Back in Fort Worth

I know for you, our readers, that our posts just quietly and unceremoniously quit showing up. For us in Jamaica, however, our blog posting ended in sparks and fireworks - literally!

Friday turned out to be a rather blustery day after an otherwise calm, windless week. That morning we headed down to the soccer field to get a team picture with a backdrop of beautiful banana trees, the water of the bay and our new cornrows. (One of the school dogs, Jake, also felt he needed to be in the photo.) As we were smiling at the camera, a crack like a gunshot echoed from behind the school building and we saw a shower of sparks erupt from the power lines. We ran back to the school to warn everyone as the high-tension fireworks continued.

Ms Russell, the school principal, ran back behind the building to make sure nothing had caught fire and saw a neighbor on top of the fence trying to disconnect a wire with a big branch. It seems he had been stealing electricity from the school and wanted to get rid of the evidence before the power company got there.

In the end, we were without power for several hours and it seems that 2 microwaves, at least 1 window air-conditioner and the modem at our house didn't survive the surge. Loss of the modem meant no emails or blog entries. Ms. Russell called the authorities but I don't know what happened to the man who was syphoning off electricity, but at least he wasn't electricuted.

Friday was my (Jennifer's) birthday and the team gave me a beautiful figurine of 3 children learning to sign "Jesus Loves Me" and the school gave me a nice CCCD book bag. There was also birthday cake and many well-wishes. We joined the teachers for a season of prayer that morning; it was a beautiful time of reflection, of unity, and of importuning as we asked God to provide for CCCD's great needs. Financially, things are very difficult for them right now. Kingston has become so violent that some of the teachers said they stopped going to church at night because they were afraid they wouldn't arrive back home. Please pray for CCCD, for these teachers that are giving so much of themselves, and seriously consider sponsoring a child so they had be assured enough food to eat.

Friday afternoon after the teachers went home, our team went down to the "Hip Strip" or the tourist section of Montego Bay. We did some shopping and then went back to the beach at Doctor's Cave. From there we rented a small glass-bottom boat that took us out to the reef and 4 of us (Sammie, Janice, Quita and I) went snorkeling. It was like being in Finding Nemo! It was really amazing. Sammie said that was something she could scratch off her bucket list and Jen thought it was a fabulous birthday! Personally, I was reminded of Job 38 when God recounts His amazing creation:

"Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place, when I said, 'This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt'? Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea or walked in the recesses of the deep? Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth? Tell me, if you know all this."

When I mentioned this passage in the boat ride back, I said, "Job had no way of seeing what we just saw when he heard God say that!" and Sammie replied, "Yeah, but I'm sure Jonah saw the whole thing on his way down!"

That night we went to a very nice dinner at Marguerite's right on the water. It was a huge contrast to how we'd been eating, to suddenly have a wine glass, a bread plate and way too much silverware, but we thoroughly enjoyed the meal. We took Ms. Russell with us and enjoyed our time. From the balcony, we saw a sting ray swim by in the shallows, he was really beautiful.

But there we also learned that God never stops working! This was supposed to be "time off" but God's work never takes a vacation. The hostess at the restaurant was an absolutely gorgeous and classy young woman, and Janice asked her if she'd ever done any modeling. She modestly answered that she was a contestant in the Miss Jamaica pageant that was coming up soon. We started a conversation with her, and in the end she was excited about the prospect of adopting CCCD as the charity she could support from her platform.

Saturday we were able to take our time getting packed and heading to the airport and we had a long but uneventful flight home. (Uneventful is a good thing!) This fit the criteria for what I think is a perfect trip: Before I left I was happy to go, I happy to be there while I was there, and when it was time to leave I was happy to go home. Stil, it was hard to say goodbye to Andicea and Ms. Russell and the other friendships we'd built. I pray we all can keep in touch with our friends as fellow teachers and sisters in Christ.

