Be Prepared! Learn A Little Language!

When I was in college I had the opportunity of traveling with an ensemble one summer.  We had the privilege of going to Venezuela for part of that summer.  There was a lot of preparation involved for that trip.  We even had to learn some Spanish (including songs and our testimony).  It's always good to be prepared.

Most our time was spent in the city of Puerto Ordaz.  It's a nice little town.  We were able to sing in several private and public schools in the area and some churches too.  Each program we took turns sharing our testimony to the kids.  This was done in Spanish or with a translator.  When it came to my turn, we were at a church and there were a lot of kids.  They were rowdy and noisy, but when I started to talk, you could here a pin drop in that room.  Not only was I speaking Spanish, but my accent was little to none.  The kids were so impressed they seemed to hang on my every word.

I share this illustration because it is always good to learn at least some of the language of the country you are visiting.  You don't know how much that is appreciated by the nationals.  It shows that you care about them as people and have a desire to relate to them and their culture.  You would be surprised how much a difference it makes, even if you just try to speak their language.

This is only one aspect of preparing to visit a country, but it is a useful one too.  Knowing some common phrases can get you around if you are lost, allow you to buy products from stores and markets, order your food at a restaurant, etc.   It is easy to find material to help you learn languages now-a-days.  There are books, computer software and online help. 

So, when getting ready to go somewhere overseas, don't forget to pack your translator!  Be prepared.

 Helping you get the upper hand to change your life forever,

Peter Bunn
Rising Leader

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