Spanish Lesson - How to Pronounce the "R" and "D" Correctly

When people ask me if I know Spanish, I always say that I'm fluent. And I am. But just because I know what word to say doesn't mean I say it right.

During my 10 years in Mexico, the comments I hear most often about my "gringo" pronunciation of Spanish involve two letters: R and D. These are toughies for an American girl, and I am still working on them.

With that in mind, I know other Americans sometimes hash these two important letters too. So here's a quick lesson on the R and the D in Spanish, and cool videos to help you hear the difference and learn it. Let's start with R.

Many Spanish textbooks emphasize the need to roll the R. This is true if the R is at the beginning of the word, or if there is a double R in the word (example: carro). But if the R is in the middle of the word, the correct pronunciation is not a big roll. You need to almost swallow the R, giving it a soft tone. Watch and hear the difference:



Now let's take D. This letter becomes a problem when it is pronounced harshly. The correct way sounds more like a soft "th." Also, the D at the beginning of the word is slightly stronger than the D in the middle or end of a word. Watch and learn:




Full disclosure: I admit that Mike was not the perfect "stereotypical gringo" to use for these videos. Those of you who know him know that he speaks Spanish with such a great accent that he is often mistaken for a Mexican or native Spanish speaker. But he still made the effort to sound like a Spanish newbie in the above videos (thanks Mike!). Here are a couple of bloopers, though, when Mike actually said the word the correct way!






Many thanks to Mike and seminary student Jorge for their cooperation and pronunciation. If there are any other Spanish questions you have, let me know (in a comment or email - rachelmhartman-at-gmail.com) and I'll post the answers here.

As I write this, I realize I probably would have been a better Spanish hashing model than Mike. Maybe next time I'll let you hear my gringo accent!

Lutheran Women in Mexico Series: Señora Alma

Welcome to the third installment of our series on Lutheran women in Mexico. This week I chatted with Señora Alma from Altar, Sonora. Here's her story:

Señora Alma first came into contact with the Lutheran church through Mission to the Children. This is a group in southern Arizona that has helped out in areas in northern Mexico, offering humanitarian aid and also Gospel outreach. Mission to the Children is active in Altar, where Señora Alma and her family live.

"They offered me classes about the Bible, and that's how I got to know about the Lutheran church here," she says.

After studying Bible information classes, Señora Alma became a member. Now, a year and a half later, she is very involved at El Buen Pastor (The Good Shepherd) in her town of Altar. "I love hearing the Word, learning about God, and the fellowship - everything!" she says.

Señora Alma helps out with the cleaning of the church. She's also involved in preparing special events that the church holds. Her husband is a leader in the congregation as well. "He gives the service on the weekends Missionary Baerbock is in other places. He also teaches a number of classes for kids and young adults."

While Señora Alma grew up as a Catholic, she says it was in name only. "We almost never went to church. But now I say I'm a Lutheran since I regularly go to the Lutheran church here."

Her fruits of faith have not gone unnoticed. "It's exciting to see new members become so active," says Mike. During one of his recent trips to Sonora, Señora Alma helped him out. Her husband attended this year's convention in Mexico City as a delegate.

It's such a thrill for me to hear about active members in other areas of Mexico. I've never met Señora Alma in person, but it's so neat to hear what she's doing. And the fact I don't personally know all the members of the Lutheran church in Mexico shows that it is growing.

May Señora Alma's story encourage you in your walk of faith this week.

November 20 - Mexican Revolution Day

Monday was a national holiday here in Mexico. Schools, government offices, and some businesses closed for Mexican Revolution Day.

Mexico's Revolution Day is actually November 20th, but the government chose to have the holiday celebrated on the Monday before it. This coincides with a trend to celebrate commemorative occasions on the Monday preceding the date, allowing kids and workers to enjoy an extended weekend.

November 20th stirs up feelings of pride in many Mexicans. Known as el dia de la Revolucion, it marks the start of the Mexican Revolution. This war lasted for 10 years, stretching from 1910 to 1920.

While Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1810, it went through a turbulent time during the following years. When Porfirio Diaz became president in 1876, the country finally enjoyed some stability. Diaz helped create industries, railroads, and drew in foreign investment. All of this helped Mexico's economy get going.

Unfortunately, the reforms also came with a price. The new wealth was concentrated among a small percentage of the population, and the vast majority of Mexicans lived in poverty. After 30-plus years of Diaz, the peasants had had enough. War broke out in 1910, and resulted in a new president, a new constitution, and eventually, peace.

Nearly 100 years later, Mexico still commemorates this important day. On Monday, school children, political figures, military units and others marched in big parades here in Torreon. Other festivities took place throughout the country.

So happy Revolution Day, Mexico, and we're thankful to be able to live and work here today.

