Robyn.Bowles.es

If you didn’t read the previous entry from January 19, to do so may help you understand where I’m coming from as I write this.

As I had mentioned, I had been feeling a bit uneasy about our previous course: namely, to pursue our business venture of Volao Communications. It was not only because of the risk of the business, but because I felt that there was something else I / we should be pursuing. I didn’t know what exactly, but I knew that I felt frustrated by the lack of progress in learning Spanish and that if teaching continued as it had, it would be difficult to progress well with the language.

Then Samuel made a suggestion. One that sounded exciting and was what I really wanted to do, but the requirements of which kind of freaked me out. His suggestion was to quit teaching and enroll as full-time students to learn Spanish – the reason we came to Madrid. Of course, the freaky part was financing this. It would require a loan, which meant debt, which I wasn’t too fond of. But I was reminded that this was the reason for our move (we certainly didn’t leave to get rich teaching English! I don’t think that is possible.); and knowing Spanish is certainly a worthwhile investment, especially in the United States. And of the two debts some would say are “acceptable,” education is one of them.

The mere suggestion, however, did not convince me; though it did give me a lot to think about. I felt I needed some advice, some time, some prayer, some encouragement. I felt drawn to read one of two of the books we had brought with us: “A New Kind of Christian,” by Brian McLaren or “The Sacred Romance,” by Brent Curtis and John Eldredge. I chose the former, and I’m glad I did.

It’s hard to articulate here what I’ve been going through as I’ve read the book and struggled with decision to take out a loan. If you’ve read the book, you might understand. As I read, I felt that the ideas and excitement I was getting from it somehow tied into this other issue I was thinking about; but I couldn’t explain it. Yet somehow I knew it was bigger than just learning Spanish for the sake of knowing another language.

One day I was talking with Samuel about some of the ideas discussed in the book. Specifically, it was mentioned in the book how 150 years ago, Christians in the United States used the Bible to defend slavery. One of the characters in the book then went on to say, “How can you be sure that some of your ironclad interpretations today aren’t similarly fueling injustice?” He went on to suggest such injustices as the marginalization of minorities (and the poor), and the exploitation of the environment.

It was shortly after discussing this passage with Samuel that I asked, “But how does all of this relate to taking out a loan to learn Spanish?” But he could see it right away. He pointed out the part about marginalized minorities. Many minorities in our country can’t speak English. And most of them speak Spanish. How can I fight against their marginalization – how can I help them become part of our society, and enjoy the benefits of life in our country (or their own), and seek the help and education they need if I can’t even communicate with them? And how will I be able to look from outside the American bubble and through another’s eyes at the world if I am unable to enter into their culture because of the barrier of language?

I could go much further with this thought, but I won’t – for now. That was a pivotal conversation. Realizing the opportunities that could be before me if I learn this language was very exciting. And the opportunities of which I speak are not professional or career-oriented (though they also exist); but for service. For doing what I can to fight against the injustices placed upon those who can’t speak my language, and do not have the resources that I do, to learn.

I read my home church’s weekly bulletin today, there was a quote in the Global Outreach section that I resonated with, and I will end with as well:

“The difference between doing good for the oppressed and seeking justice for them is that the one who seeks justice, seeks to eliminate the causes of suffering as much as they seek to alleviate it.” -Sr. Joan Chittester

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