We're back, so we need to get to work!
Here's how you can specifically pray for us, our work and our people.
Pablo and 3 others meet regularly with John---- several times a week for 2 hours or so each time. They are all from our people group, but now live in our town instead of their village. They are also believers. They are being trained by John and have taken the "lead" on our project---as far as the footwork goes. They have talked to 8 or 10 non-believers from the villages about helping us get the stories told in their indigenous language. These people will hear various versions of scripture in spanish and then retell it in their language. Then, we will have another bilingual person tell us in spanish what they said in the indigenous language word-for-word. This will go back and forth until the stories are correct. (This is a very basic summary of what we do and how we do it!) We will continue this process until we have 60 or so stories completed. It is a lot of work and a long, hard process---- even though it doesn't sound it by the way I described it. There is a lot of technical stuff involved.
So, prayer requests:
1. Pray for Pablo to be a leader on this team.
2. Pray for helpers from the villages to actually record stories with us. (many times they start, but don't finish. or they get pressure to quit, etc. because evangelical has a very bad stigma here)
3. pray for John as he leads the team.
4. pray for more villages to join in on the project. (we've met people/contacts from a few other villages and need to follow-up with them this week)
5. pray for us as we talk to people we've met from other villages and cast the vision before them.
6. pray for our language learning.
7. pray for our decision about our housing arrangements--whether or not to live in a village and if so which one and under what circumstances, etc.
8. pray for the people who will be helping us---- there is often persecution
9. pray we will have discernment to know which stories to tell, which villages to start in and for every other decision we need to make.
10. pray for our family as we jump head first into this big project this week--- you know the enemy likes to attack or do anything to keep the work from happening.
Our goal is to have the project done by August 2009.
That is a big project to have done in that amount of time.
We can do it though. Well, no "we" can't, but GOD can!
We would really like to see the stories completed by that time and then see the stories used to start small groups and eventually churches.
This same project is being used all over the world.
It's typically a 2-year project. Although, so far it hasn't really been done by families--- it's mainly been young people and singles, etc. That makes a big difference. It's challenging with a big family because I can't really help to the extent I am supposed to be. I have to homeschool the children and other things that are very time consuming for a family of 7!
This is why we are so thrilled to have Pablo and our team working with us. We want it to be their own project anyway, not "our" project. We do not want to be the front people. It's best if it's all done by indigenous people. We can direct from behind the scenes. So far, it seems to be leaning that way with us. We'll see what happens and how God opens doors this week.................
We don't want to get in the way of the Gospel going to these people just becasue they can't see past "us" to really hear the stories.
Monday, June 30, 2008
We're back in Mexico
I think I will take a few posts to tell a little about our trip and to write our specific prayer requests and let you know what we are doing now.
I'll start here with "the trip in general".
It was a very nice trip.
Guatemala was very beautiful. We did not get to go there, but supposedly right by where we were, there is a volcano which has lava flowing every day. It was the highlight for many of the tourists we talked to who were able to go hike it. The markets had beautiful things and great prices. (I know all the ladies really want to know how the shopping is before anything else, right?????) We were in a very "touristy" area. (I know that's not a word....) We mainly stayed at the hotel except for a few ecxcursions out to get something at the market or pharmacy, etc.
The kids really enjoyed their week. They swam and swam and swam. Faith is getting a nice little tan. I, on the other hand, look like I spent my week helping count penguins in Antarctica.
She greatly improved her swimming skills also. They all met new friends and got to spend time with old friends. Annual meeting is always nice for that!
2 teams from Missouri came down to work with the children. It was fun to meet people from "home". (although we can barely claim it anymore) The kids are already planning trips to go see them when we go back. They are near where my grandma lives, so we hope to visit their churches sometime.
We actually had some free time during the week. That is rare for our annual meeting time. It was nice because if gave us a chance to sit and talk with coworkers and share ideas and info about our work. Those spare minutes are usually hard to come by. Everyone really appreciated that this year!!!
And the food.......................... oh, I had better not get started here!
The food was fabulous. It reminded me of Brasil. 6 or 7 cold veggie "salad-type" dishes to choose from at each meal. Cooked, but crisp veggies served chilled mixed in with other veggies. It was like the food on the salad bar at the churrascarias. Yummy stuff! They had delicious soups at each meal and great main dishes and hot veggies and other sides. Homemade bread rolls.................
As you can see, it was definitely a week of suffering. haha
It is nice to go once a year and see your coworkers and touch base with our organization though.
