Tag Archives: missionary

approaching Christmas

December 4th, 2017

Christmas is a time for JOY!

Our island is regaining GREEN as trees and plants regrow their leaves. The streets and school grounds still bear the scars of the hurricanes from September. Our electricity is reliable – because we are on a large generator supplied by FEMA with daily deliveries of diesel. We have moved our classes to the school chapel which is powered by the FEMA generator (the classroom is on a small generator for which we buy the gas and oil and take care of maintenance).

With all of that still happening around us, we are trying to embrace CHRISTmas – the celebration of Christ’s incarnation, the promised Saviour born to a virgin at last has come! I say TRYING because, with all that was happening in September and October, as a teacher, I got behind in my planning ahead for Christmas. I failed to order supplies for Christmas crafts and activities. I have been otherwise occupied with LIFE such that I was not thinking into November and December.

But God, in His goodness, provided through YOU who sent and are sending parcels of supplies. Suddenly, when someone asked, I thought, “Please send some Christmas crafts for the students. I have nothing planned. I lost a few months!”

And so the Christmas craft supply boxes have arrived from Wisconsin and Florida and Maine just to name a few. We started last week by putting a few Christmas lights in the school chapel to brighten our days. (We have solar powered Christmas lights outside for our evening enjoyment. And some friends have sent more so that the students can take home some solar powered lights for their homes!)

The students and visitors are enjoying making origami stars, candle holders, wee Christmas trees and various painted decorations. TWO people sent us JOY ornaments (see above). I think God is reminding us that even with the changes we have experienced and continue to live with, His JOY is always available. With Nehemiah, we can say:

the joy of the Lord is our strength.

Handbell Choir

April 12th, 2017

April 7 2017 we had our first and only spring performance for the handbell choir. It’s been interesting getting our two younger boys to multi-task as required by musical instruments. Looking at the director. Looking at the music. Remember which hand is which color according to the color code we use to teach note reading. THEN remembering no matter who is in the audience, still watching and focusing on the director and the music. Serious skills required!

These two did well and so thoroughly enjoyed the snack box provided by the group we performed for. The other members of the bell choir were packing the bells and van while these younger guys were hanging out. The largest issue of the day was Edgar’s tie which had some smudges on it. Yep. Not acceptable to him. We’ll try to get those cleaned before they are needed the next time.

How many more coconuts would be able to be in this truck before the tires pop? As we drove, we passed cautiously lest the tailgate let go and the coconuts cascade out. Driving here is always a challenge. Praise God that day, there was no challenge other than passing safely on the highway.

Thanks for your prayers for our ministry!

April 12, 2017NewsChristian School and Chapel for the Deaf, handbell choir, Luquillo School for the Deaf, missionary, Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico sordos, school for the deaf, Sordos, spring break, World Mission to the DeafBetsy Hoke

Learning at Lunch

August 27th, 2016

This year, we began with 5 students so rather than open the entire dining room for 7 diners (5 students and 2 staff), we are having lunch together in a staff apartment, family style.

The students are learning to serve themselves a reasonable portion of food, pass the serving bowls and platters and share in amiable conversation. After lunch, they take turns doing the dishes and clearing the table. So far, the students are enjoying the change of pace.

One day 13 of the school year, we added a new student to our student body when we welcomed Edgar back into our classroom. Edgar had been with us when he was 3 to 5 years old and has been away for 7 years. Returning at 12 years of age, he is sadly behind his former classmates even though he had been ahead of several. The system of education here is lacking in resources and though this boy has had an interpreter, his language skills are still not what they could be. He is also unable to write and read. So we are VERY excited to have him back with us. Please pray with us for this little boy’s attention span. Please pray for more teachers so that we are able to meet the needs of the students we have and also to accept others.

We look forward to a new student joining us in October as we have accepted an adult learner who is interested in studying English and his third language so that he is able to do more online learning and perhaps attend university in the States. Again, pray for the potential we see and for God’s wisdom in accepting or denying students.

August 27, 2016NewsASL, ASL PR, Christian School and Chapel for the Deaf, Deaf Puerto Rico, Escuela para sordos, Luquillo School for the Deaf, missionary, Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico sordos, studentsBetsy Hoke

thinking ahead

August 14th, 2016

With the first week of classes behind us, we are getting ready for a four day school week with our visiting Missions Team from Calvary Bible Church of Hanover PA. Keep up with their team blog to see what their team members think of their time here.

