Hola mis amigos, ¿cómo estás?
I’ve returned from study leave, much of which I’ve spent learning Spanish and living with some wonderful Argentine Baptist friends. “Why?” you say. First, because Argentina is awesome — have you ever heard of dulce de leche?! It’s a wonderful country, from the beauty of Patagonia to the beehive of Buenos Aires.
But I went because the global south is coming to the U.S. of A. Disagree? Check your bilingual McDonald’s menu. Or the menu prompt: “For English, press 1, si habla español, dos ….” If you want to know what is emerging in the U.S., then look south!
John Chandler |
I envy my fluent sons, who have an ear for languages. I don’t. For me, learning a new language is grinding, hard work. But it’s worth it, because the world that is coming belongs to those who are multi-lingual.
Yes, English is the international language of commerce. But don’t forget a billion Chinese. University Arabic studies departments proliferate. And I’d make a case that a great first step for the North American church to engage the world at our doorstep is to learn Spanish.
According to the Pew Re-search, the 2010 Census counted over 50 million Hispanics in the United States, making up 16.3 percent of the total population. The nation’s Latino population grew 43 percent over the decade, accounting for 56 percent of the nation’s growth from 2000 to 2010. Perhaps most significantly, the number of Latino children grew 39 percent over the decade.
These children are more likely bilingual. They learn Spanish at home and English at school. If we want to understand them, and understand where their generation will lead our country, learning to speak their language is a start. I’m trying, and so are lots of people at our church (All Souls in Charlottesville, Va.).
Paul said, “I have become all things to all people that I might win some.” For years, we sent “foreign missionaries” to language schools to prepare them for field work overseas. Well, the field is now at your doorstep. So pick up that Rosetta Stone, and buena suerte!
John Chandler is leader of the Spence Network, www.spencenetwork.equip.htm.