Category Archives: missions trip

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.

March 4, 2024Christian School for the Deaf, classroom, deaf in Puerto Rico, missions trip, NewsChristian School for the Deaf, CSCD, deaf in Puerto Rico, deaf school luquillo, Evangelical School for the Deaf, luquillo deaf, sordos en luquillo, sorodo PRBetsy Hoke

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.

February 17, 2024Christian School for the Deaf, deaf in Puerto Rico, missions trip, News, StaffDeaf, deaf in Puerto Rico, deaf ministry, deaf missions, evangelical school for the deaf. cscd IncBetsy Hoke

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!

September 20, 2023Christian School for the Deaf, classroom, missions trip, News, StaffBetsy Hoke

Wonderful Work Team!

June 6th, 2022

An amazing team from Elmhurst IL has come to bless us with energy and work ethics! First Congregational UCC, Elmhurst – 235 S Kenilworth Ave, Elmhurst IL 60126 (630) 832-2580 (elmhurstucc.org)

They are power washing, painting, cleaning, and replacing some rain spouts and roof tiles that were in need of attention. WOOHOO! Thank YOU!

June 6, 2022missions trip, NewsChristian School and Chapel for the Deaf, Christian School for the Deaf, CSCD, Deaf, Deaf education, deaf mission, Escuela para sordos, ESD, Luquillo School for the Deaf, Mission work team, missionary, missions, missions trip, Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico sordos, servant hearted, short term missions, Sordo en Puerto Rico, Sordo PRBetsy Hoke

2021-22 school year has ENDED!

June 1st, 2022

To end the school year, we had THREE year end events as pictured above – the all school party, a small games and pool party, and a bowling outing for the handbell choir members.

After the fun and games and lunch time on May 23, we entered the school chapel and had a dessert and a bell recital. The students signed some songs and were given their certificates and we said ADIOS and HASTA AGOSTO!

While we all love summer and a change of pace, the students actually said, “Can’t we just come and hang out.” SERIOUSLY? Yea – play DUTCH BLITZ and SKYJO and SCRABBLE and DUOLINGO [yep they think that is play] and do crafts and maybe sing in the chapel and watch movies together. Well, that is fun but the staff have other chores.

BETSY has been working on plans for the NEXT school term. AMBER just took off to visit family and friends. VALIE is repairing the deck stairs.

There is a mission/work team coming on Saturday and as we were touring the grounds with the group leader, we noticed the stair supports were splitting. OOPS – safety FIRST. So before the group comes to do maintenance, Valie is maintenancing this issue. We just didn’t want 12 healthy young men stomping UP and crashing through! Does mission work team insurance cover that or would it be the school insurance? Let’s not find out.

Valie has found a nice shady place to do this job. Thankfully there is no rain in the sky today. We have a leak in the office and a few in the chapel roof that the group next week will be repairing – PLEASE PRAY for sunny days for those roof repairs! If there are other work teams interested, we have the list of maintenance needs – a fence that came down with Hurricane Season 2017 that is droopier every year, some windows that need to be removed and replaced (cement work required), power washing and painting, a roof seal job on the girls dorm building, general upkeep on the basketball court. Get in touch and maybe YOUR missions work team can lend a hand!

June 1, 2022missions trip, News, StaffChristian School and Chapel for the DeafBetsy Hoke

Thanksgiving Week 2021

November 22nd, 2021

During the month of November, we have been writing our THANKFULNESS on leaves and hanging them in the school chapel. The challenge was to NOT REPEAT but to write something new everyday. Today, Monday November 22, the leaves are being removed by a work team from Arrowhead Bible Camp and replaced with Christmas lights and decorations because SCHOOL IS CLOSED for the week of American Thanksgiving and we have a work team to do this job for us.

We celebrated THANKSGIVING on Thursday November 18 when friends from the Palmas Community Church brought us turkey and the WORKS! We are still respecting Covid19 restrictions but allowed those who felt comfortable to sit together indoors. Some of our Deaf ladies have found the stash of perler beads and are enjoying making crafts with them – they took time to eat but then returned to the craft table in a classroom.