Please continue to pray for the team as we transition back to life at home. I'm starting a new chapter in my life as my best friends had a baby while I was gone (little Summerlyn is still in the NICU, please continue to pray) and I will start a new teaching position and a new subject in the fall. Laura and her family are trying to get all the pieces in place to move to Arkansas where Dirk will pastor a church. Most importantly, pray for CCCD, that God would provide for them financially, that He would strengthen them over the summer, and that they would remember what they've learned during the training so it can benefit their students.

Thanks for reading! We'll try to get some pictures available to you.

Prayer for Saturday

Our Warrior and Our Peace ~ Alcuin of York

O King of glory, and Lord of valour, our warrior and our peace, may You win victories in the world through us Your servants, for without You we can do nothing. May Your compassion go before us and come behind us; be with us at our beginnings, and at our endings. May Your will be done in everything we do, for You are our salvation, our glory and our joy.

Prayer for Friday

Resting ~ Frank Topping

Lord,
teach me to rest in You.
Teach me to see the sky
and to think of nothing else
but the joy of it.
Teach me to look
at field and flower
and be soothed
by colors and seasons.
Teach me to close my eyes
and to rest
in the Love that has supported me
all my days.
Teach me, Lord, to rest in You.

Thrilling and Therapeudic Thursday

I'm very sorry we didn't post yesterday, but by the time we got back to the house we were exhausted. Quita took a few minutes to check her "happy birthday" emails and then we all collapsed. (The girls in the kitchen - Yvonne, Marie, and Odette - made her a beautiful cake and she got a lovely banana-leaf purse.) The devil was working hard to confuse schedules, test relationships and discourage our work, but our God is mightier than any arrows Satan can throw our way!

This week of teacher training is the only time of year when all 3 campuses get together, so it was important to have some fun and fellowship. This morning after a breakfast of sausage and baked beans, we took a 1-hour bus ride to Negril. For those of you who went to Knockpatrick with us last year, let me make it clear that this was a very different kind of travel. We followed the coast the whole time and had lovely views of the sea and no switchbacks. Our delightful hostess for the week (and the principal here at Mo Bay), Dorette Russell, is also a licensed tour operator, so she gave us all sorts of interesting facts along the way. She also has her own very nice AIR-CONDITIONED bus. We stopped to see some cliff-divers, climbed to the top of the lighthouse, shopped at an open-air market, and then went swimming at the beach.

After dinner when we got back to campus we received the warmest of thank-yous from the staff. Individual teachers with whom we'd bonded came forward to give us kind words and a cool gift. We also got to laugh through all the inside jokes for the week. It was a very special time. Miss Lawrence, the principal from Kingston, said she felt this was the most informative and fun teacher training they'd ever had. We want to keep these relationships going, not only to hear about our sisters in Christ but also to be able to help them implement what they've learned.

Right now we're sitting around the kitchen table and some of the Deaf girls from Mo Bay (who live upstairs) just finished braiding our hair and now we're chatting. It's going to be very difficult to say good-bye to most of our new friends when everyone heads home tomorrow. But perhaps we can soften the blow by going back to the beach in the afternoon!

Before I sign off, I want to ask you to pray for little Summerlyn Anne who came into the world 6 weeks early today. She weighed 4 lbs, 3 oz and was born to my best friends back in Fort Worth.

Jen

Prayer for Thursday

For Success ~ Robert Louis Stevenson

Lord, behold our “family” here assembled. We thank Thee for this place in which we dwell; for the love that unites us; for the peace accorded us this day; for the hope with which we expect the morrow; for the health, the work, the food and the bright skies, that make our lives delightful; for our friends in all parts of the earth, and our friendly helpers in this foreign isle. Let peace abound in our small company. Purge out of every heart the lurking grudge. Give us peace and strength to forbear and to persevere. Offenders ourselves, give us the grace to accept and to forgive offenders. Forgetful ourselves, help us to bear cheerfully the forgetfulness of others. Give us courage and gaiety and a quiet mind. Spare to us our friends, soften to us our enemies. Bless us, if it may be, in all our innocent endeavors. If it may not, give us the strength to encounter that which is to come, that we be brave in peril, constant in tribulation, temperate in wrath, and in all changes of fortune, and, down to the gates of death, loyal and loving one to another. As the clay to the potter, as the windmill to the wind, as children of their sire, we beseech of Thee this help and mercy.

