To my dear young friends:
I guess many of you are home for your summer break. It is great to have a change, isn't it? I hope you are having fun with your summer. I've been having a great time out in the village of Lolodorf. I even went fishing two weeks ago and caught a small catfish!
I've been here in Cameroon since early spring, and now it is summer. It sure was good to be back in my village house after almost 11 months away. We had two months of meetings (March and April), and then I was able to be in the village for the last few weeks. These weeks have been the best weeks I've had so far out in Lolodorf.
It seems like, suddenly, I woke up and could understand and speak Kwasio! After over two years of trying to learn it, and feeling like a failure, these last few weeks I've just been speaking. It all changed when I started teaching Bible stories once a week to the kids in my neighborhood. I decided I would teach, using my flannelgraph, and only speaking Kwasio. The first time I tried, I really muddled through it. I told the kids (about 30 of them):
"I'm just trying to learn Kwasio, will you help me?" And then I held up the first flannel image, and asked "gi gi na?" ("what's this?").
They volunteered finally "bial" (a boat) and we got off the ground. About 20 adult passers-by gathered to help with their comments and suggestions. After the story, two different kids came up and retold the story with the flannelgraph, in much better Kwasio. It was the story of Jesus walking on the water, and Peter going out to him but starting to sink. I certainly felt like I was stepping out of my comfort zone.
Now I've taught four times, and I find that I can understand much of what people say to me, and I can say most of what I want to say, as long as it is very simple. So, it has gotten a lot funner.
I'll be in Europe for a summer school from June 19 to July 19. This is part of my studies in African linguistics with Leiden University in the Netherlands, although the class will be in Lyon, France. Thanks so much for your prayers and support. Have a great summer!
God bless you all, both young and young at heart! --Dan
I guess many of you are home for your summer break. It is great to have a change, isn't it? I hope you are having fun with your summer. I've been having a great time out in the village of Lolodorf. I even went fishing two weeks ago and caught a small catfish!
I've been here in Cameroon since early spring, and now it is summer. It sure was good to be back in my village house after almost 11 months away. We had two months of meetings (March and April), and then I was able to be in the village for the last few weeks. These weeks have been the best weeks I've had so far out in Lolodorf.
It seems like, suddenly, I woke up and could understand and speak Kwasio! After over two years of trying to learn it, and feeling like a failure, these last few weeks I've just been speaking. It all changed when I started teaching Bible stories once a week to the kids in my neighborhood. I decided I would teach, using my flannelgraph, and only speaking Kwasio. The first time I tried, I really muddled through it. I told the kids (about 30 of them):
"I'm just trying to learn Kwasio, will you help me?" And then I held up the first flannel image, and asked "gi gi na?" ("what's this?").
They volunteered finally "bial" (a boat) and we got off the ground. About 20 adult passers-by gathered to help with their comments and suggestions. After the story, two different kids came up and retold the story with the flannelgraph, in much better Kwasio. It was the story of Jesus walking on the water, and Peter going out to him but starting to sink. I certainly felt like I was stepping out of my comfort zone.
Now I've taught four times, and I find that I can understand much of what people say to me, and I can say most of what I want to say, as long as it is very simple. So, it has gotten a lot funner.
I'll be in Europe for a summer school from June 19 to July 19. This is part of my studies in African linguistics with Leiden University in the Netherlands, although the class will be in Lyon, France. Thanks so much for your prayers and support. Have a great summer!
God bless you all, both young and young at heart! --Dan
