Tropical storm Alma douses Central America

A weakened tropical storm Alma, now a “tropical depression,” may be to blame for today’s heavy rainfall here. After dousing Honduras and other neighboring countries, it headed north across the eastern half of Guatemala. I hadn’t heard about it until Edgar, Viña Studios’ operations manager, mentioned it to me a few minutes ago.

Alma, which means “soul” in Spanish, shut down our Scripture recording team’s work for the day Friday in Cobán. Carlos, speaking by phone with Edgar, tells us that torrential rains pounded Cobán all night Thursday. Rainfall on corrugated tin roofs tends to have a detrimental effect on conversation and sensitive recording projects.

Looking at a map of its trajectory it appears we’re not directly in Alma’s path. The U.S. National Weather Service predicts rainfall amounts between 10 and 15 inches, even up to 20 inches in some places here in Guatemala over a 72-hour period, beginning Sunday. Hmmmmm, that could be bad.

“TOTAL AMOUNTS OF 20 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE IN AREAS OF HIGHER TERRAIN. THESE RAINS COULD PRODUCE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES,” the National Weather Service predicted.

We didn’t get 20 inches of rainfall yet, but three of us still got quite soaked despite huddling under my umbrella outside Viña’s door, waiting for someone to answer the door.

Of course, prayer would be appreciated for those in hard hit areas.

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For a colorful satellite view of the clouds and moisture content, check out this site.

Team faces more health problems at home

Our Scripture-recording team in Cobán continues to face adversity at home. Carlos’, Viña Studios’ recording director, received an emotional call today from his wife. She is not doing well but fears going to the hospital for what might come to pass if she goes.

The trouble surfaced exactly the way it did on the home front with Isidro’s (Carlos’ recording partner) family two weeks ago: They left home to begin work and the next day received a distress call.

Regarding the recording of Q’eqchí New Testament for the Catholic church, Carlos and Isidro continue to face difficulties with ambient noise. Adjacent construction noise from the masons continues, although they had been led to believe it would end last week. Alternative recording locations don’t seem to be available.

Please be in prayer for Carlos’ wife and for the team’s recording work. James 1:2-8 may be a good meditation for them and Colossians 4:1-4, especially verse 4. May it be clear!

During absence recording Scriptures, boy falls ill

I visited the home of one of Viña’s Scripture-recording technicians yesterday and heard some disconcerting news.

Two weeks ago, the day after Isidro and Carlos left for Cobán to begin recording the Mayan Q’eqchí-language New Testament, Isidro’s wife faced a health emergency at home. For reasons unknown to them, their baby boy, Juanito, who is about 14 or 15 months old, went unconscious for a half hour. (This picture shows the baby’s hammock, hanging next to the kitchen stove. Juanito is sleeping under the blankets.)

Isidro and his wife live next door to Isidro’s parents and several other relatives, but at the time she was home alone. Everyone had gone to one of the many weekly church services. Isidro’s wife called him in Cobán, but he could not do anything as he was about 8 hours away by bus. Sometime later, she was able to get the boy to a doctor, but the doctor could not find anything wrong other than a slight fever.

Juanito has had a number of health problems, and still cannot sit up or walk. He also appears to have some eye problems. Praise God, they passed through this recent test and Juanito has been fine since.

Please pray for this family, for the Lord’s protection against any attacks while Carlos and Isidro are away. They returned home this weekend for their first visit back, and left again this morning to resume the work. Being separated for six to eight weeks (with weekend visits home every other week) puts a strain on the families, and even worse when there are emergencies such as this. Viña’s staff here said such events are not uncommon when they go to record the Scriptures.

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The kitchen stove, by the way, is called an ONIL stove. These much more efficient and safer than most Guatemalan wood-burning stoves, using less wood, saving trips to fetch firewood and preventing burns from children falling into the fire. The link I have included explains more and allows you to donate a stove.

Schoolchildren enter studio, record jingle

Local schoolchildren entered the studio this week to record a radio jingle for a local business, promoting savings accounts for children.

Viña Studios contracted with the local business to write and record the advertisement, an occasional sideline enterprise that helps us pay the bills around here.

The children attend Colegio Nuevo Dia, a primary school run by José’s wife. The schoolchildren seemed quite excited to have their voices recorded, patiently waiting their turn to sing in


groups before the microphone. Little errors required them to sing the song many, many times, but the children forged ahead good-naturedly.

Here are some photos of the kids singing as José directs them, and a lower quality version of the song they recorded.

Q’eqchí Scripture recording progresses well

This past week, Carlos and Isidro — Viña Studios’ dynamic duo for dramatic indigenous Scripture recordings — tackled another New Testament recording project, this among the Q’eqchí in Cobán.

The work is intense, requiring long hours, concentration, patience and a sense of humor. Click here to read about Viña’s Scripture recording process and its challenges.

Viña has recorded more than 25 audio New Testaments, but this will be the first time Viña has collaborated with the Catholic church directly on a recording project. In the past, Catholic priests have been some of the best advocates promoting and using the audio Scriptures.

Last week, we received reports of delays and difficulties: The rural village where they set up a temporary studio sits next to a construction project. The masons at work were so noisy the team was only able to record in peace for two to three hours a day.

