Download the PDF of the July 2015 Beans'Talk with photos here.

Pleasant places

Earlier this month Mark turned sixty. How true the words of Psalm 16:6: The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places. Surely I have a delightful inheritance. What a gift to have meaningful work that he really enjoys and friends along the way. Wilmer (left) and Walter (right) along with their wives helped Mark celebrate. We were missing Felipe who was in the capital city with Shatu learning about the next step to complete the JESUS movie. We were also missing Leoncio.

Missing Leoncio

Five years ago Leoncio joined our team to replace Wilmer, (above), who became a regional leader in his denomination. We’ve known from the beginning that Leoncio’s dream has been to teach high school students somewhere out in Quechua-land. Last year he had opportunities to get into classrooms by filling in for teachers absent on long leaves. Towards the end of our last workshop, Leoncio got the call he’s waited a long time for: the opportunity to fill a real position as a language arts teacher in the provincial capital of the area he’s from. He is delighted. We are delighted for him, yet sad to be losing him at this crucial time of trying to finish up these five translations. Thankfully, Leoncio will be available for questions. He also plans to review translation in the evenings.

Challenges

We mentioned at the end of our last Beans’talk that one man unexpectantly didn’t show up at the last workshop and another was stuck in snow on the road. Three men had fevers and another suffered from a painful pulled muscle in his neck. Shatu was preoccupied trying to get his car back that’s been mistakenly impounded. He even made a trip to Lima during this past workshop to collect paperwork Pray that the men who’ve been involved for so long will be free from pressing distractions and illness. Pray a special hedge of protection around the men who are working hard to see God’s word become available in their language.

Chart changes

This month there are few changes on the chart. Jeremiah and Lamentations are now green. But, nothing became dark green after this last workshop. Not all the languages had someone reading through Psalms and Mark has to check over everyone’s tweeks and edits for a box to turn dark green. Issues tackled: 168.

Praises and Prayer Requests

*Praise & Prayer: In spite of sickness and absences this past workshop, we continued forward. Our next workshop is coming up soon: July 6th through the 24th. Pray for everyone to make it safely, to be healthy and to stay focused and alert to details. There is a lot of detail work reading over and checking verses.

*Pray: for the health and protection of all the men and their families during these next six months that we’re trying to finish up. Pray for us, too. Pray for a fair resolution to Shatu’s car problem.

*Pray: The weekend of July 10-12 Patti will be speaking (in Spanish, not Quechua) for one of the sessions at a regional gathering of women for a big denomination here.

Pressing forward, straining towards the goal,

Mark & Patti