plenty of people who do speak English to one degree or another, so things could be much harder. Further, it seems like many Arabic speakers have a gift for hand gestures which at least gives me an illusion of receiving communication. Just hoping for strength and patience from God for our day of Arabic tomorrow!
Thank you for your prayers! That is… شكرا
(That says “thank you” in Arabic… IF I said it right into my phone!)
Good night!
