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Deaf Ministries Update

Bringing the Gospel to the Deaf

November 2008

Dear Friends and Supporters,

Egypt Conference

After 3 years of anticipation and expectation it is hard to believe that it is all behind us now.  The 4th DMI International Conference is now history and we are looking forward to the 5th one, if the world is still here, in 2011 in Melbourne Australia. In spite of the problems, cultural differences, communication short- comings and mosquitoes, I think everyone was blessed and encouraged as we saw all that the Lord has been doing amongst the deaf since our last gathering. Montezuma sure got his revenge on quite a large number of delegates but none of the 240 or so who attended from 33 different countries, contracted anything serious during their sojourn in Egypt.

We were encouraged, inspired and instructed by deaf preachers from the UK, Uganda, Korea, US and Australia. God has sure raised up a wonderful number of anointed and gifted deaf people to carry out His work but, we long and pray for more resources for this to be done.  Every country had the opportunity to make a presentation of their work and activities. Opportunity was given for special ‘music’ dramas, comedies and cultural presentations; our only problem being lack of time.

A large number of interpreters expended much energy getting the message across to the various sign language groups present as well as the spoken word in English and Arabic.

Our guys from Thailand came equipped with cameras and editing equipment to film and record the conference only to have their equipment impounded at the airport as they looked too professional and did not have the official papers necessary for journalists!!  The disaster was averted as Dewayne came with his camera on a different flight so was able to film the conference while the Thai team spent hours compiling and editing everything so that a DVD was available for all at the end of the conference.  They did a fabulous job and worked all night the last night to get things finished. If you would like a copy, the abridged version is $US10 (AUD15) and the full version $US40 (AUD60) Just let me know - info@deafmin.org Some took advantage of taking a Nile cruise, a trip to Sinai, various trips around Cairo and some ventured as far as Israel.  The most impressive feat as far as I am concerned was that of Joyce, our petite 70 year old Bible School principal from Uganda, who rode a camel up and down Mt Sinai, a journey that took many hours. It puts my trot around the pyramids to shame. Our special thanks goes to Sobhy and the large team of volunteers in Egypt for their wonderful work in organizing the logistics; buses, airport pick-ups and returns, hotel and guesthouse accommodation, tours and so many other unseen, and unnoticed, services. It was a mammoth task. Thank you to you all. So start saving - the next conference, God willing, will be in Melbourne Australia

Uganda

While most flew home, a small number namely Brenda, Jenny, Ian & Neville, visited Kenya and Uganda en route. Neville was later joined in Uganda by a couple of gentlemen from the US, Wes and Lloyd, who had flown out to see how they could help us get some buildings completed. What is going to be the biggest faith-stretching exercise DMI has ever undertaken is now underway. Wes is the director of an organization known as Tech Serve, based in Arkansas. His group is going to ship to Uganda (in containers) three churches and a two-story Bible School building. Volunteer teams from Australia and the US are going to help erect these buildings with the help of local workers.  The only problem is that we have no money to pay for it at all.  Now either we are completely mad (I can hear some of you replying to that!!) or God has a sense of humour and is going to perform a huge miracle to get these buildings constructed. Not only do we have no money but we need it in a few weeks time. The total cost will be about $US350,000 which to God is nothing but, to us - impossible. Please pray with us that God will work the impossible. We are not even meeting the monthly regular commitments at the moment, so humanly speaking this is madness. We believe though that God has a different agenda.

Two of the churches will be constructed in the northern part of Uganda that has seen 20 years of civil war. The deaf there deserve something better. We are hoping to build two churches for them, one in Lira and the other in Gulu. An added complication is that we need to buy land in Gulu first.  The church in Kampala, our “mother” church in Uganda to the 59 other branches we have is a disgrace. It is a wooden shed with a tin roof that leaks and has gaping holes all down the sides. The Bible school which is training deaf people from various countries in East and Central Africa is also in great need of space and facilities.

Please show your support and concern for the deaf of Uganda by getting behind us financially or in prayer or both so that this can all be completed in record time. One thing about travelling in remote places, without the BBC, CNN and e-mail contact, is that I am not aware of what’s happening globally!  In ignorant bliss we make decisions and plan things unaware that the world’s economies have gone berserk, the Australian dollar has lost most of its value and everything is unstable and uncertain. When we step out of the nice secure boat and see the storm around us, like Peter, we begin to sink. Our only hope is to keep our eyes on Him who is our source and strength.  As we begin to shake and waver a bit, pray that we will constantly keep our eyes on Him and not at the impossible circumstances around us.

STOPPRESS:We have just been given about $AUD108,000 to commence the project. What a wonderful confirmation.

Norway

While I was travelling around East Africa, Lill and Rod Chapman came on to Norway for a series of deputation meetings, the Norway DMI day in Bergen and the Norwegian Deaf Expo in Stavanger. Many new contacts were made and Rod was used mightily among both hearing and deaf congregations here in Norway. I am writing this letter from Norway as Ian and I are here at the moment. We are looking  forward to Rod being able to return again to Norway in the future, as he is wonderfully received here. Lill too has been busy representing DMI, with Rod, and by herself across the country.

Kenya

The Immanuel School for the Deaf in Ringa, Kenya is splitting at the seams. Some 50 kids are now jammed into the inadequate accommodation. The staff have done a fabulous job and it was a joy to spend a few days there while in Africa. Following the fiasco which we inherited from Gloria and her husband we were forced to start the school again in another area. Unfortunately the husband had told the authorities that our new school was his or a branch of his, so we were unable to get registration. 

Wesley, the principal, and I visited the local authorities and asked for an inspection so that we could get the school registered. At first the inspection did not go well as the one influenced by the husband was present but the local person with the most authority was positive. We can either look for a long-term rental agreement for the current facility or buy 4 hectares of land for future development. They will give us some directives next week. Thanks to Michael Gantt and team from the US who were visiting at the same time as us the school now sports new mattresses and other equipment they supplied for us.

If we can get two sponsors for every child in the school we can completely finance the school’s monthly operations

We are available to visit churches, schools, mission groups, ladies’ groups - anyone or anywhere, to present the needs of DMI world wide.

God Bless, Neville & Lill