Bible-Storying in Language School

Every weekday we had classes at the APPA campus in San Juan from 8 a.m. to noon. Typically, our group made up the whole student body of the San Juan campus, but other students would come and go.

Each of us was paired with a private tutor who would teach us using only Spanish. Most mornings began with conversation, then we’d make our way through a workbook, exploring new grammar and vocabulary. Every four weeks, the school reassigned us to different teachers, exposing us to different voices, speech patterns and teaching styles.

At 10 we would have a break in which we’d take a deep breathe of English and compare our learning experiences. A woman carrying a big basket on her head would come to the school at that time and sell snacks of tacos (not like in the states) and dobladas.

About halfway through our time at the school, most of us finished the first workbook and had to pass a written test in order to move onto the next. Though nerve-racking, the test boosted our confidence by showing us how far we had come.

In our last month, the school broke us into discussion groups. Each week we were expected to prepare a presentation on a given topic. Typically, we chose to talk about the Bible.

The necessity to practice sharing thoughts and information in Spanish became a great vehicle for sharing the Word with our teachers. Often we would tell Bible stories, or explain gospel illustrations. Several of our teachers expressed appreciation for our openness about the Bible. For many, it was the first time anyone had shown them that they could read and understand Scripture for themselves.

When I first began language school, I was frustrated by how limited my self-expression was. There was so much I wanted to share, but I simply didn’t have the words. But by the end of my time, I was able to share my whole testimony with my last teacher, Claudia. During my last lesson with her, Claudia wrote me a note thanking me for sharing my life with her. She said she had to write it, because actually saying goodbye would make her cry.