I'll start here with "the trip in general".
It was a very nice trip.
Guatemala was very beautiful. We did not get to go there, but supposedly right by where we were, there is a volcano which has lava flowing every day. It was the highlight for many of the tourists we talked to who were able to go hike it. The markets had beautiful things and great prices. (I know all the ladies really want to know how the shopping is before anything else, right?????) We were in a very "touristy" area. (I know that's not a word....) We mainly stayed at the hotel except for a few ecxcursions out to get something at the market or pharmacy, etc.
The kids really enjoyed their week. They swam and swam and swam. Faith is getting a nice little tan. I, on the other hand, look like I spent my week helping count penguins in Antarctica.
She greatly improved her swimming skills also. They all met new friends and got to spend time with old friends. Annual meeting is always nice for that!
2 teams from Missouri came down to work with the children. It was fun to meet people from "home". (although we can barely claim it anymore) The kids are already planning trips to go see them when we go back. They are near where my grandma lives, so we hope to visit their churches sometime.
We actually had some free time during the week. That is rare for our annual meeting time. It was nice because if gave us a chance to sit and talk with coworkers and share ideas and info about our work. Those spare minutes are usually hard to come by. Everyone really appreciated that this year!!!
And the food.......................... oh, I had better not get started here!
The food was fabulous. It reminded me of Brasil. 6 or 7 cold veggie "salad-type" dishes to choose from at each meal. Cooked, but crisp veggies served chilled mixed in with other veggies. It was like the food on the salad bar at the churrascarias. Yummy stuff! They had delicious soups at each meal and great main dishes and hot veggies and other sides. Homemade bread rolls.................
As you can see, it was definitely a week of suffering. haha
It is nice to go once a year and see your coworkers and touch base with our organization though.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Meeting update
We've really had a nice time so far at our meetings in Guatemala. We did things differently this year. Normally everyone arrives on Sunday afternoon and then it kicks off. Instead, this year, they flew everyone working in the "indigenous fields" of our region in on Friday. We all met that evening and then spent time together in a little "retreat" until Sunday afternoon. It was very nice because we sat around in a circle and got to tell a little about who we are and our work. It was very informal and interesting.
While we did that, a small team from Missouri came in to work with our children. The kids have had a blast! Since it was a smaller group of children for the weekend sessions, they let them spend about half of the time at the pool and just playing while supervised. They also did VBS type of crafts and activities. All of the children have loved it!!!
It has been a very relaxing time. Our "official" meetings start this morning. That will be a bit more business oriented and such, but we'll still have a little spare time here and there. The rest of the people working in our region arrived yesterday afternoon. So, now it's a big group and mixed with city work, rural work, business office people and of course the indigenous field. Another team from a church in Missouri will be arriving today to start working with the MKs. I think the small weekend team will stay and help for another day or 2.
We are so thankful for those extra few days to really relax, let the children have fun and form bonds between our coworkers who "get it"----- we're all on the same "page" doing the same type of ministry, facing the same types of situations, etc. so they completely understand what you're talking about. Wow, what a difference that makes. It was very interesting to hear the stories of some who have been on the field for 20 years and more.
While we did that, a small team from Missouri came in to work with our children. The kids have had a blast! Since it was a smaller group of children for the weekend sessions, they let them spend about half of the time at the pool and just playing while supervised. They also did VBS type of crafts and activities. All of the children have loved it!!!
It has been a very relaxing time. Our "official" meetings start this morning. That will be a bit more business oriented and such, but we'll still have a little spare time here and there. The rest of the people working in our region arrived yesterday afternoon. So, now it's a big group and mixed with city work, rural work, business office people and of course the indigenous field. Another team from a church in Missouri will be arriving today to start working with the MKs. I think the small weekend team will stay and help for another day or 2.
We are so thankful for those extra few days to really relax, let the children have fun and form bonds between our coworkers who "get it"----- we're all on the same "page" doing the same type of ministry, facing the same types of situations, etc. so they completely understand what you're talking about. Wow, what a difference that makes. It was very interesting to hear the stories of some who have been on the field for 20 years and more.
Friday, June 20, 2008
We're in Guatemala
It's that time of year again------------ we meet with all of our coworkers for a week. This year we get to have our meeting in Guatemala. We arrived today. We flew in this afternoon.