Team leader Steve with his head submerged in the waves 🙂

The four day week was planned by our principal – the school staff can use a break; the three dorm students can use the long weekend to be at home a little longer; and the work team needs some time to debrief, pray, think and then clean the dorms and gather their belongings into suitcases for their trip home on Saturday.

Two of the residential students have already expressed their opinion that they should stay to hang out with the team on Friday. Yea. Relationships are growing and good-byes are so hard. So this week as you are praying,

pray for those relationships between team members and staff members,
between team members and students, and
between all of the humans interfacing at CSCD.

As far as we KNOW there are no issues, but prayer helps to prevent potential issues 🙂 you know what I mean.

The SUBMERGED theme of the week is beautiful! The students enjoyed the introduction to the Bible school program on Friday. Our principal particularly liked the way God led us to a fun Wednesday afternoon of pier jumping in which we were physically SUBMERGED in the ocean as many overcame fears so that on Friday we could discuss what it means to be SUBMERGED in God’s will and word.Read Betsy’s Blog to stay up to date with her musings too.

Thanks for taking time to dive into our news this week!

August 14, 2016missions trip, NewsASL PR, Christian School and Chapel for the Deaf, ESD, Luquillo School for the Deaf, Mission work team, missionary, missions trip, school for the deaf, Sordo en Puerto Rico, students, VBSBetsy Hoke

2016 08 08 is now history

August 9th, 2016

God is so good!

This school year, He provided us with a team of families and friends to help with getting our students excited for learning. Monday August 8 was our first day of the school year. The students enjoyed getting to know the teens in the group and working closely together to carry out some fun and exciting activities which included using quizizz to review information recently learned.

In the afternoon, the teens (both hearing and Deaf) worked together to come up with names and flags for their “countries” and then we began our own Olympic Games. Fun fun fun.

We look forward to many more fun days with the work team from Calvary Bible Church of Hanover PA and to the many blessings God will use them to pour into our lives.

August 9, 2016NewsChristian School and Chapel for the Deaf, deaf mission, Mission work team, missionary, missions, missions tripBetsy Hoke

Summer Reading 2016

June 17th, 2016

The mission statement of the Christian School and Chapel for the Deaf, Inc. is to “Nurture Deaf Children to Think and Live Biblically.” We can only begin to do this. And we can only begin to DO this as we ourselves explore biblical precepts.

This summer, Lora, Tess and Betsy (three ladies in the center of the photo) are reading Discipling Nations by Darrow L. Miller for their summer THINKing material. Of course, we hope they will be reading their Bibles and other edifying literature as well.

During the past school year, the CSCD lady staff (those ladies picture above PLUS a few others) worked through the book How People Change by Timothy Lane and Paul David Tripp in a weekly evening Bible study. Some weeks we had lively discussions. Other weeks we were drown into thoughtful and prayerful moments as we discussed personal struggles and our perceptions of how God would help us to overcome, grow deeper into His character and live out the biblical standards we were learning.

We completed that book at the end of March and then began a series of readings related to Ending Well (as three of our six Bible study members were leaving and all of us were ending the school year). Our studies included reading the Ken Boa’s Finishing Well series, and excerpts from Coming Home by Howard and Bonnie Lisech. Spending this time together perpared us to say “goodbye” to our good friends and co-workers as well as helped us to see that our school year’s end was simply a transition into the NEXT thing that God is preparing for us.

Twice during the past school year (November and April/May), we prayed through Andrew Murray’s Helps to Intercession guide. Rosa commented that having repeated this guide several times during her three years of serving at CSCD had helped her prayer life in that Mr. Murray reminds us to pray for things that we often don’t pray about.

If you are looking for something to read this summer, and you should choose Discipling Nations, let us know. We would love to hear how God is working on your worldview and how you are learning to think and live in a more biblical manner. Also, if you have a favorite book/Bible study to recommend, please let us know!

As a SCHOOL staff, we make sure to never step away from learning for ourselves. As Christians working in full-time ministry, we make sure never to step away from our Lord Jesus Christ and His awesomeness. As teachers desiring to instill a hunger for learning into our students, we constantly discuss ways things that impede our learning and understanding and we attempt to plan our classroom, dorm and study times so that we can remove obstacles to our students’ learning as well.

