Forever a Student

When I finished university in December, I thought I was done being a student. Wrong! Here are some things I have been learning while down here.

On Tuesdays I am learning sign language in Spanish. The alphabet isn't the same as ASL (American Sign Language), but having learnt that alphabet makes it easier to learn it in Spanish.

On Mondays I am learning Pokumchi, and indigenous language that many students and teachers speak. Those who are learning it or have learned it in school have a textbook. This allows me to read and print the language. This helps in learning it. Some sounds, though, we don't have in English or Spanish, which is a challenge.

Every day I am learning more Spanish. Listening to Guatemalans speak, both formally and in conversation, helps a lot. As does speaking it myself, which of course includes making mistakes, blushing, and trying again.

Every day I am learning more about God and drawing near to Him. Through school devotionals, church, and my personal reading, I find that the more time I spend in the presence of God, the more I want to do so and the hungrier I get for the things of God.

Now, you may ask why? Why am I putting in the effort to learn these things? Spanish sign language will do me no good when I go home. Neither will Pokumchi. Getting better at Spanish will help me get by here, but I will never be perfect and I will always be a canche or gringa or tourista. And spending time with God doesn't really have visible benefits to show for my time, such as having spelling tests marked or my room cleaned. Why do I bother learning these things? Because people care. It matters to them. You should see the smile on the face of the girl who cannot speak or hear. It makes her feel worth it, like she is special. And she is. For those who speak Pokumchi, it makes them feel important, that I would go out of my way to get to know THEIR language. For those who speak Spanish, it shows I care when I make the effort to learn new words and ask for their help with pronunciation. And when I spend time with God, it shows that I care. It shows Him that He is important to me. For these reasons I continue to be a student and continue to learn new things each day. It also gives the feeling of success as I see my own growth over time. So I want to ask you: What do you care about that is worth your time and effort to learn? 

Lesly, the girl who cannot speak or hear