in the summer of 2003, i was fortunate enough to make a trip to cuenca, ecuador for missions. i had taken spanish in school, but that summer, i took some extra conversational language classes. i really like spanish and learning about hispanic culture. i want to learn more spanish, but who knows if i actually ever will. i know many people say french is the most beautiful of the languages, but i think spanish is just as pretty. especially when it is lifted up in praise to Jesus. :)
we have had a hispanic congregation meeting in our building for years now and the people of the congregation have recently become able to purchase a building of their own. it is a very exciting time! this past sunday, we had a combined english/spanish service at our church. the combined service was a celebration of sorts, complete with a tamale meal afterwards.
thinking of the two instances, one thing is certain: our God is infathomable. i remember that summer in ecuador...it was the first time i had ever been on an airplane, and i remember thinking just how vast and large the world is. i mean, i had known that the world is big, but the trip really put that into perspective for me. i had never thought of it before, but i remember thinking that at the very same time we were worshipping in ecuador, there were people back at home in oklahoma worshipping too. and that made such an impact on me. i mean, there are things you know in your head, and then there are things you learn with your heart and that was one of them. the same was true on sunday. we did songs in english and in spanish, some switching back and forth between the two languages, and it was so incredible to me that no matter what language we sing in, God is glorified and exhalted and He honestly doesn't care. the feeling of being in a service like that is electric. between the two congregations, i'm certain there were a fair share of differences, but the most important thing was the one we share in common: Christ.
