“Be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth.”
Ephesians 4:23-24 (NAB)
I have become friends with the parents of a resident at the Nursing facility who is close to my son’s age.
I know their son, Andy, and he knows me. Martha and Ray, who are of Mexican descent, are fluent in both Spanish and English. They are wonderful people, good parents, and Ray often tries talking to my son, Jon, when he enters the Day room.
One day, after I had arrived at the Nursing facility, Ray and Martha were already there. Ray hurried over to tell me that Jon came in the Day room for a short time earlier that day. Ray asked him in Spanish if he is okay, and Jon answered him in Spanish, saying “Si, estoy bien.”
(yes, I’m fine.)
That totally blew my mind, because Jon hasn’t answered any questions for many months, only a head nod, with no evidence that he understood what was actually being said to him. Everyone usually speaks English to him, so the only thing that changed was Ray, speaking to him in Spanish.
I was struck with a sudden thought…
Could Jon possibly be able to understand only Spanish, since his brain injury?
Both my sons grew up in a northern suburb of Chicago, and we had a Mexican neighbor, Roberto, who was their same age. From the age of eight years old through high school, they were best friends and my two boys spent a lot of time in Roberto’s home. They ate meals with Roberto’s family and learned to speak Spanish pretty fluently since his parents spoke no English. Roberto is now married with a family, and visited Jon when he was in the hospital right after his accident. He has since moved out of state, and we lost contact with him, but the Spanish that my sons learned from hanging out with his family remains with them today.
The day that Ray told me how Jon answered him in a full sentence in Spanish, was a day I began my usual routine of going to church and afterward, meeting up with a church group for coffee. Our coffee group routinely prays for each other’s needs, and that day, one lady in the group suggested praying for my son, Jon. They asked me how he was doing and I told them in all honesty, that his progress seems to have come to a halt. After we prayed for Jon and the other needs that morning, we all departed.
That was the day that Ray came to tell me his good news about Jon answering him in a full Spanish sentence. I told him that my friends at church just prayed for Jon, which was no coincidence. Thank God for the support of church community, fellowship and prayers.
I wondered if it’s possible that a brain injured person who once spoke two languages, could end up speaking only one of those languages, based on which part of the brain was more injured. Could it be that the Spanish part of Jon’s brain took over after the English part was damaged by the trauma? I plan to ask Jon’s Neuropsychiatrist that question.
Meanwhile, I put up a sign in Jon’s room asking the staff who can, to speak to Jon in Spanish. I had three years of Spanish in high school but am no where near fluent. I now greet him with “Ola, Como estas?” and Jon raises his eyebrows with more expression and nods yes, while muttering words I can’t understand.
I am grateful for the “Ray” of light who witnessed Jon answering in a complete Spanish sentence that day. I’m also thankful for the friend in the coffee group who suggested praying for Jon that morning. Above all, I am thankful to God for working through many different believers to reaffirm His love and kindness to us each and every day.
It seems as if Jon has had the Spanish language part of his brain reawakened. As believers, we are reminded to let the Holy Spirit reawaken our minds. The Christian faith teaches us that a renewed mind is capable of listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit with an understanding that comes from someplace beyond our human mind. (Romans 8:16)
We are all developing a lifelong language skill of listening to the Spirit of God. His voice has always been within us, but is continually being re-awakened.
Lord, renew our minds and help us to
grow in discernment of what your Spirit is saying to us. Develop a new self within each of us according to your will and righteousness. Amen