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? – Mark 8:36

June 17, 2016missions trip, StaffChristian School for the Deaf, CSCD, Deaf, Deaf education, deaf mission, Evangelical School for the Deaf, Interpreter training workshop, Luquillo School for the Deaf, missionary, missions, Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico sordos, servant hearted, short term missions, spring breakBetsy Hoke

Celebrating Milestones

June 7th, 2016

Friday, June 3 was our monthly scheduled Social Night. We love having people over and sharing games, growing friendships and seeing some of our ‘once a month’ visitors.

This month, we celebrated two birthdays – Maria who is now 15 and Irma who is at an age we don’t advertise any longer – though if you look at the photo, you will see her age :-).

Irma was a student here between 1988- 1991 and is active in her local church. Her husband Valie volunteers with us daily helping by advising as well as in maintaining the property. Irma and Valie are cherished members of our ministry community and we were thankful to be able to celebrate her _0 birthday with her.

Maria is a present student in the school. Turning 15, celebrating her QUINCEANERA is a big deal. One of our staff drove to Orocovis to bring Maria and her sister and parents to the school for an overnight. We celebrated her birthday and another staff member drove them home the following morning.

The party times were sweet with cakes, games, friends, and conversation. We were super happy to see Chris Monahan, our CSCD Board President back with us after having been sidelined by a stroke in late April. He is doing well – improving with physical therapy and a patient family who help him.

Continue to pray for the summer activities around the school and throughout the ministry. We will be carrying out the basic office work that needs to happen, doing grounds work, and spending time in prayer and preparation for the school year that begins on August 8, 2016.

We are still praying for teachers who are familiar with the Deaf and who know ASL. In our planning meeting, we have discussed

a 9 days every two weeks school schedule, the 10th day to be kept for taking our students to visit Deaf people in remote areas of the island with the intention of befriending, evangelizing, assisting in any way that is needed. We have also discussed
further ministry with the Santos Family – what do the parents need and how can we encourage them spiritually, emotionally, and materially? We want to continue
the ASL Silent Workshop teaching and outreach to interpreters and workers in Deaf ministries.

Pray with us for these ministries and for hands to grow the ministries so that more Deaf can be reached for Christ.

June 7, 2016NewsASL, ASL PR, ASL silent workshop, Christian School and Chapel for the Deaf, Christian School for the Deaf, CSCD, Deaf, Deaf education, lenguaje se senas, Luquillo School for the Deaf, missionary, missions, school for the deaf, servant hearted, Sordo en Puerto Rico, Sordo PR, SordosBetsy Hoke

Silent Workshop 2016 (first edition)

June 2nd, 2016

silent workshop 2016 05

For many years, the staff of our ministry has been praying about beginning Interpreter Development Workshops. We see the struggle of many interpreters in churches (and in paid positions) and want to come alongside them, encourage, develop their skills and see them communicate as effectively as possible with the Deaf people they meet.

“How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” Romans 10:14

silent workshop 2016 05 staff

This year, our principal found herself surrounded by people who had the time, energy, ideas and desire to help to launch this ministry. We had 12 people who attended all three days and several others who came for one or two days of the three day event.

It was fun to work together to develop the schedule for the workshops – to see how each person had a different angle on the classes and time frames – and then to see how God brought it all together from paper to action.

silent workshop 2016 05 a We were able to have lots of small group interactions to complement the group teaching sessions. Many of the participants attend churches where there are Deaf members and while they are not interpreting, they simply wanted to learn how to communicate better – both in understanding and in expressing themselves.

silent workshop 2016 05 b

Our third day was all about the fluidity and artistry of signing. Various groups and several individuals prepared songs to show the things they had learned and could incorporate in their signing. It was great to see them incorporating new ASL skills into their songs and their conversations.

Check out the schedule: ASL immersion workshop 2016 05 -summary (well, it’s mostly in Spanish but you are welcome to take a look!)

