Tag Archives: ASL PR

2023 02 update

February 3rd, 2023

Four weeks of classes into the semester. We have been BUSY. Our director/webkeeper was called away at the end of 2022 due to a death in her family so we apologize for not updating the website as is our custom. In the end, the deceased is believed to be eternally content in Jesus’ presence while those still remaining on the planet are working through steps to keep moving ahead.

Natalia knows none of this of course. She had her 6th birthday while we were on Winter Holidays and we celebrated with her when she returned to classes. From these photos, you can see Delilah (the dog) continues to tolerate hugs and Betsy continues to “teach”.

Our fleet of volunteers has kicked up their gears and bring us monthly lunches as well as come once a week to teach a variety of skills with the boys. Every young person should have the ability to make fried chicken, boil pasta and chop veggies. Who knows what the next lessons will be!? Natalia’s volunteer driver is Lucy – she joined us for birthday cake and games that day.

We are always excited to have Jerry and Christina from WyldLife YounLife join us! We are possibly the smallest group they ever have as far as numbers but we are always enthusiastic! SO THANKFUL to God to their willingness and the willing hands of our staff interpreter Amber.

Thank you each for your prayers as we continue to minister here at CSCD. Pray with us for these students and for those who will be coming in the next and future school years.

February 3, 2023NewsASL PR, Christian School and Chapel for the Deaf, CSCD, Deaf education, deaf mission, Deaf Puerto Rico, deafness, Escuela para sordos, ESD, Evangelical School for the Deaf, handbell choir, Luquillo School for the Deaf, Mission work team, missionary, Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico sordos, school for the deaf, servant hearted, short term missions, Sordo en Puerto Rico, Sordo PR, students, World Mission to the DeafBetsy Hoke

hearing the bells means Christmas is just around the corner!

October 28th, 2022

So many years, people have commented -IT’S NOT REALLY CHRISTMAS UNTIL I HEAR THE BELLS. We are well into our Christmas music practices and looking forward to presenting our bell choir offerings beginning December 2! To me (Betsy) Christmas has already begun!

If you have opportunity, go to see this movie – I HEARD THE BELLS ON CHRISTMAS DAY – it sounds like an awesome movie about a favorite carol of mine.

October 28, 2022NewsASL, ASL PR, Christian School and Chapel for the Deaf, Christian School for the Deaf, CSCD, Deaf, Deaf education, deaf mission, Deaf Puerto Rico, Escuela para sordos, Evangelical School for the Deaf, handbell choir, Luquillo School for the Deaf, missions trip, Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico sordos, school for the deaf, Sordo en Puerto Rico, studentsBetsy Hoke

MidOctober Days’ work

October 15th, 2022

You can check out the newest newsletter here: WTH_Fall2022 (1)

The middle of October and we are still feeling the summer humidity. Someone thought playing outside on Friday was a good idea. And it was. But getting back into the school chapel was a better idea!

We always enjoy our friends from Young Life come for some fun and games and the challenge from God’s Word. Jerry and Christina are amazing and we love having them and our friends from the Palmas Community Church.

There are four of us on staff now – we welcomed Dave Markle (white shirt) as our maintenance and Go To Guy for all things dysfunctional. Valie is enjoying having another guy around who knows how to fix things. Last week Dave installed a new hard drive on the school ZOOM CLASS laptop. This week he fixed leaks in the east wall that allowed Hurricane Fiona waters to enter the preschool classroom and kitchen. Imagine finding water in the breaker box! Only God knows what next week will bring to his plate!

Similarly in the classrooms – as teachers, we can know ourselves and prepare but we never know what will be behind the faces that enter. Our morning students are pretty settled into their studies and arrive knowing we will be doing SCHOOL work. Afternoons, we face ZOOM class with a teenaged girl and Tuesday Thursday with a Kindergartener girl. Oh dear. Pray in the afternoons if you think of it!

