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Well update

Posted by Rachel Chapman on Monday, May 7th, 2012

Over a year ago, we presented the idea of a well to the community for approval and permission.  They wholeheartedly approved as water is a big necessity here.

Then, we told people about the need and God raised over $20,000 for the project in just a few months.

At the same time, we contacted another mission agency to the north who drills wells.  After a bit of dialogue, that fell through.

So, we contacted a private driller on the coast close to us.  We met him through a friend.  Once we had all the money, we contacted him again to work out details and dates for drilling.  When he didn’t respond, my co-worker stopped by his office a few weeks ago and found out that he was no longer working at that job.

So, now with rainy season just a few weeks away, we are communicating with a third driller.  They are an organization farther south in Mexico that works with the government to drill wells in small communities who need clean water.  But, there’s not time before the rains begin and before the roads become impassable to complete the necessary paperwork and get all the equipment up there to drill.

So, at this point, we’re hoping to work it out to drill sometime after the rains end.  Maybe during the winter!  Please pray with us about this need!

Hauling water

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Milo

Posted by Rachel Chapman on Sunday, May 6th, 2012

Milo with his niece

We met Milo in November, when he had moved back into the mountains to his family’s house after working in construction and other jobs for several years in other parts of the country.

He started coming over now and then in the evenings to visit.  One night he asked, “Do you guys know God’s Word?”

We said, “Yes.”  He said that he would like to study the Bible and know more about God.

So, a few weeks ago, my co-worker, Pete began to teach Milo the Bible starting in Genesis 1:1 with who God is.

Milo is an indigenous man, but his parents spoke to him in Spanish growing up.  And, since he has spent time working among mestizos, his Spanish is pretty good.

Please pray for him that he might clearly understand God’s Truth.  Please pray that nothing would hinder him from coming to meet with Pete and study the Bible.

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From Katie: Not straight talking…

Posted by Rachel Chapman on Monday, March 12th, 2012

As we continue to spend hours daily studying the Nahuatl language, it is fun to see things start to take shape and make sense.  Several months ago I had written down “amomelahtaketsaliste” as meaning “a lie.”  We knew that the verb, to talk, is “taketsa” and “amo” means not.  Then, a few weeks ago, while studying some adjectives, we came across the word “melah,” or straight.

Suddenly, it became clear: a lie to the Nahuatl is “not straight talking.”  A perfect example of this kind of conversation comes from a young girl in another village.  She gets on the radio and spreads fear and confusion about what it takes to please God.  She tells the Nahuatl that they must dress in a different kind of clothes, perform certain dances so that it will rain, or stop using modern technology.  If the people fail to comply, they are warned about wild animals that will eat them or bad things that will happen to their family members.  We know that Satan has the Nahuatl trapped by his warped and twisted thinking.  We also know that we have the “straight talk.”

Please pray for God’s protection on the Nahuatl people until they have his truth.

Nahuatl family - father, mother, and most of their kids

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Internet

Posted by Rachel Chapman on Wednesday, December 28th, 2011

Las Moras, 5.5 hours away from civilization, is pretty remote and isolated.  There is no electricity, no running water, no phone service.  Many of our other co-workers in similar situations have used satellite internet for communication with the outside world.  It’s useful to stay in contact with family, consultants, etc.

Aligning the dish to find the satellite

Aligning the dish to find the satellite

In May, Tom & Pete set up our dish, aligned it exactly to the coordinates of the satellite we are registered to, and set up the modem.  In the end we ran into a glitch and couldn’t finalize the set-up. Now, in October, Pete tried once again to set up the system, and once again we are not able to finish the set-up. Please pray for Pete as he works with tech support to be able to get all the bugs worked out.

Meanwhile, we are able to use the teachers’ internet connection provided by the Dept of Education.  Although it is not optimal, it is a blessing to be able to send and receive email once in a while.

The "computer lab"/school kitchen

The "computer lab"/school kitchen

Several times a week we take our laptops with full charge down to the school and check email.  For some reason, our computers don’t always like to work with the connection.  Half of the time my computer either won’t send or won’t receive messages.  Some times, it won’t do either.  The other half of the time, it works and I thank God for the blessing of communication!

Computer lab at one end. Kitchen at the other end. School pantry in between.

Computer lab at one end. Kitchen at the other end. School pantry in between.

Feel free to write to me while I’m in the village.  I might not receive it right away, but after a few tries, I should be able to receive it.  But, please don’t send any large attachments.

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Needed: Clean Water

Posted by Rachel Chapman on Sunday, October 23rd, 2011
We hope to provide clean drinking water for the village and a source of running water for us.