Lutheran Women in Mexico Series: Señora Maria Luisa

Welcome to the second installment of my Lutheran Women in Mexico series. This week I spoke with Señora Maria Luisa, a long-time member of the congregation La Santa Cruz (Holy Cross) in Monterrey, Mexico.

I have known Señora Maria Luisa for nearly ten years, and have never, ever talked to her when she wasn't bounding with energy. This woman is the living definition of the word "go-getter." Here's the neat thing: she focuses most of her energy on the church.

Señora Maria Luisa first came to the Lutheran church with her family when she was just 7 years old. She hasn't looked back since. After being confirmed at La Santa Cruz, she started to get involved in more activities. She currently teaches Sunday School, is the treasurer for the Women’s Society of the church, regularly visits shut-ins, makes evangelism calls, and is always ready to take on another project.

Of all that she's done, Señora Maria Luisa's heart belongs to teaching. "I just love it,” she says. “Getting people into God’s Word is what brings them to faith, and it's also how that faith grows."

And, she adds, we never stop learning. "No matter what stage you're at - a teenager, young mother, grandmother - there's always more you can get out of the Bible."



Señora Maria Luisa's passion for sharing the Word can be seen right in her own home. Her four children have grown up learning about God, and are now active in church. Her son Emanuel helps out with liturgy, directs the choir, and plays the organ regularly for church at La Santa Cruz.

This focus on God's Word has kept Señora Maria Luisa stable through the ups and downs of life. When two of her daughters were born deaf, she sought ways to enable them to come to church and participate regularly. "I never would have been able to do this without God," she acknowledges.

As one of the pillars of the Mexican church, you can expect Señora Maria Luisa to be involved in the planning and carrying out of next year's convention for women in Mexico. If you have a chance to see her, talk to her. I guarantee you'll walk away feeling encouraged and renewed. Her energy is contagious.

Thanks so much, Señora Maria Luisa, for sharing your story with us and for setting a strong example for myself and others to follow. May God continue to bless you with his love.

See earlier installments of the series here.

A Day with Missionary Mike

Here's one of the most frequent questions we get asked: What's it like to live in Mexico?

It's not easy to explain a lifestyle in just a few sentences. So rather than trying to, I decided to record a day with a missionary. Yesterday I asked Mike if I could keep track of his activities sometime. Sure, he said, how about tomorrow?

I said yes, of course. So without further ado, here's a typical day with Missionary Mike:

5:30 a.m. Get up, go for a run, come home and shower, change, etc.

6:45 a.m. - 7:30 a.m. Give Noelle a bottle and watch her so that I can get myself ready, have a personal devotion, and throw in a load of laundry.

7:30 a.m. - 8:15 a.m. Have personal devotion.

8:15 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Spend time in office prepping a seminary class and a premarital class. Work on this Sunday's worship service and sermon, which deal with leadership. (Also during this time he oversaw the work of Enrique, a handyman who's installing a ladder on the outside wall of our house so that we can climb to the top of the roof when needed).

10:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Teach a class at the Mexican Lutheran Seminary. Grab gorditas for breakfast. Hold a couple of quick meetings with seminary students to make sure worship is prepared for this Sunday at the mission congregation in Zaragoza Sur. Go to a bank downtown for some work-related business; then drop by a furniture store to see if they can fix one of our couches.

1:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Back in home office to answer work-related emails.

2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Eat lunch with family. (This is our big meal of the day. Today I served grilled chicken, rice, and vegetables).

3:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Meet with the head of an importing company to sign up for a service that will allow us to bring in U.S. mail through a secure system. Yippee!

4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Go to the grocery store with the family to buy supplies for the week. (This is very common in Mexico. The husband/father often takes the family to the store to buy what they need.)

5:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Finish preparing premarital class.

6:00 p.m. - 7:45 p.m. Teach premarital class.

8:00 p.m. Go out to have an informal meeting with two of the Mexican pastors in the area.

As I write this, Mike is still out with the pastors. I expect him home sometime around midnight. Then tomorrow he'll be up early to go at it again.

This day, which is a typical day for Mike, shows how he is so cut out for missionary work. As you can see, he doesn't lead a 9 to 5 schedule! It also changes regularly - it's not uncommon for the phone to ring at 9 a.m. and have Mike's plans for the day completely change because of it! While no two days are the same, Mike thrives on this lifestyle. He says it keeps him from getting bored.

And Mike's not only a hard worker, he's also flexible and doesn't sweat the details - two other key characteristics that enable him to carry out his position of field coordinator to Mexico. To be honest, I enjoy getting to watch him in action. I'm at home a lot with the little girls right now, and yet I can see his efforts lead to positive results, year after year.

So thanks for sharing your day with us, Mike, and we'll see what tomorrow brings.

Lutheran Women in Mexico Series: Vicky

Welcome to the first installment of my Lutheran women in Mexico series. We're going to start with the story of one of the steadiest, most confident women I've met here: Vicky.

