Download The Beans'talk May/June 2022 letter with photos here.

80 years of translation

Wycliffe Bible Translators began in 1942. That makes this year its 80th anniversary. For the occasion, they produced a less-than-a-minute long video celebrating the many groups of people who’ve had a part in Bible translation these past 80 years. That in-cludes each of you as you’ve prayed, sup-ported projects and/or supported mission-aries. You can see it by navigating to https://vimeo.com/686443790. If you pay close attention, you’ll see an old clip from when Mark worked with the translation committee.

Current work

Wycliffe continues to come alongside language communities all over the world to help provide them with God’s word in languages that they understand best. Mark’s current contribution is checking translation for two groups in Peru and mentoring a translation consultant-in-training in Guatemala.

Praying for Jeremiah – grandchild #1

After coming down with a simple stomach bug, our 13-year-old grandson’s health took a rapid turn for the worse. Paramedics had to be called to the house after Jeremiah lost consciousness and stopped breathing, arriving soon after his parents were able to revive him using CPR. Multiple compounding issues prompted the local hospital to arrange an emergency transfer to MUSC in Charleston, South Carolina. His first week was punctuated with several life saving interventions.

What a tremendous outpouring of prayer went up to the throne of our gracious God on Jeremiah’s behalf. It is with much thanksgiving that we report that Jeremiah is out of the danger zone. Portions of his large and small intestine eventually needed to be removed before things began to improve. Thank you for remembering him in prayer as he continues to heal. I’m thankful that I got to visit him and his family.

Welcome Charis Chloe – grandchild #11

Oh how wide the spread of our emotions! At the same time Jeremiah was struggling, joyous news came from our middle son: Charis Chloe had joined the family! Mother and baby are doing very well. We are delighted to welcome this newest Bean to the family.

God's long nose

Did you know that the Bible describes God as having a long nose? It does, but you have to read the Old Testament in Hebrew to find it. We first see it in Exodus 34:6, where God passes in front of Moses on Mount Sinai and says, “The LORD, The LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, long of nose, abounding in love and faithfulness”. Our English versions get at the meaning: God is “slow to anger.” In contrast, a person “short of nose” is someone who is quick-tempered (for example, Proverbs 14:17 in Hebrew). And when a person is angry, his “nose is hot” (for example, Exodus 22:23 in Hebrew; verse 24 in English). We thank God that he is long-nosed with us!

Praise and Prayer Requests

* Praise for the opportunities in so many parts of the world to help make God’s word available. Pray for the teams busy translating, the churches busy teaching newly translated Scripture, and for all those involved in supporting the process in so many ways.

* Praise God for sparing Jeremiah’s life and for the support shown in prayer and in practical ways to his family during these difficult times. Continue to pray for Jeremiah’s healing process.

* Praise God for the anticipation of having three of our children and their families with us for a bit in June. (We don’t expect our youngest and his family, still in Germany, to make it. We hope Jeremiah and his mom can come.) Pray for special times together, especially the few days the siblings overlap together.

We thank God for each of you!

Mark & Patti