[an error occurred while processing this directive]

Greetings to all from Guyana South America.
We are most excited to report to our supporters in the CCNA family that the Deaf ministry here is going forward wonderfully. We have made major strides during the months of March and April that will bare fruit in the near future. We are challenged to continue reaching out to the Deaf community in many venues and regions of the country.

We were invited to speak to the students at the Cyril Potter College of Education, Special Needs area on the 2nd March. The students are all interested in helping the Special Needs children in the schools. Several expressed interest in learning Sign Language. We spoke with them for two hours explaining the needs of the Deaf. We were informed that at least five of them will be taking the Sign class that began 3rd April. They have been coming to the class and learning very fast how to communicate in Signs. We are very pleased with these contacts since we are looking to begin a school for the Deaf children and will need teachers who are skilled Signers.

We were invited to attend a PTA meeting at the David Rose Special Needs School in Georgetown. We presented the idea of having a Sign class at the school. Several of the parents were very interested in learning Signs to help their Deaf child. They seem to be aware of their childs needs as a Deaf person.

We also were invited to a meeting near our home of the Community Based Rehabilitation group. This organization helps persons with disabilities. They have chapters in several areas of the country. We were invited to speak and we shared our interest in helping the Deaf. A Deaf young lady was there whom we had met several times in the past, Donetta. We interpreted for her during the meeting. It was the first time that she understood what was going on at the meeting. There was another Deaf man but his Sign skills are limited so we donŐt know how much he understood.

We were given several addresses of Deaf persons in and around the Albouystown church. We have made several attempts to visit them but each time they are out. They are usually home either in the early morning or late in the evening. Both of these times it is less safe to walk around the Albouystown area of Georgetown. We will be trying again soon. We have visited one girl in her church on a Sunday afternoon. The mother is very interested in her daughter understanding the way of Salvation. We invited her to attend the Deaf service but have yet to see her. Other meetings with the Deaf have occurred while shopping downtown. The Deaf we know are always glad to see us and introduce us to their friends with them.

Our Deaf Bible Study is going well. Attendance has been somewhat sporadic. Holidays seem to interfere with church attendance even when the holiday is on Monday or Wednesday. Those that do come regularly are being encouraged to learn more about the Bible and what church really means. However, there are some physical problems like blackouts in Georgetown during the Bible study. Blackouts are very common these days as the electric company struggles to keep up with the increasing demands for current. We were loaned a battery operate light for the Bible study recently since the current was off. We went on as best we could until the lights came on for a while and then went off again!!

We are making plans for a special summer school for the Deaf children at David Rose. We plan to offer reading and math to them using teachers who know Sign. We are meeting with the persons who will be helping us organize the classes and we are recruiting the teachers. One of the other Special Needs school in Diamond, a village south of Georgetown, is asking us to begin teaching the children Sign Language. We start at the end of April.

Pray for continued opportunities to meet important people and organizations that deal with the handicapped. Pray that the Special Needs schools would settle on a day and time for Sign classes. Pray that our summer school for the Deaf children will be a success.

Support should be sent through the CCNA Missions Department, 1294 Rutledge Rd, Transfer, PA 16154.