During this trip I have come to realise the enormity of language, and how language can act as a barrier or a never ending topic of conversation when living in another country. As mentioned in a previous blog I found it to be a great blessing for me to have several native English speakers living at the BEC when I arrived, as it made the transition into life and routine here so much easier for me. I have a very poor grasp of even basic Khmer language, and as I speak too quickly and I also have a Queensland Australian accent, so my speech can often be difficult for many of the locals (I am attempting to remember to try and speak at a more reasonable pace). Now that I have picked up a few Khmer basics it is amazing see the different reactions an attempt (even a poor one) at speaking the local lingo has upon the person to whom I address. Many are most often pleasantly surprised that a foreigner not only knows a handful of Khmer words, but would attempt to employ them, and the use of a ‘hello’ or even a ‘no thank-you’ often generates the grinning response ‘You know Khmer?’ even in the often cynical tuk-tuk drivers of Riverside (tourist district). And the dormers did find it rather humorous when I said ‘ule aut?’ during a seminar, it literally means ‘understand not?’ which when spoken actually does convey more a sense of asking ‘Do you understand?’ And as an added assistance, many of the brothers and sisters are more than happy to teach you and deftly correct any attempts at Khmer. There are also several brothers and sisters here who are willing translators for bible classes with students. They are an invaluable asset and assistance to those teaching here, and continuously and enthusiastically translate and discuss bible topics even when ill and suffering from on-going bouts of ‘Kampuchea belly’. To see the change in someone’s face when they understand an action done by or a parable told by Jesus, as it was made clear to them through the translation of a brother or sister is unbelievably encouraging. It is also very eye opening to meet and talk to people who have never heard of Jesus and our understanding of ‘God’ and to then have such students ask questions such as ‘If Jesus came to save us, then who is God?’ and for this enquiry to then be adeptly answered by the translator. The tireless and often jovial support and encouragement given by the work of these brothers and sisters is humbling.
My favourite example of this is a class I sit in on in the afternoons with Kerren who is teaching Sokun (BongKun our lovely cook to those of you who have visited the BEC of late) who invited her sister to attend class with her. Her sister Mealea invited her friend Polly, and Kerren invited Saruon along to assist with some translation and myself to be able to meet Mealea and Polly. This class has turned into a highlight of the day for me. While I enjoy all my classes, this class consists of a small group of women spending time together, learning about Jesus and the blessings God gives us every day of our lives. We did have a male student Jeit who lives down our street join us for the past two weeks and it was interesting to see the change in dynamics of the class as the students became the teachers and mother like figures too, helping him finding the quotes in the bible, helping with Khmer words he was not familiar with in bible quotes, telling him to look at the teacher when he constructed his sentence in English with the word ‘want’ and to then repeat the sentence when once completed to make sure he comprehended what he had said. Initially I thought this manner of encouragement would not be helpful, but Jeit always seemed to respond positively to such encouragement and always attempted to create a sentence (with the very vocal assistance of the other students and translators), and I was then informed that they do this, so Jeit can go home and tell his mother the sentence that he said in lesson that day. His mother has since spoken to Saruon and has said how very happy she is that Jeit is studying with us, and one day this week we walked past her on our street and Saruon introduced us, as she broke into a smile with her whole face and heartily waved at us. Yesterday was the first class without Jeit (due to a change in his university timetable he now studies in the morning with Daniel and Saruon and Dy) and the sense of ‘sisterliness’ returned, the most marked example being when one person mistook gentleness for beautifulness, and created the practice sentence in English that you had to beautiful to enter into the Kingdom of God, this mistake was very quickly pointed out in a very sisterly fashion of quick correction and then much laughter by us all. So even while language can be a barrier it can also be, and often is the source of much laughter and joy.
With much love from all your brothers and sisters here,
Jess
My favourite example of this is a class I sit in on in the afternoons with Kerren who is teaching Sokun (BongKun our lovely cook to those of you who have visited the BEC of late) who invited her sister to attend class with her. Her sister Mealea invited her friend Polly, and Kerren invited Saruon along to assist with some translation and myself to be able to meet Mealea and Polly. This class has turned into a highlight of the day for me. While I enjoy all my classes, this class consists of a small group of women spending time together, learning about Jesus and the blessings God gives us every day of our lives. We did have a male student Jeit who lives down our street join us for the past two weeks and it was interesting to see the change in dynamics of the class as the students became the teachers and mother like figures too, helping him finding the quotes in the bible, helping with Khmer words he was not familiar with in bible quotes, telling him to look at the teacher when he constructed his sentence in English with the word ‘want’ and to then repeat the sentence when once completed to make sure he comprehended what he had said. Initially I thought this manner of encouragement would not be helpful, but Jeit always seemed to respond positively to such encouragement and always attempted to create a sentence (with the very vocal assistance of the other students and translators), and I was then informed that they do this, so Jeit can go home and tell his mother the sentence that he said in lesson that day. His mother has since spoken to Saruon and has said how very happy she is that Jeit is studying with us, and one day this week we walked past her on our street and Saruon introduced us, as she broke into a smile with her whole face and heartily waved at us. Yesterday was the first class without Jeit (due to a change in his university timetable he now studies in the morning with Daniel and Saruon and Dy) and the sense of ‘sisterliness’ returned, the most marked example being when one person mistook gentleness for beautifulness, and created the practice sentence in English that you had to beautiful to enter into the Kingdom of God, this mistake was very quickly pointed out in a very sisterly fashion of quick correction and then much laughter by us all. So even while language can be a barrier it can also be, and often is the source of much laughter and joy.
With much love from all your brothers and sisters here,
Jess
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