October Prayer Letter
"Live to the hilt every situation which you believe to be the will of God." I think it was Jim Elliot who said something along these lines. Those words are a challenge to me whenever I hear them: whether my situation is temporary or long-term, if it is God's will for me, I need to use the situation for the glory of God. My time in France is fast drawing to a close; please pray with me that these few remaining months will not be wasted, but that the Lord will help me to make the most of each day.
Language School Update
I am now halfway through my final semester of language school. I am very pleased with the quality of each of my professors and classes, which focus on different aspects of French, including written and oral comprehension and production, French phonetics, grammar and spelling, and several classes about French culture.
I have also enjoyed making new friends among my classmates. Please keep praying that the Lord will help me to be a good testimony among those who do not know Him, and pray that He will work in their hearts.
December 2012: Moving to Africa!
As the end of language school draws near, I am also making definite plans to move on to Chad. Praise the Lord that He helped me find plane tickets for a very good price! I will be flying from France to Chad on December 30-31. I have sent in my application for a visa; please pray that it will be processed and returned to me in good order. Pray for all the details that will be involved with the process of moving out of my apartment here in France and shifting my belongings (and myself!) to a new country and a new home.
While I am studying French and making plans for "the big move" to Africa, my colleagues are continuing the work of the ministry in Chad. As I write, a consultant is working with the Sara Madjingaye translation team to edit a portion of the Old Testament in that language; another consultant has met with two other language groups within the last couple months to edit portions of the New Testament. A literacy teachers' training workshop is scheduled for the upcoming weeks. Please pray that the Lord will give wisdom to the consultants, translators, and literacy teachers, and that good progress would be made on each project. Pray for unity and spiritual growth among the Chadian churches.
Thank you for your faithful prayers and support!
In Christ's Service,
Anna Beth Wivell
Train ticket purchased!
As you know, I bought my plane tickets some weeks ago. I'll be flying out of Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, as it is about $1000 cheaper to do that than to fly out of Bordeaux. My plane leaves late in the evening, so I should have plenty of time to take the four-hour train trip from Bordeaux to Paris. When I bought my plane tickets, the winter train tickets weren't available yet, so I had to wait until today for the train ticket. I purchased it this morning, in time to get a good price and to pick a good time. I'll be leaving Bordeaux at 9:23am on December 30, and arriving at the airport in Paris at 1:41pm, with over 8 hours to spare before my plane leaves. Even though Charles de Gaulle Airport is huge, I think I will have enough time to find my gate!
You might wonder if I'll be using all those hours to do any sightseeing. Probably not, unless the weather is unusually warm. December 30 will likely be very cold in Paris, and I'll be on my way to Chad's tropical climate so will not be taking my winter coat. I will have a jacket to get me through the colder places, but I probably won't want to spend much time in the European winter weather. I will have things with me that I can do to fill the time, so I am sure I won't be bored!
I have begun the paperwork to get a visa to Chad, and hope to have it ready to send soon. Please pray that there will be no problems with that process.
You might wonder if I'll be using all those hours to do any sightseeing. Probably not, unless the weather is unusually warm. December 30 will likely be very cold in Paris, and I'll be on my way to Chad's tropical climate so will not be taking my winter coat. I will have a jacket to get me through the colder places, but I probably won't want to spend much time in the European winter weather. I will have things with me that I can do to fill the time, so I am sure I won't be bored!
I have begun the paperwork to get a visa to Chad, and hope to have it ready to send soon. Please pray that there will be no problems with that process.
Expressing opinions in a foreign language
This is the main theme of my Wednesday morning class. Actually the class is called "oral expression" and the idea is to learn to express ourselves in French. I had a similar class last semester (though under a different name), and although sometimes a bit scary, it was very helpful. We were just starting to get to the point where we could talk about likes and dislikes and opinions, and we would talk about things like, "What were your first impressions of France?" As the semester went on, we discussed somewhat more complex questions, like, "Tell your classmates why they should visit your home town." These might sound like simple topics, but it was harder than it sounds! When learning to speak another language, concrete things are easiest to talk about, like the weather or where you are from. Likes and dislikes are usually more abstract and complex, and are therefore harder. But with practice, I think we did get at least a bit better at expressing our opinions.
