Wat zeg je?

Yeah, you're thinking, what is she saying? Unless you speak Nederlands of course.. :)

Since coming back to the Netherlands, one thing that I have been busy with is learning Dutch. I haven't been actively studying it (I have my Rosetta Stone sitting right here under my desk, waiting to be uploaded onto my computer!).. but I've been going to a Dutch church that has some translation, but not everything is always translated all of the time. I start getting used to hearing what Dutch sounds like: different letters make different sounds, some combination's make other sounds, et cetera. And a lot of it is about learning to "tune my ears" into those sounds, recognizing them, and knowing what letters make up those sounds.

One of the best ways I am finding to help me out with all of this is singing. I've been helping out here and there with the worship at my church, and singing in Dutch in a couple of weddings this past summer as well. There's something amazing about how singing in a different language can help with pronunciation. I've learned that singing can be a form of mimicking, which is why it works out so well. Of course the payback is that many people start speaking to me in Dutch because I should be able to speak it when I can sing it, right? Haha, well maybe. =)

Nonetheless, it is a privilege and honour to be able to help lead in worship here in this country where I feel so called and so at home. Even before I can fully communicate in the spoken language, I can communicate through my voice, through the gift that God has given to me. How very precious.

Blessings all :)

~Alicia