Vicky spent her early years growing up in the Sierra Norte, a mountainous region located in southern Mexico. Her hometown has a claim to fame: it's where Benito Juarez, Mexico's most famous president, was born. Juarez was zapoteco, just like Vicky's family. (The Zapotec people are one of Mexico's largest indigenous groups.)

When she was eight years old, Vicky's family moved to the nearby city of Oaxaca. There they opened a tienda de abarrotes (snack shop) to support themselves.

When Vicky was in her early twenties, she got a job at a movie theater. Her boss, Carlos, was a great guy, and the two of them hit it off. Soon, however, Carlos had to leave. He moved to Torreon, a city in northern Mexico, to be with his family.

While in Torreon, Carlos found out about one of our Lutheran churches. He checked it out and soon became a member. Then he enrolled in the Mexican Lutheran Seminary.

Even though they were separated by more than 24 hours' worth of travel by bus, Carlos and Vicky kept in touch. He was excited about what he learned at the seminary. He sent Vicky self-study books that dealt with the Law and Gospel, what Lutherans believe, and other biblical topics.

The courtship of correspondence quickly led to wedding vows. In the summer of 2008, Carlos went down to Oaxaca to take Vicky's hand in marriage. Mike preached for the service. The outdoor setting, with the mountains as a backdrop, was simply beautiful.

After the wedding, the couple returned to Torreon so Carlos could finish his studies at the seminary. Then in January 2009, they headed to Puebla, a city in central Mexico, for Carlos's vicar year. He is now serving the congregation Solo Cristo Salva (Christ Alone Saves).

***

As you can see, Vicky has moved around a lot since her wedding! If you look at a map of Mexico, you'll find that Oaxaca is in the south, Torreon is in the north, and Puebla is in the center of the country. What's more, in January 2010 Carlos and Vicky will head up to Sonora, which borders Arizona. Talk about getting to see the country!

When I asked Vicky about her new role as a future pastor's wife, she said she's really enjoyed two things: the church and travel. "Growing up," she says, "we went to a church that didn't really teach us anything about the Bible. We sang songs and heard Bible readings, but nothing was ever explained to us." In the Lutheran church, she loves digging into the Scriptures and learning more about God's Word each week.

"I've also enjoyed the traveling," she says. "You get to meet a lot of people and see new places." Even though she's far from her family, she's able to keep in touch with them regularly. "You get used to being away pretty quickly, and my parents are Christians too. It's a comfort to me to know that we're all headed to the same place."

In summer 2009, Vicky and Carlos welcomed a boy to their family. In addition to taking care of baby Ezra, Vicky helps Carlos with Sunday School and activities for the women in their congregation.

"Being married to a future pastor is a huge blessing," says Vicky. "It's been simply wonderful - each day brings a new, exciting experience."

I love Vicky's attitude and her courage to take on this new role. She sends greetings to all other Lutheran women reading this. Keep her in your thoughts and prayers, too.

Thanks for sharing your story, Vicky, and keep up the great work.

Day of the Dead in Mexico

Here's a picture of the weather lady on the local news yesterday. She dressed up as a dead person, a common costume seen here during the Day of the Dead festivities. This holiday traditionally starts at midnight on October 31st and runs thru November 2nd.

After giving the weather forecast for different cities in Mexico, she read off a calavera (literally means "skull," but also refers to a short poem mocking death). The verses mentioned the news staff, referring to ways they had died, what their tombstones read, and what it felt like to be six feet under.

The Day of the Dead celebration in Mexico has a long history. The Aztecs' version of it lasted for an entire month in summer. It was overseen by Mictecacihuatl, a goddess who was said to be the Lady of the Dead.

When the Spaniards arrived, they modified the celebration and changed the dates to coincide with All Saints' Day on November 1st and All Souls' Day on November 2nd. The result, a combination of ancestor worship and other activities that treat death lightly, is now known as the Day of the Dead.

Most public schools have children do an activity for the holiday, such as make an altar to honor the dead in their family. Altars are also set up in homes and even appear in government buildings. Families prepare the favorite foods of loved ones who have passed away and set it by the altar. They believe that their loved one's spirit passes by and takes in the food.

In addition to food made for the dead, you'll find candy skulls and skeletons set on altars. Candles are lit, prayers are said, and pan de muerto (dead bread) is often distributed.

So how do we, as Lutherans, deal with ancestor worship? Perhaps the answer best lies in the following story:

Last Saturday, Missionary Ralph Martens received this drawing from one of his Catechism students. Look closely and you'll see that above the skull, she wrote: "Happy Death's Day!"


Missionary Martens accepted the skull and crepe paper flower that came with it. He then explained that only a Christian can have a truly Happy Death's Day. As Paul reminds us, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Phil 1:21 NIV).

Well said, Missionary Martens. And what good motivation for us to keep working in Mexico. We want to bring the message of eternal life with Jesus to as many as possible here before Judgment Day comes.