language barrier
Faith Calls Us to be Neighbors: “Welcome” Has No Language Barriers
Editor’s note: As part of FMS’ 2017 Advent blog series, missioner Maggie Van Roekel describe a time when she was patiently welcomed by her students in Carmen Pampa despite the challenges of the language barrier. When I think about being welcomed, one of the biggest ideas that comes into my mind is my first few…
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Presence in the Everyday
Editor’s note: Missioner-in-training Maggie Van Roekel has an encounter that gives her a new perspective on the practice of ministry of presence in daily life. During the first few weeks of formation, we’ve talked a lot about ministry of presence. FMS really embraces not only serving, but also opening our ears and our hearts to…
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The Reality of Culture Shock
Culture shock is definitely a real thing. I have been feeling culture shock everywhere I look since coming to Bolivia. Everything is different here—from the way that things look, the concept of time, family structure and even the way that people go to the bathroom. During my first week I felt like I was walking…
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