Prayer for Wednesday

Renewal ~ George Appleton

O my God,
Grant that I may so wait upon Thee,
That when quick decision and action are needed,
I may mount up with wings as an eagle;
And when under direction of Thy will
And the needs of people
I have to keep going under pressure,
I may run and not be weary;
And in times of routine and humble duty,
I may walk and not be faint.
For all my fresh springs are in Thee,
O God of my strength. (Isaiah 40:31)

Tales of Tuesday

Today Laura and Sammie taught on reading and language. Teaching reading is always a struggle with deaf kids so the teachers were very excited to learn more strategies. Laura made a huge impression with her knowledge, education and experience, and she and Sammie were great role models for deaf and hearing teachers working together. Sammie announced at the start of the day that teachers were going to be pulled out of their comfort zones, and she was right!

Unfortunately, Quita was not able to join us during the morning sessions. Last night she was walking back to the house and she tripped over on some St. Augustine. The laptop survived but Quita's neck didn't fair as well. Now that the stress of getting here and giving her workshop was finished, she needed some time to recover. When she walked in at lunch time, everyone cheered and were very happy to have her back with us.

This evening was the teachers' night on the town. We went to the Hip Strip, the touristy section of Mo Bay, for several hours. Some people did some shopping or just walked down Glouster Street. Laura and Maureen went in search of ice cream, but most of us did some night swimming at Sunset Beach. In the bay there is very little surf and the water is clearer than a swimming pool, so we had fun just floating and talking. Sammie and Janice actually managed to get cold, but stretching out in the water and relaxing helped Quita's neck to loosen up.

Now it's 11:15 and Janice and Quita are setting up for tomorrow's workshop. The rest of us are sitting around at our kitchen table talking with Andicea, one of the Deaf teachers from Mo Bay.


Tomorrow's presentations:

Janice - classroom management
Jennifer - Individualized Edcuation Plans (IEPs)
Sammie and Laura - Compeletion of Reading Strategies
Maureen - special break-out session with vocational teachers
Sammie - interpreting (hearing)
Laura - interpreting (deaf)


Please pray for us all!

Prayer for Tuesday

Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit ~ Rex Chapman

Bring me to see that what I have is there to be shared.

Bring me to see that what I have is not the last word in life.

Bring me to see that ultimately my security, my peace of mind depends not on my talents, not on my achievements, not on the status that goes with these, but on knowing that all that I have gains its meaning from You.

To know this, Lord, is to know both poverty and riches.

Monday Montage

Remember Clarence in It's a Wonderful Life? "Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings." Well today we figured out that "Every time the breeze blows, someone is praying for us." So we'd like to start today's blog by saying thank you, and we beg you to pray a whole lot more! It's a stiffling kind of sticky-muggy-humid here in Mo Bay. Even the folks who live here all the time acknowledge that it is HOT.

But the good news is that Quita's presentation went well. The teachers and principals were excited to see the manipulatives that ETA Cuisinaire donated and most of them were eager to learn how to use them. Some of these teachers had to really step out of their comfort zone when Quita "forced" them to put their pencils away and solve problems with Base 10 blocks, but in the end they liked such a visual, tactile and kinesthetic approach to math.

This evening after a dinner of sweet and sour fish (which wasn't as scary as some of us had envisioned) we had a social. No one quite knew what to expect, but a good time was had by all. We played some classic party games like Musical Chairs, Black Magic and Pebbles in a Pond. We all just got silly and did some dancing and a whole lot of laughing. Janice showed off the dance she learned last year at Knockpatrick, and Maureen and Sammie had the opportunity to participate in the balloon burst relay. (Don't ask - you'll have to wait for the pictures!) It was a great chance to build some unity. The social let us break some barriers between deaf and hearing, CCCD and MMBC, and the three individual campuses.

