The Spanish Institute

I had a great conversation with someone already at the language institute. He and his wife (Brian and Mary Dennett; http://www.thedennetts.blogspot.com/) are missionaries to Guatemala who are currently attending the Spanish Institute along their five kids. His positive attitude and encouragement really got us excited to get there and begin our studies and show us that many of our fears were misguided.

The Fear: Classes would take up the entire day, ending at five, who will watch our kids?
The Reality: Classes end either at noon or one. Our kids will stay in a nursery on campus who we can see during our breaks. I'll see my kids more there and I do now.

The Fears: What will we bring? What do we pack? What can we get there?
The Reality: Most everything is available there. However, electronics, small appliances, and some grocery items are more expensive. There is also a place owned by Wal-mart ...enough said.

The Fear: The class work is intense.
The Reality: Learning a language is a challenge and everyone is at a different level. The teachers want you to succeed and most pressures are self-induced.

The Fear: What if our kids get sick?
The Reality: There is an American doctor who who is on campus a couple days during the week and there is also state of the art hospital that also happens also to be evangelical Christian.

The Reality: It is a great school with quality committed teachers, surrounded by good fellowship and student camaraderie, in a picture perfect climate.

Have you had any Spanish?
Steve: I took about 4 semesters of Spanish in college, but at the same time was taking 3-4 other classes. It will be good to focus on the language and put the time into it?
Becky: I have had no formal Spanish. All I have had is one month in Argentina living with a national couple who didn't speak English.

When do you hope to be in language school?
We continue to pray to be at language school in Costa Rica at the end of this August. Our mission requires us to be at 90% of our monthly support, currently we are at 78%.

How can you be praying?
Please pray that our support level will be what it needs to so we can get there. We are refreshed and excited about embarking on this endeavor to learn Spanish in Costa Rica.

"So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air." - I Corinthians 14:9

Pray that we could learn Spanish well, that we could clearly preach the saving gospel of Christ, and that He would be glorified!