“Jose, Jose, Chemembytama!”

Piping up and saying I’d play the role of the Mother Mary in the live pesebre (nativity scene) at our Reconnect Conference, was a crazy, gutsy move which ended up opening the door for me to accept and actually enjoy speaking the Guarani language!  My profe, Andrea, a beautiful Paraguayan woman, was very encouraging and supported me every step of the way.  She recorded each of my lines for me and I went home to Nilda and Baby’s house each night to practice, practice, practice.  Every time I opened my mouth with “Anichene” and “Peikeke, Pehecha chupe” anyone in the room would break out in laughter…  But I forged ahead, working hard to learn my lines!

After our fabulous performance, (if I do say so myself) the head of the language department, Pabla, came up to me and gave me enormous compliments, telling me that the production was very emotional for them.  How proud I was that I worked hard to play a meaningful role, the role of the Mother Mary, and to do what I would normally have thought to be impossible – play a role in a language I really didn’t know well.  Now, I’m ready to move forward the learn more of this very different and very beautiful language.