I must cut my post short because Sammie needs the computer to make some adjustments to her PowerPoint for tomorrow. She and Laura had more opportunity to talk to the teachers and see what they needed, so they are being flexible and modifying their presentation.

Praise God that Quita's lesson was a success and pray that teachers can interalize what they learned and bring it back to their classrooms. Pray God's blessing and guidance on Laura and Sammie as they present tomorrow. And please... pray for a breeze!

Prayer for Monday

For the Seven Gifts of the Spirit ~ Bonaventura
Lord Jesus, as God’s Spirit came down and rested upon You, may the same Spirit rest upon us, bestowing His sevenfold gifts.

First, grant us the gift of understanding, by which Your precepts may enlighten our minds.

Second, grant us counsel, by which we may follow in Your footsteps on the path of righteousness.

Third, grant us courage, by which we may ward off the Enemy’s attacks.

Fourth, grant us knowledge, by which we can distinguish good from evil.

Fifth, grant us piety, by which we may acquire compassionate hearts.

Sixth, grant us fear, by which we may draw back from evil and submit to what is good.

Seventh, grant us wisdom, that we may taste fully the life-giving sweetness of Your love.

Sunday Sum-up

The sun rises early in Jamaica, but it's so beautiful, we didn't mind! We had a nice breakfast together as a team this morning of scrambled eggs, fresh pineapple and toast with much-anticipated guava jam. Then it was off to Sunday services with Ms. Russell at Rose Mount Missionary Church. It was a huge blessing to be so warmly greeted by the family of Christ, to worship with them in song, to share the Lord's Supper together and to hear biblical principles applied in a different culture.

Then came the fun part of the day - Doctor's Cave! After tuna sandwiches in our cute little kitchen, Ms. Russell drove us down to the beach and we (finally!) got to experience the part of Jamaica everyone else usually gets to see. We floated in the clear blue water and snorkeled just swimming distance from our big umbrella in the white sand. It was cool and refreshing in the ocean, but the quality girl time was refreshing, too. (Maureen wasn't up for swimming and stayed at CCCD. She got some quality work done on her presentation and had great fellowship with the Mo Bay teachers helping them get set up for the workshops.) After all the stress of organizing our teaching materials, packing ourselves and our families for a week away from home and actually getting here, it was really nice to take a few hours off.

But before you start fussing, turning green with jealousy or calling our missions pastor in indignation, please understand our real work began at 6 when we sat down for dinner with our teacher-friends from Mo Bay and the newly-arrived teachers from Kingston and Knockpatrick. It was an informal get-to-know-each-other kind of evening, but it was very important to start building (and re-building) relationships with the teachers. Just like doctors make the worst patients, often teachers make the worst students. It's our goal to give them practical, useful tools they can take back to their classroom and not just talk at them. That has often been their experience and they are tired from just finishing the school year.

After dinner we headed into tomorrow's meeting room to set up math manipulatives, reading cards and the door prizes we'll hand out to the teachers. It's now 11:30 - we're going to have to "sleep fast" because devotions begin at 6:15 in the morning!

Please pray for Quita has she presents on Math (or Maths as they say here on the island) tomorrow and for the rest of us as we adjust our schedules and our presentations to be sensitive and relevant.

Jen

Prayer for Sunday

To Him Be Glory ~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Lord, help me to glorify Thee. I am poor, help me to glorify Thee by contentment. I am sick, help me to give Thee honor by patience. I have talents, help me to extol Thee by spending them for Thee. I have time, Lord, help me to redeem it, that I may serve Thee. I have a heart to feel, Lord, let that heart feel no love but Thine, and glow with no flame but affection for Thee. I have a head to think, Lord, help me to think of Thee and for Thee. Thou hast put me in this world for something, Lord; show me what that is, and help me to work out my life-purpose.

We've Arrived!

It was an eventful and blessed day. Once we made it to the airport, we collectively held our breath for the luggage weigh-in! Praise the Lord only one was overweight, and they let it slide. The next adventure happened after we boarded the plane. We were sitting on the tarmac - waiting, waiting, waiting when the pilot came on and announced they were waiting for a part. Always a great feeling when you are about to fly! After an hour delay, we finally took off!

