Language Learning

Fumbling About With Unfamiliar Words: A Most Exquisite Offering of God's Love

The author has served with The Mission Society team in Kazakhstan for nine years. She is trained as a nurse and ministers through medical work, a village church-planting endeavor, and discipleship. The author speaks Russian fluently and is in the process of learning the Kazakh language, the heart language of the Kazakh people, in order to communicate more effectively the message of Christ. 

For the past seven years I have lived and worked in a remote village in Northern Kazakhstan. Not too long after moving there, a young woman tearfully told me that it frightened her to think what would have become of her if we had not come to tell her about Jesus. A couple of years later, that same young woman taught me a valuable lesson as she responded to my whining about my poor Russian language skills. She said, "Joyce, even when you sound like a kindergartner, you share great wisdom with me. Please continue to speak my language."

Over the years, those two conversations have caused me to ponder a great deal Christ's commands to "spread the Gospel" versus my commitment to language learning. I have to honestly say that I have not always come out looking very good even in my own estimation! And yet, here I am, plunging in to yet another difficult language – Kazakh. Why??? Because, after all the whining and complaining, after all the objections, these are the people to whom God has sent me, and how can they hear if I can not speak?

Even now, as I am just taking my first baby steps in Kazakh communication, I am beginning to better understand "why." It has amazed me to see the eyes of an elderly fruit vendor light up as I greeted her in her native tongue. I have received enthusiastic approval from taxi drivers as well as village neighbors when they learn I am studying their language – and once even gotten a big hug! Also, I am continually learning to accept with grace the laughter of others when I call a “jar” a “frog,” or tell them I live in a “bee hive” instead of “house”! (Did I mention that language learning is an intensive course in humility?)

Although the Russian language is still the most widely spoken in this country, there are many villagers who only speak Kazakh. And for many who do speak Russian, their HEART language remains Kazakh. Their traditional religion is Islam and they associate Christianity with the West, the Russian Orthodox Church, and the Russian language. We are often told that Christianity is for Americans and Russians but Islam is the religion of the Kazakhs. So, we have found that it is difficult to develop meaningful relationships and share the Gospel with a Kazakh in Russian – but the opposite has also proven to be true! Somehow, for many, hearing about Jesus in their original language breaks down barriers and opens hearts. The number of Kazakh believers is slowly growing but most villages still have yet to hear the Gospel in the Kazakh language.

So I remind myself that with God all things are possible and maybe He has someone somewhere that will think my Kindergarten Kazakh contains some wisdom...and I press on.

For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile, the same Lord is Lord of all, and richly blesses all who call on Him, but –
HOW can they call on the One they've not believed in?
HOW can they believe in the One of whom they've not heard?
HOW can they hear without someone preaching to them?
And HOW can WE preach unless WE speak the language???