Stephen J. Matlock's Blog, page 2

Two Things

Back in July or August of 2023 my left thigh started bothering me. Certain kinds of clothing irritated the heck out of it, but even without anything touching it, I’d have this numb-prickliness

My Year So Far

My previous post was in January of this year. It's just turned June. Where did the time go?

Great Unexpectations

Why does the world exist the way it does that a people confined to a third of an island in the Caribbean are seen as less-thans? How do they grapple with the faith that comes from white people to their land, given to them to give them hope, and yet used as a tool by those same white people to call them despicable names and degrade them?

What I’ve Learned in 2023

I wanted to reflect upon what I learned this year, and also think of how my knowledge will affect my choices and behaviors in the new year…

My First Foray into the Field

I had already decided to make my order entirely in Haitian Creole. Which was a good choice, because the staff at the restaurant were not speaking English.

When the Pot Gets It Wrong About the Kettle

The oppressing side in its acts of oppression is doing wrong by nature. There is no “just” oppression. Whether it is cruel or superficially “kind,” oppression is wrong and cannot be redeemed either by language or a reduction in cruelty.

Eighteen Months In

Well, I will continue my journey. It’s been a wonderful adventure that not only has helped open up a language and a culture and a people I never knew before, but also has changed me in how I see the world and understand those who live in.

Seeing with a New Tongue

in those decades of following Jesus, I’ve listened to uncountable sermons and Bible studies, often led by people with great earnestness, who have said “oh, if you only knew the Greek/Hebrew/Aramaic you’d see stuff in the scriptures that are hidden to you because you only know English.”

Ki kote m ye?

It is weird to me that I can read these materials and kinda get the gist of them, but golly they are way more complex (to me) as an English-speaking student who has so little comprehension of Haitian culture and idioms.

Update on the Language Journey

It’s been a while since I last updated what I’m doing as I’ve been on the journey to learn Haitian … More