This morning, however, we received good news: The recording has progressed rapidly in recent days. They have already finished 20 percent of the New Testament. The acceleration is likely due to the Q’eqchís fame for literacy, skill at reading and generally embracing their heart language. Carlos and Isidro are also hard workers, willing to put in long hours to finish their work.

Carlos and Isidro will likely be working in Cobán for another five to seven weeks with only a couple of visits home to see their wives and young children. Cobán is about six or seven hours journey from here by bus. They’re due for a visit home this Saturday, according to Carlos’ wife who we happened to see today in the park with their three boys.

Please pray for the work, for a spirit of unity, grace and understanding among all those collaborating on the project. Also please pray for their safety on the roads.

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Indigenous Geography: National Museum of the American Indian has several nice pages with interesting stories on the Q’eqchís and photos, especially on the family and community. The page on origins is interesting and comes from the Mayan Popul Vuh book, but it’s not unique to the Q’eqchís but the historical myth of origins for all Mayans, I believe.

The photo I added shows Mayans from Alta Verapaz getting ready to hop aboard the back of a pickup — a minibus of sorts.

Lynching averted in Panajachel

UPDATE from Dec. 8, 2009: One man was lynched in Panajachel, Dec. 5, 2009, and three female alleged accomplices had to be rescued by police helicopter.

Thanks for your prayers for the situation in Panajachel yesterday. The police managed to rescue the alleged crook from a crowd of about 200 people, who were threatening to lynch the man. The people say they are tired of crimes going unpunished. Please continue to pray for the authorities here (I Timothy 2:1-8). Thanks!

Prayer Closet — a page for requests

Updated Thursday afternoon, November 20, 2008:


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Welcome to the Prayer Closet for my blog. Prayer is the base of one's relationship with God, and the fuel for my ministry and work at Viña Studios. I really appreciate those who visit this page and who lift up these requests for prayer, whether personal requests, requests for Viña or for Guatemala as a whole. Thank you very much and may the Lord bless your labor on behalf of His kingdom!

Good teaching resources on prayer:

“Prayer: The work of missions” by John Piper. A good article on adopting a wartime mentality, remembering God’s sovereignty and acknowledging and pleading for his purposes to be fulfilled.

“A Call to Prayer” by J.C. Ryle. According to the late British bishop, private prayer is the most neglected of all Christian duties. To stir his readers to the practice and privilege of private prayer. Ryle points out the blessings of prayer and grave dangers of prayerlessness. This excellent 32-page booklet is available from Cumberland Valley Bible Book Service for $1.50, plus postage.


Viña’s requests:

1. June 20: For Viña's staff, some requests regarding spiritual development and fruit (Gal. 5:22-23).

Holiness— that we may live as lights for the glory of Jesus Christ (Matt. 5:14-16; 6:22-23; Phil 2:15).
Unity — that we may not be divided (Eph. 4:3-6; Php. 2:1-13).
Righteousness — that we may not fall into temptation or worldliness (I John 2:15-17; Jude 4,11-13,16-19).
Love — that the love of Jesus Christ may rule our lives (I John 4:7-11; John 15:9-17).
Humility — that the sin of pride may have no place among us (James 4:4-10). Repentance & brokenness — that God would be our strength, nothing of ourselves (Psalm 51:16-17; Psalm 34:18).
Wisdom & discernment — that we would walk in the fear of the Lord, rightly understanding God's will, not living as fools (Eph. 5:17-20; II Tim. 2:15; Prov. 2:1-11)
Grace — that we would grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord (II Pet. 3:18)

2. Nov. 20. Viña's staff will be planning its goals and objectives for the coming year. Please be in prayer for each person to wisely evaluate their role and their hopes for their department. Ask God to use Viña's ministry tools and services to help the Guatemalan church grow and mature in the grace of Christ.

3. Nov. 20. Sarah and Marcia at Viña Studios ask prayer for wisdom and discernment as they prepare the Deditos finger-puppet scripts and Sunday school lessons that accompany each video. Please pray they would strike the right balance between teaching important biblical lessons and making them clear and understandable for children and easily tranferrable to Mayan cultures. Lord willing, the teaching videos will be translated and dubbed into Guatemala's 21 Mayan languages.

4. Nov. 20. Sarah asks prayer for a seminar she will give Jan. 7 in Oaxaca for indigenous Bible translators, interested in translating and dubbing the Deditos Bible story videos into some of Mexico's indigenous languages. A group of about eight or so have already expressed interest in attending.

5. Oct. 3: Audio Scripture promotion: Ten Sololá area radio stations now have the Kaqchikel audio New Testament. Praise God, they are following up on their promises to play them. Brother Isidro and I had a great day Saturday visiting stations, checking up on progress and deliver each station a printed Kaqchikel Bible as a sign of gratitude for their cooperation.

Please pray that God would work in the hearts of those who hear the Word, that it would provoke faith and deepen their understanding and love of God. Viña recorded the audio Scriptures in Western Kaqchikel more than 10 years ago, and many people don't even know it exists, nor that the New Testament has been translated into their own language and available in print since 1996.

