PILAR CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY CHURCH

LANGUAGE & CULTURE BARRIERS

Do you hate queueing and then get to the front only to realise that you are not being understood, and that you cannot quite formulate what it is you need to say?

This morning I had to go to the bank where I waited 45 minutes for my turn.

for me. And today it makes me think of His omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence and as well as all of that; His compassion, compassion for each one of us. And I am in awe all over again.

Where every person matters, but God matters most!

Being served was a gentleman who was getting more stressed by the minute as he tried to convey his need in total frustration to the teller who did not quite understand his problem, though he did his best to explain.

His wife, bless her, was also becoming agitated because she clearly understood the barriers and that it would take some time to sort out; it was not a simple matter.

When in a different country with a different language, it´s often a good idea to either practise what you need to say or to take an interpreter.

Language barriers can cause problems. But it´s not just language is it? It´s also about culture, customs, and attitudes. We so often expect people to know what we mean, know what we are talking about. When interacting with different cultures, a lack of understanding can sometimes seem like a giant chasm. Even common words & phrases can mean something different, here in Spain and elsewhere.

This morning, this all made me wonder at God´s patience with all of us. Think about the tower of Babel – oh what a clatter we must all make! And yet… God knows each of us, He hears us, He sees our lives and our hearts, He knows our struggles and meets our needs (not always our wants, but generally our needs!) He knows us by name, each one of us. This in itself is a concept of awe, wonder, praise and gratitude

I praise and thank Him for what and who He is – to me, to you, to all who seek Him.

When talking to God we do not need to practice our words or have an interpreter, we can simply speak from our hearts. Clear and articulate or muddled and messy, it matters not. Sincerity is the key to our communication with Him and Jeremiah 33:3 is His phone number!

PILAR

C/Canalejas 3,Pilar de la Horadada. Email: phil.molloypccc@gmail.com English Service at 11am every Sunday. Info at: pilarchurch.com

Warmest and driest April since records began

The month was extremely warm, with average temperatures around 14.9 C, a value that is 3.0 C above the average for this month (reference period: 1991-2020 ) .

The maximum daily temperatures in April were on average 4.7 C above the normal value, while the minimums were 1.3 C above the average, resulting in a daily thermal oscillation 3.4 C higher than the normal for the month. In thirty main stations across the community, the average temperature for the month was the highest for an April since records began.

The State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), has published its climate report for the month of April 2023 in which it states that last month was the warmest April since the beginning of itís records in 1961.

The month of April was also extremely dry in terms of rainfall, with an average rainfall value over mainland Spain of 14.2 mm, a value that represents 22% of the normal value for the month and the driest April since 1961.