Wednesday I spoke on the phone with a woman who was offended by our attempt at a Spanish-language ad in the Pennysaver. It turned out she was born in Cuba and emigrated here at age 12. She noticed that about half the words in our display ad were misspelled, and thought we could do better.
I said I was embarrassed, and wished I had seen the copy before it went out. (It turned out we sent the same ad as last year, with the date changed.) I said I didn't know whether the mistakes were ours, or happened when the typist at the Pennysaver (who may not have known Spanish) entered them.
We talked back and forth in English and Spanish, and I told her my gratitude to the Westchester Cuban community who had welcomed me as a neophyte preacher many years ago in Tarrytown. I also described my 2001 trip with the PC(USA) to Cuba to connect with Presbyterian sisters and brothers on the island.
By the time we finished, I'd say we were friends rather than antagonists, and she had volunteered to review any future Spanish language materials we might be sending out!
--Jack Lohr, Interim Pastor
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