Sunday, March 18, 2012

Tears of Joy and Sadness

Hey Everyone,
Today was one of the harder days of this week, emotionally. As the week begins to draw to a close knowing I am one day closer to leaving is getting much harder. We started our day off by going to the school and saying our last good-byes and getting pictures but our bus driver thought we were going straight to Valley of the Angels so he turned the wrong way and by the time we got to the school it was too late to take group pictures and stuff. I did get to spend some good time with my kids just watching them learn and of course I got some pictures. It was so hard to actually walk away knowing this could very well be the last time I could see them. But the time came and after some tears and great hugs I said goodbye.

After leaving the school we headed to the high school and picked up the kids then headed off to Valley of the Angels. I was warned earlier in the week to take some Dramamine before we left and I was so glad I did. The ride was about 30 mins or so but we went up a mountain and the roads were kind of scary. Once we were there we did some looking around and some shopping. After we left the second store these guys approached Savannah and I, which was kind of creepy, but then signed "Are you Deaf?". It turned out there was a guy in their group, Kevin, who is deaf and they wanted us to meet him. They were a group of students from the University of Georgia on a missions trip. It's so crazy how God works these things out. We then went to lunch and their group showed up a little after ours. Kevin ate with us and we got to know him. It was really neat how it all happened.

We had a little while after lunch to shop and doing some looking around, so we did then we packed up with all our belongings and started the trek down the mountain. On the bus ride back to the high school the girl sitting beside me, Katerine, who has multiple disabilities started having a seizure. Having worked in the medical field and had training and experience I knew what to do so I was able to remain calm and after about 30 seconds it was over. I am even more convinced that God has a purpose for everything. Had I never experienced someone having a seizure I would have, like anyone else sitting on the bus, more than likely been a little freaked out.

I was impressed and slightly taken back when one of the other kids asked what was wrong with her, Larry responded with there is nothing wrong she is exactly the way God made her and that was the end of that discussion. He was right. So many times when we see something different about someone or they aren't "normal" we think there is something wrong with that but God doesn't make mistakes. We are all exactly how we are supposed to be.

After we got back it was dinner time and the NLDM deaf ministry team came and then they had a meeting so we took care of the kids again. After the meeting Aura spoke to our team about the new Bible Translation project in Honduras she is working on. Honduras does not have a standardized sign language so the LESHO we learned will likely not be understood in other parts of the country. She is working extremely hard with other deaf all over the country of Honduras to make the Bible accessible to all deaf in Honduras.

Stay tuned for more news from Friday.

Blessings,
Rebecca

It's halfway over

Yet another wonderful day! Today I got a warm shower which hasn't happened since I've been here and probably won't happen again. Although, I have to say having cold showers for the past few days has really helped me limit my time in the bathroom spent getting ready in the morning.

After breakfast we headed to Manos Felices for yet another fun day of Bible School, this time with 1,2,3,&4 graders. Stephanie and Lizzie taught their lesson on Moses as a baby and also with the Red Sea. The kids seem to really enjoy everything and they understood which really helped.

I realized today how attached I've grown close to the kids in "my class". As soon as we walked in this morning Samuel, the little boy I was having problems with but really connected with yesterday, ran up to me and gave me a hug... my heart melted. I can't imagine what it is like for them to get so close to us and have to say goodbye. Then over and over again to other mission teams because I know how hard it is for me to think about leaving them. I really don't want to leave these kids and the wonderful people we've met this week even if it is to go back to school for just a short time more.

After school today, Bob, one of our group leaders taught a workshop for the teachers at the school so we had some time to hang out so after updating my blog (as you can tell I'm a few days behind) and then played soccer with Kevin, one of the kids from the school. I can I may not be as good as him but I sure did have fun playing and we beat Rachel and Lizzie, 4-1. Then we came back to the high school and hung out until Aura came and Rachel and I made cookies, which turned out really good.

After we all ate dinner Melvin, the pastor from NLDM, and his wife Wendy shared with us. Wendy shared her testimony. She started off by saying that all the glory goes to God (Dios) and her life truly reflects that God works all things together for those who love him and are called according to his purpose. She didn't learn language until she was 10 and later received Christ as her Savior. She now has a wonderful husband and a 19 month old. God is really blessing them and the work they are doing here in Tegus. As hard as it has been to hear some of the stories of the people here I am so glad God has placed the wonderful people here in the positions of ministry to be able to reach out to the very much in need Deaf community here. I just pray more people come to know him here and can learn to take on some of the blessing of sharing the responsibility that is needed here.

