Our dear sister Santa

Santa is a deaf sister at our hall. She has actually been studying for a very very very long time. Many obstacles came in her way and her progress stopped many times. However since a few months back she has been determined to change and progress regardless of the obstacles she faces now. She is regularly commenting at the meetings and she is a publisher! Her and I usually walk to service together to be able to guide her to the service group. She always makes me laugh and we actually have some deep conversations. 

I was able To work with her in service today. She had 2 return visits and wanted me to join her so that I could help her. Well as we are walking I used a sign she didn't know, she asked and I explained what it meant. As we continued walking we ran into a deaf guy named JR, I literally bump into him every other week haha. Well anyways we stood there and talked with him, and as Santa was explaining something she used the sign I had taught her!! And she used it in the correct form as well! It just made me feel good to see how even though I am working on my sign, it doesn't matter some may have much experience or little to none but we are all in this together and can help one another!  

This is JR, haha he posed, such a clown always!

Well we arrived to the first return visit, a young lady named Yudith. At first Santa started signing everything and going really fast, however Yudith doesn't know any sign and has bad vision. So I helped Santa, I started simplifying my sign and pulled out pics and started drawing. Once Yudith understood we showed her sign and she remember and understood. Once we left Santa thanked me and we started talk about how even though Santa is experienced, that doesn't mean all the other deaf are. Sometimes others need to be taught at a slower pace and one must be creative by drawing or using pictures. Santa understood and appreciated how I showed her to preach simple. 

Example: let's say you study with 2 siblings, one is 18 and the other is 10.

Surely you wouldn't study with them with the same book and use the same method. Why? Well their thinking level, reading level, comprehension level, and so forth are different. So you would modify each study to cater to each student. Same with the deaf, they all have different signing levels, also some of the deaf here in DR have has some major health problems. Some have problems from birth and others have complications because of living in a 3rd world country. So many factors go into play when teaching. 

It was nice to join Santa and help her. The next return went well too! Keep reading! Haha 

Santa and Yudith 

Next return visit was with a young Haitian girl. Unfortunately she isn't going to school, but Santa is going to be working with her. 

I was so happy because we arrived and once we sat down Santa never needed me. Santa applied all that we talked about, she was simple, repetitive, used pictures, and drew things out to help the little girl understand. I am so proud of her. Santa is an example to me because she is willing to take advice and put it into practice. 

Here she is with the little girl 

Today was a true blessing. All that happened today with Santa is proof of what the Bible says, plant your seed and it will grow, JEHOVAH will make it grow!

My move here isn't just for the deaf people to learn about Jehovah. It's also about helping the congregation and the members it already has. It was such a successful and productive day thanks to Jehovah.

Santa and I

Progressing Bible Students

I love service. I truly enjoy meeting someone, seeing their interest grow, and having a regular visit with them. And what I love most is when you see the progress! Everyone progresses at different stages, but the goal is the same...to learn about Jehovah and have a solid continuous relationship with him. I've mentioned before how the deaf have their own culture and here in DR many don't know sign, so sometimes it's a longer process. But man after time passing and seeing the great progress it's AMAZING! 

My bible student Ana is doing very well. I started with here in May of this year, she knew no sign. So we started from scratch and now is doing super well!!! Not only has she learned some signs that represent animals or actions or people but now I can ask her questions and she responds in her own words. It's not a long elaborate comment, it's straight and simple but it's in her words. She has even leaned to spell her name and introduce herself and ask others for their names. So now after learning some signs she is starting to form sentences and have conversations. I love the picture of her here because you see how she is thinking before responding to my question. 

I'm also proud of my other bible student Ludres. She has been doing very well in signing and learning how to write her name. She is always smiling once she sees me approach her house. As mentioned everyone progresses at a different pace. Ludres is learning how to write her name, I have left homework for her to complete and she successfully does it. After a few visits with getting her to understand her name and how it is spelled on paper, we will work on it in sign. In this pic you'll see me and on the far right you'll see Ludres. In the middle is her niece, if she is home she'll study with us and afterwards we watch Caleb videos.

Caroline is another bible study that I started with but actually passed on to Karen, once Karen moved to Higuey. Caroline is a young deaf female who also doesn't know much sign, but she copies a lot of what she sees. This can be an issue sometimes because the deaf student will copy what you say rather than learning the meaning of the study. So Karen has been working on this. And recently we had some major success. Caroline was able to explain the point of Jehovahs creation and identify somethings as well. In this pic I'm with Caroline but here you notice how tiny she is, I look like a GIANT next to her! Haha 

 

My poor service shoes. I bought these comfortable shoes before I moved here. They have been faithful to me for the last 7 months ....but they have been through so much and it was time to let them go! I had even sewed them and they were able to last a while longer lol funny because being the states if I even got a scatch on my shoes I would quickly get rid of them. But here I don't have the comfortability of just getting rid of something and buying them new. So with what I got I make it last! My parents were able to get me new shoes, definitely a blessing from Jehovah.

Our awesome service group! It's always nice to have a huge group support service! We are all in this together!