In Las Moras, Mexico, the Nahuatl people have few options for water. Some haul it from a nearby stream where people also bathe and wash laundry. Some haul it from small, dirty springs that are often muddied by livestock. Some gather it from puddles when it rains. None of them have access to clean water, and many suffer from water-borne illnesses like typhoid and dysentery.

When we began working in Las Moras, we immediately identified clean water as one of the community’s critical needs. The remote location, depth and size of the well, and equipment needed to provide clean water placed an early cost estimate at $20,000. We are now earnestly seeking funds with the hope of raising enough money to drill the well in May 2012. The goal is to make clean water available for all the people who live there, including our team.

Would you pray with us that God would provide the money for the well?  Would you also pray that God would use us to show His Love to the community?

Would you like to help finance a well for Las Moras?

Call New Tribes Mission’s Finance Office at 1-866-547-2460 to donate with a credit card.  Specify your gift is for the Mexico Fund – Well Project.

OR, send a check made out to New Tribes Mission to

New Tribes Mission
1000 East First Street
Sanford, Florida 32771

with a note saying it is for “the Mexico Fund – Well Project”

Either way, you will receive a tax-deductible receipt. THANK YOU!

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Water

Posted by Rachel Chapman on Friday, October 14th, 2011

As most of you know, we don’t have running water in Las Moras.  When we bathe, we do it here…

Bathing in the swimming hole.

Bathing in the creek. Can you see Katie waving from the swimming hole?

When we wash clothes, we do it here…

I'm a lot more picky about what is dirty when it means I have to wash it by hand at the creek on the rocks.

I'm a lot more picky about which clothes I consider "dirty" when it means I have to wash them by hand on the rocks at the creek.

Water for drinking and washing dishes is hauled from here…

There's a spigot at the school (white buildings) of water brought to our village by hose from a stream a little ways away. Still has lots of sediment in it. Still contaminated, but maybe not SO contaminated as the village streams.

At the school (white buildings), there's a spigot of water brought to our village by hose from a stream a little ways away. Still has lots of sediment in it. Still contaminated, but maybe not SO contaminated as the village streams.

We bring it in two barrels in the truck…

It takes an hour to fill up both barrels and bring them back to the house.

It takes an hour to fill up both barrels and bring them back to the house.

…then into the house by a 6 gallon container…

One of Josiah's chores is to make sure there is enough water in the house for washing dishes, cooking, and drinking.

One of Josiah's chores is to make sure there is enough water in the house for washing dishes, cooking, and to filter for drinking.

The Nahuatl live more or less the same way.  They bathe and wash clothes in the creek.

A neighbor girl washing some of her family's clothes.

A neighbor girl washing some of her family's clothes.

Some get their water from streams like this one next to the village…

Co-workers contemplating alternate water sources for the village.

Co-workers contemplating alternate water sources for the village. This is at the end of rainy season.

This is a creek by our village in the middle of the dry season.

This is a creek by our village in the middle of the dry season.

Others get their water from seeps like this one.

Seep at the end of the rainy season. Very little water flow.

Seep at the end of the rainy season. Very little water flow.

The water they drink comes to the village by hose from a stream a little ways away.

Box that collects stream water that flows to the village through the lower hose.

Box that collects stream water that flows to the village through the lower hose.

There is no clean source of water in Las Moras.

We have contemplated different options to our problem and sought expert opinions.  The best, long term answer that would assure water even during the driest times is a well.  Some of the difficulties in trying to drill a well are the remoteness of our location, getting the equipment out to our village over the rough roads, and the finances required for this undertaking.

However, unlike the other options, a well would provide clean drinking water for the Nahuatl of Las Moras.

Washing dishes

It would also provide a water source for our houses.  The time we have spent in the past hauling water, washing clothes and ourselves in the creek, and filtering drinking water could be spent with the people learning their language and culture.

The faster we learn their language, the sooner we can share with them God’s Good Truth!

The estimate of drilling a well in our village is $20,000 dollars.  We already received gifts totaling $5,050!! Praise GOD!!

Would you pray with us for God’s provision for our water needs?

Would YOU like to help finance a well for Las Moras?

Call New Tribes Mission’s Finance Office at 1-866-547-2460 to donate with a credit card.  Specify your gift is for the Mexico Fund – Well Project.

OR, send a check made out to New Tribes Mission to

New Tribes Mission
1000 East First Street
Sanford, Florida 32771

with a note saying it is for “the Mexico Fund – Well Project”

Either way, you will receive a tax-deductible receipt. THANK YOU!

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what’s our team up to?

