Download the March 2015 Beans'Talk with photos here.

Silly reporters

Mark & I were asked to give a report at our annual retreat last month. We compared our work to a multi-ringed circus and dressed accordingly as clowns. Who wants to hear a boring report! The whole week was a nice break from work.

* * * * * Now, we are three weeks into a four-week translation workshop. Each day we take time to sing, pray together and learn something new. This workshop the team started reading The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman.

Wait until she’s dead

Most mornings the guys have some sort of response to the advice in the book on love languages. For example, the idea of complimenting their wives was an entirely new concept. One man told how he still remembers the day he first heard a missionary compliment his wife on a good meal. He couldn’t believe a man would bother to say such things. After all, a wife is expected to prepare good meals. The group said that the only time a man compliments his wife is at her funeral. As they discussed the issue, they agreed it would be nice if she could hear what they had to say! Feeling a bit more like a counselor than a Bible translator, Mark asked each man to voice aloud something positive about his wife.

The happy husband

One man on the translation team is an exception. Sumer started out with us as a single young man. He borrowed and read the book on love languages before he got married. As the team works their way through the book, Sumer has piped up saying, “Yes…I started off doing that, and my wife loves it!”

The first time it was his turn to give prayer requests during the workshop, he said he didn’t really have any requests; he just wanted to thank God for his life, his wife, and his family. He said, “I am really happy and have so much to be thankful for.”

Excited change?agents

Last Saturday I took blank cards, construction paper, scissors, markers and glue for the guys to make cards and write something for their wives. Shatu traveled home that evening and presented his card to Feliciana. She was delighted with the attention and kind words. Felipe came back on Monday and told how he’s trying to put into practice what they’ve been talking about. He’s consciously thanking Evarista.

Most men won’t get home until after the workshop, but they are already anticipating what they want to do differently. Santos, who is normally very quiet at home, says he wants to be more communicative with Abelarda. Together the men see a big need to teach these “new” ideas to others.

Praises and Prayer Requests

*Praise: for Sumer, his wife and their three little girls. May they be examples to others around them. Pray: for each of the men, their wives and families as we all learn to put into practice the one-another verses—loving one another, encouraging one another, forgiving one another, etc.

*Praise: For steady progress and a number of new dark green boxes on the chart.

*Pray: The Huaylas team didn’t have anyone reading through the Old Testament during the previous workshop, and this workshop we are missing one of the guys for North Conchucos. We plan to send Yepo and Santos home with a laptop and a schedule to help bring their teams up to speed with the rest. Pray for them to be able to concentrate well at home and do a careful job.

Mark and Patti Bean