Si se Bondye ki voye ou, li peye fré ou

If it is God who sends you, he pays your expenses.

This Creole proverb reminds me of one of my favorite quotes- "If God brings you too it, he'll bring you through it."

I've been hiding out, avoiding the inevitable- but I can't hide for much longer. I'm about to come face to face with a daunting reality! On Sunday afternoon I will be dropped off in a town, three hours away, to stay with a Pastor and his family. Do I know these people? Not so much- I informally met the Pastor once and I've never met his family. The reason I'm staying with this family is because the majority of them only speak Creole. The proper term for this is language immersion. I'm going to have to figure out what they are saying in order to communicate with them. What a great way to learn the language! As Ruth said, "swim or die!" :)

I do know a few Creole words and an even smaller majority of phrases. I have had classes with a tutor for the past two weeks now. Another girl, a tutor, and I meet three mornings each week, for one hour. This other girl that is taking classes with me knows a lot of Creole. She has been in the country a month longer than I have and she started learning it a year before she came. She now converses with people in Creole and therefore understands quite a bit. I, on the other hand, did learn much before I came and I have not been speaking Creole with anyone. I don't know enough words to hold a conversation, let alone try to pick apart what someone is attempting to tell me.

This scenario has made for interesting classes with the tutor. He says everything in Creole and then repeats what he said in English. Sometimes though he doesn't repeat everything in English. The other girl usually understands and then I sit there with a dumbfounded look on my face. I'm asked at least ten times during the class, "Eske ou konprann?" I usually don't catch that part either so I say, "Hunhhh?" To which the teacher replies, in English, "Do you understand?" Lately I've been getting better at following their conversation.

But then as soon as I'm in a situation out of class, where people are speaking Creole to me, I have no idea what they are saying. The natives talk very very fast (imagine that?). This is beginning to frustrate me. Yet, I still do not have the desire to learn. Nor do I spend enough time studying. So I guess this language immersion is for my own good. Come next week, I must learn Creole- my overall wellbeing depends upon it!!

In an attempt to help myself I went around the house and labeled everything.

Then I drew an illustrated study page- I'm a visual learner and none of the Creole books I have have pictures in them! So, I took matters into my own hands...

I got even more creative and replicated this hibiscus flower from a photo. Not to shabby!

In all honesty, I'm a bit scared about this endeavor... I don't know what exactly to bring with me or what all they will provide me with... There's the possibility that I could get sick off the food... I hope I can maintain my sanity. I know I won't be able to make it through on my own strength! But God has brought me to it and He will bring me through it. I have no doubt about that.

Please pray for me in this next week. This will be a trying time, but nevertheless an experience I will never forget!

"As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him" (Psalm 18:30).