Download a printable version of the Beans'Talk.

We wrote the previous Beans’Talk from Peru where Mark was involved in a translation workshop. The subsequent workshop is taking place right now and Mark “attends” from his computer in Ohio.

On the big screen

The Oscars came and went. We don’t follow them. But here’s Mark’s version of being on the big screen. This is what he looks like for those who are in Peru. Being on a screen (actually, just a wall) is not the same as being there in person, but at least it’s something. The new equipment is making it much easier to participate from a distance.

The pot is having trouble

It was day one of the workshop and time to start. Mark checked in with the team of men in Peru, eager to see how the new equipment would work. Unlike many of their latino-countrymen, Quechua speakers often start meetings, even church services, ahead of time. But, here they were all still sitting around the breakfast table laughing and having a great time. It turns out they were still waiting for their breakfast: a hearty soup and piles of potatoes. The holdup? “The pot is having trouble coming to a boil!” What a nice way to avoid embarassing anyone, or casting blame!

Rather than feel stressed about the delay, our friends were enjoying catching up with each other. A late breakfast was the pot’s problem, not theirs. We’re glad they are getting along and forming a team. Subsequent mornings they started on time or early.

Following the progress

• In January the the team edited their drafts through Genesis chapter 21, verse 4, just missing the goal to finish through chapter 21. This workshop, the goal is to get through Genesis chapter 32 by March 22nd, about 500 more verses.

• The last workshop, Mark was able to help the teams polish their edited drafts, check their spelling and print up a hard copy for each of them. They took a chunk of Scripture out to their communities—through Genesis 18.

• At denominational meetings, they gave copies of Genesis 12 to other pastors. What great promotion right from the start! Leaders are becoming familiar with the translation. Meeting again, 40 years later In January when we were in Peru, I stopped at a little corner store for bread. I asked in Quechua: “Tantalayki!” The store keeper’s face lit up! Even though we were in a Spanish-speaking town, many Quechua speakers live there. As I visited with the shopkeeper, we discovered that we had met before! We figured out that Alinda was 8 years old when we lived in the village of Chacabamba. Chacabamba isn’t very big. That’s where we first started learning Quechua over 40 years ago. Looking through some old photos with Alinda, we couldn’t find one with her in it. (She admitted that we were pretty scary back then!) Nery in the orange sweater was her friend. Now they are sisters-in law!

Praise and Prayer Requests

• Praise for a few special days together with Mark’s four sisters. Thanks to the generosity of sister #2, we all met in Florida. We are rarely together in one spot since the five siblings live in five different states.

• Pray for me (Patti) the weekend of April 4-6 as I will be in Dallas helping establish a Share-the-Care group for Mark’s sister Margaret. Margaret and I have been friends since college, before her brother and I became serious. Now, she anticipates needing more help as she enters what may be the home stretch of her cancer journey.

• We recently manned a missions table at church and people expressed how healthy Mark looks. Praise for continued good health through this cold/flu season and all our travels.

• Pray for the pastors in the workshop for God’s word to impact their lives and ministries as they interact with it each day.

We thank God for your encouragement, prayers, and partnership with us as he loves us through his body: You.

Mark & Patti