6. Oct 3. Isidro and his wife could use prayers for their boy, Juanito. Juanito, who is about 18 or 20 months old, has been suffering convulsions off and on for a year or so. Isidro is a Kaqchikel recording technician here at Viña Studios; he has worked recording more than 20 New Testaments in Central America.

7. Updated Nov. 20: Renzo, our Viña Studios co-worker, who suffered a head injury in an April 19 bus accident, suffered a setback and could not return to work at the beginning of November as planned. Please pray for his improvement and possible return at the beginning of December.

Renzo had been regaining strength at home in the months since his April 19 accident aboard a bus. His girlfriend, Ema, had been helping him while she was here in Guatemala. She returned to Boston in August to resume her university studies.

Earlier, doctors in Guatemala City told Renzo that a gap remains in his skull where he suffered a terrible blow in the bus accident. Doctors plan to fill the gap, inserting a metal plate sometime in the future. His healing and recovery have taken much longer than he ever envisioned, attempting to return to work just three weeks after the accident.

Doctors have ordered Renzo to continue to rest and recuperate at home until he is ready to return. Please pray for the Lord’s hand on his life.

8. Development and funding for Viña’s finger-puppet videos, that they may bless and edify the children in Guatemala’s churches. We began filming a new episode, "Moses III — In the Desert," last month.

9. The families of two people who were lynched in May by community members here in Sololá. I’ve heard they feel a deep sense of sadness, shame, confusion and loss.

10. June 27: A neighbor of one of our staff members now finds herself widowed. Several days ago, a family from the coast hired her husband, a local truck driver, to move their belongings from the coast to a city about an hour from here in the mountains. What they didn't tell him is that they had received death threats. Criminals confronted them at some point and executed the driver and the family, minus the father who hid himself. The man's widow now must care for their two young daughters alone. Please pray for this broken family.

Personal requests:

1. Nov. 20: Wisdom regarding the next steps I will take regarding a return to Guatemala. Lord willing, I'd love to return and continue working at Viña Studios, but quite a few things would have to fall in place to make that happen. With the U.S. economy recessing and napping, it'll be interesting to see how things come together.

2. Wisdom, discernment and discipline to know which job to tackle when and to see it through to completion in good order.

3. My project researching and writing a video script on the Reina-Valera Spanish Bible translation is coming along. Please pray for wisdom and that it would bless the church here in Guatemala.

General requests for Guatemala:

1. Guatemala’s authorities (I Tim. 2:1-8): for courage, wisdom and to act with honor and justice.

2. Peace and tranquility for the people, confidence in authorities, an end to lynchings.

3. Growth in grace and knowledge of God in the Mayan body of Christ in Guatemala. One study found just 12 percent of Guatemalan evangelicals could be considered biblically Christian.

4. Societal transformation: An increase in godliness, righteous living, faith, dependence on God; an end to gangs, violence, lynchings, bribery.

5. Unity among the churches, a bond of love and an end to envy.

6. For the Gospel to be proclaimed with wisdom and boldness across Guatemala in the heart language of every person.

Praises and a look back ...

Oct. 18: Viña's Scripture recording team finished its work in Joyabáj, among the Kiché Mayan speakers. I was amazed they were able to finish as quickly as they did, considering all the difficulties. Thanks for praying!

Oct. 9: The relatives of two friends were kidnapped and released. Praise God they weren't badly injured. Unfortunately, I'm learning that many Guatemalans don't trust the police because crooks may have bribed one of them. Criminal networks are flourishing in the dark without authorities knowing or being involved in the response. Eventually, a community may rise up and say enough is enough as happened here earlier this year, when townspeople burned the homes of a criminal network.

September: The "inquiry" into what happened with Flavio’s bank account — examining how people managed to forge his signature on stolen checks and practically empty his bank account — has concluded with unfortunate results. Turns out the law protects banks who process forged checks. Hmmmm. Then why conduct an inquiry? Flavio has given up battling with his bank.


August 22: Rick McArthur’s tennis elbow has healed up. It had been bothering him for a couple of months, impeding his work. A doctor’s evaluation found carpel tunnel syndrome, resulting in new medication.

August 22: Isidro's boy, Juanito is doing better lately and continues to travel to a nearby town twice a week for therapy sessions. Isidro told me today that Juanito seems much more full of life lately, even attempting to stand up. Juanito is now about a year and a half old and has developmental issues with his hearing and vision as well. He was hospitalized July 2 with fevers and convulsions. Please pray for Juanito's continued improvement and good health.

The recent work team from a St. Louis church helped renovate and improve Isidro's and Carlos' homes. This really blessed and encouraged them.

Isidro's boy, Juanito, was hospitalized July 2 with fevers and convulsions. Please pray for Juanito's continued improvement and good health.

August 4: My trip to Guatemala City to fetch my passport and then to Mexico and back to renew my visa went fine, not hitches, no problems, praise God! I always feel a bit uneasy going to the Guatemalan capital with so much gang violence and so forth. And I hadn't been to Mexico by bus before, so that was very nice to have a quiet trip without "excitement." Thanks for praying.

