This how-to guide for breaking through language barriers on missions will help you embark on the adventure God has for you.
As a woman, a Christian, and an avid traveler, I have traveled the World sharing the gospel. I have lived in over 5 countries as a Missionary and traveled to over 27 countries in the World.
Yet one thing that could have been a barrier on all my trips was the language. But because of the gospel message and the love of Christ, a barrier became an open door.
For women who love Jesus and want to share that love with the World, a foreign language can sometimes feel like a roadblock to sharing your faith and creating a deep connection. But it doesn’t have to be. Sometimes, that can be the catalyst for connection.
I want to help you have the best mission experience, so here is my “How-to guide on breaking through language barriers in missions.”
I hope this post gives you confidence as a woman traveler and helps breaking though language barriers that would hold you back.
Table of Contents:
- Understanding the Impact of Language Barriers
- Misunderstandings and Missed Opportunities
- Cultural Differences and Nuances
- Communication Strategies for Travelers
- Embrace Nonverbal Communication
- Learn Basic Phrases and Greetings
- Utilize Translation Apps and Tools
- Embrace Humor and Patience
- Building Bridges Through Faith (For Christian Travelers)
- Connect people to Jesus
- Finding Common Ground
Understanding the Impact of Language Barriers:
Recognizing that there will be a language barrier in missions, cultural differences, and expressions that might translate poorly. Sometimes, acknowledging something is the first step towards breaking down a wall.
The same goes for a language barrier; traveling on missions can be challenging, especially when you need to learn the language, customs, and culture. However, this is also where the adventure begins.
The power of language and words can and do impact people’s lives daily.
Words are so powerful that the Bible says,
“The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”
Proverbs 18:21
Ways of breaking through language barrier on mission trips and communicate the message of the gospel.
Understanding that language barriers can lead to misunderstandings and sometimes missed opportunities.
On most mission trips, there will be a translator.
However, there will also be times when the translator is busy. So, how can you share the gospel if you can’t speak the language?
Breaking through language barriers on Missions starts with actions.
Start with your actions.
Show the gospel. Help out with anything that is needed. Smile and engage with people. In many situations, I have found that just sitting next to people, looking at them, and smiling can make a connection.
Body language matters when breaking through language barrier.
Albert Mehrabian, a body language researcher, first analyzed the components of a face-to-face conversation. He found that 55% of communication is nonverbal, 38% vocal, and 7% words only.
From the University of Texas (How much of communication is non-verbal)
Using that as an example, over half of any mission trip communication will be nonverbal.
Be an active watcher and listener.
Missed opportunities might happen, but if you are watching and listening, connections can start to happen.
Embrace nonverbal communication; actions speak as loudly as words.
Smile, nod your head, and make hand gestures that express meaning. For instance, if someone on the bus, tram, or train is older and needs a seat, get up, smile, and make a hand gesture to offer the seat. This is nonverbal, but it communicates a lot.
Embrace nonverbal communication; actions speak as loudly as words.
Recognize there will be cultural differences.
Culture is just as influential as language. You can learn a language but must experience the culture to connect to it and the people.
Here is an example: In many cultures worldwide, people take their shoes off before entering or at the front door. But in America, this is very seldom done in most households. This is a cultural difference.
In Japanese culture, they rarely wear their shoes in the house.
On a trip to Japan, we worked on houses affected by the Tsunami. In one house, we had to take our work boots off at the door, even though construction was happening: demolition, new wood, nails, and unfinished floors.
After a few days, the team leader asked if we could keep our work boots on because of the hazards and time it took to take them off and get materials outside. It became a pretty in-depth discussion.
The Japanese team said yes, if we put the paper down where we would walk, we did. And it was a good compromise.
This was a cultural challenge for both sides and highlights the differences and nuances of both cultures.
Here is what they did that was right:
- Communicated the problem.
- Dialog potential solutions
- Implemented the solutions
The next step is breaking through the language barrier on missions,
Communication Strategies
Learning some of the language is one of the best ways to break through language barriers on missions. Start with,
Learn essential phrases and greetings.
One of my favorite Apps for learning languages is Dualingo. It’s helped me retain the languages of what I have already learned and learn new ones.
Utilize Translation Apps and Tools for breaking through language barrier.
There are some great translation apps out right now. Here is a Wired article about translation apps.
When using translation apps, it is important to ensure you have Wi-Fi to utilize them. Some trips might be in remote locations where apps will not work.
One thing to remember is to check usage fees for the country you’re traveling to because if you’re not careful, roaming fees and usage could cost a lot of money. No one wants to come home to an outrageous bill.
The next way of breaking through the language barrier is through,
Embracing humor and patience.
One thing I love most about going to different cultures is learning the language. Hearing the language and experiencing the culture is a fun part of missions.
Although it is fun when you are learning a new language, it’s challenging, but it can also be funny.
When I was a missionary in France, a group was about to eat dinner, and I rang a bell to announce dinner was ready. There is a word in French close to another word, which is a curse word. Unfortunately, my accent and beginning skills in the language sounded like I was cursing at everyone to get them to the dinner table. Oh, no!
Fortunately, a nearby friend corrected me, and those who heard me laughed it off because they understood what had happened.
Things like this can happen, and the dreaded unusual accent people have when learning another language.
You might have a strong accent in the language you are learning, and people might laugh at you. Roll with it and be thankful you could make a person laugh, even if it was at your cost.
The next in breaking through language barriers on missions is through
Building Bridges through Faith
There are so many types of mission trips today, from medical to construction to street outreach. Each trip generally has an intent and purpose behind it. And most of the time, you will know precisely the type of trip you are going on before you go.
On medical missions, acts of service and compassion share the Gospel message without words. This is also true of construction missions. These trips provide a need that has to be met.
It’s first the connection made through Jesus and the common faith we share as Christians. But what truly makes a mission trip is the connection between the group going and the group receiving them.
So the most important thing that happens on mission trips breaking though the language barriers on Missions is to,
Connect people to Jesus.
When teams go on short term missions it’s only for a time and then they’re gone. But if you connect people to Jesus, that helps them grow closer in their relationship to God.
I believe that should be the central goal of all mission trips.
To connect those we met to believe in Jesus or help them grow in their relationship to Jesus. Not in a forceful or preachy way, but in a loving way that shows people we came out of love.
Find common ground
On mission trips, it’s about the connection that is created between one culture and another culture. Growing together as Christians and realizing the common ground we both have in Jesus as well as other things that connect us.
Common ground can be age, family, or faith.
There are things in life that all people can experience. Getting married, being single, having children, being in a family, working a job. These are all common factors that people share.
Sometimes, sharing common ground with those on trips brings a closer connection. From personal experience, I have seen God bring two people into a deep connection from different cultures because they have so much in common. Even though their culture, looks, and social and economic differences are different, they still have so much in common.
One of my closest friends is from a totally different country and culture. We are so close that we call each other “twin.” We are a lot alike and work so well together on different projects. This only happened because of God and both of our decisions to follow God.
We found our common ground first by following Jesus to where we believed we were led and then sharing that with each other.
If you are planning on going on a mission trip, I would love to hear more about where and any tips you might have. Please leave a comment below.
If you are going on a mission trip soon, check out these related posts:
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