All posts by Betsy Hoke

September 2024

September 22nd, 2024

The pictures above are from two separate Deaf Fellowship events held in our chapel. We have such sweet times with the Deaf who come together to share life’s moments and fellowship in God’s Word. I have so much to say on this but not here and now. Just know that God is working.

The picture in the center shows a couple (first time visitors) who presented a Bible object lesson.  They prayed and prepared and we reviewed and worked together.  I ran the PowerPoint – finally got to sit back and not DO something! The Deaf adult audience that day were excited to have people who cared enough to work on how to present and how to sign clearly. They blessed all of us with their visit.  Pray for God’s guidance on them as they consider future ministry opportunities in missions.

The two pictures to the right show one of the classes I am working with this school year. Natalia (deaf) is in a mainstream classroom in a private school. I have been going there for the past two years to teach ASL to various grades.  This year, they needed an English teacher. I accepted the position for 2 days each week 2.5 hours both days in addition to the ASL classes once a week. How exciting to be teaching Natalia and her friends! It’s different than teaching my Deaf students but I am learning how to work with groups of 12 and more kids.  The program is Montessori and they kids are accustomed to working in small groups.  Using games (left picture) and videos (on the tablets and laptop in the right picture) allows me to talk to each student individually while the other continue to (hopefully) learn.

Pray for these opportunities above highlighted as well as the other weekly events that keep my fingers moving.  Each opportunity provides another relationship through which we can share God’s love and mercy and grace with another person – Deaf or related to the Deaf.  Thank you for your part in serving our Deaf community here.

Thank you for praying for our ministries!

  • Betsy

 

Christian School for the Deaf, deaf in Puerto Rico, missions trip, News

Post T.S. Ernesto Post

August 18th, 2024
Because so many are asking: GOD had a plan to help us through the Ernesto cleanup. Dave Markle was helping to transport a disaster relief team from San Juan International airport to Vieques (nearby island of PR) on Tuesday before the storm. To get to Vieques, they were going to the ferry. Ferry service ended on Tuesday at 11 a.m. and the team arrived Tuesday at 2 p.m. (Their intention was to come to work with a school in Vieques that requested some help). On Tuesday afternoon before the storm, they checked out the tools, jacked up the minivan so they could do a brake job, and planned what they would need for post-storm work.
The team of 5 very seasoned disaster relief workers overnighted with us through the storm. On Wednesday as the rain was ending, they checked walked through the limbs and leaves and made their plans – used our tools, went to Home Depot twice – through some rough patches of trees on the roads…. SLEPT then helped 4 families in the area on Thursday and then got the ferry to Vieques on Friday morning at 4:30. HOORAY for having 5 seasoned clean up workers. They commented that most times they arrive a day or two AFTER the storm so it was an experience to be IN the storm and actually know the sounds of wind and rain beating on the windows. The CSCD campus lost power at 2 a.m. August 14. The tree removal guys have been on our road EVERY DAY since that (it is 5:30  Sunday evening August 18 and the chainsaws just stopped running on the road to the east of us with a fleet of trucks spread down the road – kind of cool to see a quick and busy response). The Tesla batteries are running – praise God for Dave Markle knowing a few more things than I do! He got the batteries to GO somehow and has kept the generator in running order – I turn on the generator at night to provide power from midnight to sunrise (or 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. if I wake up and have to use the bathroom) a few hours is all we need to recharge the battery. Our Deaf friends have been video-calling to check on us and to let me know they are well.  No one had SERIOUS damage – but the continued time without stable electricity wears on everyone. My mother keeps saying “I wonder when the electricity will be on again.”  I know she wants an answer but I can only say, “I wonder too Mom.” I will let you know when I know! Thank you for checking in on us – BETSY for the CSCD Community
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Tropical Storm Ernesto passing by

August 13th, 2024

Today I was preparing to teach a class at the local “hearing” school when a storm came by and everything was cancelled. It has been a day of waiting and preparing – putting outdoor tables and chairs inside, putting potted plants into protected areas, updating the website, balancing the checkbook, making some calls to friends.

Dave has been doing the bigger work – putting up hurricane shutters today.  Last week he put up a new support cable for our infra-net/internet cable.  Planning ahead!

Pray for our school year – again this year we do not have students in the classrooms but we have them in Zoom Classrooms and in tutoring sessions (mostly in the library with the a.c. on).  Betsy will also be teaching part-time at a local school where there is a Deaf child mainstreamed in a classroom. Pray for opportunities for Betsy to shine the light of Christ in the classrooms there and for the Deaf child in the mainstream to be able to develop friendships with her hearing peers.