July 18: The Viña employee whose sister suffers from epileptic seizures reports that she is home now and doing better, taking her medications. She feels some reluctance, however, to attend church where she may experience a seizure and suffer ridicule from others, especially young people. She began having a very difficult time around June 23. This sister suffered two traumatic events in the past; recently, she exhibited tremendous strength fighting off family members' efforts to restrain her. Thanks for remembering this young woman.

July 18: During the week from July 9 to 12 while hosting the St. Louis work team, I helped lead a group at Isidro's house. Although I was quite sick going into the week and during the week, the Lord blessed our efforts and our work went well. I felt much better by the end. Must have been the Mayan specialty, pulik, that they fed us for lunch! Thanks for praying!

June 25: This afternoon, Rick McArthur called a meeting with all of Viña's staff in which he imparted the vision for our work here, beginning with biblical, linguistic and anthropological history of the church and its spread. He noted how God has used different means at different times and how we are part of a larger work to reach a largely oral people through oral means in the language of their heart. He challenged us not to look at our work only as a "job" but part of a larger work, which God is doing. In one example, he shared a story from a ministry partner, Faith Comes By Hearing, also known as Hosanna, which sponsors Viña's audio Scripture recordings: In the beginning Hosanna only recorded the Scriptures in America, charging only one penny more than its production costs. Later, God used a variety of events to expand Hosanna's vision, expanding its vision to record the Scriptures in every language in the world. Several employees commented how much they appreciated the presentation.

June 17 Carmen, the sister of Flavio's girlfriend, passed away June 17 evening from injuries suffered in a hit-and-run accident. (Flavio is Viña’s videographer.) Please pray for the families involved to find peace and rest in Jesus.

June 17. My dad fell off a ladder June 13 while working on a volunteer project. He got a concussion when his head hit the ground. He has no memory of it, but hospital doctors said when they asked him who the president is, he answered, "Well, I know it's not Jimmy Carter." My mom said she was thinking as she drove to the hospital, "I'm not ready to be a widow yet." Praise God, he seems to be fine; please pray for no long-term ill effects.

June 11 request: Answer: Carlos and Isidro, Viña’s Scripture-recording tandem, were encountering problems with their work in Cobán recording the Q’eqchí New Testament, noting some differences between the printed Bible and the electronic Scripture text which actors read from. They finished their work there June 16, and returned with an encouraging story of the power of God's word to reach the heart of a key reader for the audio Scriptures.

May 30 request: Answer: Rick & Carol McArthur returned last weekend (of June 14, 15) to Guatemala after a quick trip home visiting family and friends, including Rick’s parents, Harry & Lucille McArthur, who translated the Mayan Aguateco New Testament. Rick is Viña’s chairman of the board of directors; he reports that their trip went well.

May 20 request: Answer: Police intervened, rescued man from crowd of 200. Urgent request: Within the last hour, radio news reported that townspeople down the hill in Panajachel have captured a Salvadorean man known to assault people. They are threatening to lynch him and repeat last week’s news.

Pastor speaks against lynching, vigilantism

UPDATE: Recent lynchings (Dec. 5, 2009) in Panajachel and (Nov. 27, 2009) in Sololá have highlighted Guatemala's problematic violence as well as the failings of the justice system and lack of public confidence.


Pastor Marco spoke Sunday against the vigilante spirit that seems to be sweeping Sololá, urging his congregation not to participate in lynchings and vigilantism.

Sololatecos burned and killed two alleged thieves last week, and killed another the prior week. At least one of the men was a known criminal, incarcerated 51 times.

If someone says, “Burn him, burn him,” the pastor said, don’t have anything to do with it. The pastor said he did not intend to judge whether the men deserved to be found guilty of their crimes. That’s up to the courts and God. The country has laws which must be followed, he said. One law should not be broken to enforce another.

Followers of Jesus Christ ought to live as lights, exhibiting grace and mercy, not taking the law into their own hands, he said. Paul urged us to pray for authorities and not to avenge ourselves. Jesus pardoned a repentant thief who hung on the cross next to him.

I appreciated the pastor’s remarks. I have been struggling with my response to Guatemalans rising up to crush lawbreakers in their midst. On the one hand, the part of me which longs for peace and security can appreciate efforts in that direction — only they go too far. Since the authorities are apparently incapable or unwilling to maintain order, at least the townspeople are attempting it. But the problem is, who’s next, and what of leaving place for God’s wrath?

During our morning devotional Monday, Viña employees mentioned that pastors and other Christians have visited the grandmother and father of one of last week’s victims. The family has struggled with feelings of vengeance and the father asked for prayer. Please remember them.

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John Piper has an excellent sermon on Romans 12:16-20, “Do Not Avenge Yourselves, But Give Place to Wrath.” It’s worth a read or a listen.

Renzo ordered home for another month’s rest

Renzo’s quick return to work shifted gears last week after doctors at Guatemala’s worker’s compensation program evaluated him and ordered him to return home and rest for at least another month.

As Viña Studios’ administrative coordinator and radio voice, Renzo had hoped to return quickly from his April 19 accident. He came to work last Monday, just three weeks after a heavy blow in a nasty traffic accident partially crushed his skull on the left side. Viña’s staff happily welcomed him back to work, but by that evening he was exhausted. He worked a half day Tuesday before going home with his father.