Blessings,
Rebecca

Communication with No Language

Today was quite an adventure to say the least. I've never been so overwhelmed in my life. I thought when we were planning things out we would at least have a language basis to work with... wrong! Telling kids a story who have no language to understand it with is extremely difficult. But working with kids who know a little AND those who know nothing is even more of a challenge because you have to make sure you match everyone's language level. I didn't get to have my quiet time this morning because I get in the shower when Rachel gets out and I had kitchen duty today so as soon as I got out of the shower I had to get ready and go get breakfast ready. Although, it was totally my fault because I could have gotten up earlier and started off more on the right foot. I was extremely stressed but I've made it through the day in one piece. :)

I do have a really great report to give. I got to connect with Samuel today. He was the little boy, yesterday, I had a struggle with and ended up having to hold down. He started off by not being so sure of me as well as the rest of the group but he started to warm up to me after a little while. We got really close during the day he would always come up to me when we were working on different projects and make sure I saw the good job he was doing and tell me important things like what Colorado something was because when that's one of the few things you know really well you want to make sure people know you understand.

After school we talked to some of the teachers and waited around for the bus. It finally came a little after 4:00 and we went back to the high school and hung out, slept, or talked until around 5:30 then we left to go to dinner. We ate at the Honduran equivalent to Bojangles (YUM) with Christy, Lily (Christy's daughter), Larry, Aura, and Carolina (Larry and Aura's daughter). We then took a trip to see the city lights which was amazing. I've never seen anything like it.

On the ride to go see the lights we passed the American embassy. It was one of the worst things I've ever seen. It was HUGE. I was absolutely disgusted and embarrassed to be an American. The poverty I've seen this week could have a least been somewhat helped if those who live in the embassy would be willing to give up a little. I could go on and on about how this makes my blood boil but ranting doesn't do anyone any good but I do have to say I really hope that stays with me and makes me think the next time I complain about anything.

I got to lead the devotion tonight and I based it on Galatians 2:20. I spoke on how we shouldn't be seen when people look at us, but Christ should be seen dwelling in the bodies we inhabit while on this earth. I want this to be me. I want people to think of how much I love Jesus first when they think of me. The other things can follow but I want Him to trump it all!

Blessings,
Rebecca

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Dia Primera a Manos Felices

Hola!
Today was an amazing day! We got to spend our first day at the school with the kids. As soon as we pulled up to the school we saw Santos, the little boy we visited yesterday who lives in the dump community walking into to school with his mom... God is so amazing! Once we were in the school we were met by the principal, Oneida, who showed us around the different classrooms and introduced us to all of the students and teachers. Savannah and I worked with the pre-school class because we will be leading the bible school for that group on Tuesday. I have to say by lunch time I was extremely ready for a nap. I love working with them. The class is full of some great kids and I´m excited for what this week brings.

Santos, the little boy we visited on Sunday, came into the school kicking and screaming but ten minutes later he was up and playing with the other kids. When he came into the school he didn´t even know his name… like most of the other kids when they come to the school here but by the time he left he knew 3 signs, which is quite an accomplishment. I cannot wait to see what other amazing things God is going to do this week. 

I had a rather interesting experience with one kid, Samuel. He was in school last year (keep in mind their school year has just begun) and his mom pulled him out but has decided to bring him back this year. He got put in my class but was kicking and screaming so I took on the task of trying to calm him down... he kicked and screamed for about 15 minutes until Miriam, one of the staff members, came and took him back out. Working with a kid who is upset and crying is hard when they have limited language and you want to try and tell them something. Later in the day I saw him and he was much happier. I hope he returns to school tomorrow so we can try again and he stays in school.
Working with kids who have almost no language with ages ranging from 4 to almost 7 is extremely sad but just as rewarding when they learn new things. Once we were done with school, which ends at 1:30, we went back to the high school where we are staying and worked on VBS materials. That night we ate tacos, Honduran style, YUM, and played with the children who´s parents are part of the Deaf Ministry Leadership Team. I am so blessed by the amazing God we serve and how he allows us to experience situations to teach us new things.