Christian School for the Deaf, classroom, deaf in Puerto Rico, News, Staff

July 2024 work team

July 25th, 2024

A group of workers from the Emmanuel United Methodist Church of Laurel MD has blessed us this week with some really good work on some really HOT days.

They weeded the front garden, replaced fencing and painted in the dorms.  THANK YOU, Donna and the crew from Emmanuel United Methodist!

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Saturdays Fellowships are so fun!

March 4th, 2024

While we do not have any full-time traditional K-12 students, we do have a lot going on around here.  Call before you come or text to make sure someone will be here to meet you.  Our “office hours” are by appointment only.

Two things you can depend on are the second and fourth Saturdays of each month – we have fellowship days.  Stop by and join us in games, chat, crafts, a movie, food, a Bible study, a literacy class… all kinds of options to challenge your brain!

Check out our Bible Memory Verse page also!  We are working to improve our minds and literacy skills by memorizing Bible verses.

Christian School for the Deaf, classroom, deaf in Puerto Rico, missions trip, News, , , , , , ,

February 2024

February 17th, 2024

We had a lot of rain at the end of January.

Our Wednesday student is picked up after school at her mainstreamed school and we work on ASL and speech and awareness of environmental sounds and CRAFTS!

 

 

 

In addition to tutoring this little girl, Betsy spends time online with ZOOM classes for other students too remote to come in person. We also have 9 ASL classes for a variety of groups through the week.  Betsy is working on a variety of projects including videos of the book  aprende señas conmigo and the Hear-Me-Read Bible. (videos available here)

We are down to ONE teacher – BETSY HOKE – who is taking care of her mother who is slowly sliding into dementia.  Betsy is thankful she can fulfill this role and asks your prayer for her as she serves both her mother and the Deaf community here. Betsy continues to teach those students who come and we are praying for new younger teachers – turning away students in need because of distance or lack of hands to work with them is sad.  GOD KNOWS and in His time, He will provide for these precious ones. She also works through her church in Fajardo with the Deaf Ministry there – interpreting services and Bible studies and meeting the Deaf adults for fellowship.

We also have a maintenance man – Dave Markle – on staff as a missionary. Dave serves the school and his local church with his skills at fixing things.  Dave has taken on the role of Work Team Coordinator/Host and we are seeing the return of mission groups, interpreter training groups and others interested in supporting Puerto Rico and her churches.  We are SO THANKFUL for Dave and God’s timing in bringing him to CSCD.

 

Every month we have Second and Fourth Saturday activities with the Adult Deaf community:   We have movie day on the Fourth Saturday and Fellowship day on the Second Saturday.  We open at 10 a.m. for Adult literacy classes – pray for these – many say they want to learn but most do not make it a priority. Have lunch together around 12:30 and then the afternoon activity. It’s a fun day and we are thankful we can do this.

 

 

 

 

Recently, a volunteer helped us make Valentine Cards – even the Deaf men joined in on this one!

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for praying along with us for the Deaf in Puerto Rico.  The needs may seem small but to those who have them the needs are pressing and scary. We are so thankful that our God knows and provides for each one and that FAITH is grown as we discern His Hand at work to protect, guide and provide.

Christian School for the Deaf, deaf in Puerto Rico, missions trip, News, Staff, , , ,

Language Deprivation IS REAL

October 26th, 2023

Nothing changes here, it seems.

We continue to do the same old things week in week out and are SO THANKFUL for this cycle of working for our Saviour.

Read about Language Deprivation

Lives are changed here. One by one.

There are two guys in this picture: one is 4 and one is more than 4 😊 They are learning together. I, the head teacher and blog writer, am getting older and have a shoulder and thumb weakness now that are sometimes painful.  I asked our maintenance guy, Dave Markle (pictured), to help with this little boy’s first one on one time.

My previous experience with the little guy was very physically trying! So was this one until he settled down into some activities.

SO THANKFUL for a man on staff who is willing to work with kids. Little boys need men in their lives. And this gave me time to take ONE picture before our next activity.

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Read about our past students with Language Deprivation

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The lady on the left in this picture is Letty.  Letty never was allowed to go to school as a child. Parental concerns. Well, now she is learning.  She comes two Saturday mornings each month to learn with other deaf ladies and she comes every Tuesday to work on her own.

Letty’s husband is also Deaf.  He said, “Thank you!  My wife is starting to sign more clearly and talking about other things! She is spending less time paging through facebook videos and seems more alert!”