I visited Renzo on Sunday afternoon, and he looks much better and seems to be well on his way to recovery. But his injury was so serious that state doctors — upon seeing X-rays of his skull — almost automatically ordered him home for another month, saying more may be required.

Renzo showed me the X-rays and medical evaluations. It was sobering to see where a piece of his skull was broken and pushed inward, and to be sitting next to him, talking with him.

It’s difficult and humbling to realize just how weak and frail we are. Sometimes we don’t realize how badly we’ve been injured until we try to resume our former activities.

“As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.

“But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children, to such as keep His covenant, and to those who remember His commandments to do them,” Psalm 103:15-18.

Interestingly enough, Renzo said he doesn’t remember anything from his accident. He said he called his fianceé in America from Quetzaltenango, where he was attending a class, and he was trying to decide which bus to board for the trip home. The next thing he remembered was waking up in the hospital.

Renzo is looking forward to seeing his fianceé, Ema, on Tuesday, as she will return home from Boston, where she is studying international relations.

Renzo will be reevaluated on June 13. Please pray for his recovery, to regain strength and for God’s blessing on his life.

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I included some photos of Renzo at his parents’ house, where he is convalescing, and a photo from last year when he was in better health, working in Cobán on a project for Viña.

Lynchings continue, move of prayer needed

SOLOLÁ — Walking through the market Thursday afternoon, nothing seemed amiss, but the relative peace belied the morning’s violence.

Only hours earlier, townspeople had seized and killed two suspected thieves in the market, beating them and dragging them down the hill to the cemetery where they set them on fire. One survived for a while in the hospital, but he died later the same day.

When I attempted and failed to buy a newspaper from the central park vendor this morning, a mob of people was surrounding him, pushing, shoving and reaching for a paper. Within minutes, he had sold out. Everyone was eager to see the photos and read about their notorious actions of the prior day.

Less than two weeks ago, townspeople here beat a suspected kidnapper to death. Several versions of that story surfaced, leading me to wonder whether they got the right guy.

I was out of town during yesterday’s disturbance, traveling to Guatemala City to renew my visa. On Wednesday, folks in a town along the route to the capital killed another man, a suspected thief, beating and dragging him through the streets.

So far this year, there have been 33 so-called lynchings in Guatemala, 16 in the last month. People don’t trust the authorities here. Maybe I should underline that sentence. Right or wrong, the mob administers justice here with impunity, and the sad statistic continues unchanged: Just 3 percent of murders are solved.

The news is troubling. Did they get what they deserve? Have I gotten what I deserve? God is rich in mercy and slow to anger, but he does not hold his anger back forever.

The Apostle Paul wrote Timothy that followers of Jesus Christ ought to pray and give thanks for all men, beginning with those who are in authority “that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence,” I Timothy 2:1,2.

It seems to me, those prayers should continue even when leaders fail us with ineptitude, incompetence, malfeasance or worse. I remember when George W. Bush became president, many evangelicals felt a surge of hopefulness, and many signed up for the so-called “Presidential Prayer Team.”

I wonder what would happen if people would put Paul’s admonition into practice? What if believers across Guatemala, the U.S. and elsewhere began to pray for their countries, for their weak, failing, troubled authorities and for the advance of God’s kingdom?

I hope and pray a prayer movement begins in the churches. The Scriptures say God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth,” and Paul calls on men to “pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting,” I Tim. 2:4,8. Why don’t we pray? Perhaps we doubt the power of God or his willingness to hear our prayers. Thanks be to God, Jesus tore the door wide, giving us entrance into God’s presence, Hebrews 10:19-24. Draw near to the Prince of Peace!

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The Prensa Libre version of events indicates just one man died, but TV news last evening reported that the second died later.

Mayans ‘hear’ oral Bible, struggle reading text

NEBAJ — Ringed by the Cuchamatanes Mountains in a fertile valley, four Guatemalans listen intently to a halting voice, stopping and starting, starting and stopping, behind sound-deafening blankets.

Within a year, thousands of Ixil (pronounced “ee-SHEEL”) Mayans may hear that voice reading Paul’s letter to the Corinthians in their mother tongue. But only by digitally piecing together fragments of perfectly read passages, will the recording mask the “Apostle Paul’s” troubled tripping tongue.

Nebaj’s Ixil have waited decades to have the Word of God in their own language. Raymund and Helen Elliott began the translation in 1952. Interrupted by personnel changes and a brutal 36-year civil war, which deeply affected the so-called “Ixil Triangle,” the translation advanced in fits and starts, involving a series of linguists. The government’s strong-fisted response to the guerillas devastated many area villages, in some cases nearly wiping out the population. Finally, in 2007, a team of Ixil pastors and Wycliffe Bible translators finished the New Testament.

“¿Kam ka'an viyak'il u kamchile' q'i uve' ni yatz'on unq'a tename'? ti'k u yole',” reads the Ixil apostle. (“Where is thy sting, oh death, and where is thy victory, oh grave?”)