This week I am learning, first hand, what it is like to not be able to communicate. Many times I have felt like the kids in my class who have no language and have to resort to some other form of communication to get their point across. I am so blessed that I serve a God who loves me and understands what I say no matter how I communicate. I am, also, learning how important it is to be able to communicate, even if it is basic. I could see myself doing this full-time, I love it.

Tomorrow, Savannah and I will be leading VBS for our class so it will be very interesting to see how that goes because their attention spans are extremely limited. Also, it will be difficult because imagine if you have no language you have no way of knowing or explaining who God is and how much he loves you and wants to have a relationship with you. This hit me hard when we got back to the high school as I was working on VBS material. I just to tell people how amazing God is and if they don´t even know that I just said HOLA to them, how can I? My heart is broken for the lost but even more so for those who don´t have a way to communicate… I think I´ve really found my calling.

Blessings,
Rebecca

PS Keep the prayers coming!

Blessed

Today was our first full day in Honduras. We started off not in normal Sunday fashion. We went on two home visits. The first little boy, Santos, has never been in school and has no language. He is 4 years old. The next little boy, Josue, is 7 and has some language. He just started attending school less than a year ago.

Santos lives to the dump community, what a way to start the day. It is quite a haul to even get up to his house because it´s on a mountain and has a make-shift trail leading up to it. Once we got into the house, which was made out of anything they could find in the dump, we were welcomed by his mom. Their kitchen was nothing more than an old coal burning stove. Santos is one of eight children, the youngest being 23 days old. We spoke with his mother, through our wonderful interpreter Lesley (who interpreted from a mixture of ASL/LESH into Spanish... Kudos!) about the importance of sending her child to school but also learning to communicate with him so he could have access to communication all the time not just at school. It was also emphasized that if Santos attends school he not only doesn´t have to work in the dump but he could get another job and make more money. She said she wasn´t sure because her brother didn´t want Santos to attend school but she would try to find some money to send him. We all prayed extra hard he would come to school. We were all extremely touched when we actually walked out into the dump to see what they live with. They pick through trash to try to find anything to exchange for money.

After leaving Santos´s house, we went over the river and through the woods.... well actually on many roads and UP a mountain (all in our bus, yea I was scared). We went to Josue´s house. He just started going to school but he has had really good language acquistion so he can communicate pretty well. His mother doesn´t sign and also cannot read or write so she has no means of communication with him. Their home did not have any kind of kitchen. In this home it´s just Josue, his mother, and sister. We brought each of the families a large bucket with food. They were all extremely appreciative.

After leaving we ate lunch and then headed off to church. We did a skit, similar to the "Ëverything" skit by Lifehouse (minus the music) which was a lot of fun and people seemed to really be touched by it. We then broke into small groups and I went with the youth. It was a lot of fun to see how the younger Deaf here are a lot like the Deaf youth in the US.

We then headed off to El Picacho, which is like a national park but it hosts the statue of Jesus. This is really hard for many in Honduras and especially after our morning visit because the statue overlooks the city but it´s back is to the dump community, so many who live there feel God doesn´t care about or love them. Thank goodness we don´t worship a statue and that God is EVERYWHERE so his back is never to us. It was lots of fun, Larry (and Carolina) went with us so we got our own personal tour from native a Honduran.

We left El Picacho and headed back to the high school where we ate dinner and hung out/ got ready for the next day. After dinner, Larry gave his testimony. He grew up with a Deaf mother, hearing father, and 2 Deaf brothers. After being in a gang he really felt he should get out after seeing his brother get shot in the back. The bullet had been unclean and to remove it would most likely leave him blind so he decided to deal with the pain and leave it in, this later lead to his death. He learned his other brother was in a gang as well and later died too. He turned his life around after being invited to church with a friend and becoming saved. He is now married with a beautiful daugther and God has really blessed him.

This whole day made me think about how much we as Americans have it good. We almost never know someone who has been shot, at least not like Larry and many people here. We almost never have to deal with problems of poverty. We may not have money sometimes but never like this! I cannot imagine how much different my life would have been had I been born here in Honduras instead of America. God has given us way too much to be greedy and unthankful.