The lady teaching Letty is also Deaf.  She was so excited to be teaching. Seeing her abilities with Letty leads me to think, could she help with our little 4 year-old?   Now to try to get some transportation for her.

 

Language functions much like the Holy Spirit.

We can’t see the force behind it but we can see the impact of it. Someday, I would like to write the book about this.  Maybe one of you will do it for me.

There is so much we don’t know about the impact of language, but we see language deprivation at work in the two students mentioned above: A 4-year-old without language and a 74-year-old who has only minimal language skills.

 

Our ministry is to the few and the outcasts.

We call them marginalized today.

The ones that society doesn’t have time for but that Jesus still loves.

We need your prayers.  We need TEACHERS to come and work one on one with little biting children (to teach them to no bite and to be language role models) and with older adults who never had the opportunity.

Imagine seeing them READing God’s Word one day.  Then imagine that they can’t because there were not enough resources.  Then ask God what role you can play in this work. There where you are today or HERE where God may be calling you

Christian School for the Deaf, classroom, News, Staff
This little boy is profoundly deaf and beginning to learn ASL with us.

Round and round we go!

September 20th, 2023

And so begins another round of education!

We are going back to PreK! In fact, Betsy is reviewing our webpages observing  Language  Development from  YEARS ago to remember how this works!

Read about a 4-year-old who came without functional language and then PRAY for this new boy and Betsy as they develop a relationship.  That little boy is now a senior in high school.

I am thankful that the family is involved in this boy’s learning – two sets of parents came for family ASL class.  The step-father knows a former student from here as a neighbor.  That is encouraging as the family can see a Deaf man who is successfully working, responsible and happy in his life and know that their son has a bright future.

His mom texted to say that the flashcards they have are posted around the house now and the little boy is excited to be looking at them and seeing the signs and learning them.

PRAY for Betsy as she is the age of a grandmother now. Chasing, wrestling, running, climbing off the floor, sitting in pre-school sized chairs are stretching her in physical ways! She is also developing some videos to help to teach this little boy and his family.  Pray for her creativity.

PRAY also for the next generation of teachers.  We have turned away students this semester due to not having teachers in the classrooms.  We would love to have Mikael as a full-time student. We have those two little girls (ages 5 and 6) who are mainstreamed right now but who are missing much of the spoken material that their teachers are trying to communicate. They will be in need of individualized education or small group teaching in the next few years.

GOD KNOWS and we are trusting Him with these needs.  Thanks for interceding for the Deaf of Puerto Rico!

Christian School for the Deaf, classroom, missions trip, News, Staff

August 2023 WrapUp

September 3rd, 2023

 

 

August swept past with a few days of “tropical systems” that cooled us for those few days.  The days I intended to work in the office, our street power was off and the way things are wired, that meant the office was un-electrified. Bummer, eh? So I got a little behind but here is our news for August!

ASL classes began in earnest. We are teaching 6 ASL classes to hearing students (5 classes in 2 private schools in person and one homeschool family Zoomer family) during ‘school hours’ weekly.  Also 3 biweekly adult ASL classes, and two ASL classes on Wednesday evenings. It’s fun to see the hearing people learning and then using their new knowledge in our social gatherings or in church!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We began our literacy classes.

5 ladies came the first Saturday of our literacy program. Some are learning the alphabet and others are learning English as we use bilingual readers. We look forward to seeing them alternating Saturdays. They and the men who came but didn’t enter the classrooms agreed to attempt to learn to ‘read’ bell music so we may have a bell choir for Christmas!  2 of the ladies come every Tuesday for more tutoring.  What fun it is to have them come for the day to work and pray and have lunch together.

One of the men assured me he reads but asked if we could have Bible classes to deepen his walk with God. Oh my heart! As I pray for a male pastor/shepherd for our little flock, I also am preparing a Memorize The Verses: Be like a tree (Psalm 1:1-3. Jeremiah 17:8) challenge.  We have medals for the ones who do the memory work and we will celebrate their learning.

 

 

One of the hard parts of ministry is attending funerals.  Jose Vega, pictured with his lobster, died in August.

Many from the deaf community were able to attend his funeral and Pastor Luis Martinez spoke words of comfort to us all. Betsy was able to interpret the funeral service and graveside ceremony.

 

 

 

 

Glenda Coupe pictured here holding Natalia – died in August.  Click on her name or her photo for the link to more information.

 

 

 

 

 

 

God KNOWS the part you play in the ministry and I want to thank you serving with our ministry. May God bless you for your contribution to our work. Without your prayers and practical gifts, we would not be serving God here as we do.

Thank you for your prayers as we continue to serve God here in Puerto Rico.

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