Posts Tagged ‘Fun’

Wapurú

Posted by Rachel Chapman on Tuesday, May 8th, 2012

One day, Beni, one of the women of the village stopped by for a little visit with her girls.  We always enjoy their visits as they are very expressive and funny.  We always learn new words with them and they stretch our knowledge of the language in trying to understand them and talk with them.

As they were leaving, Katie gave the girls a red and white round peppermint.  The oldest one popped it into her mouth and said, “It tastes like wapurú!”  I grabbed my notebook and wrote, “wapurú.”

I thought, “This is great!  I was going to learn how to describe tastes and smells.  Here’s a word!”

So, in Nahuat, I asked, “What is wapurú?”  The girl answered, “Who knows!”

So, I asked, “Is it a fruit?”  The girl said, “Who knows!”

Then I said, “Is it sweet?”  The girl said, “Who knows!”

Getting nowhere with the daughter, I asked the mother.  She could not explain anything about what wapurú was, either.  So, I made a note to check it with my language helper the following day.

The next time I met with my language helper, I started by reviewing words or phrases that I had heard but hadn’t understood.  At the end of the list was “wapurú.”

I said, “Katie gave a candy to a girl yesterday and she said it tasted like ‘wapurú.’  What is that?”

She said, with slightly better pronunciation than the previous day’s visitors, “Vapurub?”

No more explanation needed!

Who knew?  Peppermints taste like VapoRub!

Tastes like peppermints!!

Do you want to weave again?

Posted by Rachel Chapman on Friday, March 9th, 2012

Weaving the strap for the bag

One of my Nahuatl friends knows how to weave well.  A while ago, she wove several bags for us from yarn that we had provided her.  She did a good job and I had been meaning to ask her if she wanted to weave another bag.

So, when she stopped by the house one day, I quickly checked how to say the verb “to weave” again as I had just recently learned it.  With the verb in my head, I created the sentence, “Do you want to weave again?

She looked at me a little funny and said, “What did you say?

I said again, confidently, “Do you want to weave again?

She looked at me again and said, “Like…. What did you say?

I thought, “Oh no, I’m not communicating.”  So, I said, “What I just said, what did it mean?

She replied in Spanish, “You said, ‘Do you want to lay’ you know, like a chicken lays an egg.

Everyone in the room laughed and I learned to proper way to say, “Do you want to weave again?”

Volleyball

Posted by Rachel Chapman on Saturday, January 21st, 2012
Last game for the evening

Last game for the evening

My Tupperware lady!

Posted by Rachel Chapman on Friday, February 18th, 2011

There are several trucks that make it to our village periodically selling fresh produce among other things.

The first time they came by our house after the rainy season, we had gone a long time without fresh fruit, fresh veggies, and eggs.  We stocked up on tomatoes, oranges, bananas, cucumbers, carrots!  It was great!

They had come directly from the coast and had a cooler.  We bought some yogurt and some sour cream.  And, we found out they had COLD COKES!!  We each bought one and popped them open right away.

We chatted with the vendors, beginning to get to know them.  All of a sudden, the lady asks…

“Do you want to buy some Tupperware?”

I said, “What?”

She said, “They’re plastic containers that are really good quality and seal well.  They are a bit more expensive, but they are so good that is what I use now.  And, I have some to sell.  Do you want to buy some?

I said, “I know what Tupperware is.  My mom has used it ever since I was little.  I was just surprised to find it for sale out here in the mountains!”

We looked at her supply and bought one that fit our storage needs!

Who would have though!?!!

My Tupperware lady and me

My Tupperware lady and me

Our best Nahuatl so far…

Posted by Rachel Chapman on Monday, January 17th, 2011

To kinda give you an idea of what we know so far, I’ll let you listen in on a conversation my co-workers and I had with one of our friends…

Visiting our Nahuatl friends

Visiting our Nahuatl friends

We spoke in Spanish, Nahuatl, and English.

Here’s how it went…

My co-workers and me:

Our Nahuatl friend:

Hi!  How are you?

I’m fine.

Come in.  Child, go get some chairs.

Sit down.

What have you been up to?

Nothing much.

What have you been up to?

I am teaching. (home-schooling Josiah)

What else can we say?  Eat!

I eat. Sleep!  How do you say sleep again?

We slep.  No.  We seep.  No, we sleep!

You all sleep together?  or separately?

SEPARATELY!!

If you sleep together, you say “We sleep (together.)”

If you sleep by yourself, you say “We sleep (apart.)”

That’s a huge difference!  We need to learn that!

Can I record you?

We sleep (together.) We sleep (apart.)

I bathed really early this morning.  The water was freezing!  Cold water.

Do you say cold water or water cold?

Water cold.

That’s what I thought!

Your pig is really big!  Big pig.

Here’s some corn from our garden.

How much?

Nothing. It’s a gift.

Thank you.

Well, we’re going now.

Go ahead!

See you later.

I’m waiting here for your return.

