The Bean Family
The Beans' Talk February 2015
Download the February 2015 Beans'Talk here.
It’s not Valentine’s Day yet, but, by the time our February Beans’talk comes out it will have already passed. So, here’s something to help get you thinking about it.
Valentine lungs
We’ve mentioned before that the Quechua word used as the emotional equivalent of heart is actually the word for a different part of the body. If someone is translating between Spanish and Quechua, shonqu is always used for the Spanish word for heart because that is where the emotions reside. But when you butcher an animal, the shonqu turns out to be the lungs. (The anatomical heart in Quechua is puywan.)
Expressions using “heart” (lungs)
In English we have a number of heartexpressions. For example, there’s hardhearted and tender-hearted. Quechua also uses “heart” expressions to describe someone’s character. How do think someone acts who is: guinea-pig hearted—haka shonqu pig hearted—kuchi shonqu The first one is a little easier to guess. If you considered “timid” you got it! Guinea pigs are timid little creatures. But what about a pig-hearted person? Messy? Stinky? In Quechua a pig-hearted person is someone who never forgives. Not a description you want to be given!
Happy faces make our hearts happy
For Christmas our kids sent us a group photo of themselves. They live pretty spread out so it was special for them to get together. Here’s a brief update as to where they are and what are they up to.
Andy – (along with Rachel and their three kids) continues flying C-17s from Charleston Air Force Base.
Emily – continues to co-direct Bridges International’s ministry to international students on the campus of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
Ernie – (along with Sarah and their two little ones) fulfills his obligations to the Army at Ft. Carson in Colorado Springs. He studies on the side anticipating life out of the army eventually.
Praises and Prayer Requests
*Praise: This week we are at our annual retreat with colleagues and so enjoying a break. Plus, Psalms is newly colored green in the chart below.
*Pray: February 2nd –26th we have a translation workshop in Huánuco. Pray for few distractions, gung-ho spirits, and good progress in all five dialects.
Beans Kids December 2014