I just returned from my second trip to the Dominican Republic. The first was in March, when I was interviewing with HOPE International and I took the trip to see Christ-centered microfinance in action. The trip was perfect—I got to see back office operations, the presence of the Spirit in the clients and staff, the compassionate and knowledgeable loan officers, and the solidarity among our clients that keeps repayment rates so high.

There was only one problem. I had to confront the fact that my Spanish was completely inadequate. I’ve never taken Spanish. I’ve taken one year of French, two years of Latin, and two years of German. So I can count to 10 in several languages but am proficient in none. I resolved on the flight home that I had to become proficient in Spanish. Not just for my work at HOPE—my kids are starting to learn Spanish and I’d love to go through the learning process with them. Continue Reading…