We had a good flight, but hit some major turbulance about 25 minutes out of Guatemala City. I was glad when that was over! We left Mexico City this morning, flew down to Panama City and then flew from there back up to Guatemala City. Then we took a bus for about an hour to get to the hotel we're meeting at.
I've never been to Panama or Guatemala before. I must say, they were absolutely beautiful from our aerial view from the plane when we got close to landing. It's rainy season, so everything is bright green and lush. We flew over the Panama Canal. That was kind of neat.
It was so cute to hear the kids. We couldn't see anything during any of the flights until it was landing time because of thick cloud cover. But, as soon as we got out of the clouds for Guatemala, Faith exclaimed: "Wow! It's beautiful!"
The kids really enjoy flying to various places. Meggie's not feeling so well. She got a fever yesterday afternoon, so she's on fever meds. But, when we got in the bus to drive here, she said, "I really like these places". She's so "content" in latin america...........
I don't have any new "work updates", but wanted to mention we are here.
It should be a good week. The kids are really looking forward to a week of VBS and fun. The hotel is very beautiful and peaceful.
We woke up at 2 a.m. and "officially" got up (LOL) at 3 a.m. this morning. We are TIRED! We had to leave for the airport at 4 a.m. We barely made the connection in Panama. We only had 30 minutes between landing and taking off. It's a small airport, but it was still very close! The plane was already boarded when we got to the gate.
Ok, enough of this boring stuff. Ha!
I'll try to post a little more on and off this week about our people group and relationships we have begun to form with them.
We had a good flight, but hit some major turbulance about 25 minutes out of Guatemala City. I was glad when that was over! We left Mexico City this morning, flew down to Panama City and then flew from there back up to Guatemala City. Then we took a bus for about an hour to get to the hotel we're meeting at.
I've never been to Panama or Guatemala before. I must say, they were absolutely beautiful from our aerial view from the plane when we got close to landing. It's rainy season, so everything is bright green and lush. We flew over the Panama Canal. That was kind of neat.
It was so cute to hear the kids. We couldn't see anything during any of the flights until it was landing time because of thick cloud cover. But, as soon as we got out of the clouds for Guatemala, Faith exclaimed: "Wow! It's beautiful!"
The kids really enjoy flying to various places. Meggie's not feeling so well. She got a fever yesterday afternoon, so she's on fever meds. But, when we got in the bus to drive here, she said, "I really like these places". She's so "content" in latin america...........
I don't have any new "work updates", but wanted to mention we are here.
It should be a good week. The kids are really looking forward to a week of VBS and fun. The hotel is very beautiful and peaceful.
We woke up at 2 a.m. and "officially" got up (LOL) at 3 a.m. this morning. We are TIRED! We had to leave for the airport at 4 a.m. We barely made the connection in Panama. We only had 30 minutes between landing and taking off. It's a small airport, but it was still very close! The plane was already boarded when we got to the gate.
Ok, enough of this boring stuff. Ha!
I'll try to post a little more on and off this week about our people group and relationships we have begun to form with them.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Update on our project
I know many have asked what we do here and how it is going. I still have to be a little cautious about what I can post on-line as far as details go, but I will try to share as much as I can as time goes on.
John is really running with the project. He is really supporting me as I put most of my focus during the day on our family and home school with the kids and as I minister through our home to neighbors and people we work with. (High school for Ike is really going to change the intensity of our school this fall!) So, he really does most of our "work" during the daytime alone at this point. We can join in in the afternoon, evenings and weekends. Once we have some stories going, I will be doing a lot of the behind the scenes work on the computer using the software we have to work with, etc. It's pretty detailed.
Right now, he has a team of 4 and they meet about 3 or 4 days a week for several hours. They are all nationals from here and from our people group (but they live in town here, not in a village currently). He has shared the vison with them and explained what we are doing. They are really excited about it and 100% behind it. They have spent hours talking through the Bible stories and deciding which ones will really address needs/issues culturally, etc. They have chosen our initial set and then have all looked ahead to what the completed set will look like when it covers the entire Bible.
John is really working with a good group. They have 8 names of people lined up to possibly help us get these stories crafted. Every time they meet, John can really see the progress and initiative they are taking to make this "their" project and not just "ours".
This past week they worked on getting all of the versions of the various passages recorded for the first few stories we will craft. It will all be done orally, so you start with oral---- not just show them a written version in spanish. They worked really hard on all of this. Now we are ready to actually meet with some bilingual speakers (spanish/target language) and have them listen to the spanish and then give the story back to us in their language. We will go back and forth several times on this, translating and back translating, until it is "perfect" and all of the keye elements, etc. are there. (We have some great software from Wycliffe we get to use to help with all of this, make sure every little detail is anchored to Scripture, etc.) We'll do this for about 60 stories. It's a long process for each story.
