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• 2008 July

Deaf Ministries Update

Bringing the Gospel to the Deaf

July 2008

Dear Friends and Supporters,

Myanmar

Even in the midst of a disaster there can be a silver lining. A sense of humour can help in getting one through a traumatic experience and this has been the case for our people in Myanmar. Our work is not in the delta area, where nothing was funny at all and the stories from there are only of horror and suffering. So, although Yangon was battered and bruised none of those with whom we work lost their lives nor were they injured, although many lost their homes and livelihood.

Firewood has always been an expense and difficult to find. So many trees in the area were damaged and blown down by the storm that firewood is in abundance. One of our members had a house that was leaning over before the storm struck. The wind straightened it up much to her pleasure. Her joy however was short lived, as when the wind came back again from the opposite direction it completely blew the house away. Another had a house with a rusty old tin roof which blew off in the storm. Once the winds died down, they found in their yard, a load of nice roofing that had blown off someone else’s roof - their house now sports a nice shiny tin roof.

Through the generous giving of so many of you, we were able to help about 15 families repair and rebuild their houses; help pay off the loans that some took out to repair their places and provide food for about 180 people until prices stabilized. As well as that, clothes to replace some of what was lost, water purification tablets, mosquito coils and other medicines, which were shared around. Each Sunday, rice potatoes and salt were evenly distributed to members and anyone else who turned up who needed help. Further repairs to the Yangon property will be carried out when the rainy season is over.

We are so thankful to the Lord for the protection of the deaf in our ministry and for their wonderful attitude and resilience.

Thank you all who gave so that we were able to make this help possible.

Thailand

Tomm, our director in Thailand, is an ideas man. As well as the church, video production studio, My Sign Nursery school, Sticky rice and Pork cart business and handicraft workshop Hands of Love . . . the latest is a sports team to compete with other deaf and handicapped teams in Thailand. The inauguration dinner was held the night I was in Chiangmai. The team is made up of mostly Christian athletes (nearly everyone in the church!) who hopefully, through their playing and behaviour, will be witnesses for Jesus wherever they may compete. The little band in Thailand is also planning an outreach into Laos at the end of July where a number of deaf people have already been contacted and who have asked for a visit. Laos is a very restricted country so your prayers for this venture are as always, coveted. More about this later.

Bibles

Rod has been busy contacting people to raise funds for Bibles for deaf new and old believers in the Philippines. The first lot have been purchased and are being used in Bacolod. Over the next weeks we hope to provide more to the work in Bicol and Davao too. Thank you to those who have given for this project; it is an on going project as many more are needed. These folk are hungry for the Word and the provision of these Bibles means so much to them.

Egypt

Only a few more months until the Egypt conference. There is still room if you are wanting to come. If you can’t but, can help one of our deaf workers or believers to come, that would be wonderful. Conference fees and airfares are beyond the scope of most of our people, so scholarship and help is vital in getting them there.

China

We always need to be a bit sensitive when writing about China and the work there but it is so exciting so it is hard to keep quiet. Three of our Thai people went with me this time and were a great blessing to the Chinese deaf and hearing with whom they met. Supharp preached in two of the churches and joined Tomm and Boyd in helping instruct some of our Chinese folk in video production and editing.

We shared in the second anniversary of the church started by our Korean worker 12 hours west of Kunming near the Myanmar border. Most of the people there are Lisu, so a very colourful service. The trip back in a sleeper-bus left a bit to be desired. Beds instead of seats are a good idea for people not quite as wide as I am!

Philippines

Albert Mercado is married to Korean missionary Kim Min Sim and they are leading the work in Bacolod in the central part of the Philippines. It was a privilege and honour to be part of Albert’s ordination. As far as we know he is the first deaf Filipino to be ordained in the Philippines itself. He and his wife are responsible for some 6 churches in the area, dormitories for the deaf and a Bible school in the Bacolod church. A new work has begun on the island of Samar in the town of Borongan. How they found this place I will never know. From Tacloban on Leyte Island it is an agonizing 5 hour journey over spine-shattering roads to the town where there is now a DMI church and dormitory for the deaf. We had the joy of baptizing 14 young people in a very posh swimming pool at a nearby hotel.

The dorm is run by deaf people for kids who can then attend the nearby government school. It is fabulous seeing deaf people take the initiative to begin works and run them themselves. More kids to help, more work to be done. Your help is essential.

Davao

The dorm that was built a couple of years ago is bursting at the seams. 115 young people are now jammed in as we are also running a High School and College in the facility.

Joshua Asuela, our director, has ingeniously been adding a 4th-story room to the building and extensions to the balconies for class rooms. He has used his own salary for this, for which we want to reimburse him. We owe about $4000 for this work.

God bless Neville & Lill

Funds received into DMI & Deaf Action bank accounts

Due to the increasing number of donations being made electronically, some of these are difficult to identify and receipt to the correct person. Please remember to type your SURNAME in the Reference line. Follow-up with an email to me advising area of designation if not enough room in the reference line.

Have you received all your tax receipts for the 2007/2008 year?