Our workteam visitors are WORKING – and we are THANKFUL for the sound of pressure washers and trimmers and mowers and the scent of paint on the gate and the laughter coming from the ladies. Jack, the team leader, is working solo and so far, not laughing.

I pray that YOUR weeks are always filled with giving thanks and that as you take time this week (for our USA friends) to Give Thanks with your families, you will remember to THANK GOD for everything – because even pandemics, natural disasters and unplanned events can be used by God to bring about blessings above and beyond all that we could dream of.

November 22, 2021missions trip, NewsASL PR, Christian School and Chapel for the Deaf, Christian School for the Deaf, CSCD, Deaf education, deaf mission, Evangelical School for the Deaf, Luquillo School for the Deaf, Mission work team, missionary, missions, missions trip, Puerto Rico, school for the deaf, short term missions, Sordo en Puerto Rico, Sordo PR, Sordos, spring break, studentsBetsy Hoke

How is it possible that we are in the last full week of September already?

September 22nd, 2021

Our NEWEST NEWS as of September 22, 2021:

Roxy is no longer with us. She lost her vision in July and was suffering loss of mobility, weakening due to internal issues, and was taken to the vet for a peaceful euthanisation on 21 September.

Flowers continue to bloom and bring us peace.

We got an air fryer and the students made french fries from real potatoes. We need to practice and try again to get the setting just right but ketchup was a good cover for our attempt.

During our Lockdown, termites moved into our book cupboards in the science and math classroom. Our handyman, Valie, took on the challenge of repairing the classroom. A summer work team painted it and now we have new shelves (made in PVC board) and are preparing to set up the classroom for use again!

A close up of the wood from the door frame shows how horrible the situation was. New we have a new aluminum door frame, new door and less concern about the termites. Also we can SEE them coming now – we hope.

The grounds are looking good also thanks to our handyman who is enjoying a new lawn tractor. So much grass and so few hands to work at keeping it trimmed led us to purchase a new lawn tractor in June. As one who has been responsible for the grass work, Betsy is SO thankful for the men who come to help out and the new lawn mower.

THANK YOU for your prayers and if you want to come to work on any of our projects – get in touch!

September 22, 2021classroom, missions trip, NewsChristian School and Chapel for the Deaf, Christian School for the Deaf, CSCD, Deaf, Deaf education, deaf mission, Deaf Puerto Rico, Escuela para sordos, ESD, Evangelical School for the Deaf, Luquillo School for the Deaf, school for the deaf, Sordo PRBetsy Hoke

God’s blessings are abundant

April 19th, 2021

In February, a random person stopped by the school and said he wanted to make our school the recipient of the proceeds of a local 5K run. As long as I was not expected to run 5K, SURE why not!?

In addition to the blessing of financial proceeds, he is recruiting volunteers to PAINT and help with our outdoor upkeep. WOW! Seriously, the SOUND of 4 power washers running for 2 days was unbearable (that is why they make noise-cancelling ear plugs – which my little student Diego thinks are super cool!)

we are feeling very BLUE as the painting continues

In this case feeling BLUE is a good thing…. it’s our color!

While all of that is happening OUTSIDE we are still learning INSIDE. The day I broke out the origami paper and started cutting it into fraction lessons was joyful for me and actually made one student cry. Not because I was destroying origami paper but because he really wanted to do anything but think about parts of a whole. I mean, who knew that turning that page in the math book would cause deep grief?

We are taking advantage of nice weather to sit outside when possible – reading class, art class, and we hung up some rings to begin to develop some gym class moments. Maybe CSCD will see a gymnast arise from the carport!

Thank you my praying friends for your prayers, your letters, your emails of encouragement. May you too have a lovely BLUE SKY and know the joy of God’s great blessings today.