It's not a traditional storying project where you have an evangelism track, a discipleship track, etc. This is all one set with the same redemptive thread running through it. It is all in there together and builds on each other. It's an amazing project. We'll do an initial set of 15 or so --Genesis to early church-- and then go back and start filling it in with more stories until everything is covered. It's really fun to story through a ton of stories at once. In some of our trainings we have done that. At the end of the week, we take turns standing up one after another and we'll story through 20+ stories in a row. You kind of anchor each story to the previous one with a lead in. It's fun. For this last training we did the whole book of Acts. During the training before, we did from Genesis through Acts.
Anyway, I think I'm getting off track here............... (imagine that!)
So, John is doing great with the project. We have a team of helpers, and they are ready to officially do the first 3 or 4 stories.
We are so thankful for our team. They will be "out front". We really like that aspect. We don't want it to be something "we" are bringing. The gringo's religion............... We want it to be "their own". From them, by them, all based 100% on the Bible.
We go to Guatemala this week for our annual meeting. I think we'll be waiting until we get back to start recording the crafting. (although they did mention trying to have someone ready to start Monday. we'll see!)
Our goal is to have all of this completely done by next August (2009) or sooner. It's a slow process to get it started, but once it's going it gets easier--- you have people to help (that's hard to get at first), they know what they're doing so it gets quicker, etc.
We have to REALLY work on the language when we get back!!!
John is really running with the project. He is really supporting me as I put most of my focus during the day on our family and home school with the kids and as I minister through our home to neighbors and people we work with. (High school for Ike is really going to change the intensity of our school this fall!) So, he really does most of our "work" during the daytime alone at this point. We can join in in the afternoon, evenings and weekends. Once we have some stories going, I will be doing a lot of the behind the scenes work on the computer using the software we have to work with, etc. It's pretty detailed.
Right now, he has a team of 4 and they meet about 3 or 4 days a week for several hours. They are all nationals from here and from our people group (but they live in town here, not in a village currently). He has shared the vison with them and explained what we are doing. They are really excited about it and 100% behind it. They have spent hours talking through the Bible stories and deciding which ones will really address needs/issues culturally, etc. They have chosen our initial set and then have all looked ahead to what the completed set will look like when it covers the entire Bible.
John is really working with a good group. They have 8 names of people lined up to possibly help us get these stories crafted. Every time they meet, John can really see the progress and initiative they are taking to make this "their" project and not just "ours".
This past week they worked on getting all of the versions of the various passages recorded for the first few stories we will craft. It will all be done orally, so you start with oral---- not just show them a written version in spanish. They worked really hard on all of this. Now we are ready to actually meet with some bilingual speakers (spanish/target language) and have them listen to the spanish and then give the story back to us in their language. We will go back and forth several times on this, translating and back translating, until it is "perfect" and all of the keye elements, etc. are there. (We have some great software from Wycliffe we get to use to help with all of this, make sure every little detail is anchored to Scripture, etc.) We'll do this for about 60 stories. It's a long process for each story.
It's not a traditional storying project where you have an evangelism track, a discipleship track, etc. This is all one set with the same redemptive thread running through it. It is all in there together and builds on each other. It's an amazing project. We'll do an initial set of 15 or so --Genesis to early church-- and then go back and start filling it in with more stories until everything is covered. It's really fun to story through a ton of stories at once. In some of our trainings we have done that. At the end of the week, we take turns standing up one after another and we'll story through 20+ stories in a row. You kind of anchor each story to the previous one with a lead in. It's fun. For this last training we did the whole book of Acts. During the training before, we did from Genesis through Acts.
Anyway, I think I'm getting off track here............... (imagine that!)
So, John is doing great with the project. We have a team of helpers, and they are ready to officially do the first 3 or 4 stories.
We are so thankful for our team. They will be "out front". We really like that aspect. We don't want it to be something "we" are bringing. The gringo's religion............... We want it to be "their own". From them, by them, all based 100% on the Bible.
We go to Guatemala this week for our annual meeting. I think we'll be waiting until we get back to start recording the crafting. (although they did mention trying to have someone ready to start Monday. we'll see!)
