Language Favorites...

So, I have been a huge slacker when it comes to journaling. I apologize for disappearing. One day I will either stop disappearing or just stop apologizing for it. You should have recently received a newsletter. If you didn't a few things might be the cause: 1. Somehow I have not put you on the list. 2. Email glitch. 3. The newsletter is getting put in your junk or bulk mailbox.

If you didn't receive the update and would like to please send me an email and I will try to get it out to you. Also, if you had trouble reading the information let me know. You may be receiving it in a format that your email program can't handle.

A couple updates. My supervisors have found a house and will be moving in next week we hope. Ryan had surgery on Wednesday morning in Louisville. I have not yet received an update to know how it went. I almost called my family this morning, and then I realized it was 1:30am their time and that likely wouldn't have made Dad real happy. We begin our retreat at 2 this afternoon. That is your 6am your time, if you are in central time.

For sometime I have been intending to share with you some information about language but haven't yet done it. As you probably are aware I have stopped full time language study. Even though I don't spend multiple hours a day focusing on learning language I am still learning language. I am doing my best to have short conversations with everyone that I can. I still only have a very small understanding of the language. I do have a few favorite sayings though. I have gotten miles out of the shock and often laughter these bring from listeners.

They are amazed that a foreigner is learning their language so they usually compliment me with the word "gobez." (Please excuse the gross transliterations, as there is no way to truly transition the language from their writing to English print.) "Gobez" means clever. I quickly respond that I am not that clever and I don't know much of their language by saying, "Gobez idelum. Amarinia bedemb, menager alchelem." It is a bit of an oxymoronic sentence in that it is a very formal way to say I don't speak Amharic very well. It would be like an English learner saying, "Thank you for your compliment, but I dont deserve it because I still dont speak English very well, but I am learning." The more likely response would of course be, "English, no speak good."

They usually disagree and tell me I speak very well and blah, blah, blah. Then I like to say, "Cus bu cus..." It means little by little and comes from one of their proverbs. Together we finish the proverb with, "...enculal bigrew yihadal." They laugh with me and again compliment me as together we have said, "Little by little the egg walks by legs." They get a kick out of me caring about what they say and how they say it. I enjoy their enjoyment and enjoy getting a bit better with language everyday.

Now that I am out of fulltime study it is less like an assignment and more of a game. I hate to study but I love to play, so I think this time might help my language even more than the studying did.

Thank you for your continued faithfulness. Know it was a huge blessing to send out an email this past week to the 150+ that are joined with me in this journey of reaching the 60 to 70 million people of this nation for the truth. Pray hard!