Opportunities update 2/10/10
This week holds almost nothing to say about immigration other than we called again and they are sticking to the story of no interview and no board approval. They say come back next week and check, so that is what we will do.
Language: We are both still working on language as much as we can. Our friend and teacher keeps telling us we are doing better than we think we are doing. Heather spends a good bit of time trying to practice with a friend who also watches Sam so we can go to class. I keep trying to talk to some of the guys at church and even have one of them coming to church early tonight to practice some. Yesterday I needed a haircut… so armed with a few leading questions I tried to turn my haircut into a tagalong practice session. Thankfully my barber can cut hair and try to decipher what I was asking at the same time. Please keep praying for us and language, we feel we have so far to go.
Interesting opportunity:
Last Thursday after a very frustrating language class I (Jeff) needed some time to think, process and get some perspective on things. So abandoning Heather and Sam for a few hours I went to Starbucks with my Bible, a notebook and a pen. First, I needed to get my perspective right so I sat there drinking coffee, blissfully ignored any thoughts of tagalog and read my Bible. (Don’t think this makes me super spiritual I should have done this earlier which is why I was struggling with perspective.) After reading my Bible I started brainstorming about some Tagalog practice ideas. After working on that a while a Filipino on the other side of the room says “ Are you a pastor” I said not really I’m more of a Bible teacher. For the next 2 hours we talked about some spiritual questions he has. His English was very good so the conversation was all English. My tagalog is nowhere near ready to discuss the sovereign will of God and the free will of man. Anyhow, I believe he is saved but really needs to grow. I invited him to church on Sunday and he came. He has also volunteered to meet me sometimes and practice tagalog. Since I found out that he teaches English to Koreans and Filipinos I figure he could be a helpful tagalog practice partner. Please keep praying for him. I would really like to see him continue coming to church and learning more truth, and I am hoping we will get a chance to meet and practice Tagalog.
Sorry for the long update but there was just lots to talk about this week.
Posted by Jeff Stutzman on Feb 10, 12:15 AM