Our goal is to have all of this completely done by next August (2009) or sooner. It's a slow process to get it started, but once it's going it gets easier--- you have people to help (that's hard to get at first), they know what they're doing so it gets quicker, etc.
We have to REALLY work on the language when we get back!!!
Friday, June 13, 2008
We have our work cut out for us!!!
One of our language helpers just spent 3 hours at our house. We were "supposed" to have class, but it turned into a 3-hour conversation about the spirit world in the villages.
WOW!!!
I asked John, "how soon can you get us tickets out of here???"
It was some WILD stuff!
We started by having her read a little poem out of a 3rd/4th grade textbook we received from someone --- it's in the langauge we're learning. We had no idea what it was about. It turns out it was about death and spirits. She translated it after she read it in that language. We recorded it so we could practice pronunciation later.
It lead to a major discussion. She has been so open with us lately and has really shared cultural insights. Some I wish I still didn't know! Hah!
It's sad and a little scary. The "spirit world" is very real here. Possession is a big deal. Everyone (even the non-indigenous) is afraid to go out at night in the villages because they believe spirits turn into animals and kill people. I know this sounds crazy to most of us because we don't really live in that reality, but it is a real thing here. (I'm not going to put the details and examples on here of some of the things she shared with us about what they believe has happened through various "spirits" and how they think some people are "born like that". You can ask me through e-mail if you are curious though.)
Anyway, after 3 hours of talking about various people who were possessed and the "cures" for it, we definitely had some good insight into our people group. We understand a lot more of their logic and their fears and thoughts. There is still sooooo much to learn! She shared so much good info with us. Things that we really do need to know here before we're with very many people from the villages. Things we could do innocently and not realize that it had some major significance among them, etc.
I won't go into a lot of details here, but it's pretty heavy on our hearts.
I would ask you to pray for us as we live among this and try to shed light in the darkness.
The first time I ever visited here last year, I didn't know how to describe it, but you can just "feel" the oppression all around you. It's a very strange feeling.
You know how crazy our last month got right when we were heading out to the villages to start working on the stories. It's definitley going to be a struggle to work here.
Please pray for us!
WOW!!!
I asked John, "how soon can you get us tickets out of here???"
It was some WILD stuff!
We started by having her read a little poem out of a 3rd/4th grade textbook we received from someone --- it's in the langauge we're learning. We had no idea what it was about. It turns out it was about death and spirits. She translated it after she read it in that language. We recorded it so we could practice pronunciation later.
It lead to a major discussion. She has been so open with us lately and has really shared cultural insights. Some I wish I still didn't know! Hah!
It's sad and a little scary. The "spirit world" is very real here. Possession is a big deal. Everyone (even the non-indigenous) is afraid to go out at night in the villages because they believe spirits turn into animals and kill people. I know this sounds crazy to most of us because we don't really live in that reality, but it is a real thing here. (I'm not going to put the details and examples on here of some of the things she shared with us about what they believe has happened through various "spirits" and how they think some people are "born like that". You can ask me through e-mail if you are curious though.)
Anyway, after 3 hours of talking about various people who were possessed and the "cures" for it, we definitely had some good insight into our people group. We understand a lot more of their logic and their fears and thoughts. There is still sooooo much to learn! She shared so much good info with us. Things that we really do need to know here before we're with very many people from the villages. Things we could do innocently and not realize that it had some major significance among them, etc.
I won't go into a lot of details here, but it's pretty heavy on our hearts.
I would ask you to pray for us as we live among this and try to shed light in the darkness.
The first time I ever visited here last year, I didn't know how to describe it, but you can just "feel" the oppression all around you. It's a very strange feeling.
You know how crazy our last month got right when we were heading out to the villages to start working on the stories. It's definitley going to be a struggle to work here.
Please pray for us!
Ministry Opportunity
Here's a recent entry I wrote telling about a ministry opportunity we have with our neighbors.
http://weaverfamblog.blogspot.com/2008/06/ministry-opportunities.html
http://weaverfamblog.blogspot.com/2008/06/ministry-opportunities.html
First Blog
I have decided to start another blog. This one will be specifically ministry related. I know many like to keep up with our ministry and know how to pray for us, yet they don't really want to have to wade through all of the details of what we're doing in our home school this week or what plans I am making for future studies, etc. I will keep my other blog for those types of things.
Check back often, as I am sure I'll have many stories to tell!
Check back often, as I am sure I'll have many stories to tell!
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