Indeed. Unless they hear it, Ixil Mayans may not know the sweetness of God’s word, reaching and transforming their hearts, avoiding death’s sting. SIL International estimates just 5 percent of Guatemala’s Mayans can read their mother tongue. A printed Bible does little good for most.

As often happens during their work, the recording stalls when a reader — inexperienced at reading his own language — stumbles over the highly glottalized, complex Mayan sentences. (Listen to a sample of Viña’s New Testament recording of the nearby Cotzal Ixil dialect.) Mayans have such troubles reading, that some Guatemalans question the validity of indigenous translations.

“Once again,” says Izidro, Viña’s recording technician, in Spanish, “Recording...”

“Uno, dos, tres ...,” says the “Apostle Paul,” before continuing to read, “Tan a' u paave' ni aq'on ...”

So few Mayans can read Mayan that finding 25 readers for each dramatized recording routinely challenges Viña’s sound technicians. “They can’t read (their language),” says Carlos, Viña Studios recording director. “There’s no doubt. They can’t read it. That’s the problem we find in the majority of places.”

The difficulties implicitly demonstrate how valuable a perfectly read audio version of the Scriptures can be for indigenous Mayans. After his printed translations received a cold reception, Jim Butler, the late Bible translator, discovered Tzutujil Mayans eagerly listened to his recorded translations. Butler came to view audio Scriptures as vital for the oral Mayan culture. “Whether they read it or not, at least this generation is going to hear it," he said.

Indeed, audio Scriptures can provide a bridge to an oral culture, to those who have yet to, or may never, learn to read and write their mother tongue. Countless Mayans have testified that they prefer hearing the Word in their mother tongue instead of Spanish, but to record it Viña must find at least a few good readers and exercise patience with those who struggle.

In view of the literacy woes, some Ixil Mayans have questioned the translation process, saying as much to Bruno Viallatoro Lopéz, pastor of the Church of God in Nebaj. “Why are they putting the Bible into Ixil,” Bruno says they asked him, “if it’s easier to read the Castellano (Spanish)?” Bruno says he once asked some Ixil schoolteachers, members of his church, to coach him in reading Ixil accurately. “Ah, brother, it’s difficult to read,” they answered. “And they are Ixils!” he added.

As the mother tongue for the vast majority of Nebaj’s residents, Mayan Ixil remains the dominant means of oral communication, but when it comes to reading, Spanish is easier for many, Viallatoro says.

As Guatemala’s national language, Spanish enjoys an overwhelming advantage. Nearly half of Guatemala’s population speaks one of 21 Mayan languages as their mother tongue, but Spanish basks in higher prestige within the spheres of government, education, business and, in most cases, religion.

Its edge in literacy, however, may not translate into an advantage in comprehension. Studies and anecdotal evidence have shown indigenous language speakers still prefer to communicate truth orally, not through print media. Testimonies indicate indigenous-language Scripture recordings often bring greater understanding and “flavor” even for many bilingual speakers.

“Spanish is difficult for the people to master grammatically,” said Jordán Xec, a Kaqchiquel Mayan of Patzún, Guatemala, who played the role of “King David” for the Central Kaqchiquel recording of the Psalms. “Sure, we speak Spanish, but nonetheless there are things in the Bible whose content is difficult to understand.

“According to opinions from my people — I’ve done interviews — the mother tongue is what people understand more clearly because they hear it in their own language,” Xec said. “It has more flavor.”

When the tongue of the Ixil “Apostle Paul” trips over his text, he’s not alone in Nebaj — or anywhere else Viña goes to record the Word of God.

Luke the physician, John the evangelist, Mary, Jesus, the apostles — virtually all the Ixil biblical figures — get tongue-tied when trying to read their language.

The trouble proved the same in Patzún, when Viña traveled there to record the Central Kaqchiquel Scriptures.

“It’s difficult to read,” said Rosa, a Kaqchiquel mother of seven. “We speak Kaqchiquel, but at the moment we read it, we get confused.”

Misreading the text and leaving out a glottalized implosive – a sudden inward burst of air — can create confusion. If the reader’s eye misses a small accent mark, representing glottalization, mistakes ensue. As an example, misreading the Kaqchiquel word, “k'ak',” instead of “kak',” the listener would hear “our language” instead of “fire.” Viña’s recording technicians wear headphones when recording, enabling them to catch slight errors.

Novice readers focusing on their mechanics instead of reading for meaning often err because of their nervousness or inexperience reading.

Each time Viña prepares for a recording project, its staff must scout local talent. Carlos, Viña’s recording director, usually arrives one month before the recording begins, examining local voice talent and submitting them to reading tests.

“In rare cases we find some who can read (well),” Carlos says. “Usually it’s those who have worked with the translation.”

Once the recording project begins, some potential readers drop out.

“They had to go because we were losing time,” Carlos says.

Other prospective readers doubt their abilities, encounter work or family problems and miss appointments or resign. Such delays can extend the recording project days or weeks.

Out of 25 people in Nebaj who volunteered to read, just 15 passed muster or showed up on schedule.To compensate, the recording team had to assign more personalities’ voices to fewer people.

