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Communication from the heart
I was completely lost, looking for the path to the house my family had rented for a month on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala. As I climbed over rocks and tree roots, I came across a mother and two children working in the woods. They lived in the area and spoke only Kaqchikel, a Mayan dialect.
For a few brief moments, I found myself caught in an awkward pause, realizing that I needed to somehow verbalize my dilemma. And so, with a smile on my face, the best I could do was lift my shoulders with a lost look and say, "Julian," the name of the Guatemalan caretaker of our rental house.
The mother started to laugh. For a few sweet unforgettable moments, I watched her talk back and forth with her youngest son, as she asked him to take me to my house. Although I didn't understand the few words they used, the gist of the conversation was all too familiar to me as a mother of two—the young son, timid, didn't want to show me the path, and the mother was obviously trying to talk him into helping me.
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About the author
Shelly Richardson enjoys learning about different languages and cultures.
August 13, 2007 issue
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LETTERS
with contributions from SILKE SCHON, FRED LLOYD, MARTHA DOSS, PAM THORNDIKE
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Part of a really big idea
PATRICIA KADICK, STAFF EDITOR
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ITEMS OF INTEREST
with contributions from Melissa McEver, Jennifer Koons
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ONE WAY TO SHINE
BY NATHAN A. TALBOT
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UNITED WITH MEMBERS AROUND THE WORLD
Ingrid Peschke with contributions from Kate Sims
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MOTHER CHURCH MEMBERSHIP—7 MEMBERS TELL THEIR STORIES
with contributions from SHEILA MARY COOK, CASEY FEDDE, H. LEE KINNEY, DANIEL OTIENO OKELLO, ERIKA PARRISH—WILCOX, PETER WARD, LILIAN PASSET
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Communication from the heart
BY SHELLY RICHARDSON
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AS GOD LOVES
Patricia Darmon
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THE 'STILL, SMALL VOICE' THAT ROARED
BEVERLY FOLTZ
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THE FATHER I ALWAYS KNEW . . .
BECKY BUHL
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A PRAYERFUL ANTIDOTE TO CONTAMINATED FOOD
JILL AARON
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EFFECTS FROM DOG ATTACK HEALED THROUGH PRAYER
ROSEMARY PETZOLD
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CHILD'S RESPIRATORY ILLNESS QUICKLY CURED
LAURIE TOUPIN
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DISEASED EYE HEALED
JOHN CHRISTIAN HOYLE