Prayer & Praise

Praise God for the rapid growth in the Negros area of the Philippines
Pray for the move to new facilities in Chiangmai and a possible volunteer team to help
Give thanks for the young people in our Bible schools in Philippines, Uganda, Burundi and Egypt
Pray for new church outreach to Bing Do U village
Give thanks for God’s continued protection over the folk in the Myanmar Church group
Pray for the staff internationally who are working with much reduced salaries and support
Pray for funding for new building needs

Dear Friends and Supporters,

Myanmar

The Taung Zalat Hotel in Kalay - Myanmar, where I have stayed the past few nights, is under new management. It is slightly cleaner now however, the power is still only on for a few hours and one either has to put up with a noisy generator outside the window to run a fan and some lighting, or have peace and quiet but, swelter in the dark. The police still keep a watchful eye and follow me around; a daily report has to be written in Burmese, listing where I have been, who I have met and where I ate lunch. Fortunately, I cannot write Burmese so poor Pa Lian has to do it for me. On checking in, my passport is taken and someone to make 13 copies of it. I asked, again, what for? I was told it was for my protection! I am not sure what I am to be protected from as I am sure it does not protect me from the mosquitoes.

One colourful change has been made with the new management and that is new staff on the reception desk. There are now some nicely dressed young men welcoming guests. For years an old guy, who I called Toad of Toad Hall, was in charge. He used to sit there - like a toad - looking over his glasses, chewing beetle nut and spitting red saliva into a jar he kept on the counter by his side. The school in Kalay is bursting at the seams. There is no more floor space for kids to sleep on and the health department has told us not to accept any more children until new facilities have been built. The temporary building used for class rooms is falling to bits and water pours in through the holes and soaks teachers, kids, books and furniture alike. Keeping staff is also a problem as our lovely teachers keep getting married off and moving with their husbands, out of the district, or abroad. I told Pa Lian that from now on only old, ugly teachers should be employed. So what is in store for Immanuel School for the Deaf? A new building costing $45,000 is needed almost immediately

A Couple of years ago we visited a village about 26 miles out of Kalay where we found 48 deaf people of varying ages with no language nor schooling of any kind, and illiterate to the extent that they did not even know their own names. I used to call the place ‘48 deaf village’ as I could not remember the name of the place. The actual name is BING DO U and we have finally started a meeting for the deaf there.

The happy group of students from Kalay School; now delighted to have learnt their names, their date of birth, a way to communicate with one another and to receive an education - all through sign language.

Actually, 48 deaf village is not a correct description either as we have found another 10 deaf - making it ‘58 deaf village’. The population of the village is made up of 5 different Chin tribe groups all with their own dialect but, I guess for the deaf it does not matter, as they don’t have any language anyway. The Kalay school principal Nawl, and Saw Monday - one of the deaf teachers, are taking responsibility for the outreach there. We are needing a motor bike as two bridges between Kalay and the village have been washed out so the only way to get there is by bike.

Naing Naing Kyaw

Naing Naing Kyaw (pronounced Nai Nai Jo), one of our deaf young men from Yangon who graduated from Seminary a year or so ago, is hoping to start with DMI on a full time basis. He is currently employed (in the office) at a school for the deaf in Yangon but, wants to be freed up to do more outreach and work with DMI Myanmar. Please pray as we try to find his support for this much needed work.

So the needs of Myanmar as they stand now are:

School building, Kalay - $45,000; Rice paddy, Kalay as income generating project - $10,000 for 10 acres; Motor bike, Kalay - $1,500; Camera, Kalay - $200; Support for Naing Naing Kyaw - $100 a month

Philippines

Albert & Kim

DMI Negros in the central part of the Philippines has just celebrated their 5th anniversary. Albert Mercado and his Korean wife Kim Min Sim who are both deaf, lead the work from Bacolod City. In the past 5 years they have started 10 churches for the deaf, a Bible School and 2 dormitories for deaf children. The work is pursued with great zeal and enthusiasm and in true Korean style, there is no such word as “No” or a concept that it can’t be done.

In spite of the current economic crisis the work grows and somehow manages to survive in difficult circumstances. There is a wonderful group of enthusiastic Bible school students ably taught by Elisa and a number of volunteer pastors, and by Kim and Albert themselves. A team of young evangelists is serving the churches in surrounding towns and islands.

Davao DMI has outgrown the current building and is renting a facility next door. A tarpaulin kind of roofing covers the front of the rented facility under which the kids study and eat their meals.

Just after I left there was a violent storm which tore the tarpaulin to shreds leaving a mess and no eating or studying area. This has to be repaired immediately.

We are always trying to come up with ideas to help make the work sustainable locally. Whether it be rice fields, mills, cake shops or sewing factories, each bit helps to take the load off DMI internationally. Our latest scheme is to buy a rubber plantation! We can get mountain land in northern Mindanao quite cheaply and plant rubber trees with the hope that the profit will support the work in Davao. More later.

Ligao

The building used for most of our classrooms in Ligao is getting beyond repair, needs to be torn down and replaced. We are wanting the kind of building in this photo, which is borer and typhoon-proof. Another building project.

Thailand

Would you like to sponsor me?

More building needs face the work in Chiangmai. The centre that has been used for residence, church, dormitory, nursery school and general gathering point is to be sold by the owner from whom we rent. As the property is in a rather posh part of Chiangmai the going price is over $1,000,000 - that’s a bit out of our league. As a result we have to move. Praise God another place has been found within the town, which has great potential. It was a facility used by a group working with AIDS victims and has plenty of room for what is needed. It is, however, a bit of a dump and needs a lot of renovation and cleaning up. The grounds need piles of junk removed, rooms scrubbed and painted, spouting repaired and I don’t know what else. The rent is half of what is being paid at the moment so that is one good thing. The buildings that were constructed on the current site for Nursery School and Dormitory will be dismantled and moved to the new site and Tomm’s family, much to the horror of his kids, will also move on site.

Preparing a card for my sponsor.

Tomm & John.

John Vasila from Melbourne, who was in Thailand with me this time, has been helping to set up a small sewing factory to make bags which he hopes to import to Australia. It too will move to the new facilities.

What would be great would be for a team of volunteers to head to Thailand in October or thereabouts, to do a clean-up and repair job on the facility. If there are any who would love a “holiday” in the north of Thailand please contact us.

Thank you for your continued prayers and financial support.

God Bless, Neville and Lill