The national training center where we live and are working is a two year course for Spanish speakers who want to be cross cultural missionaries. Classes here range from New Testament church principles, Bible translation principles, developing a literacy program, missionary life, family relationships, and our identity in Christ. Another main part of the program is called Culture and Language Acquisition. How do you learn a language that has not been written? How do you become fluent in that language so that you can communicate clearly as you teach the Bible? New Tribes Mission has a language learning program that is used by thousands of missionaries around the world. We teach this program to the students’ during their two years here and for their last semester we have them go out to a tribal village and put it all in to practice! The students just returned from 5 weeks out in a place called Caborachi, which is part of the Sierra Madre Mountains. We were able to spend the last week with the students, reviewing their work and doing language evaluations with them. It is awesome to see them being able to learn a language that is difficult and new, but more importantly is it exciting to see them building relationships with the people. Each of them will be moving on to a different place of ministry after they graduate May 20th, but it is encouraging to know that they will be going with knowledge of the Word of God, tools for doing ministry, and a heart for people!
Our student Lluvia (left) describing a picture to her language helper (right) in Tarahumara.
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While we were out there Dorr was able to help out on the construction of a new church in a community two hours away. The Tarahumara believers, together with the missionary, have been teaching Bible lessons in a number of Tarahumara communities. This little village has a few believers and many others being taught. They wanted to have a place to meet so they have begun building a church.
Many Tarahumaras that become Christians are strongly persecuted by their families and the rest of the community. They are blamed for lack of rain or any problems that arise because they no longer offer sacrifices or participate in the ceremonial dances. Please pray for them to be strong and to grow in their understanding of God’s love for them.
Thanks for your continued support and prayers!
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