Except for a weekend trips home every other week, Viña’s recording technicians labored far from their families, working long days with native Ixil Mayans in this remote mountain town. Occasionally, they also worked Sundays because that was the only day some readers were available.

Patience is a necessity when recording for the dramatized reading. Readers often struggle with nervousness at being recorded. During a past recording, one man had such problems Viña’s crew decided to use deception. Carlos had noticed the man relaxed as he practiced so he told the man to simply practice the phrase when in reality they “rolled the tape,” recording him. They did this a number of times, till he got over his nervousness.

Readers often require coaching to use a natural voice, showing the emotion and drama of the text. When Jesus commands Lazarus to come out of the grave, for example, the Ixil reader read in a normal voice. “No,” Carlos says, “You must say, ‘Lazarus! Come out!’ ”

Disturbances frequently shut down the recording process. Sometimes, it’s the racket from a diesel-powered corn grinder, fireworks from a celebrating Guatemalan or a large truck passing by.

In Nebaj, high-amped, exuberant worship services at 4 p.m. each day at a nearby Pentecostal church forced the recording team to shut down for an hour. The disturbance gave the men, who are in their 20s and 30s, a chance to burn off energy Latin style: by playing soccer in an adjacent field. “Paul,” “Peter” and several other biblical figures worked up a sweat with Viña employees amidst much light-hearted laughter.

Recording God’s word for indigenous people to hear in their mother tongue remains a laborious process, but the result is a message of good news in a clear, understandable language.

“Definitely,” says Carlos, Viña’s head recording technician. “Although the people can’t read, they can listen in their own language. The woman cooking in the kitchen can listen to the New Testament. The man working in the field can listen to the New Testament on the radio.”

On August 12, 2008 the New Testament for the Ixil of Nebaj will be dedicated and available for purchase. Perhaps more significantly, the recorded oral version should be available some months later for the Ixil believers to hear God’s word in the language of their heart.

*****


View more photos from Nebaj. This set has a political agenda, but the shots of the people and scenery are excellent.

Renzo returns to work, may need more rest

Renzo returned to work Monday, receiving a warm welcome back by Viña Studios’ staff. He appeared to be recuperating remarkably well, but he will probably require much more rest before he can resume normal duties.

When he attempted to return for work this morning, he looked a bit pale, tired and unsteady on his feet, even saying as much. He left before noon, when his father came to Viña’s offices to take him home. I’m afraid he overexerted himself yesterday.

Renzo was injured on April 19 on a bus, when a heavy construction loader crashed into the rear of the bus. The loader’s scoop apparently made impact with his head, cracking his skull and causing a depression. Two surgeries and more than 30 stitches repaired the damage.

Guatemala’s workers’ compensation system set a short timetable for his return to work. Viña’s staff is working now to try to have it extended.

Renzo’s hair is growing over the long scar on the left side of his head from his accident three weeks ago. Renzo works in administration and studio recording. He has a background in radio, and has an excellent radio voice.

Please continue to pray for Renzo's recovery. I suspect he may need a couple more weeks of rest before he really feels like working a regular schedule.

(In the photos, Renzo, seated, shares a laugh with Edgar, Viña's operations manager, and Matt, a volunteer with SIL International at Viña. In the second, he and Edgar go over some receipts.)

*******

Plenty of other comings and goings are keeping Viña a hopping place.

Matt and Marcia, who help with administration and Scripture-use projects, returned from a brief visit to the states.

Aaron Appleton, a young college graduate from Greenville College, finished his year of volunteer service and flies home tomorrow. His farewell party, of course, called for a bit of wrestling, which you can see here. Aaron is a musician, audio technician and a very easy going young guy. His work helping set up a recording studio as well as record a number of songs in Belize was apparently very much appreciated, nearly winning him several offers of marriage by appreciative ladies.

Kay, a new volunteer to Viña, arrived last week for several months to help compile a catalog of Viña’s ministry products. I also moved to a new place somewhat more remote than before. More about that later.

My blog has looked neglected lately, for which some may have breathed a sigh of relief. I spent the past week in Guatemala City at Rick and Carol McArthur’s, working and planning future projects for Viña. We had a good week together, and I really enjoyed eating their delicious breads and familiar foods. This evening, in fact, I got to enjoy some more as Matt and Marcia invited me to join them for dinner on the spur of the moment.

I’m realizing that no matter how much I think I’ve adjusted to Guatemala, it’s not my home ... and neither is Oregon (Hebrews 11:13-16). May God grant his people hearts that yearn for their heavenly home with him.

Here comes the bride, Guatemalan style

I was supposed move out of my apartment today for a lady who’s coming, but after my friend Chepe called me three times in less than an hour this morning, I realized he really wanted me to attend a wedding at his church.

And why not? I’ve got a good set of earplugs. So nevermind packing. Off I went, ready for the audio onslaught of the evangelical Guatemalan church. It was my first wedding here and hopefully not the last.

