Breaking the Language Barrier

Learning a new language is difficult, but sometimes it’s also downright embarrassing. Recently, I ventured into a shop in search of a light bulb, and asked the owner in my very best Arabic, “Do you want a light bulb?”

He narrowed his bushy eyebrows at me. “What? No.”

I glanced around the store certain I must be in the right place. Tools and household items covered the shelves, and several boxes of light bulbs sat at the end of the aisle.

The other customers in the store inched closer to watch, clearly amused by our miscommunication.

Confused, I pointed to the shelf and tried again. “Do you want a light bulb?”

After another negative reply from the shop owner, I took a deep breath and spoke as clearly as I could.

He gestured wildly in response and rattled off a slew of words I didn’t understand. The other customers in the store inched closer to watch, clearly amused by our miscommunication.

Heat gathered in my cheeks. I replayed my words silently in my mind. Finally, I had a real light-bulb moment.

“I’m sorry. Do you have a light bulb?”

The owner chuckled as I purchased what I needed and hurried out of the store, humbled. Thankfully, my next stop was conversation club, where I teach Arabic-speaking women who want to learn English.

English conversation club was my best opportunity to share about my faith, at least until I had a better grasp of Arabic.

That afternoon, I led three young women through the story of Zelophehad’s daughters from Numbers 27 and explained how much God values women.

My students all looked stunned, but despite their understanding none of them commented on the story.

I prayed that the next time we met the ladies would ask questions that would lead to deeper discussions. English conversation club was my best opportunity to share about my faith, at least until I had a better grasp of Arabic.

Before I could meet with them again, I had a language lesson of my own to attend.

I blinked away my surprise at the shift in conversation, grateful for the opportunity to share Who had made a difference in my life.

I sat with my language helper and stumbled my way through a personal story, describing how I had forgiven a friend who had hurt me. Suddenly, she held up her hands to stop me mid-sentence. “Wait.”

She spoke too quickly for me to keep up, and I assumed I’d made another silly mistake.

Then, she switched to English. “How can you forgive that person for what they did?”

I blinked away my surprise at the shift in conversation, grateful for the opportunity to share Who had made a difference in my life. “It’s because of Jesus. Because He’s forgiven me of my sins, I can forgive those who hurt me. I can even love them because Jesus loves me.”

The message of Christ’s love and forgiveness is vital.

She tilted her head, opened her mouth, but said nothing. For the first time since I’d met her, she had no quick response.

Since that day I’ve been able to share several Bible stories with my tutor and those in my conversation club. Sometimes the words come easily, and discussion follows. Other times the words prove difficult and are met with silence. But no matter the circumstances or the response, the message of Christ’s love and forgiveness is vital.

The Gospel is completely foreign to much of the world, yet it’s powerful enough to change hearts and lives for eternity. It’s even powerful enough to break language barriers.

Orar:

• Lift up new Frontiers field workers as they start to learn difficult languages. Praise God for the opportunities He provides through the language-learning process.
• Pray that young women in Muslim countries will hear and understand the value they have in Christ.
• Pray that the message of Jesus’ love and forgiveness will spread to every tribe, tongue, and nation.