Say What?

Note to Reader: This is another in our series of “River Crossings” blogs, written while we were in Thailand (2009-2011). Enjoy!

We’re coming into that dangerous stage of language study: the time when you know just enough to be understood, but not necessarily what you think you’re communicating. Like for instance the other day when Tony told the motorcycle taxi driver he wanted to leave dog doo on his bike (Ghii with an upward inflection rather than Ghii with no inflection). The guy must have understood, since he gave Tony a ride home, but now we know why he was grinning so much!

Actually, my literary creations are quite proper, if not exactly useful, like telling the teacher yesterday that I wanted her to take my refrigerator outside, please. Hey, you never know when a phrase like that might come in handy.

And come to think of it, I’m not the only one lacking all the information necessary for the situation. I remember a few years ago during the Sydney Olympics, we had some friends come out from the States to help with the Christian volunteers who were coordinating with the churches for evangelistic outreach. Now this couple specializes in ‘jobs bordering on the impossible’ so they were very much in demand. One night they were called to a church down south because their bus had broken down and John and Trudy needed to drop everything and run to fix it, as it was needed the next day.  When they arrived, they found the church unlocked but apparently all the members had gone off to help at an Olympic event. The only one there was a rather scruffy gentleman sitting just inside the door out of the cold. They assumed he was the janitor or something and said hello. Soon he asked them for a lift home, mentioning that it really wasn’t very far but it’d be a big help if he didn’t have to walk. They reasoned that they could at least do that for this old soldier of Christ, and since they had some time to kill, they agreed. After a few moments he indicated that if it wouldn’t be too much trouble, could they help him load a refrigerator into the car as well… They did, albeit a bit puzzled, but figured that they just didn’t understand Australian ways… and delivered him to his humble shack a few miles away.

The next morning the pastor apologized for not being there when they arrived, mentioning what a crazy evening it had been and commented casually that someone had actually stolen their refrigerator as well!… Language and culture, what a hoot! At least if someone here asks me to carry off the refrigerator, I’ll know what they’re saying!

Aren’t we glad that God knows what we mean to say even when we can’t express it?

“Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.” (Psalms 139:4)

Combine that with Romans 8:26, and you’ve got nothing to fear in the language acquisition department: “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”

AND if you’ve managed to read this to the end, I’d appreciate a little prayer for me this morning, March 20th, 2022, as both Tony (no problem) and me (freaked out) will be sharing in the large Japanese church.  I’m much better speaking Japanese than Thai, but still pretty rusty, and I don’t want to accidently get off on talking about refrigerators!  Thanks

Till next time! 

Marsha