April 19, 2021classroom, missions trip, NewsASL PR, Christian School and Chapel for the Deaf, Christian School for the Deaf, Deaf education, deaf mission, Deaf Puerto Rico, Escuela para sordos, Luquillo School for the Deaf, Mission work team, school for the deaf, servant hearted, short term missions, Sordo en Puerto Rico, studentsBetsy Hoke

February: visitors’ month

March 1st, 2019

February is often a month of guests and Feb 2019 was just that.

We started with 8 visitors from Pennsylvania (we enjoyed an afternoon with them at the beach and lots of fun times in the dining room)

followed by our principal’s mother (above photo far right, lady in the center in the white sweatshirt) and sister who also came to visit (purple shirt person). While they were staying at the school, our friends Tim (center photo adult red shirt) and Pam also came to the island (they rented a place off of the school grounds) and while they were hanging out with us, we had our own Bible Challenge Week with Brother Dan Knickerbocker and his lovely wife Anne Marie.

Brother Dan spoke with us the last four afternoons of February – challenging us to think wisely, speak Biblically, and to share our faith effectively. We enjoyed having Dan and AnneMarie for lunches during the week and some time to chat with them. Dan and AnneMarie have been ministering to churches on the island having been invited to Maranatha Baptist Church for a weekend of special services.

God’s goodness to us is amazing over and over again. We are SO THANKFUL for the ways He provides and protects our ministry here. Continue to pray for workers – teachers, a cook, people to work along with us as we develop outreach programs with our Deaf adult friends and for teens in need of tutoring and discipleship. The work is great and the laborers are few and aging! We are trusting God to send younger workers who will carry the ministry forward as our older workers begin to think about lightening their workload.

Meanwhile, we are praising God for the strength He gives our bones and our muscles!

thanks for visiting today!

March 1, 2019missions trip, NewsASL PR, Christian School and Chapel for the Deaf, CSCD, Deaf education, deaf mission, Deaf Puerto Rico, Evangelical School for the Deaf, Luquillo School for the Deaf, missionary, missions trip, Puerto Rico sordos, school for the deaf, short term missions, spring break, World Mission to the DeafBetsy Hoke

Day 3 of the 2018-2019 school year

August 13th, 2018

The work continues – for the visiting team, they are pushing to get things DONE now that their work days are down to 3 days. Tammi Wolfe is doing things in the chapel to help out the school year while Joe Landis continues to weld in the carport. And yes, we hang out the clothes the old-fashioned way. After more than a week here, everyone is in need of something being washed – even if it’s just to prevent the dorm rooms from becoming too scented by sweaty clothes.

Hayley and Shanna started a rhythm group today while the gentlemen started to put the panels on the carport. Just a few minutes ago it rained quite hard so I am guessing the men on the roof were pushed to take a break. God knows when they NEED to stop to prevent them from overdoing it.

Annette has been presenting some really good lessons in the morning chapel time. We are thankful for her hard work in preparing – very different than for a hearing class. OOPS there is that rhythm photo again! Pray for Betsy’s attention deficit – she has a cold/cough this week and the medication is not helping her to focus!

Lastly, the older students are spending time with Danny Vidal, former student who graduated in May 1986 from ESD. Danny has been on a recent mission trip to a Deaf church in Portugal and the students are learning some Portuguese signs and about life after high school… maybe one or both of them will catch the vision of serving God as missionaries or at least serving God in their local churches.

Pray for all of these and all else that God puts on your heart for our school. Without your prayers and support, we would be struggling. WITH your prayers and support, we are praising God and strengthened for more again tomorrow.

August 13, 2018classroom, missions trip, NewsASL PR, Christian School and Chapel for the Deaf, Christian School for the Deaf, CSCD, Deaf education, deaf mission, Deaf Puerto Rico, deafness, Puerto Rico sordos, school for the deaf, servant hearted, short term missions, Sordo en Puerto Rico, Sordo PR, spring break, studentsBetsy Hoke