Prayer Points

Healing for Jeanette Lee
Preparations for Kalay School

Dear Friends,

It is hard to believe that we are already into March. So much has already happened this year and we are excited about all the possibilities for 2005.

I guess the freshest thing on our minds is our recent visit to Myanmar and Thailand. For sure January is the nicest time of year to visit Myanmar unless you like 42C degree hot and humid weather. It is actually quite nice in January and even cold up in the north where we were able to visit again. Lill and Ian travelled with me this time and on the way back home we met up with Brent in Thailand. He had been in India.

Pastor Josephat with his little daughter Esther.

The purpose of our visit was to open and dedicate the church/centre in Yangon, which although has been used for over a year had never been officially opened. The second and perhaps the most important reason for going was to see how we could start a school for deaf children in the Kalay area near the Chin state some three days bus journey north of Yangon. This is where the adventure commenced.

Things started to go wrong the night before we were to fly up north. Actually it started before then as the flight was cancelled the day we were to leave. The night before departure Ian became violently ill from food poisoning. He was in no state to travel so he and Lill had to stay behind. It was just as well as Lill got sick too. I travelled on with Pa Lian and one of our deaf leaders Naing Naing Kyaw on the Myanmar Airlines flight to Kalay.

If ever you have a choice of airlines when flying in Myanmar do not fly with Myanmar Airlines. They only had three jets, one crashed, one was unable to fly and the other one we took. It got us to Kalay but we were never to see it again. We spent 4 days waiting for it to show up but it too had conked out so we were stranded. These jets are old 1970 model Fokker aircraft. The crews deserve medals for bravery I think.

Another of Myanmar’s oddities is the two-tiered system of payment. For foreigners it cost $135 one way but for locals only $27. A further irritation is that they will only allow one local to accompany you on the flight. We had two because with Lill’s Norwegian passport we booked her in separately so going up to Kalay two could travel with us. Coming back was a different story as Lill and Ian were not there. Poor Pa Lian had to take the bus back to Mandalay and another to Yangon from there. Little did we know that Naing Naing Kyaw and myself would suffer the same fate. By the Friday we had given up hope of the plane showing up so booked a bus for the 14 hours agonizing trip to Mandalay. I have never been so banged, bumped and dusted in all my life. Those who had hair looked very grey on arrival. I thought that I would never walk again. Unlike Pa Lian we were able to take a privately owned safe airline from Mandalay to Yangon the next day to be met by a relieved Lill, Ian and local group at the airport in Yangon.

It was all worth it though as our time in Kalay was marvellous. Travel restrictions were more relaxed than before so it meant that we could travel further out of Kalay and even into the Chin hills which were previously banned to foreigners. One very moving experience was to have a meeting in one village where some 48 deaf people lived. These dear folk were illiterate, have no knowledge of their own name, and although people are kind to them they have never had the opportunity of schooling or any formal learning at all. It was because of these deaf people we went to Kalay.

Our aim was to find a place to start a school, interview some candidates for teacher training to send to Yangon and to begin the formal process of setting up a school. Praise God we were able to achieve all of this and instead of just renting a place we found one to buy. The property is right in the township of Kalay. We have 14 children under the age of 12 to start.

Land prices in Kalay are not as expensive as in Yangon. The property we found is a new twostory house on a block of land, which has its own well and water supply. To buy the property, modify it and equip it for use as a school will cost about $US16,000 depending on the exchange rate at the time. This is about $AUD 20,000. A friend in Norway sold a painting in her house and donated about $AUD16,000, so only about $4000 more is needed. The Lord provides in many wonderful ways. Please pray with us as the teachers train and all the formalities of sale and setting up take place. We are hoping to open school in July this year.

Dewayne

Dewayne Leibrandt, DMI missionary in Thailand, joined us in Myanmar for the opening and dedication of the building. He also carried in some rather sophisticated video and editing equipment so that our guys there can video services and make teaching tapes to send to isolated deaf people through out Myanmar. Part of the plan was to train some of our folk in the use of the equipment but our late arrival in Yangon due to plane cancellations up north cramped Dewayne’s style and made things a bit rushed. Anyway thanks to Dewayne and Jackie we have some marvellous equipment in Myanmar now which we hope will prove to be a blessing to the deaf there.

Child Sponsorship

For many years Lynne Graham has been coordinating our child sponsorship program. Due to pressures of work and health issues she has decided to finish up. Jenny Reid, an exteacher of the deaf who retired at the end of February has taken on this rather heavy responsibility. For those of you who sponsor children it will be Jenny contacting you in the days ahead and not Lynne. Thank you Lynne for all your hard work over the past years and welcome to Jenny.

Ill Health

Another of our board members, Jeanette Lee is also plagued with health problems. Jeanette is the wife of our chairman and is undergoing a new form of treatment for Leukaemia. I know that Jeanette would appreciate your prayerful concern for her. It is hoped that this new treatment will send the disease into remission. Please pray.

Travels again

I will be in the air again this time to Egypt, Uganda and Kenya. The purpose of the trip is to work on preparations for the forthcoming conference to be held in Uganda 2nd of August to 6th of August. Prayers for my safety and itinerary would be appreciated.

Conference

Talking about the conference, if you are planning or thinking of attending, do let us know. Applications from abroad are beginning to come in. I have no idea how many from Africa have registered yet but will find out on my arrival in Uganda this trip.

Sponsor a Pig

Thank you to those of you who have taken up the challenge to sponsor a pig. If we had 100 people doing so our whole agricultural program in the Philippines would be funded. If you can’t afford a pig for $80, how about a tree for $1.50? We hope to plant an orchard of calamansi trees and rambutan tees adjacent to our piggery. The more local income we can generate the less that we have to rely on overseas funds.

Philippine Camps

A small team of deaf and hearing people from Australia will head to the Philippines the beginning of April to lead three camps in Ligao, Bacolod and Davao. Some from Korea will join the Bacolod camp. If you would like to join the team please let me know. If you would like to sponsor some kids to the camps also let me know! We are expecting about 450 total at the three camps.

60th

I have almost made it. If I survive the African trip we plan to have an open house celebration on March 26th at our house. All are welcome. No gifts just bring a plate with some thing on it to share. Saturday afternoon from 1 pm until whenever. Let us know if you can come.

God bless,

Neville, Lill and family