Tu hables espanol?

This post is also a movie. See below.

I was recently telling some friends of mine about one of the biggest highlights from this past school year. Last November, I had the opportunity to get involved with Cornerstone Conversations. Each week, there is a group of Spanish speakers who gather at my church to study the Bible in their native tongue. But before the Bible Study, there is an English conversation lesson to help them practice their English and help them connect with the church. We do language games, pronunciation drills, and have a good time. I’ve had the privilege of working with Cornerstone Conversations and it’s made me think about how this type of work has really changed my perspective on language and even the direction of my life.

Growing up in the south west of the USA, I gained a general awareness of Spanish. But language learning didn’t hold any attraction for me. I speak English and it seems most people want to learn English, so why bother learning anything else? 

However, a few years before I started pursuing full time Christian ministry, I had the opportunity to go to the Czech Republic and work at a summer camp teaching English to high school students. Unlike my mandatory Spanish classes in high school, this summer camp had lots of students eager to learn and practice their foreign language. Through this camp, I saw first-hand how learning another language really helps in being able to empathize with people, share experiences, and learn about cultures. This experience is part of the reason why I came here to Scotland to study. I wanted to see what new and different opportunities would come about by studying in a different culture.

Even with this, I sort of dreaded the Greek and Hebrew classes I had to take. Learning a language is really hard. But, having gone through the course, studying the Greek and Hebrew of the Bible, I’ve come to actually quite enjoy learning languages. It is hard, but it gives a different perspective on what’s going on. My experiences in the Czech Republic were really the catalyst for my desire to uproot and travel the world. 

And so, I’m really excited for the opportunity to return this summer to the Czech Republic and help out once more with an English Camp. This type of teaching, both at Cornerstone and in the Czech Republic, is part of growing the kingdom of God. Christianity isn’t only in English, but teaching English is one way I can encourage my fellow believers and share with others the good news of the gospel. 

But I cannot do it alone. I need your prayers. Prayers for wisdom about how to teach, and wisdom about what to say. Prayers about how to encourage, when to listen, and when to challenge. Would be willing to pray for me this summer as I go to the Czech Republic? Would you pray for me throughout the year as I help out with the Church plant here in Scotland? As part of your prayers, would you pray about supporting this type of ministry? If you’ve prayed about it and are able to help out financially, please click through to my Patreon page or see the video description for more information. I currently need to raise about $1000 dollars for the mission work in the Czech Republic and about $5000 for the next year working here in Scotland. You can give monthly on the Patreon page, and check out the different resources I’ve got up on that site.



Thanks for your time and prayers!