Download here a printable version of the Beans'Talk

Teamwork

Quechua speakers value teamwork. The photo shows men working together in a potato field, mounding the soil up around the plants. Teamwork has many advantages, including the opportunity to build into others, encourage others, and model life for others.

Teaming up to get the Word out

The members of the C4 Quechua translation project (C4 = 4 Central Quechua varieties) are still new at reading, writing and translating in their own language. Not only do they share ideas about wording, but they are also teaming up to promote the translation work at different Quechua churches. They have trips scheduled every weekend in February.

Mid-January they had an initial outreach, piggy-backing on a multi-church gathering. The denominational leader was impressed! He invited them to return and present a more in-depth session just for pastors and leaders. That’s exactly what we want to do: help leaders read and use the newly translated Scriptures!

Consultants team up, too

Translation consultants often come up with presentations to help local translators and churches understand biblical concepts. Instead of each re-inventing the wheel, they team up and share their resources with each other. Early March translation consultants for Latin America will gather in Lima. Mark has been asked to give presentations on purity, holiness, and the sacrificial system.

Instead of only one or two people training new translation consultants, many of the consultants will continue on in Lima to train the newbies. Mark, however, will head up to the mountains for the next C4 Quechua translation workshop, beginning the second week of March. It lasts three weeks.

Teamwork to put on a workshop

Without the teamwork of Wilmer, Walter and Solia, these C4 translation workshops wouldn’t happen. This team organizes all the logistics, handles the finances, writes the reports and takes care of myriad details. Mark supplies the rough drafts for each team to work from. Then, he shows up (either in person or online) to ask questions, explain misunderstood or poorly translated sections and give ideas for how they might handle them.

At this workshop, the four teams will bring people in to check how well they understand translation that Mark has already checked.

Not teaming up to travel this time

Usually we travel together to Peru. While Mark does the translation work, there are always things Patti can do to help or encourage others.

This time, however, Mark will go solo. For months now Patti has been dealing with a mobility issue (a hip problem? a groin strain? Tests have been inconclusive). She’s been doing lots of physical therapy. While she’s seeing improvement, she’s just starting to stretch the distance she walks. She’s had a number of setbacks when attempting too much too soon. That gives us pause as we make travel plans. There’s lots of walking when we’re in Peru!

Praise and Prayer Requests

* Praise God for the good progress made this past year by the five teams Mark works with (C4 Quechua and Panatawa Quechua). Praise God for a new year and plenty of good work to do as he continues to give strength and health.

* Pray for the March meetings and for Mark’s presentations to be clear and helpful to others.

* Pray also for the March workshop. The teams hope to finish checking the book of Genesis, and also Jonah and Ruth. Pray for the February visits to churches to work with pastors and leaders in each of the four areas represented in the C4 project.

* Continue to pray that the men involved in the C4 project would grow in their abilities to read and teach others in Quechua as well as improve their ability to write their own language.

Thank you for your encouragement and prayers: both are invaluable contributions to the team!

Mark & Patti