Meet the Team: Katie

Posted by Rachel Chapman on Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010
Katie Moore

Katie Moore

Several of you have asked about my team.  So, I decided to feature them here on my blog so you can get to know them a bit better.  I met my partner, Katie Moore,in the Fall of 08′, just over a year ago and God subsequently directed our paths together.  Katie, who goes by Tater, graciously allowed me to interview her so that you could get to know her more.

So, Tater, that’s an interesting nickname, how did you come by that?

Tater

Tater

When I was young my best friend’s little brother started calling me “Tate,” trying to say “Kate.”  Everyone picked it up, including my family.  I’m so used to it now I sometimes do a double take when people call me Katie.  =)

Where are you from?
I was born in Missouri, but at 4 months old my parents moved to South America, where I lived until I graduated from high school.

You have an interesting connection to one of the other team members.  How do you guys know each other?
Dan Alkire is also an MK (missionary kid) from South America.  While we didn’t exactly hang out together (he’s an oldie) we’ve known each other for a long time.  In fact, my dad taught Dan in elementary school and I’m now teaching Dan’s son, Josiah.

How did you come to be in tribal missions?
I have always had a positive outlook on missions, but when I was in 11th grade I really began to think seriously about it.  I was visiting a friend whose parents worked in a tribal location and listening to them talk about the translation work on the book of Philippians.  It hit me one day that I can read that book in 6 different versions in my house and much of the world has never heard it in one.  I want to be a part of doing something about that.

What is your role on the church-planting team?

The school teacher

The school teacher

I am the Spinster Schoolmarm.  That’s right…you heard me.  I teach the teams’ children in a one-room schoolhouse type class.  I have always had a desire to work with MK’s and a passion for discipleship.  I love to see their minds grow and how God stretches their hearts as well.

What color should we paint our house?
Pink.  Barbie pink.  It suits both of our girly personalities.  Uhhh…  Ummm…  I think we need to talk about this...

Are you going to be okay living with a Cowboys fan who sometimes listens to country?
Well, we won’t have any TV in the tribe, so no worries about the Cowboys.  Plus, I don’t care if you watch basketball, as long as I don’t have to pretend to be excited every time someone scores a goal.  (Snicker, snicker) As far as country music goes…well, that seems like a discussion more well-suited to a different time and place…

Okay, you’ve visited the village where we’ll be living now, what was your impression?  What did you like about the people group and the village?
I loved it there and can’t wait for our team to truly make it our home.  The scenery is beautiful and the people were generous, warm, and approachable.  I know we have a huge task ahead of us, but I can’t wait to get going.

If you could travel and visit one place in the world, where would you go, and why?

the Grand Canyon

the Grand Canyon

For purely touristy reasons, I would probably pick somewhere on the Mediterranean, maybe Italy or Greece.  I don’t know why, but pictures of that part of the world have always fascinated me.  A little closer to home, the Grand Canyon is definitely on my list of things to see, along with some other cool western states spots.  When on furlough my family normally sticks to New York and Michigan.

What is a Scripture that has been encouraging you lately?
In Bible class my students and I have been talking about the Word of God and reading Gutenberg’s biography.  He was a man who believed that people needed to be able to read the Bible for themselves and not just take another person’s word for it.  In the Psalms, King David said that “The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.”  I don’t always live like I believe that, but I long to.  Just as I long for the Nahuatl and other unreached people to have the chance to see it for themselves and love it.

Anything else you want to tell the internet?
Ah, yes…the internet is such a warm, personable place.  I do have one more thing, though.  If you’re reading this, you probably know Rachel.  Thank you to all of you who support and pray for her and in that way, for our team.  She in an example and encouragement to me and an important part of the group God has brought together to do a job.  And because she counts on you, we thank you for being part of that team as well.

My favorite cookies

Posted by Rachel Chapman on Thursday, December 3rd, 2009
Cranberry-Pecan-Orange Oatmeal in the back, Chocolate Oatmeal with Chocolate Chips in the foreground

Cranberry-Pecan-Orange Oatmeal in the back, Chocolate Oatmeal with Chocolate Chips in the foreground

I guess their official name is: Cranberry-Pecan-Orange Oatmeal Cookies, but I just call them my oatmeal cookies.  Usually I make them with dried fruit in them, sometimes I put in chocolate! :)

So today I made 2 recipes of these – 1 fruit and 1 chocolate. They were good, and I left a few to take with us on our next trip, too!  We’re off soon…

Here’s the recipe if you want to enjoy them, too!

Cookies 002 low res1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. shortening
1 Tbsp. cocoa (optional, with the chocolate chips.  I added it today!)
1.5 tsp. vanilla
1.5 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
pinch of ginger* add this only with dried fruit.  I wouldn’t add it with chocolate chips
2 eggs
3 c. oats
1 c. whole wheat flour
chopped pecans, dried cranberries, orange peel, chocolate chips, or whatever tickles your fancy… (I just throw in the quantities that look good – ’til the dough is sufficiently speckled with color.  Or you can do 1 cup of extras.)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Beat sugars, butter, and shortening.  Mix in the vanilla, spices, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Stir in oats and flour.  Then add the fruit or chocolate or whatever you want!

Drop onto un-greased cookie sheet.  Bake 9-11 minutes or until light brown.  Remove immediately to cool.

ENJOY!