Tag Archives: school for the deaf

week of November 04 2016

November 6th, 2016

Our week started with students who wanted to “celebrate” Halloween. Well, I am not opposed to candy but I am opposed to many aspects of Halloween’s “religious” traditions. So we got around it by doing “Crazy Hair” and playing some games.

Thanks to our two stylists to their crazy input on the activity!

This year’s handbell choir did their first performance on November 1 with a surprisingly good repertoire. With three fairly young and new ringers, the director of the troupe was nervous but everyone came through with bells on!

We had some workers around this week – installing a new white board, installing a generator interface for power outages, and power washing everything it seemed.

How beautiful are the feet that bring good news! Isaiah 52:7 and Romans 10:15 both remind us that Good News comes by way of personal delivery. How eager we were to receive our guest workers and their news of jobs well-done! How eager we are to continue to teach the Good News to our students and plant the seeds of God’s Word in their hearts! Pray with us for their hearts to be fertile fields as we plant that precious seed. Pray for their minds to desire to obey Him always.

Science Month!

October 23rd, 2016

if a picture is worth a thousand words, I’ve already said too much!

Hope you enjoyed looking at the October Update. Pray for the students and workers – everyone is learning more daily. Pray that we will continue to serve the Lord with gladness.

October 23, 2016classroom, StaffChristian School and Chapel for the Deaf, Evangelical School for the Deaf, lenguaje se senas, Mission work team, missions trip, Puerto Rico, school for the deaf, servant hearted, short term missions, Sordo en Puerto Rico, Sordo PR, studentsBetsy Hoke

Was last week only 5 school days long?

September 3rd, 2016

While I know each school week is 5 days, some feel so FULL! Last week was a full week! We are doing more “silent” reading this year – trying to get in at least 15 minutes of independent reading daily and it’s fun to watch the students examine the bookshelves and find hidden treasures. Also sweet to watch the more able to read students introduce books and love of reading to the ones who are not able to read on their own yet. Pray that literacy will be a skill they love and each student will exercise a passion for WORDS and sharing God’s Word!

We were excited to see Nathan and Deborah visiting from Canada! This lovely Deaf couple stopped by with their three hearing daughters. We always love seeing them and enjoyed some games and relaxing time together.

This year, we are making cursive writing a priority. Every afternoon before we dive into our learning logs, we do some structured writing. Betsy, our only teacher this year, has developed this framework for teaching cursive – using the data projector to shine guidelines onto the white board and then writing on them. The students love showing off their skills too though they still do better on paper than on the board.

Thanks for praying along with us for the ministry of our school and chapel. We look forward to next week when we will be practicing conversational skills and learning how fractions work.

September 3, 2016classroom, News, StaffASL, ASL PR, Christian School and Chapel for the Deaf, Christian School for the Deaf, CSCD, Deaf, Deaf education, deaf mission, Deaf Puerto Rico, Evangelical School for the Deaf, lenguaje se senas, school for the deaf, Sordo en Puerto Rico, Sordo PR, Sordos, World Mission to the DeafBetsy 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

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

Counting Down to the last day of the semester

March 30th, 2016

38 days remain in the 2015-2016 school year. The students have been enthusiastic learners and recently we had seen fruit from their labors:

P1160791

Maria has learned to smile and say “Please” when asking questions. Mizael noticed that the hours of sunshine are lengthening and explained the tilt and rotation and revolution of the planet. Juan has begun to work faster on his written work and is telling amazing stories (truth and fiction mixed). Larimar is increasing her vocabulary and holding onto the words. The teachers are all excited to see these fruits in the lives of the students.

P1160797

Paying attention IS a job skill and seeing the students give their undivided attention during class time is also an encouragement.

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Of course, we continue to include hands-on learning. After reading Mr Ferris and His Wheel, Juan and Maria built a k-nex ferris wheel as part of their science class. Learning to work together, to follow directions, and to trouble shoot difficulties are also great skills to develop in life.

Pray for the next 38 class days – that the students will continue to grow in knowledge and in application of God’s Word in their lives.

March 30, 2016classroom, NewsASL PR, Deaf education, deafness, Escuela para sordos, Luquillo School for the Deaf, Puerto Rico sordos, school for the deaf, Sordo PR, SordosBetsy Hoke

ending January 2016

January 24th, 2016

2016 01 students back at the school

So far, 2016 has been a wonderfully peaceful year. Students are learning – on all levels of learning – academically, spiritually, emotionally, physically. We love to see this.

Below, you will see Larimar working in class and also hanging out in a hammock. One day when she was the last student in the classrooms, we tried out the hammock lounge under the new deck. Larimar enjoyed hanging out with the new workers, sharing jokes and stories and enjoying some relaxed time.

In the other photo, Larimar is working on story telling by creating a “quadrama” (like a diorama with four open corners). She is such a creative young lady and we are so pleased to see her using her talents in ways that honor God. Continue to pray for her and our other students as they learn and grow in His grace.

2016 hammocks

January 24, 2016NewsASL PR, Christian School and Chapel for the Deaf, Deaf, Deaf education, deafness, Escuela para sordos, hammock lounge, Luquillo School for the Deaf, Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico sordos, quadrama, school for the deaf, Sordo en Puerto Rico, Sordo PR, SordosBetsy Hoke

They heard the BELLS before Christmas day!

December 19th, 2015

The student handbell choir performed EIGHT times in the past three weeks!

Our NEW Adult Deaf Handbell Choir also performed TWICE in the past week.

Our school Christmas party was lovely – the children signed songs, the bells rang, the parents cried at appropriate times, the food was massive in quantity and in flavor, no one hurried away and the cleanup happened.

We thank God for each of you and your prayers for our ministry to the Deaf here in Luquillo. Look forward to seeing you again in January 2016! Happy Holidays (Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, Epiphany/Kings’ Day) !!

December 19, 2015NewsASL PR, Christian School and Chapel for the Deaf, CSCD, Deaf, Deaf Puerto Rico, handbell choir, Luquillo School for the Deaf, Puerto Rico, school for the deaf, Sordo en Puerto Rico, Sordo PR, SordosBetsy 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