Umugisha (Kirundi) = Blessing (English)
I'm learning a little Kirundi and a bit of Swahili (aided heavily by dictionaries and native speakers of the language). Several of us are actually working as fast as we can to teach English. The family is coming along beautifully! I have learned much from this family (in a very short period of time) about sticking together and taking risks and being happy in this wild world we live in.
We practiced English again this evening. They do so well! Sheba dialed Mark's cell phone number into my phone and talked to him (practiced some more English they learned from him the day before) and then several others talked to him - including 3 year old, Imani Anna (who said 'Hello. Imani Anna' very well). They loved talking on the phone - it was a blast to be there during that. On my request to "Teach me. Can I try" (I used the dictionary to ask this) Consolata instructed me in how to tie / put Imani Anna onto my back with the long cloth that she usually wears as a skirt (it's amazing how fast she can 'wrap' Anna onto her back - with no other help at all). Of course, they were laughing at me, but it ended with success (I required help) and when I walked into the bathroom so Imani Anna and I could see her on my back - I squealed (she was so cute in there!) and she laughed!
He has never left you.
It is just
that your soul is so vast
that just like
the earth in its innocence,
it may think,
"I do not feel my lover's warmth
against my face right
now."
But look, dear,
is not the sun reaching down its arms
and always holding a continent
in its light?
God cannot leave us.
It is just that our soul is so vast,
we do not always feel His lips
upon the
veil.
~HIS LIPS UPON THE VEIL
A Sabbath Poem by St. Catherine of Siena (1347-1380)
from 'Love Poems from God: Twelve Sacred Voices
from the East and West,' translation Daniel Ladinsky
. . . He has never left you, Consolata, Sheba. . . or Sarah. . .
5 comments:
It's wonderful that you guys are requestin help with your guests language and cultures as you are teaching thm ours. It has so much more menaing when it is an exchange like that, a sharing among equals.
(I love that poem/prayer)
Hi Sarah! I love to hear about your experiences with these new friends! How amazing for you all!!
I hope you're doing well and can maybe meet us for dinner on the 14th.
I've tagged you for a meme on my blog. Check it out!
Julie
cs - I LOVE teaching / learning with them. I learn Kirundi and they learn English and we play a 'game': I say the word in Kirundi and they have to tell me what it is in English, etc.
julie - it is incredible for me and has helped so much with this waiting! I'll have a look at your blog!
hi,
i am a 4th grade teacher in dallas, tx. I have 4 children from Burundi, they do not speak english at all, and i do not know how to communicate with them. Do you have any information about any dictionaries that i can buy, i am looking everywhere and can not find any. Since you are learning the language, i hope that you will have some ideas. I do not want to just make them do work, i would like to talk to them and reach them. You are doing a great job. Thanks
luis garcia - the children probably only speak Kirundi (also called 'Rundi'). We have not been able to find any dictionaries for that language. The older refugee children may speak some Swahili and there are many resources for that language. However, I've found only a few for Kirundi. . . looks at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirundi_language
The following are lessons for an English speaking person to learn Kirundi but you can find some words in here that may help you communicate now:
http://cecilia.ls.fi.upm.es/~jmartinez/burundi/kirundi/kirundi1.pdf
http://cecilia.ls.fi.upm.es/~jmartinez/burundi/kirundi/kirundi2.pdf
http://cecilia.ls.fi.upm.es/~jmartinez/burundi/kirundi/kirundi2.pdf
http://cecilia.ls.fi.upm.es/~jmartinez/burundi/kirundi/kirundi4.pdf
http://cecilia.ls.fi.upm.es/~jmartinez/burundi/kirundi/kirundi5.pdf
http://cecilia.ls.fi.upm.es/~jmartinez/burundi/kirundi/kirundi6.pdf
http://cecilia.ls.fi.upm.es/~jmartinez/burundi/kirundi/kirundi7.pdf
http://cecilia.ls.fi.upm.es/~jmartinez/burundi/kirundi/kirundi8.pdf
http://cecilia.ls.fi.upm.es/~jmartinez/burundi/kirundi/kirundi9.pdf
The children seem to learn English fairly quickly if they get ESL, socialization and some one-on-one time help with pronunciation, etc. Your school probably has the Rosetta Stone English Language Learning program? If not, you should get that - it's excellent.
http://www.rosettastone.com/index/
These families have such incredible stories and are so fun to work with. That's exciting to have 4 of them in your class to watch and help learn!
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