This semester my oral expression class is moving beyond just describing what we think about a topic: we will also be learning how to argue for or against a position. Since this is just the second week, we have just started learning about how to do this, and haven't had much practice in it yet. Before the semester is over, I'll have to take my turn in giving a presentation before the class (and although I'm sure the experience will be good for me, I am glad all the same that we are doing them in alphabetical order, which means I'm not first on the list).
Today, however, we spent most of our time giving our opinions on some topics from the news, though not expanding too much on it yet. The first topic was to discuss a short extract from an old news article that the teacher had copied for us. When we had finished talking about that, the teacher asked if anyone had a particular news topic that they wanted to discuss. And the first topic that was suggested was ... the debate over homosexual marriage! Thankfully, our short discussion did not turn into a heated debate, but it was certainly an interesting way to start off the semester. I did have the chance to express my opinion (or maybe I should say, God's opinion, as given in His Word), which I did as concisely as I could, trying to be kind as well as truthful. Interestingly, I was the only one in the class who was not supportive of homosexual marriage, even though most of the students were from a country where it is illegal. At any rate, at least the topic gave me a chance to share with the class that I am a Christian, though it wasn't the way I'd planned! One never knows what sorts of opportunities the Lord may bring our way!
Please keep praying that the Lord will help me to be a good testimony to my classmates and professors.
This semester my oral expression class is moving beyond just describing what we think about a topic: we will also be learning how to argue for or against a position. Since this is just the second week, we have just started learning about how to do this, and haven't had much practice in it yet. Before the semester is over, I'll have to take my turn in giving a presentation before the class (and although I'm sure the experience will be good for me, I am glad all the same that we are doing them in alphabetical order, which means I'm not first on the list).
Today, however, we spent most of our time giving our opinions on some topics from the news, though not expanding too much on it yet. The first topic was to discuss a short extract from an old news article that the teacher had copied for us. When we had finished talking about that, the teacher asked if anyone had a particular news topic that they wanted to discuss. And the first topic that was suggested was ... the debate over homosexual marriage! Thankfully, our short discussion did not turn into a heated debate, but it was certainly an interesting way to start off the semester. I did have the chance to express my opinion (or maybe I should say, God's opinion, as given in His Word), which I did as concisely as I could, trying to be kind as well as truthful. Interestingly, I was the only one in the class who was not supportive of homosexual marriage, even though most of the students were from a country where it is illegal. At any rate, at least the topic gave me a chance to share with the class that I am a Christian, though it wasn't the way I'd planned! One never knows what sorts of opportunities the Lord may bring our way!
Please keep praying that the Lord will help me to be a good testimony to my classmates and professors.
First Week of School
I've survived my first week of this semester of language school! In fact, this week has gone very well. The teachers are doing a great job so far, and I'm looking forward to what I will learn from them over the next three months. Instead of trying to describe every class, I'll just talk about what we learned in one of my classes.
In the first session of my oral comprehension class, the teacher did something different to help us understand a French video clip. Although our purpose was of course to understand spoken French, we watched it through first without the sound, and tried to understand what it was about, based on visual clues. Then when we watched it with the sound turned up, we had a bit of an idea what the people in the video might be talking about, and it helped us to follow what was going on.
If you think about, we all do this all the time when we speak to each other in our own language. Next time you walk into a store or restaurant, notice how fast the person behind the counter speaks when saying common phrases like, "Eat in or take away?" or "Credit or debit?" It may really come out in a rapid jabber like "credditterdeb't" but you still understand it. Or have you ever heard a friend say something like, "Squeet" for "let's go eat" and you understood what he said? We constantly use context and visual clues to aid in understanding each other without even thinking twice about it.
In a new situation and in a new language, this is harder to do. In an entirely different context from what we are used to, we're not sure what to expect when someone speaks to us. I recall some months ago, I went shopping and took my groceries to the counter, and a rapid sentence in French was fired at me from behind the counter. About all I could understand was that it was a question. The worker had to repeat it in slower, clearer French before I could understand that I was being asked if I had a "carte de fidelité" - a store card. Later on, after I gained a bit more experience with French grocery stores, I was better able to understand and respond to that question - because I now had a familiar context to draw from.
Learning to make better use of context and various clues will help me to better comprehend what is being said, so I'm glad that the teacher is helping us practice this skill. Of course, there are fewer such clues when talking on the phone or listening to the radio, when you can't see the other person talking. Though, even here, context can aid in understanding; for example, knowing that the voice on the radio is a news reporter and not an advertisement helps to better follow the subject matter. At any rate, as with nearly all aspects of language study, practice is the key! I should get plenty of opportunities to practice over the next few months! Thanks for praying for me as I continue to learn the French language!
