Rachel Chapman a servant of the Living God 
Almost home
This is our home in our little village at the edge of a mesa. This is the first glimpse of the village from the road as we travel in. After 5.5 hours of a very bumpy, bouncy ride it’s a site for sore eyes!
Posts Tagged ‘village’
Home Sweet Home
Posted by Rachel Chapman on Saturday, December 17th, 2011Needed: Clean Water
Posted by Rachel Chapman on Sunday, October 23rd, 2011
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!
Eye Clinic
Posted by Rachel Chapman on Sunday, December 5th, 2010
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.
On the front lines
Posted by Rachel Chapman on Tuesday, June 1st, 2010If you’re seeing this, we would appreciate your PRAYERS for us. I’ve left 7 prayer requests, one for each day…
MONDAY - 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
TUESDAY - 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.
FRIDAY - 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
SATURDAY - 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.
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.
three sixty
Posted by Rachel Chapman on Friday, May 28th, 2010360° view around our house from our partners’ house site. Our newly roofed house stars at the beginning and end of the video!
Packing again
Posted by Rachel Chapman on Tuesday, February 16th, 2010We’re getting ready for another trip into the village, and that means packing again. It’s getting easier and easier, because after a few times, I know what I need and what I don’t need.
Please pray for us for safety in traveling. Please pray that the roads would be dry enough to make it into the village. Please pray for us as we are with the people, that we might communicate love and grace. We’re taking a dentist in with us for a dental clinic for all the indigenous in the area.
We’ll also be working on Katie’s and my house. Please pray that we might be able to move forward on it. We’ve faced a lot of disappointments in the last weeks and it hasn’t progressed like we’ve hoped. Pray that we might be able to get some things done this trip.
Meet the Team: Katie
Posted by Rachel Chapman on Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010
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
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
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
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.
Progress
Posted by Rachel Chapman on Wednesday, January 27th, 2010
Our house goes up!
The guys got back today from the village. They hauled over 30 pick-up loads of dirt to fill in our foundation! The building team took a break so that they could just shovel the dirt from the pickup right into the house. The team got started again when they’d finished the fill. We have 6 rows of bricks up as of Monday. Every day, they do 2 more rows of bricks. And, there are about 20 rows all together. It’s going fast now!
There is a work team coming this weekend, so on Monday, the guys will head back to the village with them. They’re hoping to be able to pour our cement floor and our bond-beam on top of the adobe walls! It’s moving along!
Visiting
Posted by Rachel Chapman on Wednesday, December 30th, 2009
We were bombarded by visitors when we first arrived and right before we left.
One of the goals of us girls was to do a lot of visiting. The first few days we were there we couldn’t escape that goal, ladies were stopping by at all hours, some staying for 10 minutes, others for several hours. But, after a few days, the visits waned, so we were able to get out and visit women in their own homes.
One of our friends was making tortillas for her family when we arrived to visit. So we sat in her kitchen and visited in Spanish while she made their main meal.
It was good culturally to see them in their own place and we learned how to go visiting in their culture and what phrases to say when we arrive and when it’s time to leave!
Visiting a lady I'd met on my first trip. I was able to use some Nahuatl phrases that she'd taught me!
