April 2007
Questions like this are a common part of our day while working with deaf children. Our students
are typical, curious children except they have not been able to get answers to their questions…until
now, because now they have a language. Soon this will be true for little Carlitos as well as our
newest student, Miriam – a sweet 10 year old girl from Tijuana.
We wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for your support of the work we have been doing
here in Mexico. We are so grateful that God brought us together in this plan to bring the gospel to
the deaf. Thank you for your partnership with us. We are looking forward to our second year on the
mission field and are asking you to prayerfully consider supporting us again this year.
Last month we asked for prayer for creativity in our involvement with the students. Well, it looks like
you were praying with fervor! Here are a few examples of that creativity:
---Roofing Luke’s house with Abraham, Noel, and Rolando
---Made 25 pints of strawberry jam with eight girls.
---Wrapped up 8 months of sewing class.
---Performed the story of Deborah, judge of the Hebrews.
---Then, taught the 10 commandments with Dr. Huevo! Lizzy had a little too much fun
smashing eggs on my head!
We have been blessed to be a part of God’s amazing work here in Mexico…it’s beyond what we
ever expected. Here is a little recap of a few more things we’ve done in the last month.
MEN’S RETREAT
Howard and another missionary from Mexico were the speakers at a Men’s Retreat in California
last month. They challenged the men to “Get In The Battle” and make their life count for the Lord.
RSM DOCUMENTARY
Strong Tower Ministries is making a docu-drama about what God has done through this ministry in
its 38-year history. Since Howard is the “Group Coordinator,” he got work with the film crew for a
week.
Does the sun make a noise when it rises in the morning?
BIBLE TEACHING
Janet spent countless hours revamping the Bible program for the Ranch. We wanted to design a
two-year program that would systematically teach the children the entire Bible. The stipulation…it
must be designed using the resources that we have on hand. Well, the new program is finished
and ready to implement in the Fall.
MEDICAL CLINIC
There was a free medical clinic in our town at the public library. We took several of our children in
to see the doctor. Being the doting grandparents that we are, we took them out for ice cream
afterwards.
WEBSITE
We’ve updated the Rancho Sordo Mudo website! The site is now designed so Janet can do all the
updates on the field. You can take a look at the open positions for the Fall and spread the word!!
RV PARK
Another added ministry of the Ranch is the RV Park that Howard oversees. During the winter
months we have up to 8 campers a night. Most of them are not believers and we have a
tremendous opportunity to share with them of the hope that is within us. The conversation is easily
started by the obvious question “Why on earth would you leave a successful life in the U.S. and
come down to serve in Mexico?” One couple that visited a few weeks ago, Matthew and Allie,
accepted one of our free Bibles and even came to church on Sunday. They confessed it was the
first time they had ever gone to a Christian church. Ours is not the typical church service since we
have three languages going simultaneously, and they were very touched.
CHAPEL
Still, the bright spot in Janet’s day is the chapel class. It takes a lot of creative brain cells to come
up with 5 lessons per week, but the children are such a blessing and she is making a ton of great
memories. (and she gets to teach alongside her best bud, Heather!) The other day when the
children learned the story about Balaam and his talking donkey they started looking skeptically at
all the animals around the Ranch wondering which ones could talk. Only one student knew that
animals did not talk. Well, think about it…they see hearing people talk to their pets all the time and
then they see the animal respond. It’s a natural assumption…if you are deaf and have had no one
explain these things to you.
THE FUTURE
We see so much potential for training the deaf to reach the deaf. Of course our minds are
dreaming of ideas all the time and some of these ideas are actually feasible! We are thinking if we
did Bible training for the deaf, in order to send them out, it may involve job training as well - both for
the new pastor/missionary and for his congregation. And, if the students come from all over the
country for the training, it may involve housing and daily needs. It will be fun to be in California this
summer so we can dream together!!
Thank you for prayerfully supporting this important work among the deaf. If you would like us to
share at your church, home group, bible study group, etc, please contact us at
janet@deafdisciples.com.