language barriers, doctrinal studies, and fun!

Since the flood the vehicle never did start. The mechanics say the problem is with the engine. Milton and Lara’s contacts want them to sell the vehicle for scraps.

We had the doctrinal study on an island in Lithuania called Apple Island. We had a great time and got a lot accomplished. 15 people attended and they were all very open in discussion and asked lots of questions. Every person took notes! I planned games for the conference. Lithuanians LOVE to play crazy games. I created a picture scavenger hunt to be done. Everyone really enjoyed it, I was on a team with the college students from Kaunas who are all very competitive and athletic. We lost because of a technical difficulty. On our drive to the Island Lara showed me all these wild flowers and I thought she said they were called Blue pine, so I pointed out my idea of Blue pine and we gathered some and when we got to the finish line, it was wrong, the name of the flower was lupine, called lubine in Lithuania. It turns out that lupine is also a word in Lithuania which means like a piece of something that is picked, so the Lithuanians laughed at us and are very eager to point out every lubine or lupine flower they see.

At the conference I needed some tape was looking everywhere. Ausra asked what I was looking for while she was cutting vegetables for dinner. I said tape and she responded, no I’ll do it. A few minutes later the same thing happened. The third time she asked me what I was looking for it occurred to me that tape (taip) means yes in Lithuanian. She thought I was offering to cut the veggies, I used my handi dandy signing to show her tape, she said oh, and said she had some. She returned a few minutes later with a band aid. Needless to say there is definitely a language barrier which sometimes is frustrating but usually it just makes me laugh! I have learned about 10 words since arriving and try to use them, unfortunately natives then think I am fluent in their language, which I’m definitely not!

I have more stories and will try to send one or two every few days. I covet your prayers and miss all of you! I pray that God is working in your lives as He is mine, and that you are responsive to His promptings.

Much love, Elizabeth