Today I have five one-hour sessions to teach. We started an
hour late because the kitchen staff and both translators evidently had their
watches set to Eastern Mañana Time. It really doesn’t matter to me since I have
no place to go.
My counseling course for this final track will walk the
pastors through the same exam I took to receive my NANC biblical counseling
certification. We are answering the questions with actual case studies in an
attempt to move from theory to practice. I want to help them see that being a
pastor (shepherd) really does include helping people learn to please God with
their attitudes and actions in the home, community and workplace. This is all
very practical. My new translator (who is not a student) even paused his
translating last night to talk about a situation he is dealing with in his
church.
Teaching through a translator is always a challenge. It takes
more than twice as long to communicate. I am so used to using uniquely “first
world” metaphors that I often catch myself speaking of things these men have
never experienced. Try explaining “roller coaster” to a Haitian (and “train”
will not help you). The only way I know the guys are getting what I teach is to
ask lots of questions. The type of questions they throw back tell me if they
are engaged and understanding.
Here is another quote from Francis Chan in Crazy Love:
The best things in life are gifts from the One who steadfastly loves us. But an important question to ask ourselves is this: Are we in love with God or just His stuff? (p. 62)
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