June 2, 2016NewsASL, ASL PR, ASL silent workshop, Christian School and Chapel for the Deaf, Deaf, Deaf education, deafness, Evangelical School for the Deaf, Interpreter training workshop, Mission work team, missionary, Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico sordos, school for the deaf, servant hearted, Sordo PR, SordosBetsy Hoke

Talking to your returning Missionary Friend

May 25th, 2016

I copied this from another blog:

Suggested Questions for Parents/Friends

What was the biggest highlight of your trip?
What was the hardest thing you faced on your trip?
What did that hard experience teach you?
What things surprised you the most?
Do you feel like you were prepared for your trip?
If you could do it all over again, what would you change?
Do you have any regrets?
What was the food like?
Where did you sleep?
Tell me about the people you met and ministered to.
Did you connect with anyone that you might keep in touch with?
Did you get a chance to share your faith?
Does your view of the world and your life look any differently now?
Do you see Jesus any differently now?
Did you see anything gross?
Did you get sick?
What was the scariest thing you experienced?
What was the weirdest thing you ate?
What was the church you worked with like?
How was their form of worship different from ours?
Did you get a chance to meet anyone’s practical needs?
Was there ever a time that you really felt like God was directing you?
What was the funniest thing you experienced?
How did you work out any differences you had with your team?
What was it like in the evenings? What did you do?
What were your worship times with your team like?
Did you miss me?
Did you pack enough stuff?
Did you really miss me?
What was the weather like?
Did you cry when you thought about me because you missed me?
Would you ever want to go back?
Do you think you would consider being a full-time missionary?
What was the biggest thing you saw God do?
Do you think you’ll go on a short-term mission trip again?
What’s going to be the toughest thing about being home now?
Do you think anything will change with your friends that weren’t on the trip?
Do you think you have changed in any way? How?
Is there anything you smelled on your trip that you’ll never forget?
Are you tired?
Has this changed anything in your relationship with Jesus?
What were some of the ways you ministered on your trip?
Did you get to share your story of how you met Jesus with anyone?
Did you get any ideas of how you could minister here at home?
Was there anything you saw that just broke your heart?
Did you give anything away?
Is there anything you HAVE to do this week after experiencing what you did?
Was there ever a time you felt completely out of control in a situation?
What’s the number one thing you are thankful for?
Did you catch yourself praising God for things? Like what?

May 25, 2016missions tripASL, Christian School and Chapel for the Deaf, Deaf education, Deaf Puerto Rico, deafness, Luquillo School for the Deaf, Mission work team, missionary, missions, missions trip, Puerto Rico, short term missions, Sordo en Puerto Rico, Sordos, spring breakBetsy Hoke

December Schedule 2015

December 4th, 2015

We have such a busy schedule for the next two weeks:

Tuesday (8 Dec) and Wednesday (9 Dec) the handbell choir will be performing for some organizations who have been very helpful to our school.

Sunday (13 December) the combined efforts of our NEW ADULT Handbell Choir and our student handbell choir will be performing in Bible Baptist Church of Luquillo at 10 a.m.

Wednesday (16 December) the students on bells and guitars will be performing at the Palmas Community Church in Humacao in the evenings (7 p.m. I think)

And our Christmas celebration party will be 18 December at some time before 3 p.m.

With all of these dates and busy events in front of us, it would be easy to forget that Christmas is a time to think more carefully about God and enjoy the peace that He can give us. To help each of us keep our focus on GOD (and not on receiving gift and playing bells), we have just completed “40” days of thanksgiving (Canadian Thanksgiving through American Thanksgiving) during which time, we talked daily about things we are thankful for. One of the students wasn’t sure that AIR was something we needed to give thanks for… but she soon decided that it could be on the list,

During this Advent season, we are doing 15 school days of meditating on God’s character and how God changes our lives. The theme “adORN your life with ORNaments pleasing to God” has translated into ASL as “Decorate your life for God’s glory”. As we decorate the chapel Christmas tree with Bible verses written on cards placed inside clear Christmas ornament balls, we each write our own observation about the verses and place them onto decorations that each has made – a wreath, a wee Christmas tree, a light box, a poster.

December 4, 2015NewsChristian School and Chapel for the Deaf, Christian School for the Deaf, CSCD, Deaf, deaf mission, Luquillo School for the Deaf, missionary, missions, Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico sordos, school for the deaf, Sordo en Puerto Rico, Sordo PR, SordosBetsy Hoke