Update: 8/2021 Valerie and Nicasio Martinez

Update and Prayer Requests: August 2021 - Valerie and Nicasio Martinez
Translating God's Word with and for the people who speak Quiatoni Zapotec

Nicasio, Beto, Rogelio (the main author of the book about Zapotec numbers), Felipe (the other author and a teacher), and I met three times this month via zoom to revise the book of exercises for students to learn and practice the numbers in Zapotec. (Other than 1 to 10, 20, and 100, Spanish numbers are usually used when people are speaking in Zapotec.) Mostly we looked at the directions (in Zapotec) of how to do each exercise. I have to admit that even though we got a lot done in the first session of five hours, it was a little discouraging to see that we’d covered 16 pages out of the 60 pages that I’d made. But it was encouraging to realize that the farther we went, the more we’d be able to use the instructions from similar exercises that we’d already revised.

The next step is to ask some of the bilingual teachers to test the exercises in their classrooms. We hope it will help them as they incorporate more Zapotec into their teaching.

We continue to study the book of Acts during Zapotec church via zoom. Nicasio is encouraged to see that people are becoming more and more accustomed to speaking up during the service. It was also wonderful to hear Chely thank God for so many blessings, even though she’s recuperating from covid. (She went to Quiatoni to nurse an uncle who was very sick with covid and then got it herself, although with a lighter case.)

We are so thankful for these folks who are so interested and dedicated to studying God’s Word in their own language and applying it to their lives. They are a blessing to us!

This afternoon (Thursday, Aug. 26) Nicasio will be one of three presentations celebrating the 40th anniversary of the National Department of Adult Education. He will be speaking about how indigenous people have a poor self-identity, having been scarred and mis-shapen by the insults, prejudices and abuses they have suffered for generations and how they need healing from that so they can be self-confident and proud of their indigenous heritage, language and culture.

We ordered a new computer for Beto since the battery in his is swelling and can’t be replaced. Mike and Tara brought the new one but unfortunately its battery wouldn’t hold a charge. We are returning that one and ordered another. We are so thankful that it was delivered to Rusty on Tuesday so he could bring it yesterday when he came.

We are happy to let you know that Beto and Candi’s daughter Yari is doing well after her emergency appendectomy three weeks ago. In another week, she’ll be able to resume her normal activities. Thank you for your prayers for her. We are also very thankful to let you know that the medical expenses have all been covered by God’s generous children!

Thank you, too, for praying for our colleague-friend Karina. She is still on a ventilator, which is slowly being reduced; her organs seem to be functioning well and x-rays show no sign of pneumonia or other damage apart from covid. Her condition is serious but stable. Thank you for your continued prayers for her.
Family news: Mike and Tara have been here two weeks! We are enjoying having them here and getting to know Tara and Royan better. Royan (9 months old) is very active, “talking” a lot, very curious, and likes to be where the action is. He loves Grandpa Nicasio, who often takes him next door to see Great-grandma and Great-grandpa. They thoroughly enjoy him!

Rusty got here last night and will be here for two weeks. We have a full house and even fuller hearts! We are so thankful that our kids are good friends and that they want to come home to visit.

Your interest, prayers, and support in our ministry of Bible translation are such an encouragement to us! Thank you for standing with us to give the people of Quiatoni God’s Word in their own language.
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love, Valerie and Nicasio
www.cten.org/NicasioMartinez
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