Blessings,
Rebecca

Monday, March 12, 2012

ESTOY EN HONDURAS

We made it here safely I can gladly report. After a bit of a tough start the flights and everything went rather smooth. We left Gardner-Webb around 3am and arrived at the airport around 4. I was so glad my parents and brother were there to see me off. Everyone made it through security just fine... except me! I got taken to a private room, questioned, and patted down! Good way to start my trip. I thought I was going to cry, and honestly I almost did but God is still good and He is in control. Then I went and got coffee and we headed to our gate. We left around 6am and landed in Atlanta around 8. When we got on the plane we sat with two other Gardner-Webb students which was fun because almost all of knew one or both of them. Once we were got off the plane we went and found our gate and most of us went to McDonald's for breakfast. We had about a two hour lay-over there, which was really nice. Several of us watched the video of LESHO (Honduran Sign Language) to practice and make sure we could at least have a basic conversation. Around 945 we boarded our plane and headed off to Honduras. I finally fell asleep on this plane and slept almost the entire way.

Landing in Honduras is...well... quite an experience! The runway is extremely small so you just land pretty much. Customs line was long but we made it through no problems. We were met at the airport by Larry and Alejandro who both work at the school, Manos Felices. Larry is Deaf and works closely with the teams during the week. Alejandro is hearing but works at the school so he is learning to sign. I am so excited I understand a lot more LESHO than I thought. Although, my ability to communicate back is pretty slow.

We are staying at the high school in made up dorms for mission teams. They are anything special but they are exactly what we need; a bed, toilet, and shower! We are being treated like royalty though because we have AC! That night we met Christy (the director for NLDM who is hearing), Aura (Larry's wife, who is deaf), and Alzeal (a deaf Honduran who grew up in the US, went to RIT, and has now moved back, so he knows ASL and LESHO). We went on an "amazing race" of Tegus (Tegucigalpa)... pictures will be on my Facebook when I can. We had an amazing dinner of enchiladas, Honduran style. We then had testimony time. Christy shared her story, amazing! After, we practiced our skit for church and went to BED!

God has really protected me during this time! I am so excited to see what He has in store for me next.
I will update as soon as I can... we are extremely limited with internet access because we are only at the school for part of the day and the high school where we are staying doesn't have access.

Blessings,
Rebecca

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Love in Every Language

I know it has been a long time since I've written a blog but this is extremely important so I felt it was really necessary to take the time to write this.

As some of you are aware, I am going to Tegucigalpa, Honduras with a group from my school for my Spring Break. I am going to work with a ministry for the Deaf called New Life Deaf Ministry (www.nldm.org). We will be serving specifically at a branch of their ministry, a school for Deaf children called Manos Felices (or Happy Hands). I am extremely excited but I am getting nervous about going. My calling to the ministry happened several years ago and now that this is actually happening I am so excited to see how God is going to use our team. We have 5 girls and 2 leaders going. Our team consists of Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing, and Hearing students. Our leaders include; a male, Deaf, American Sign Language professor from Gardner Webb and a female, staff interpreter from Gardner Webb who is actually moving to Honduras this summer as a full time missionary with this ministry.

I have some prayer requests to ask you to pray for as I/we prepare to leave:
-for us to be spiritually prepared. I want to be as open to be used by God as much as possible. 
-as we learn LESHO (Honduran Sign Language)... yes we have to learn a completely new sign language... Pray that communication will be clear and we will be open minded as we come in contact with a completely new culture (not just the Honduran Culture, but the Deaf Honduran Culture). 
-as we teach VBS that God will be glorified and the children will understand. Part of our responsibilities for the week will be to come up with and teach a VBS. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday we will be doing this and each day will be for a different age group. I am responsible, with another group member, for teaching the pre-school age group. The language barrier is a big issue for many of us. So please pray that God will calm our nerves and allow us to show his love beyond the actual language. 
-for us to be impacted and return changed. So many of us have been on trips or gone to conferences and experienced that "spiritual high". I don't want this trip to be that. I want to be changed, at my core. I want to be shaken, I am aware what that involves, but I don't want this to just be another trip where I learn some things. I want to experience God in a completely different way.
-I want to have an open heart. I want to be ready to experience what God has for me. I know by asking God to give me an experience like this, I have to be ready to accept it. During our trip, one day, we will be going to the dump community and serving lunch. I am nervous but open to experience of something new.

I want to experience all that God has in store for me, not out of selfish ambition but because I believe God is amazing and when we experience Him in new ways in different culture we are better equipped to show his love to others.

Thank you each so much for all of your prayers.

Blessings,
Rebecca

If you have any questions about my trip feel free to comment back here or you can email me at rpriest@gardner-webb.edu