In the first session of my oral comprehension class, the teacher did something different to help us understand a French video clip. Although our purpose was of course to understand spoken French, we watched it through first without the sound, and tried to understand what it was about, based on visual clues. Then when we watched it with the sound turned up, we had a bit of an idea what the people in the video might be talking about, and it helped us to follow what was going on.
If you think about, we all do this all the time when we speak to each other in our own language. Next time you walk into a store or restaurant, notice how fast the person behind the counter speaks when saying common phrases like, "Eat in or take away?" or "Credit or debit?" It may really come out in a rapid jabber like "credditterdeb't" but you still understand it. Or have you ever heard a friend say something like, "Squeet" for "let's go eat" and you understood what he said? We constantly use context and visual clues to aid in understanding each other without even thinking twice about it.
In a new situation and in a new language, this is harder to do. In an entirely different context from what we are used to, we're not sure what to expect when someone speaks to us. I recall some months ago, I went shopping and took my groceries to the counter, and a rapid sentence in French was fired at me from behind the counter. About all I could understand was that it was a question. The worker had to repeat it in slower, clearer French before I could understand that I was being asked if I had a "carte de fidelité" - a store card. Later on, after I gained a bit more experience with French grocery stores, I was better able to understand and respond to that question - because I now had a familiar context to draw from.
Learning to make better use of context and various clues will help me to better comprehend what is being said, so I'm glad that the teacher is helping us practice this skill. Of course, there are fewer such clues when talking on the phone or listening to the radio, when you can't see the other person talking. Though, even here, context can aid in understanding; for example, knowing that the voice on the radio is a news reporter and not an advertisement helps to better follow the subject matter. At any rate, as with nearly all aspects of language study, practice is the key! I should get plenty of opportunities to practice over the next few months! Thanks for praying for me as I continue to learn the French language!
Introducing the Dagba
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| The speakers of the Dagba language live in CAR and Chad. |
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| Translator Koyan Martin |
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| Assistant translator Naoyal Réné |
Please pray and praise the Lord with us:
- Praise the Lord that the New Testament is so close to being finished.
- Pray for wisdom for translators Martin and Réné, and consultant Susan Hossack, as they make the final corrections to the translation.
- Pray that the translation of the Dagba New Testament will soon be finished and printed.
- Praise the Lord that all the needed funds for the printing of the Dagba NT have come in!
- Keep praying for other language groups around the world who are in various stages of translating the Scriptures into their languages.
Language School Schedule
Today was the orientation meeting at the university, where I received my class schedule. I will have a slightly heavier load than last semester: 16 1/2 hours a week, with classes every day from Monday to Friday. Tuesday will be my busiest day, with classes back-to-back from 9:15am to 5:30pm (except for a 45-minute lunch break). Please pray that the Lord will give me strength on Tuesdays especially!
You can see my full class schedule on the My Itinerary page.
You can see my full class schedule on the My Itinerary page.
Plane Tickets Purchased!
It's another milestone day! This morning I bought my plane tickets to fly to Chad! I'll be leaving on December 30 - just under 4 months from now! The Lord provided tickets at a very good price, much less than what I had expected to pay. It is less expensive to fly out of Paris than out of Bordeaux, so I will take the train to Paris in the morning or early afternoon on December 30, and fly out late that evening. After just one layover in Ethiopia, I'll arrive in Chad the following day, December 31, and welcome in the new year in Africa!
There is much still to be done in my few remaining months in France, not the least of which is to finish language school! Classes start up again next Monday, and finish about two weeks before I leave. As my departure time draws closer, I'll also need to get a visa that will allow me to enter Chad. These are the major hurdles. Smaller hurdles will be moving out my apartment, giving away or selling anything that isn't going to Africa with me, and of course packing my suitcases. Thank you for praying for me over the next few months as I prepare for this big move!
See the full travel itinerary here.
There is much still to be done in my few remaining months in France, not the least of which is to finish language school! Classes start up again next Monday, and finish about two weeks before I leave. As my departure time draws closer, I'll also need to get a visa that will allow me to enter Chad. These are the major hurdles. Smaller hurdles will be moving out my apartment, giving away or selling anything that isn't going to Africa with me, and of course packing my suitcases. Thank you for praying for me over the next few months as I prepare for this big move!
See the full travel itinerary here.
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