Tables Turned
Our Quechua colleagues are sometimes baffled watching us English speakers interact among ourselves. To their ears we can sound loud and angry. But then they look at our faces and discover we're actually smiling! We think we are just being enthusiastic. They wonder if we are going to come to blows. It's very unsettling!
While in Israel the tables were turned. Mark and I witnessed a few exchanges between people that left us wondering what was going on. Not understanding what was being said, it sounded very aggressive to our ears. When we found out what it was all about, it was just a friendly chat or someone making a simple purchase!
So that’s what it’s like!
"So that's what the Mount of Olives looks like!" "So that's where Nazareth is!" “So that‘s how a rolling stone closed a tomb!” These were some of the exclamations we made as we saw many places mentioned in the Bible. Some of these insights will affect our translation.
Michmash Pass
Take, for example, 1 Samuel 13:23. This verse mentions the Michmash Pass. Now, what would you suppose a pass is? We thought that we knew: a pass is where you go over a high place in the mountains. So, that's how we translated it. Surprise! The Michmash Pass is not a high place, but a low place where you pass from one side of a valley to another!
Since coming back, we have checked five separate commentaries. None of them clearly paint the true picture. What a difference it made to see the land of Israel ourselves!
In addition to the 943 photos we took, we also brought home a huge notebook full of handouts, readings and maps. It was a great course, and we are so thankful we were able to go.
A surprise awaiting us at home
Soon after we left for Israel, the voltage stabilizer that the fridge was connected to decided it was tired of working. It quit. So, the fridge was essentially unplugged for weeks. When we returned and approached the door of our apartment, we commented that there must be a dead animal nearby. Little did we suspect that the smell was coming from inside! When we opened the fridge, it was GHASTLY! Everything was spoiled, rotten, and terribly stinky. Even the water in the glass containers was stinky. Mold decorated everything. What a mess!
Time to bring out lots of baking soda and vanilla. It is going to take some time for the odors to leech out of the plastic walls of the fridge.
A much nicer surprise
Our daughter Emily just sent us two links to new video promotionals for Bridges International. After two years of working as an intern with them, she is now joining staff. Emily is in both videos wearing a green top. You can check them out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKzhi3Uc8Bc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxD1k3g1fN4&feature=related
Praises and Prayer Requests
- A fantastic trip to Israel!
- July 6–24th is the next Old Testament workshop. Pray for good progress, careful attention to details and an encouraging atmosphere of building each other up. The goals for this workshop include finish adapting the book of Proverbs (chapters 20–31) and adapt Psalms 51–73.
We really appreciate each one of you!
Patti
