Reading Materials

January 10, 2014

After hundreds of hours of studying Nahuatl, listening to recordings, analyzing verbs, checking & double checking meanings & spelling, Katie Moore and I recently tested into Level 9 (of 12) in the method that our organization uses to test our fluency. We tested at Level 9 Low, so we’ll continue to study, and analyze, and […]

the Daily Grind

October 10, 2013

Most days, at the stage we’re in, what we do isn’t super “exciting”. We’re diligently pressing forward through the mundane so that one day soon we can do what we came for – introducing the Nahuatl to the One True God. We’re required to fill out time sheets to keep track of our days. It […]

How do you define failure?

June 14, 2013

This is a post written by my co-worker, Peter Hypki. See their blog at www.hypkis.wordpress.com Sometimes it’s obvious. A grade below 70 on a test is considered a failing grade. A politician is said to fail in his or her bid for office if unelected. But what if you raise funds for, commit to and […]

From Katie: Communicating Clearly

May 20, 2013

I asked my friend Andrea if she would tell me the story of the first man and the first woman. (To read the story, click here.) The tale involves a man who had a dog that could shape-shift into a woman. The man stayed with the woman-version of the dog, and from the two of […]

Just another day

February 3, 2013

7:00 am – I woke up, got out of bed & got myself ready for the day. I slept in this morning. It was so nice to have the extra hour of sleep. I feel refreshed and ready for the day. 7:15 – As I was putting in my contacts at the bathroom sink, I […]

Becoming

October 4, 2012

We’re on our way to becoming Nahuatl. In some ways, we’ll never become. Our skin is much lighter. We have more resources. We have a broader life perspective. However, as much as we can, we want to become like them. We want to be able to speak Nahuatl fluently. We want to be able to […]

Sharing culture…

June 19, 2012

When we first moved into the village, we were regularly asked, “Do you know how to make tortillas?” That question was rapidly followed by, “Do you guys have food?” and “Are you eating?”. We assured them that yes, we had food, we were eating well, and that we didn’t know how to make tortillas, but […]

Milo

May 6, 2012

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?” […]

Needed: Clean Water

October 23, 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, […]

Dental Clinic by the numbers

June 12, 2011

We had 1 endodontist and 1 dentist. We treated 84 patients representing 11 communities (For most of the people, this was the 1st time they had come to a clinic that we have hosted. Actually, for most people, this was the 1st time they’ve been to a dentist EVER!) We treated 3 indigenous groups (mostly […]