Praise God we have arrived safely in Montego Bay. We had a nerve-wracking adventure in Jamaican customs. We were going through the "nothing to declare" line. The customs agent asked why we were there and why we had so many bags. We explained we were volunteering and we brought school supplies. She waved us over to the "declaring" line. It was a bit scary because they could charge us or even take some of the things. Prayer ensued, and the lady asked to see four of the bags. Quickly, we found the bags with only supplies in it. She was satisfied that we were the honest, hard-working women we seemed to be!

Once out of the airport, we were warmly greeted by Ms. Russell, the principal at the Montego Bay campus. It was a bit of a task getting 12 bags, 6 ladies, and 12 carry-ons in a little van! We knew God didn't get us through customs to leave some of it on the side of the road. We are staying in a three-bedroom house on campus that normally houses an American, single male! It is comfortable and clean and has an Internet connection.

Tonight we were treated to local fare at the Pork Pit. It was a fabulous meal of jerk chicken, jerk pork, and spare ribs. Chipotle's got nothin' on the spice down here! Sammie survived the heat of the jerk!! Yippee!! Afterwards we treated our host to ice cream; Devon Stout was her frozen confection of choice. You'll have to look that one up - we never did figure out quite what flavor it was, but the Jamaicans said it was rum.

Our next stop... the Mega Mart! One of the deaf ladies with us, Andecea, told Janice that we had to be careful in the Mart because there were wild animals waiting to bite us. All through the store she kept "caring for" the lion so it wouldn't bite us. Janice asked her why the lion wouldn't eat her. The response was, "I'm Jamaican, they won't eat me." Quickly, Janice retorted, "Do they only like white meat?" We thought Andecea was going to die of laughter.

Tonight was a wonderful experience "hanging out" with several of the teachers, cooks, and Ms. Russell. We are all exhausted and ready for bed, but feeling so blessed to finally be here. Ms. Russell told us that church would probably be louder than we are used to, and the pastor might switch to "Jamaican language."

Saddle up our horses, tomorrow is another adventure.

Prayer for Saturday

Prayer of Faith and Declaration ~ Tommy Tenney
Lord, fill my heart with passion from Your heart. Fill my mind with the thoughts and principles of the mind of Christ. Fill my mouth with the words You wish me to speak, and strengthen my soul with the courage to declare them to the desert of death and prophesy them to the winds of adversity.

You have commanded me to speak, so I speak as an oracle of God with the ability You supply. You have anointed me to minister, so I serve with the humility of a servant and the love of my Savior.

I declare a season of resurrection, a season when the glory of God will fill the earth and Jesus Christ will be glorified through the Church. I release the healing power of the blood of the Lamb over my region to the glory of God.
I release the passion of God in my home, my church and my city to open the heavens. I release the resurrection power of God to destroy the works of the Enemy and to raise up the lost souls of my city and region.

I declare with divinely delegated authority based on God’s unchanging Word that Jesus Christ is Lord over my life and all that concerns me. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.

Meet the Team - Jennifer Parmley

My name is Jennifer Parmley, and (much to the consternation of the rest of the team) I’m the last to share about myself on our blog – and I’m the blog captain! Part of the reason I haven’t posted yet is because there are a lot of changes going on in my life right now.

For the past 6 years I have been teaching high school math and science (and a number of other various classes) at Jean Massieu Academy, a charter school for the Deaf. However I have taken a new position as the ASL teacher at Richland High School beginning in the fall. I’m excited and a little terrified about the prospect, but I look forward to the challenge.

When I was 18 I left California to go to TCU. That first semester, my mom encouraged me to take a “fun, easy A” class so I wouldn’t get too overwhelmed. “You’ve always been interested in sign language, why not try that?” That class has changed the whole course of my life. I eventually graduated from TCU with a degree in Deaf Education and a deep passion for ASL and Deaf culture. I’ll turn 36 while we’re in Jamaica, so that means I’ve been signing for half of my life! I used to worry about the day when signing became mundane and dull, but the more I learn, the more it fascinates me.

