Hello Family and Friends!
Brief about the Gambia's Cultural
Wow, the first month has already passed by so quickly! I have learned a lot about Gambia's language, food and culture. I have met a lot of friendly people here. Most of hearing Gambians are able to communicate with hand gestures. The Smith family and I went to do a few of activities to learn more about Gambia's culture like visiting the beach, Crocodile Park, and a Deaf's restaurant. I have seen a lot of animals with their tags walking free anywhere including horses, cows, goats, chickens, and dogs. I find it very fascinating that Gambian women carry baskets on their heads without using their hands! The terrain here is very sandy, I rarely ever see grass.
Ministry:
Andrew Foster was a deaf missionary to the deaf community by establishing deaf schools in Africa for three decades. I agreed with Mr. Foster about his favorite scripture that is also one of my favorite scriptures, Isaiah 29:18, "The deaf shall hear the words of a book." (ESV) I got a clear vision that God called me to the deaf community by assisting and empowering deaf adolescent girls and women who are survivors of sex abuse and sex trafficking. This new ministry will help survivors find rebirth, learn to accept and love themselves, and live life to the fullest. The innocent shield is stripped away from these women and girls and we see how life is at times unfair. It is then that we must find the will for a new light, not give up but instead begin the healing process through God's works.
This is very important but complex work. My first steps will be to continue to meet with deaf women who are running for women society. I can learn from them about the deaf community. This will help me reach out to the broken in the future. Also, I look forward to sitting down with the Christian missionaries who work for the Samaritan program against sex trafficking. I will see if I could learn about their recovery resources that I can refer to if I meet the deaf persons who have experienced sex trafficking or violence.
I would like to share a story about an encounter I had recently. After running our errands Josiah, Elizabeth, and I went to a restaurant for lunch. While there, we met a deaf Muslim woman and a deaf man unexpectedly. We enjoyed chatting and shared that we hold church and lunch fellowship at our house regularly and invited them to come. They showed up and we got to know them a little more. Also since my arrival here, this same deaf man has been coming to our house to learn to read and write. God has been sending people to us, some step in and stay, some step out. We believe and see God is working all around us.
Since I arrived here I have met several deaf Gambians. They have been teaching me Gambian sign language!! I don't yet have it mastered but I am improving. On average we have 15 people coming to church and joining our lunch fellowship since my arrival. We can see how their hearts are hungry to learn more about Jesus!
The word about our mission to help the deaf community is spreading. We met a missionary woman (Marion Jacobs) who has been working for Youth with A Mission (YWAM) in Jamaica since 1995. YWAM is a huge program all around the world that helps and changes many lives, including mine. It was through that program when I went to Brazil and came to realize that missionary work was my calling. She came here to Gambia with her disciple training team for their outreach trip. She decided to make time to come visit during our church session at our home. Afterwards we chatted and she shared her missionary experiences. We really enjoyed hearing how her heart is full of God and doing his work.
I have 6 Prayer Requests:
1) Josiah's parents flew back to the USA on February 23. I ask you please pray for his parents' environment adjustment back to normal to the USA in Tucson, Arizona because it is 7 hours different from Gambia.
2) Since Josiah's parents left, it will be just three of us with two children so we need God's grace to help us how to work together better.
3) We need God's strength, grace, and wisdom to educate the disciples about how to build relationships with others with the healthy boundaries.
4) We are asking God to give us more sensitive to hear God's voices through the Holy Spirit.
5) I will need your prayers so that I can follow the steps what God wants me to do for the new ministry.
6) Please continuing praying about receiving a ministry van (From my January Newsletter, I stated, "we need funds to buy a ministry van. If we receive a van, we will provide transportation for deaf people after school and for the activities program. Many parents don’t feel comfortable if their children are walking alone at night especially girls. Also, we will use the van to transport to and from the church at our home to share the Gospel with them.")
Thank you for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers!
This concludes my February newsletter, with time, I will have more to report and I look forward to that as I'm sure you, my supporters, do as well. Next newsletter will be on March 27th.
*Note: Here are 20 pictures that show what Gambia's culture is like. In addition, you can see how I have been interacting with the deaf community here.
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