Speaks VOLUMES!

Wow! I never would have understood how much speaking in one's own language means to people if I had not experienced their reactions myself!

I live in a country where we expect people who enter our borders to learn our language. I don't think anyone has ever come up to me speaking a foreign language and expected me to understand. (With the exception of students' parents who only spoke Spanish, but I knew enough to understand.) So I cannot imagine what some of these people feel like when I walk up to them to buy something and I am speaking a language they do not understand.

Yesterday was market day and it was also Tuesday which is one of my two Evegbe lesson days. My teacher informed me that yesterday was the day for my "practical" and when we went to market he would not speak. I was okay with it until we walked up to the first seller and I totally chickened out because I knew everyone would laugh and I would draw attention to myself. My teacher spoke for me. After the first purchased I bargained with him, "Every time I use the Ewe language I get to earn bonus points for my test on Friday." He agreed and I spoke Evegbe from then on.

Maƒle tomantoes, 1 cedi. = I want to buy 1 dollar's worth of tomatoes.

Fetri, nene yo? = How much is the okra?

Yoo, maƒle 2000, 20 pesawas = Okay, I want to buy 20 cents worth.

This went on with agbitsa (egg plant), aka (charcoal), ela (fish), ami dze (palm oil), ablee (pepper), sabala (onion), blodo (bread), Biblia (Bible), koklozi (eggs)...

I earned 18 points on my next test but my reward was MUCH more than that!

I was pondering the experience in the marketplace as we returned home. After we unloaded everything, my teacher said, "You made me look great today." I asked what he meant and he said that the sellers in the marketplace were shocked at how well I spoke and understood the language. They said surely I must have a great teacher!

I obviously didn't hear what they said and if I had I honestly would not have understood all of the conversation. I noticed something else though.

I noticed sellers who looked me in the eye, who smiled, and who greeted me warmly. In the past, I would just point and present money or have a Ghanaian do the buying for me as it would be faster. Because of the communication barrier these people seemed cold and disinterested in my eyes and I'm sure I appeared the same in theirs. Yesterday something changed! In one day, in the village of Sogakoƒe doors swung wide open for me to build relationships and to some extent, be a part of the people.

The women loved it and their encouragement and acceptance stretched beyond what money could buy or bonus points on a test can do! From now on I see the Evegbe less as "intimidating" and more as a "tool" to love the people!

I think I should get two more bonus points for making my teacher look good. Oh and I forgot to mention, my teacher gave me two points for speaking in the Ewe language to the fish seller but when she gave me an extra fish he took the points away. He said it isn't fair to receive two rewards. I personally didn't see a problem with it! :)

Thank You Lord for these moments of encouragement!