Posted by Rachel Chapman on Friday, April 1st, 2011
L-R: Katie Moore, Me, Tom & Teresa Elkins, Dan & Sarah Alkire and Josiah

L-R: Katie Moore, Me, Tom & Teresa Elkins, Dan & Sarah Alkire and Josiah

Our team has shrunk!  The Davis family has moved back to Northern Mexico to fill a ministry need there, so they are no longer a part of our church-planting team.  We miss them and they leave a hole on our team.  Please pray with us as we trust the Lord to fill that hole with whoever He chooses.

Tom & Teresa continue to be a blessing to our team based in the city.  They make trips out to the village, hauling materials, supplies, dentists, etc…  They are also our guest house when we are in the city!  It’s quite a house-ful!

Katie is almost finished teaching Josiah 6th grade.  They’ve worked hard and will finish early.  Now, with fewer kids to teach, she will be able to spend more time learning the Nahuatl language and culture.

Dan & Sarah are still lacking half the adobes they need for their house.  Pray they might be finished soon!  Their hope and goal is to get a roof on their place before rainy season.  They both are beginning to study the Nahuatl language and culture a few hours a day.

I have just begun studying the Nahuatl language and culture full-time.  That means a lot of time spent out with the people and the rest of the time at my desk!  Pray for patience, diligence, and aptitude!

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Eye Clinic

Posted by Rachel Chapman on Sunday, December 5th, 2010
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Helping eyes see clearly so that one day they might see truth

We’re getting ready to pick up an optometrist from the airport in a few hours.  Then, we’ll head into the village to host an eye-clinic for the people of Las Moras and the surrounding communities.

  • Please pray for opportunities to build relationships with those from other villages.
  • Please pray for clear communication as we translate technical language in Spanish – which is everyone’s second language.
  • And, above all, that we would be a testimony of Christ’s love this week.

Thanks for praying with me.

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On the front lines

Posted by Rachel Chapman on Tuesday, June 1st, 2010

If you’re seeing this, we would appreciate your PRAYERS for us.  I’ve left 7 prayer requests, one for each day…

Team Pictures 037 edited w names low resMONDAY - Pray for us as a team – that we would grow together in unity, preferring each other over ourselves, and in everything, showing love.  This will be our greatest witness to the Nahuatl – more than anything we say.

Jesus said:  Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.
Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are My disciples.  John 13.35

clip_image001TUESDAY - Pray for our physical safety as we are in the village.  From our village, it is a long way to medical help.  We are quite remote and during rainy season it is even more difficult to access our location.  It could take us several days to get down to the coast in the middle of rainy season.  If there are any rock slides or mudslides, the road can become impassable.

WEDNESDAY - Pray that we would daily walk with God.  Pray that we would live choosing joy.  Pray that God would put a hedge of protection around us so that Satan cannot discourage, hurt, or hinder us.

THURSDAY - Pray that we would have and take opportunities to grow relationships with the Nahautl people. Pray that in everything – our actions and our words – that we would communicate love and grace.

baby's graveFRIDAY - Pray for a hedge of protection around the Nahuatl people – that their lives would be preserved until they have a chance to hear the Gospel.  Pray that God would already be softening their hearts, preparing them for the gospel, and giving them a desire to know Him.

Jesus said: “For no one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws them to Me, and at the last day I will raise them up.
As it is written in the Scriptures, ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from Him comes to Me.  John 6.44,45

making masaSATURDAY - Pray that we would quickly grasp the sounds of the Nahuatl language.  Pray that we would remember what we’ve learned and that it would come out right.  Pray that we would learn more and more of the Nahuatl culture to understand them better.  Pray that we would always have a learners’ attitude.

SUNDAY - Pray that we would be able to rest well, be refreshed and that we would have strength to do what is needed of us each day.

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from Katie’s keyboard…

Posted by Rachel Chapman on Monday, May 31st, 2010

…an excerpt from Katie’s latest update…I’m sharing it with you guys because she describes very well what we’re doing this week…

Permanent Camping

Imagine that you are going on a camping trip for 5 months.  There are five people in your family and you need to pack all the food, supplies, clothes, and toiletries you will need in the back of one pick-up.  There will be no stores for miles, so you must be sure you have enough of everything.   There will also be no running water and no electricity, so plan accordingly.  You will need to take tools and supplies to work on building a house.  Good luck!

If you think you’ve got a handle on planning for such an event, please, please come give me a hand.  For the last week, the Alkires, Rachel, and I have been purging, planning, and packing for just such a trip.  We will be “camping” in our somewhat completed home through the rainy season, which may last until November.  We will be hauling water from the creek, sleeping on cots, and working to build relationships with the Nahuatl.

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