Mark & Patti May-June 2023 Beans'talk

Download a printable version of the May-June 2023 Beans'talk with photos

Our plans or God’s?

Who looks at the year ahead and plans to be sick? Our plans certainly didn’t include Mark being down with pneumonia this month – first for a week at home followed by eight days in the hospital. After eliminating possible culprits via easier means, a couple lung biopsies and a bronchial wash uncovered the problem. He has a case of cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP). The switch from antibiotics to steroids is making a world of difference. Treatment is at least three months.

Our days are in God’s hands. We look to him rather than the passing circumstances that seem to interrupt our lives.

A re-run of one’s life

No energy to hold up a book and too fuzzy brained to listen to an audiobook, Mark was a captive audience. Re-playing situations and circumstances from the past, God reviewed times Mark or both of us were unkind, insensitive, inconsiderate and prideful.

It’s not that we meant to be that way. We were too self-absorbed, too insensitive to the feelings of others, too wrapped up in our own work and family. As a result, we were blind to the pain we caused others. God obviously wanted our attention, and putting one of us in bed was one way to get it.

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Mark & Patti May 2023 Prayer Requests

This month of May Mark is working through the books of Lamentations and Song of Songs for the Panao Quechua team. As always, pray for attention to detail and for being an encouragement to the team while helping them do the best job they can.

Our first grandson, Jeremiah, again needs prayer. He was recently diagnosed with MPAL, a type of leukemia. Immediately, that very same day, the medical team in Charleston started him on chemotherapy. Pray for the whole family to keep their thoughts fixed on God's trustworthiness and unfailing love no matter the circumstances. Jeremiah is 14.

Mark & Patti March-April 2023 Beans'talk

Download the March-April 2023 Beans'talk with photos.

Face to face

For two years now, Mark has been meeting weekly to mentor Antonio Pop, a Guatemalan believer whose first language is Tz’utujil. Antonio was a key translator working on getting the Bible into his language. The translation is about to go to press, so they are excited! Antonio has been to seminary. He was chosen by those who know him best as someone who should be mentored to become a translation consultant.

Up until now, all the training and practice Mark and Antonio have done together has been virtual. This week Mark and Antonio meet in person for the first time.

Training the next generation

As you read this, Mark is already in Peru. The two weeks of March 13-24, Mark and a number of other experienced consultants will be working with a cohort of 19 younger consultants-in-training from all over Latin America, including Antonio. This is taking place in greater Lima. A translation consultant carefully goes over the translation to check for accuracy and to help the team do the best job they can.

Checking a translation together

After their two weeks on the coast, Mark and Antonio will travel up to the mountains to work with the Panao Quechua team. The plan is to join them and take part in a “comprehension check” with members of the community. The books they hope to check are Leviticus, Obadiah and Haggai.

Ahead of that check, the Panao team has been busy wrapping up their responses to the notes that Mark and Antonio have already generated for those three books. Once everyone is happy, this comprehension check is the next step.

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