Building Harmony with God's People

Greetings from Lafayette, Louisiana!

As you know, God always has me doing new and exciting things and now is no different! Never a dull moment while serving Him! I am so passionate about growing spiritually mature under His guidance and developing my character to fully represent Him. I realized this passion after learning under Dan and Carole McCelland during discipleship training school (DTS) with Youth With a Mission (YWAM). Dan and Carole have moved to Jamaica and are pioneering a DTS for Deaf Jamaicans and Americans there. I am so excited to announce that I have been accepted to join YWAM in Jamaica for three months too see if I am a good fit to join them long term! If I am a good match I will move there for two years and help them with paving the way to provide DTS to Deaf Christians in Jamaica! How blessed and humbled I feel that God has allowed me to participate in opening new ways for Deaf to worship Him around the world!

Furlough in Three States

As for what I am doing now, at the moment I am staying with a deaf-blind couple, Dan and Annie, whom I met while I was at Gallaudet University but never had the privilege to get to know them well. While I was planning my travels throughout the USA to gather together a missionary support team, my friend Tim suggested I ask Dan and Annie if they would be willing to provide me a place to stay. They were thrilled and welcomed me with open arms! We are taking the time to get to know each other more personally, and are able to bond over our faith in God. They took me to a deaf-blind Bible study which was my first time for me! I have been involved with many deaf Bible studies, but never a deaf-blind! Dan and Annie also took me to a local nursing home to meet deaf-blind senior citizens. It broke my heart because the deaf-blind senior citizens are very alone and isolated with no family visits. Dan and Annie do their best to keep visiting them and provide them with companionship and to share Jesus with them as well.

While I was in Austin, I was also able to spend time with my good friend Tim. Tim took me to a local Deaf church where I was invited to make a presentation about my testimony and mission calling. Afterwards we enjoyed a lunch fellowship together. I was also able to meet with a friend from YWAM, Gabby, and we spent time over lunch reminiscing about out DTS and how much God has transformed us since then. My time in Austin was a wonderful mix of renewing old bonds and creating new bonds! As I left Austin to come to Louisiana, where I am now, I was blessed with such a sweet special moment that I just have to share it with you! I was riding the bus and happened to be sitting next to an army veteran who served during the 60’s and we began talking together. He shared with me some stories of his life, and showed me pictures of him as a soldier and of his only son, and I shared my missionary experiences with him. It turned out he was a fellow believer of Christ and we both pulled out our Bibles and began sharing scripture with each other. Before we parted, he gave me money for my upcoming missionary journey and a sweet hug. I will treasure that memory in my heart!

Last month, I told you about my arrival in the USA from Gambia. After Virginia, I traveled to Jacksonville, Illinois and spent a wonderful week enjoying time with my family. I am so grateful to God that I was able to attend my parent’s church and share with them my experiences in Gambia. I also was able to attend a Wednesday night Bible study event at the Illinois School for the Deaf, hosted by the Jacksonville Deaf Bible school for the youth, and I really enjoyed meeting with people there! Then it was time to fly to Austin, Texas and stay with my younger sister for almost two weeks. God showed me His presence there when I visited a coffee shop named Houndstooth to work on some administrative tasks for my mission work. I had planned to order something, but before I could they delivered a free cup of coffee with the sign of a heart. I love when God reminds me how He will continue to provide! My sister took me to her work to meet her co-workers, and I really enjoyed getting to see what her life is like. My sister and her boyfriend also took me to see Mount Bonnell, one of Austin’s oldest tourist attractions, to see the beautiful view of the city landscape while the sun was setting- wonderful! On my last night in the town, they took me on a surprise outing. When we arrived at the place, I looked up and saw a sign saying “Jamaica”. They knew my plan was to go to Jamaica,and they had surprised me by taking me to a Jamaican restaurant! My sister’s boyfriend already knew some sign language, and it was nice to get to know him. I am so blessed that God touched their hearts to help me during my time of need.

My Parents' Response to My Calling

Throughout my travels, there is one question that I am frequently asked- what was my parents’ response to my calling to do international missionary work? To be frank, they were not happy at all! They were not against me doing missionary work, but rather worried about me traveling so far from home. They didn’t understand why I could not just stay in the USA. My mom told me she is a strong, independent woman with no disabilities and even she would not travel alone to foreign countries! Me traveling alone as a Deaf-blind female worried them so much! “It’s just not safe.” “This world can be cruel.” When I would tell them that God has got me, they would say “yes, but that doesn’t mean put yourself in harms way. Know your limits.” As parents, they couldn’t bear the thought of their little girl being so far away where they couldn’t get to me if something happened. Eventually we would have to stop discussing the topic, as I was unable to give up on what I felt God called me to do. Fortunately I knew the family I would be staying with in Gambia prior to me going, and that brought my parents some comfort. My mom was even able to reach out to the couple I would be staying with, Josiah and Elizabeth, and that helped relieve some of her fears. While in Gambia, my mom would “scold” me if I didn’t contact her weekly or respond to her texts in a decent time-typical mom! Recently though, my mom told me, “I see you have matured through your experience and we have accepted this as your life choice.” “You have set your life goals and stay focused doing God’s work.” They are proud of me and wish me the best, and believe that I am happy and at peace. Oh how thankful I am to God that He relieved my parents’ fears and that they gave me their blessing!

Prayer Requests

1. Mission Support Team: I am still traveling around the states to raise funds and build connections with others. I have gained more prayer partners and a new newsletter editor. Additionally, several people had told me that my homes are open to them in the future. Please pray for God’s provision to have more financial supporters.

2. The Gambia Deaf Church: The deaf missionaries, Josiah and Elizabeth, have found a location for church, praise Lord! They still need to raise funds for equipment and other needs. The rent covers one year, they haven’t heard back about the storage space yet so not sure about that. But for now, they have a place are and excited. I kindly ask you to pray for God's provision to the deaf church in Gambia.

3. YWAM Jamaica: Please pray for the leaders of YWAM for the Deaf, Dan and Carole, for His help in preparing the first DTS in Jamaica beginning September 2020.

4. YWAM Romania:That God provides divine connections and appointments as they prepare outreach for Sign Language DTS. Also, the government there is not allowing visa extensions for non-Europeans, so after outreach we may not be able to return to graduate in Romania. Pray for God to provide solutions to this and for extra finances for those who need to book new return flights home.

My next newsletter will be on March 27th. Have a blessed month and remember: through good times and bad times, praise the Lord and be joyful!!