When I arrived in Iloilo City in the Philippines, I lived with a Filipino family for several months. They had two girls, ages 5 and 6, who loved having a kuya (older brother) in their home. When they started unexpectedly entering my room to chat with me, I realized that boundaries were needed. So I said in Ilonggo, “You need to ask first before entering my room.” Then they would approach my door and ask questions like “Do you have any sisters?” and “Where were you born?”—and then they would come right in.

I soon realized that I had used the wrong word for “ask.” I had used the word for “asking a question,” but I should have used the word for “asking permission.” It can be tricky to learn a new language!

Because the language barrier is so common, it’s symbolic of other barriers between people groups. It’s also the first barrier that was broken when the Holy Spirit was poured out on Jesus’ followers. The Spirit enabled the disciples to speak in other languages so that all who had gathered from other nations could hear the good news in their native tongues.

That miracle of language has happened in rare moments in mission history. But normally, missionaries like me have to spend many months learning the local language. It can be hard, but it can also be fun! And it’s a very important bridge for sharing the gospel.