Deaf Ministries School and Sponsorship Update
Bringing the Gospel to the Deaf
November 2011
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Dear Sponsors and Supporters,
Thank you very much for your ongoing support and interest in our deaf students. Their education could not continue without your donations; and the students, teachers and workers in all our schools are very grateful. We continue to have many challenges. Unexpected floods are a shock to us and especially to the young children. None of our schools are built on known flood plains but the recent floods have disrupted our schools and caused a great deal of hardship. Thank you to those supporters who gave extra for the flood appeals. Some months we do not have enough funds to send the full amount needed to cover the running costs of the schools but they do remarkably well to provide the high level of education and care that is given 24 hours. Stephen, our Information Officer in Uganda has written this, “It is amazing to see how the lives of the poor deaf children have been touched by the big hearts out there, who hardly know them”. Thank you everyone.
UGANDA
IN UGANDA our 4 Teachers College students have completed the 1st stage of their training and can now teach up to grade 3 in primary schools. Further study will be required to teach to grade 5 and high school level. There are now 4 of our deaf students at Kyambogo University and they need sponsors to pay for interpreters and fees, so if you would like to sponsor a university student please contact me at my email address. The students at Wakiso Secondary School have completed their exams and also grown cabbages to supplement their diet! We have started sponsorship of St Marys Primary School. There are young deaf children who need sponsors. Rachel at the Budadiri Unit has now recovered from TB and will recommence school next year.
KENYA
At our school for the deaf in KENYA 3 students sat for the National Examination and we hope they will go on to High School. 9 little ones graduated from the ‘Pre-Unit’ to Primary School. The teaching staff continue to work hard and 4 teachers are upgrading their qualifications at holiday In-Service Courses. It will take them 2 years to complete the full course. Some new parents have been elected to the School Council and Signing Classes were also conducted on Graduation Day when over 30 parents attended. It is a credit to the teaching staff that parents are now more involved and the school is progressing very well. However we do have a problem. One of the properties we were renting has been sold and left us without some buildings, including the boy’s dormitory for next year. This is very bad news because we do not have the funds to erect a suitable building for bedrooms by the start of school next year. Our classrooms are simple iron clad buildings that are cheap and easy to erect but our boys deserve better for sleeping accommodation. We badly need funds to build a new boys dormitory. The school participated in Deaf School Sports and 40 students (half the school) went on to the Provincial level, with 4 representing the Province at National Sports in Mombasa. They are very dedicated athletes even at primary school level and the school was awarded their first trophy as the Best School. The poultry house has been expanded to accommodate hundreds of chickens; and many crops keep our food costs as low as possible. They have grown sweet potatoes, corn, fruit and many vegetables.
MYANMAR
Everybody at the Kalay school in MYANMAR are very grateful their new building is now finished and it gives them plenty of room for sleeping and classrooms, with an area that can be further developed when needed. The fire safe kitchen is very welcome also. The students in grades 5 to 8 visited and performed songs in sign language at Kalay University and some other learning centres in the area. Everyone enjoyed a picnic at their favourite fishing spot on the river for their end of year celebration. One of the big pigs the school has been fattening up provided some tasting eating recently. The 2 boys attending Mary Chapman School for the Deaf in Yangon have achieved excellent results and Paing Myo Thant came top in class 7.
THAILAND
Mt Sign Pre-school and Dormitory in Chiang Mai, THAILAND, had only just settled into their new building and re-erected the Restaurant before heavy rain in the mountains near Chiang Mai caused floods in a large part of the city. The area had not been known to flood before, and as reported in the news lately the massive flood took months to move south and is still in Bangkok. Our leader and workers were devastated and had to clean up, repair and repaint again, and they have spent months working on their buildings. The children continue to do very well in their learning especially with the extra tuition given to them after school. The adults and older students regularly enjoy basketball and volleyball.
PHILIPPINES
Bacolod
Our Dormitory at Bacolod in the PHILIPPINES now has more than 20 students staying there so they can attend school. It was started more than 5 years ago in the home of our leaders, Pastor Albert and Kim, and they have definitely outgrown their house with all the students they care for! The owner wants to sell the property so they have to move out and thankfully a new rental property has been found. The students should be settling in to more spacious rooms now if all has gone according to plan.
The Internet Cafe is up and running and our students are learning more computer skills there. But the computers use the Linux operating system and the public are not familiar with it. So the Internet Cafe needs new computers with the Windows operating system before the Internet Cafe can help support our dormitory. At the Borongan Dormitory on Samar Island, in the PHILIPPINES, 2 new children were recently ”dropped off” because their grandparents were too old to care for them and have no means of support. But all these teenage students are happy and grateful to be living with deaf friends and going to school. A sign language class has been started for parents to learn signing but many live too far away to travel to classes. We encourage the students to teach their parents over the holidays.
Davao
Our school at DAVAO in the PHILIPPINES has now recovered from the flood that occurred midyear. But the 2 vehicles were badly damaged. 1 has been replaced. Many electrical appliances were also written off and it has been a difficult time for them. Our leaders at Davao would like me to pass on a special THANK YOU to everyone who donated to the Davao Flood Appeal. October was a busy month with celebrations for World Teacher’s Day, the dedication of their new car, and special activities for the 19th Davao Foundation Week celebrations including a street parade and sports program for the students. Every year Davao students participate in public performances for Deafness Awareness Week and National Disability Prevention Week that are conducted throughout the Philippines. Their contribution to public education is highly valued. The activities during these weeks seek to demonstrate how capable people with a disability can be, and advertise programs and opportunities available to help people with a disability, including the deaf. They are to be commended on their educational programs.
Ligao and Malinao
Our schools at Ligao and Malinao in the Bicol area of the PHILIPPINES continue to cater for a wide range of ages and abilities. There are still students starting education in their teens or later. FCLC celebrated its 28th Foundation Day with the theme “There is Victory in Unity.” There was a parade, a poster competition and sports festival. The students especially enjoyed finders keepers, volleyball and basketball. The Directress was interviewed on radio to advertise our services for the deaf, and classroom roof repairs are continuing. The Malinao Primary School celebrated its 18th Foundation Anniversary on November 25th and the students spending a whole day swimming at the Coco Farm resort. They thoroughly enjoyed the day.
EGYPT
In EGYPT it is very difficult for our deaf people, and our work at the farm has stopped due to threats from political groups. Even communication to obtain news is very difficult. THANK YOU to those who support our work with deaf people in Egypt because they still need support and are experiencing very hard times there. Please pray for our deaf Christians in Egypt.
Thank you dear sponsors and supporters. This work could not continue without your interest and financial contributions. The teachers, parents and students are very grateful to you.
CHRISTMAS GREETINGS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY, AND WE WISH YOU A HAPPY NEW YEAR IN 2012
Jenny Reid – Sponsorship Co-ordinator