Dude, Seriously?!

OK, so I admit I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed. But, I'm not the most dull, either. But, I am a full-on language DORK! This 4-hour intensive, immersion course with Lorena is not really like drinking from a firehose...it's more like waterboarding! IF I were Jack Baur, I'd be able to handle this torture, but I'm not. And I can't...

No English, guys. Nada. None. Zip. Zero. Zilch. Nothing even remotely related to English slang...the BIG, FAT NUTTIN! If we have a question for our Mexican born/raised Italian prof...too bad...we're moving on.

Our Spanish/Australian classmate quit...she couldn't handle translating our questions for Lorena - via Spanish - back to English, and trying to learn Italian herself.





The worst part is, we're paying a grand for this s-l-o-w but certain, torturous death.

Just kiddin (sorta). Actually, the girls are doing great, including Leslie. I'm really the only one going, "ummmm...?"

The fact of the matter is, we know a heck of a lot more Italian than we did 3 days ago. This will come in handy when we are trying to engage the culture for Christ's sake, right? Right? Please tell me it's going to be alright...

More later...

The First Day of Language School - HA!

In a word - Hi-stinkin-larious!

Our professore, Loraina, is from Mexico and has been studying Italiano for 16 years. Doesn't speak a lick of English!

Our only classmate is a woman of Spanish decent, raised in Uruguay until school age, and has lived in Australia since. Adrianna speaks Brittish English and Spanish, and has a couple weeks on us in Italiano.

When we gringos don't understand something (like every-other-minute of the 4-hour class, hello?), the prof explains to the Australian Spanish woman (who doesn't really get it either) in Spanish, then she explains to us! Em said, "I could do this job!" Yes you can baby...and better than anyone else!

Needless to say, we are feeling the profound effects of the Tower of Bable! Please pass the Motrin...

New, but related thought: I'm really glad we're translating the JESUS Film into 1900 languages!

See, "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing the Word of Christ" Rom. 10:17

Half the world's population is pre-literate, so we need to give them the Gospel in a medium 3 billion souls will understand. The JESUS Film is the Gospel of Luke on Film!

So, let's keep translating, people! Learning a language can be fun (or not...), but the proclamation of the Gospel is urgent!!! Let's not wait for folks out there to learn one of the 1100 languages we have done...let's give everyone, everywhere one chance to see JESUS! Amen?!

New Lessons in Trust

So, it's been 9 days since our arrival here in Fiesole, Italia. It's been absolutely exhausting...everything...even sleeping is tiring! Methinks it's because of the internal clock issues of jet lag and all. Not whining, just sayin...everything is different, so there is a physical and mental straining that is uncommon to us. Even with our straining in communication, transportation, verification, and sleep-u-lation, we are immensely enjoying this settling-in time before the girls start school, and we start our ministries.

Les and I have sent the girls on the 20-minute bus ride down the hill to Firenze...alone. Like, without us! Yes, they have a phone. Yes they can kick any Italian boy's ever-livin butt. But, we're learning new lessons in trust.

So Em and Grace are to meet us at a particular place at a particular time.

Welp, our timing got messed up, so we phoned the girls to say meet us at another location...then another...HA, this is great fun watching our baby girls act like young women (oh yeah, they are!).

Two hours later, we're all back @ our place.

Warning: This is NOT a sexist remark, but you may think it is...

It's different allowing your son to galavant around the world than your girls. Sorry, just is...

Do you have a comment about this? First, here are some of the girls' newest pics:

First Post Ever

Well, in nine days, the Happy Mayers Family is moving to Fiesole, Italia for a year-ish. That is, without Joe. He's staying home to finish up his senior year @ CBU.

Dude went to stay with uncle Bubba up in Central Coast CA.

Trying to figure out how to post the newsletter we mailed yesterday. It tells of what we'll be doing in ministry, defines prayer points, and gives our new contact information. I'll post it a little later.

Brand new gig here...I'll get better at it...

Ciao!