The festivities began promptly sometime after 10:30 a.m., more than an hour later than advertised. As tradition requires, pine needles
covered the aisle for the bride and groom to trod. As the band played and the music leader shouted into the microphone, giving a play by play, the bridesmaids and groomsmen marched in, pausing every couple steps as the boys spun the girls in a pirouette. At assigned points in the aisle, the couples paused and held up flower-draped hoops. Cute little children in white dresses and suits passed under the hoops bearing a Bible, white flower petals, heart-shaped pillows and rings, then the families and the blessed couple. The bride’s train was so long, four little girls followed her keeping it aloft.

The booming music team played many popular worship songs, although none seemed designed for a wedding. I was glad to have remembered my earplugs. Chepe’s youngest daughter plugged her ears.

The pastor preached on Jesus’ command to love one another, based on John 15:11,12 and Ephesians 5:2. He described the phases of a relationship, urging the couple to let love rule their home. Much of the sermon seemed directed at the groom, urging him to care for his wife, provide for her (I Tim. 5:8) and not hit her. He also emphasized the greatest commandment: to love God with all one’s heart, soul, mind and strength.

I can’t remember a more Scripturally based wedding sermon. It made my heart happy to hear a pastor, honor God's institution of marriage and calling the audience to honor God in our relationships. Afterward, it was time for grateful speeches from the groom, the bride and select family members.

As soon as people began departing, a number of audience members started reaching for decorations on the wall. Apparently, this sort of free-for-all is acceptable. Instead of a limo to whisk the happy couple away, a small white car led them and everyone else on foot through the town streets and down the hill a good half-mile or more to a reception at the groom’s parents’ home. I felt conspicuous walking in the middle of the street as traffic backed up behind us, but I was in good company. At various points along the way, friends lit long strings of firecrackers, enveloping the crowd in smoke. Firecrackers are obligatory at any Guatemalan celebration.

Once we got to a straight stretch, the crowd moved to one lane, and politely honking traffic managed to squeeze by. Chepe & I got a big surprise when Renzo, Viña Studios’ injured employee, greeted us from a minibus. We stopped traffic to greet him and ask how he’s doing. He looked better and happier than I would have believed possible, telling us he got his stitches out today. He hopes to be back to work soon.

At the groom’s parents’ home, it was nearly impossible to find seats, but somehow Chepe managed. We enjoyed cornmeal tamales with a piece of beef in tomato sauce with rice and a vegie salad. I had been hoping for some pupusas since the bride is from El Salvador, but the tasty meal did not disappoint. It was a blessed day.

Francisco & Glendy, may God bless your marriage and lives together.

Garifunas visit Viña, dub 'The Hope' video

A lively Caribbean group arrived recently at Viña Studios to record the voices for an adaptation of “The Hope,” an evangelistic biblical panorama.

Four Garifunas of African heritage and Marilyn Reeck, a Canadian linguist with SIL International, visited us from La Ceiba, Honduras for a week of studio work. Each one read and recorded their parts for the Garifuna-language adaptation of the movie.

“The Hope,” an 80-minute movie by Mars Hill Productions, tells of God’s redemptive story from Genesis to Revelation, building a foundation for a biblical worldview, using oral storytelling means aimed to communicate clearly to post-modernists as well as pagan tribes.

Beginning with universal questions of purpose, “The Hope” video introduces God’s work in creation, man’s fall, God’s promise to deliver and his calling of a people to himself. It culminates with Jesus’ advent, devoting roughly half of the movie to Christ’s life, work, death and resurrection — the hope for all people — as well as the Spirit’s advent and work among the early church.

The video is divided into 12 chapters or 36 “events” which can be viewed at once together or individually for further discussion and study.

“The Hope” has been adapted into 21 different languages already (three by Viña: Garifuna, Mayan Q’eqchí and Mayan Uspanteco), and 22 more are in various stages of production.

The Garifuna Christians from La Ceiba worked long hours in the studio with Viña’s recording technicians for a week, recording, editing and checking their work. Here's a brief video taken on my digital camera as the team finished its work, listening carefully for any errors.

(Note: For some reason the drop-down menus on Mars Hill Productions’ website about “The Hope” gave me trouble when using the Firefox Internet browser. They worked fine, however, using Apple’s Safari. So if you have Safari, give it a whirl.)

Viña bids ‘adios’ to long-time volunteer

We bid farewell to Karen yesterday at Viña Studios. A long-time volunteer at Viña, Karen arrived about five years ago to help in the area of ethnomusicology, using her skills as a pianist and a guitarist to teach songwriting and musical concepts to rural Mayan followers of Jesus Christ, encouraging them to write original worship songs to God in their own language.

Karen was instrumental in helping develop the “Deditos” finger-puppet video project, writing rough video scripts, coordinating the 10-step script review process, helping design sets, even enlisting her mother’s help in North America to acquire fabrics for the sets. She also taught at a Christian school in Guatemala City.

During a farewell party yesterday, several employees spoke, thanking Karen for her years of service. Rick, Viña’s chairman of the board of directors, and Jose, Viña’s creative director, prayed for her. Afterward, we enjoyed chicken sandwiches from Pollo Campero, Guatemala’s version of KFC, and a delicious cake from Holandesa.

When she returns home to Southern California, Karen plans to pursue teaching opportunities. Karen, thanks for your contributions to Viña and to the kingdom of God in Guatemala.