Munani yachay runasimita

I want to learn Quechua. Munani yachay runasimita. That's been my line the last few months. I'd love to learn enough to understand Pastor Celestino's messages without my friend Juana having to translate everything. I'd love to be able to have a conversation in it, in which I don't sound like a two year old trying to string together words without really knowing what I'm doing. I'd love to actually understand it.
God showed me the other day that He has given me this tremendous blessing in learning Quechua. Quechua classes (after being here a little while) interested me when I got here, but other missionaries told me that maybe it would be better to concentrate on Spanish for a while and then work on Quechua. But I still wanted to learn Quechua. I was a little disappointed that that didn't seem like it was going to work out.
Okay, so I'm officially not taking classes. But unofficially...
My Quechua vocabulary has been growing by leaps and bounds (which is not that impressive because it wasn't that big to start with). I've been learning Quechua in the best way - from the people who God has placed around me. And I've realized that that is a tremendous blessing! Not only am I learning words, but I'm also making memories and building relationships in the process.
Like the other day when our friend Uri came over. The original purpose of his visit was to learn English, but he ended up teaching me instead. End result...I learned three words and the meaning of a suffix (Quechua is a patching together of one word and a bazillion suffixes, creating crazy long words). And I built a memory and my vocabulary.
Or yesterday, when my friend Marga taught me another three words and a suffix as we were drying dishes and hanging out wash together.
And on Sunday, Juana taught me another word as we were walking together after church.
And Saturday, Rene, Ines and I were cracking up as they taught me how to say "I'm full" and
tried to distinguish it from "I'm pregnant" (apparently, one Quechua word for full can also mean pregnant). Don't worry...I won't be using that phrase any time soon!
I've picked up words from so many people as I've built relationships over the past few months. And it's been a huge blessing. So no, my learning of Quechua might not be exactly like I thought it might be, but really, it's even better. God has given me the gift of friends and family around me to help me, to love me and to teach me. And I am reminded again that His ways are higher than mine and His love is deeper than mine.

Just as an interesting side note, here is the Quechua translation of John 3:16, in case you've ever lain awake at night wondering... :)
Diosqa anchatapunin runakunata munakurqan, chaymi sapan Churinta kachamurqan pipas paypi iñiqqa ama wañunanpaq, aswanpas wiñay kawsayniyoq kananpaq.