We have officially been in our beautiful new home for 2 weeks now. Every day is a nonstop learning experience, and it is easy to be overwhelmed with all the new, with all there is to learn. We are enrolled in language school about 20 hours a week, plus practicing language in our homestay and community. Language learning is an interesting experience--both extremely rewarding and frustrating. I feel like a child stumbling over their words. It is very humbling. But when meaning is communicated, I celebrate that small victory! Fortunately the people here are very kind and gracious, and they are more than willing to help us learn and practice our language skills.
One of the hardest and biggest adjustments to our new community is their devotion to another belief system. I feel sad and discouraged, knowing that they don’t have blessed hope in Christ. The night before we left the United States, my Dad prayed Psalm 24:7-8 for our city (the “ancient gates” being the religious system that has been in place for so many years):
“Lift up your heads, O gates!
And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
That the King of Glory may come in.
Who is this King of Glory?
The Lord, strong and might,
The Lord, mighty in battle!”
This Psalm has become my daily battle cry: that the ancient gates would rise up and let in the the True King. Our Father “has many in this city who are His people” (Acts 18:9), and I can’t wait to see how He will move!