We love a weekend to do prep work and gardening but one Saturday each month we have Deaf Fellowship Day. The ladies have taken an interest in Diamond Art which is very tiny work. They got a little competition going to see who can complete the Christmas pieces they are working on. For me (Betsy), this project is too small and I took the paper sample to the printer and made an enlargement to help explain what we were doing.

There are already plans for more Christmas themed projects.

We also enjoy a night at the movies each month – coming up November 4 will be MOSES by Sight and Sound Theaters. Love their productions and the way the play shows us more of the character of the Bible person and times.

Pray with us for more opportunities and more hands to help with reaching out to the Adult Deaf community. Thanks for stopping by today!

Read the Fall 2022 newsletter at our webpage: https://cscdluquillo.com/with-these-hands/

October 15, 2022News, StaffASL, ASL PR, Christian School and Chapel for the Deaf, Deaf, Deaf education, deaf mission, Deaf Puerto Rico, Escuela para sordos, Evangelical School for the Deaf, Hispanic Heritage Month, Interpreter training workshop, lenguaje se senas, school for the deaf, servant hearted, Sordo en Puerto Rico, Sordos, studentsBetsy 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

2021-22 school year Week Four

August 30th, 2021

We have completed three weeks of classes and are happy to say that our students have been attending IN PERSON consistently!

This year, we have only THREE students – the two boys pictured above are 17 and 18 years old and attend full time (8 a.m. to 2 and 3:30 respectively) and our little girl comes Tuesday and Thursdays from 2:30 to 4:30 for ASL/language development instruction.

From these photos, you can see we are working to maintain safe distances while still being able to talk easily without masks. For our students, it is SO important that they SEE our facial expressions and read lips. While working with them, we are maintaining air flow and safe distance protocols, using clear face shields and desk shields are necessary. We are thankful for our outside spaces and the free flow of air through the classrooms plus an amazing supply of alcohol to spray the desks and floors and keep things as Covid-Free as possible.

We continue to have our Deaf Fellowship time on the Second Saturday of each month. (third photo above). Our next event is scheduled for Sept 11. Pray that our deaf friends will be able to come – many are aging and find it difficult to drive at night so we have changed our meeting time to afternoon. We are so glad that our friends in the area have been coming and we are glad to be able to sit and talk with them.

Thank you for praying for our students, our staff and our ministry here in Luquillo. Times are weird but God is FAITHFUL. Praise Him!

August 30, 2021NewsASL, ASL PR, Christian School and Chapel for the Deaf, Christian School for the Deaf, CSCD, Deaf, Deaf education, deaf mission, deafness, Evangelical School for the Deaf, hammock lounge, Luquillo School for the Deaf, missionary, school for the deaf, Sordo en Puerto Rico, Sordo PR, Sordos, studentsBetsy 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

Ministry Continues

January 23rd, 2021

Our 2021 year began with offering a community ASL class. We are excited to have several families and mothers attending the class and look forward to God working through this to reach more with His love. Mizael appears above – as our model for the activities we are planning for the class. You can play the game here! (only through Feb 192021)

We have left our First Friday evening activity time in 2020 and moved to a Second Saturday activity for our Deaf Adult Fellowship. As our population ages, we have to accommodate. Night vision problems were inhibiting some attendees. So now, on the Second Saturday of each month at 1 p.m., we hope to gather in small numbers for indoor or outdoor games – horseshoes? frisbee? dominos in the pergola? Come join us for an afternoon of fellowship in safe numbers and a safe setting.

January 23, 2021NewsASL PR, Christian School and Chapel for the Deaf, Christian School for the Deaf, Deaf, Deaf Puerto Rico, deafness, Evangelical School for the Deaf, lenguaje se senas, Luquillo School for the Deaf, Mission work team, Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico sordos, studentsBetsy Hoke

TUTORING BEGINS TUESDAY

August 10th, 2020

While we all are under the Covid19Cloud, we are still working to get our students back into the school year schedule as soon as possible.

Our original plan had been to have full-time classes beginning TOMORROW, Tuesday 11 August. BUT we will be continuing our tutoring schedule for this semester. One student at a time. No mingling. Working from distance of 6 feet as often as possible.

