Prayer & Praise

Praise God for the success of the Philippones camps
Pray for phase two of Ugandan building project-the bible school
Give thanks for the progress in Kalay and closeness of the deaf community
Pray for safe travels as Neville and Lill present the work in Western Australia
Pray for positive response to 5th Conference and offers of assistance for some international attendees

Dear Friends and Supporters,

Mark it in your diaries! Next year, 2011 in the month of October is our 5th International Conference. This time it will be held in Australia at the Stanwell Tops Conference Centre near Wollongong, which is about an hour and a half south of Sydney. 12th - 16th are the dates to keep free if you are planning on coming. We are taking bookings and reservations now so it’s never too early to let us know if you are hoping or thinking about coming.

Chad Entinger

You can register using the brochure enclosed with this letter or online by going to www.deafmin.org Hope to see you there. Chad Entinger, a deaf leader from Deaf Missions USA, is the KeyNote Speaker. For the rest of April and into May, Lill and I will be in Western Australia. Our schedule is also on the web page but, we can be contacted on 0402181820 if you are interested in catching up with us. Our first meeting is on the 18th April in Perth and our last on the 9th May, in Kalgoorlie. In between are another 25 meetings and speaking engagements.

Exciting Goings On

168 deaf kids and adults joined the Bicol camp in the Philippines just before Easter. This was the largest number we have had at that camp. David Wanstall and his family, from Melbourne, were guests where David was the main speaker for the camp and for the graduation service which followed it. 29 were baptised, which was a real encouragement and blessing.

Banner artwork by the camp attendees

In the meantime Rod Chapman was in Negros and later in Davao, where he lead seminars, spoke for the Baccalaureate and mini-camp and where a further 9 were baptised. The Bacolod camp is still to be held, as is the first camp ever in Myanmar. These are to be held later in April.

Peter, Jenny, Neville & Lill

Peter is the Pastor of Monash City Church of Christ and Jenny is our sponsorship coordinator. I had the pleasure of taking them to China, Myanmar and Thailand and then returning to China with Lill a little later for the wedding of one of our workers. They were able to experience first hand some of the “joys” of DMI.

Three in the back and the front seat was also a tight fit!

The one part of the trip I am sure they would sooner forget was the 18-hour, bone-shattering, dust-choking ordeal from Mandalay to Kalay. It was supposed to have been covered by air but we were unloaded in Mandalay on some pretext and put into a 1983 Corolla for the rest of the journey. I think Peter is still unable to walk properly. It was all made worthwhile though when we got to meet kids and staff.

Jenny with the teachers and students

What an idea - Koala earings!

Peter coaches cricket prospect

The new school building in Kalay is underway. We are still in need of some $25,000 to complete it, or else the kids will have very draughty classrooms. Land has been purchased, just out of Kalay, as an income generating project. It is hoped that the rice produced will help supply some of the needs of the Kalay work.

Saw Mon Day (got his name because he was born on a Monday) is one of our deaf teachers in Kalay. We were recently able to purchase a motor bike for him to commute out to what we call 48 deaf village; called that because there are 48 deaf people in the village! Also, we recently started a church in the town and have actually purchased a building! I am sure if the wind reached 30kmph, it would fall over. The building swayed when I entered, so Peter suggested a few simple remedies to strengthen it. But, that is another project.

China

Baking bread and buns under Lill's supervision

In the past month or so I have made two trips to China. The second was to perform the wedding of one of our workers. The experience was marvellous and the wedding a real testimony and blessing. The whole function was held in a restaurant. When it was time to eat the tables were rearranged and dish after dish brought in for our enjoyment. It took 3 of us to get them married. I spoke in English, Joey translated into Chinese, then Angel signed to the deaf who were present.

Trials and tribulations

Although things are a bit better than last year, we are still running very short on finances. Our fields are still struggling and the general donations for the running of DMI are insufficient. We are encouraged by the increase in child sponsorship and project donations but the gifts for the general budget for DMI are much in need of considerable increase. We do not have a marketing person on staff, so if you are able to help with some ideas, or pray that some one who is able can do so, we would appreciate it so much.

E-Newsletter

It is extremely important to keep you informed of all the interesting and wonderful ways in which DMI’s international schools and communities are blessed; how they continue to grow and their inspiring stories of resilience through hardship.
To help our administrative costs, would you consider receiving this Newsletter by email instead of by post?

Please let Brenda know your preference at: brenda.clearwater@deafmin.org or If it is your wish to be removed from the mailing list. Alternatively, please return the slip below.

As always, we thank you for continued interest and support.

God Bless, Neville and Lill