Valerie & Nicasio - Update Nov. '22

Update and Prayer Requests: November 2022 
Valerie and Nicasio Martinez
Translating God's Word with and for the people who speak Quiatoni Zapotec

We told you in our last update about receiving samples of a small solar-powered audio device. (You can see them and read about them here: https://kulumi.org/)  Besides the started package of 15 devices, the ministry has offered to send us more at no cost, other than the duty on them! We have been talking a lot about how to distribute them: give them away? charge a small amount? You might remember that we sell our books in Zapotec for what it costs us to print them; we see that the people buying them value them more because of buying them. (Think about when you are given something vs having to spend money on something. Which do you value more?)

There’s always the tension between wanting people to value the “package” their Zapotec comes in and wanting people to hear God’s Word in their own language without any cost. We appreciate your prayers and we figure out how to distribute these devices.

We are also working on the audio files that will go on the devices. Beto has been some of the New Testament books (John, Acts, Romans, Philippians, Galatians, and Hebrews), an explanation of the Tabernacle and the Temple and The Birth of Jesus. We also have three volumes of songs and hymns in Zapotec. I’ve sent these to the ministry to put on the devices before they send them to us. Beto is also coordinating recording the 16 Old Testament stories that Candy has taught in the Zapotec Sunday School. Beto will record some of them and he’s also asking Candy, her brother, and his wife to record some of them. Since they want to practice reading their stories before recording them, Beto says he will put these Old Testament stories on the devices when they arrive. These Old Testament stories will be very helpful to believers who speak Quiatoni Zapotec since they usually don’t know much about the Old Testament.

As a result of the translating Proverbs workshop Beto attended, he’s making a book called “Learning How We Can Be Good Parents and Good Children” with verses from Proverbs. We are so blessed by the way Beto and Candy find ways to share what they are learning and the Quiatoni Zapotec translation with others!
Nicasio was invited to sing a couple of songs in Zapotec at the inauguration of new murals at the Mitla center. Never one to do by himself what he can involve others in J, he invited our Zapotec music group to participate with him. Everyone really enjoyed it! (Picture below.)

We have had two sessions with the bilingual teachers in one of the schools in Quiatoni’s second largest town. It’s been neat to see how they are so interested in learning the Quiatoni Zapotec sounds and alphabet as well as writing in their own languages about themselves from prompts Nicasio gives them. Helping the teachers be proud of their indigenous heritages is a big step towards them helping their students in the same way. (Indigenous people here have suffered a lot of discrimination and prejudice.) We are thankful for opportunities to work with the bilingual teachers. Think how many will be able to read the Quiatoni Zapotec New Testament when it’s finished!

Rusty celebrated six months at his new job (The Lilly Center for Lakes and Streams https://lakes.grace.edu/) He says he’s settling in and making it his own!

Mike and Tara are thankful for another year of life for Royan, who had his second birthday this month, and are looking forward to watching him grow over the next year. They’d appreciate prayers as they continue to investigate his hearig loss and delayed speech; the therapist has been a great help.

Nicasio’s parents moved home to Quiatoni the end of September. His dad is not doing well; it’s probably prostate cancer but because of his age and physical weakneed, they can’t do much for him. We would appreciate prayers for his parents during this hard time and for Nicasio’s sister who is caring for them.
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Thank you for your part in making these things—and many others!—possible so that the people who speak Quiatoni Zapotec will have God’s Word in their own language. Your interest, prayers and support are so important to us. Thank you!

love, Valerie and Nicasio
www.cten.org/NicasioMartinez