Today at lunch after church I was talking to Laura’s daughter Lexi and she told me she has 2 birthdays – her biological birthday and her spiritual birthday. I don’t recall the date I accepted Jesus into my heart, and I was so embarrassed that I was 8 years old and had just then really figured it out that I didn’t tell my mom, but I remember the moment clearly. I realized that without confession and atonement for my sins, even the minor little sins of a well-behaved 8-year-old, God had no reason to listen to my prayers. I asked Jesus to forgive me and to make me worthy of God’s attention, because I couldn’t survive life (or at point, even piano lessons) without His help.

And now, as we plan to go to Jamaica, I am painfully aware of how much I still need God’s help. I’m going to share information on customizing instruction to the needs of students, or writing Individual Education Plans (IEPs). The students that come to CCCD usually arrive with little or no language. Some are 12 years old before they are sent to school, and some have other developmental delays. At its core, “special education” means identifying where a student is right now developmentally, figuring out where he needs to be, planning the steps for how to get him there, and measuring success. My goal is to help teachers through this process.

Please pray that my presentation will be interesting to listen to, easy to implement and effective to use. May I be sensitive to God’s guidance, both now as I plan and next week when I’m there interacting with the teachers. As we learned on your trip to CCCD last summer, the most important word to remember in Jamaica is “flexible.” I’m sure we’ll need some divine intervention on that front, so pray for willing hearts and open minds!

Picture

Left to Right -

Maureen Denner (back), Jennifer Parmley, Janice Holsteen, Laura Hill, Quita Farley (back), Sammie Sheppard

Meet Our Team - Sammie Sheppard

Hello there!

My name is Sammie Sheppard, and I am so excited to be returning to Jamaica this summer to work with CCCD. Along with my teammates, I will be going to work with the teachers of the CCCD campuses during their in-service time. I cannot tell you how very blessed I feel to be going on this trip to work with the amazing folks at CCCD again, both those I know and those I will get to meet for the first time, and with the great ladies I will be serving with.

Just a little about my background. I am wife to a wonderful man named Fred Sheppard and mom to three great kids; Kaity who will be a senior this year, Hanah, who will be a sophomore, and Ben who will be in 8th grade. Our entire family went to Jamaica last year to work with the Knockpatrick campus, and all are very enthusiastic about the work of CCCD.

I have been saved since the summer before my 8th grade year when I asked Christ to live in my heart and be the center of my life. And although I have stumbled on the journey at times, I know that God has always been there with me to guide my steps. When I was in college at Stephen F. Austin State University, I know without a doubt that God called me to missions one afternoon in my dorm room. During that time He used a verse from Isaiaih "...whom shall We send, and who will go for Us? And I answered, "Here am I Lord, send me." From that day forward, I knew that I wanted to serve the Lord with some type of missions. In 1984, I began working with the Deaf and interpreting, and after Fred and I moved to Fort Worth, I went back to school at Tarrant County College and got a second degree in Interpreting for the Deaf. Since that time I have earned interpeting certifications in Texas and with the National RID. I began teaching as an adjunct at TCC in August of 1992, and in 2003 began teaching ASL as a foriegn langauge to high school students. One of the greatest experiences I have had teaching is working with Deaf students from other countries who have not had any form of language previously. Working in conjunction with another teacher, we were able not only to be a tool to give them the gift of language, but this year I had the priviledge of watching them graduate from high school, fully intergrated into society. What a blessing for God to let me be part of that process. I have also been involved in Deaf minsitry for 2o years.

To that end, I have a passion and love for teaching Deaf students language so that they can communicate effectively and show that "Deaf people can do anything except hear". I will be working with Laura as we lay the foundation in teaching language and tying that directly into reading.