Today, we are doing last minute preparations – locating the missing math book, trying to figure out phonics for our partially hearing children, making horizontal spaces empty so they are easier to clean between tutoring sessions. We are trusting God that all things will come together for His glory even as I feel like I am stumbling around in the clutter of the classroom today!

In an effort to help our students learn at home (they LOVE youtube!) we have been preparing videos as part of review and homework. Praying that parents will join them in watching and will learn the signs too. Pray with us for this school year. We are praying for the other schools on the island and the restrictions on numbers.

Personally, I am thanking God that our numbers are limited and our ability to serve the young students is excellent. We have three adult deaf learners waiting for their turn in the tutoring schedule so pray with me for willing signing Spanish-English speaking volunteers to help out with those desiring to improve their skill sets.

August 10, 2020classroom, NewsASL PR, Christian School and Chapel for the Deaf, Christian School for the Deaf, Deaf, Deaf education, Deaf Puerto Rico, school for the deaf, Sordo en Puerto Rico, Sordo PR, students, World Mission to the DeafBetsy Hoke

Tutoring Begins

May 10th, 2020

10 days ago, I sat in the library and thought, “We can create an air flow to protect a student and a teacher with or without masks.” Masks are so in the way of reading lips, eh? (and breathing sometimes)

So I arranged a table in line with the air conditioner and a fan in line with the table so that the a.c. and fan make perpendicular flows. Then I invited my eldest student to come. His mother quickly agreed (oh the stress of homeschool with a 17 year old addicted to social gaming).

Delilah is SO happy to have Mizael back part time. So am I.

I took some pictures and then invited Diego to come. His mother also agreed quickly. He in fact

wanted to come to Saturday school. Yea… NO. I am dedicated to my students but I also have some things to do for myself and my church.

And we have part time classes, one at a time, and the boys are doing some work at home [sic] and learning much about virus and quarantine and healthy habits. SOAP and WATER beat hand sanitizer. Wanna try ROCK PAPER SOAP?

Thank you for praying for our students through this period of uncertainty. We are NOT certain what August looks like but if we have to continue with our tutoring and one-on-one learning, we will do that. The best news is not NEWs… it is God’s character. In His Sovereignty, God knows what August will look like and knows when Covid19 will peter out and knows when our resources need to be refilled. I am not saying the world stopped just so I could get totally rested but it is a nice side-effect.

May your days be filled with His praise.

May 10, 2020NewsASL PR, Christian School and Chapel for the Deaf, CSCD, Deaf education, deaf mission, Deaf Puerto Rico, Escuela para sordos, ESD, school for the deaf, Sordo PR, studentsBetsy Hoke

October Fridays

October 18th, 2019

Friday, October 11, we were blessed to have only ONE student in attendance. That student took an interest in this millipede so millipedes became the focus of the day. Today is October 18 and we are blessed to have only TWO students in attendance. They were given the opportunity for FIX YOUR FOOD FRIDAY and learned (or helped) to make chili for today’s lunch.

Sometimes, having a small number of students is a blessing. We are able to spend time to chat about THEIR specific lives and needs and trials and joys. Often we have too many children and not enough hands to put into their learning. More and more students coming to us, as a special school, have multiple needs in addition to being Deaf. What a joy when we have one on one time and can share in their lives specifically, learn more about them and pray with them alone.

Pray with us for the special needs of the Deaf in Puerto Rico.

We are excited to have our regular Friday handbell rehearsals and the dedication of the adult Deaf persons who are participating in that. They have their work and their families and yet have this desire for music. One of them told me, “I work and I am stressed all week but I have THIS BELL TIME in my mind and look forward to this time all week.”

Praise God that through the ministry of handbells, this person’s emotional needs are being cared for.

October 18, 2019classroom, 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, school for the deaf, Sordo en Puerto Rico, Sordo PR, Sordos, students, World Mission to the DeafBetsy Hoke