Mark and Patti serve with Wycliffe Bible Translators, working among Quechua speakers in the Andes mountains of central Peru.
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March-April 2025 Beans'Talk
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.
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Mark & Patti March 2025 Prayer Requests
March 3 through the 22nd Mark will be working with the group representing 4 related Quechua languages. They hope to adapt Genesis 22 through 32 with God's help. This time, Mark will be in Ohio while they gather in Huanuco, Peru.
We took equipment down in January to help facilitate working from a distance. Pray that the technology all works to keep both sides clearly communicating with each other. Pray for each of the men involved to grow in their ability to read (and write) their own language. This is a first for most of them, and so important!
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January-February 2025 Beans'Talk
Download a printable version of the Beans'Talk.
The Lord is going to what?
It was sort of a last minute decision to leave for Peru on January 2nd. On the way, my phone dinged with a message: Tomorrow the Lord will come to install the shower …
This was just one of the humorous results that an automatic translator produced. If you know Spanish, you can understand where this one came from (“el señor” can mean “the Lord” or just “the man”).
We enjoy funny translation examples, but we sure don’t want to find any in the work we do!
Back in Peru
The new translation project is meeting together for the second time. Mark will usually work with them virtually from Ohio, but we came in person this time to meet them and to be known. Plus, Mark wants to iron out some technical glitches that will make long-distance consulting easier.
A new place to stay
We’re staying in a little Airbnb just down the hill from where the translation workshop is being held in JAWCA’s office (our Quechua partners). This location is very convenient. The tricky part isn’t walking uphill, though some days the mud is pretty slippery. The real trick is trying to safely cross a major road with no stop light or designated crosswalks.