CCCD has been in my heart for 13 years. It began when I was helping prep the orginial team that went from our church, but could not go myself due to pregnancy. For 12 years I have prayed to be able to go to Jamaica and work with CCCD, and last year God granted that opportunity. And as a true bonus blessing, our whole family was able to meet and get to know the student we have been sponsoring for the last several years! We have been so blessed by everyone we have met at CCCD. I am completely energized about returning to Jamaica and meeting with the wonderful teachers who are giving their all for these precious children. I pray to truly be used by God to meet any needs they haave.

Please pray for us as we prepare for our trip, for strong relationships with those in Jamaica, and for unity among our team. Thank you for partnering with us! We couldn't do it without you! :)

Meet Our Team - Maureen Denner

Hi there! My name is Maureen. I am humbled at the privilege of going to the Caribbean Christian Centre for the Deaf (CCCD) in Montego Bay with a team of amazing educators this July. This will be my third mission trip to CCCD. I am the only "non-teacher" on the team, bringing my experience and training in the vocational community with me. I will be presenting a workshop focusing on Vocational Training for the upper grade teachers at CCCD.

I became involved in the Deaf community in 1992 when I graduated from the Interpreter Training Program at Tarrant County Community College (now Tarrant County College). Following graduation and certification, I went to work with Texas Rehabilitation Commission as a Vocational Communication Specialist, assisting Deaf clients with job search and retention, as well as post secondary educational interpreting. After graduating with a Bachelor of Social Work degree, I transitioned my work in the Deaf community to that of Case Worker at a local Deaf Services agency.


It was during my time at Texas Rehab Commission that God found me, picked me up from my filth, cleaned me up and called me His! I grew up going to church, and always knew God was out there somewhere, but it took being at my lowest to look up and realize He was pursuing me my whole life. His plans were so much better than I could ever imagine. When I asked Jesus to be Lord of my life, He made amazing changes in me. It did not happen over night, and there are still things with which I struggle. My saving grace now is knowing I am not alone.


God has presented a wonderful opportunity for us to come along side the teachers at CCCD and share the gifts God has given us, so they can share those gifts with their students. My prayer is that my business background and experience within the Deaf community will be useful to the teachers at CCCD to empower their students to be successful members of the employment community of Jamaica.

Please pray for our team as we finalize our workshops and prepare to leave. Pray for our families that will be staying here in the U.S. Please pray for the teachers at CCCD that their hearts and minds would be open to what we bring. Pray for our team to maintain servants' hearts. Most importantly, please join us in praying that God will be glorified through us.

Meet Our Team - Laura Loeb Hill

Hi! I am Laura and I am the only Deaf team member that will be traveling to Jamaica to work at Carribean Christian Centre for the Deaf with 5 other team members. I will be presenting workshops on teaching Reading to the Deaf.

I grew up in a Christian home and attended Silent Friends Chapel, First Baptist Church of Dallas all my life. I met my husband at Texas Baptist Conference of the Deaf in 1995. It was love at first sight, we were united in marriage in 1997 and will be celebrating our 12th wedding anniversary on June 21st. We have two precious children - Dakota (9) is hearing and Lexi (7) is deaf. We are currently members of First Baptist Church of Euless and have been there since November 2006. Dirk and I currently serve as team leaders in our Connections Class. We oversee 6 different couples and minister to them on a weekly basis. Dirk is also an ordained Pastor and he has been preaching for Bethel Deaf Fellowship in Fayetteville, Arkansas since April of 2009 by sending his sermons on a weekly basis on our website. We are excited to see what God has in store for us in this ministry.

I graduated from Texas Woman's University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders. I also have a Master of Science degree in Deaf Education from Texas Woman's University as well. I am a teacher at Birdville High School in the Birdville Independent School District. I just completed my 3rd year teaching American Sign Language to hearing students. I have 16 years of teaching experience and have taught Deaf students for 12 of those 16 years.

I am excited about being a part of this mission trip. I previously served as a short-term missionary for three weeks in Czech Republic and learned so much about working with the Deaf in Eastern Europe. I am excited to see what God has planned for me as I go to Jamaica and work with the teachers there. Not only will we be teaching workshops, we will be providing discipleship training and it will be amazing to see what God allows us to do while we are in Jamaica.

