Learning to Stretch

I was just enjoying my coffee at a business meeting when I overheard, “If they’re coming to this country they should learn the language.  They just bunch up in places around town & make their kids translate all the time.”

I wanted to confront and correct him and all those other 'more offensive then helpful' impulses that course through my mind at times.

It holds truth, from one perspective, but no attempt at understanding; at least from my point of view.

I remember the year my oldest niece decided to move to Berlin because it was so much cheaper than New York, where she had been renting.

She shared with me about how, half way through the day, she was exhausted from trying to learn new German words & phrases and translating her own thoughts out of English.

ESL student refugees from our community 

 stepping forward to help us reach their neighbors for Thanksgiving

How she had found some restaurants and shops that spoke English & how that made her feel understood and closer to home for a bit.

I walk through my community of refugees and immigrants seeing them work hard to learn the language and favor the shops that make adjusting easier for awhile.

I come into ROP and find myself saying a greeting maybe 20 or 30 times. Encouraging students’ attempts to ask, “Good morning! How are you?” and practice, practice, practice.

I find myself asking God to make me less judgmental of those who don’t see.  I’d rather be a light that encourages others to really see people and reach out to understand each other.