SIL

Here in Dakar, Rudy and Laurie work for an organization called SIL. SIL, société internationale du linguistique, is a sister company to Wycliffe. Basically it's the group that works within country and with the government verses where Wycliffe works mainly with churches. Anyways now that you know what SIL is you can understand a little bit more when I tell you what exactly I have been doing for the past few days.

On Monday I joined Rudy and Laurie on a trek across town to the "center" for my first day. Started the day with a prayer meeting with the other SIL members who are from the states, England, Wales, Switzerland, and Senegal. A nice little mess of people. The first day I went around to all the different departments and learned what everyone else does. The working language is French but, I manage to work around that since my French skills are "une peu".

The people that work there are incredible gifted. There is the linguistics department who study the language, learn it, write it, and transcribe it. Sounds simple when you explain it like that but, you have to try to listen to a new language you've never heard before and figure out what the basic alphabet is and then figure when one word stops and another starts. AMAZING! Then there is the scripture use group that figures out the best way to present the scripture to different people and cultures. Then there is the vernacular media services (VMS). These guys are so funny, Lou and Darrell, they both record and put stuff on cassettes and anything used to help the people hear the word. It's an incredibly small room, that looks similar to what I imagine a recording studio looks like. Finally, there is the print shop. I liked it there, you get to see the finished product that everyone has been working so hard to finish. Guy runs this place. He is quiet a fun man who LOVES what he does.

At the center this week there is a workshop going on teaching some members how to create a dictionary and work with the software. One of the girls who is involved in it, I've managed to become quiet close with. She is British and has a fantastic accent. I have to keep myself from falling into speaking like her. She is only a couple years older than me and has been living with some families down in the Gambia for a while. I'm not looking forward to when she leaves on Sunday. Seems like when I just meet someone I felt I could really grow close to they leave. It's the life of a missionary, you can't often choose who your close friends will be. Please pray for Sarah, I know it is even harder for her because she is staying here. I'm seeing that being a young, single missionary is hard. You don't have the support group you would have if you were married and you really have to be careful with whom you interact with. I'm planning on going to lunch with her on Thursday and maybe getting a chance to pray with her. She is precious and definitely has the British humor going for her.

Please pray for me for tomorrow. It is the first day I have at the deaf school where I will be working with kids. To be honest, that's really where I feel like my heart is right now. Apparently break time for the kids can be really rowdy since they haven't been in school much nor are they taught that fighting is bad. Hence, pray for me. =)

Tomorrow I will also be traveling up to Thies (sounds like chess) with Rudy and staying with another SIL couple. Rudy needs to see how the literacy class is going and I wanted to see another place. It's less city like and much calmer, hopefully.

I also met with Dan Mullay today, the principal at DA who is in charge of the youth group for the summer and VBS. I'm in charge of games for the VBS so this should be interesting. Most of the kids are MKs (missionary kids) or children of embassy members. It's taught in English so that really takes out a lot of kids. The youth group is mission based and social for the summer. It's really to give the kids something to do and stay out of trouble. Not exactly what I was planning but, we'll see.

Everything is going well. Sorry It's so rushed but, I feel like I've barely had time to catch my own breathe. I love you all and am so glad for your prayers.