We are still raising financial support for this trip. We also covet your prayers for us as we prepare for this trip. I am honored to be a part of this team and am excited to see the outcome. May God bless each one of you!

Team member: Quita Farley

Hi my name is Quita Farley and I am a member of the team traveling to Jamaica.
Let me tell you a little about myself. I am a mother of two beautiful daughters. My oldest daughter is 19 and in her second year of college.

My youngest daughter is 16 and she is deaf. As she would tell you being deaf is a part of who God created her to be. She does not view herself as handicapped and feels that she can do anything she wants. She is a very good student and involved in many activities. This is part of my goal in going to Jamaica. I hope to share with the teachers and help them dream for their students. Deaf students in Jamaica have limited opportunities. I hope to use my experiences of being a mom of a deaf child as I come along side the teachers in Jamaica. The teachers need to see the potential of their students. I hope my background will open a door to accomplish this.

I am also a teacher in Fort Worth. I teach fourth grade math and have the opportunity to have all the fourth grade deaf students in my math class. This class is an inclusion classroom so I have deaf and hearing students together every day. I can tell you that the deaf students with the right support can do anything the hearing students can do. This day to day experience will be useful as I work with the teachers in Jamaica.

I will have the opportunity to learn as well. While I am very comfortable with a class of children, I don’t have a lot of experience teaching large groups of teachers. I don’t really know the curriculum that CCCD uses. I would ask for your prayers for all of us as we prepare that we would be sensitive to the Holy Spirit as He directs our plans. We want to share the things that are truly from Him.

God has already blessed. The school has so little to use in their classrooms. I contacted ETA Cuisenaire, a company that makes hands-on materials for the classroom. I told them about CCCD and asked if they would consider donating some math materials. They graciously agreed and sent four large boxes of materials for us to use in the training and then donate to the school.

Please pray for:

Pray for wisdom in our planning.
Safety as we travel.
Unity in our team.
The teachers from the school that they would be excited and be able to apply the things we share in their classrooms.

Meet Our Team-Janice

Hi! I am Janice, and I have the neat opportunity to help lead this team to Carribean Christian Centre for the Deaf in Jamaica. A team of 6 of us are head to Jamaica July 4-11 to present some workshops at the teacher training. I hope each one of our team members will have a chance to blog about themselves so you can get to know us better.

I grew up in a Christian home, so my earliest memories related to God. I really don't know a time that I didn't know about Jesus and trust Him to be my Savior. I was publicly made my profession of faith through baptism at the age of eight. I have had ups and downs in my walk and didn't always follow Jesus the way I should. Now my life goal is to serve him completely, let Him transform my life, and to tell everyone I know about Jesus. 

I graduated from college with a Bachelor's degree in Habilitation for the Deaf, a minor in physically handicapped and general elementary. Once I graduated in December, I had a job the next month. I taught Deaf Education for 6 years before my husband and I moved to Scotland. While in Scotland, I was able to teach 5th Grade at an American School. We came back home to the States after my husband finished his PhD and I was able to stay at home and start our family. Since having children, I have been blessed to be able to substitute! 

Also, coming back to the States, I started interpreting at our church. We have an amazing team of interpreters that I am blessed to work with. At my friend, Sammie's, encouragement, I was able to take my interpreter certification test. I am a level I interpreter and am trying to work towards the next level.

People usually ask me if someone in my family is Deaf. No. My only experience that I can point to of why I love American Sign Language is a boy in my second grade class had Deaf parents and I thought it was really cool that he could talk to them across the room! In high school, I went to a play at a deaf theater and decided that is what I wanted to do. Today, my greatest passion is interpreting worship music. I feel most connected in worship when I can praise Him through sign language. 

Last summer, I was able to go to CCCD and teach VBS and do construction at the Knockpatrick campus. Working with the Deaf students there was a dream come true. I can't believe how cool God is that He is allowing me to go back this summer and work with the teachers. 

Currently, we are all raising prayer and financial support. I hope you can take time and read about our team. I am truly blessed to go with such wonderful ladies!