October at Rancho Sordo Mudo

Robin's Class:  Adrian, Alexis, Gerardo, Axel, Karen and Robin,
Angel and Ana Lidia (Eduardo was out sick)

Another week of school is behind us.  One of our teachers, Olivia Salazar, received a message from her mother to return home immediately.  She was told that doctors had determined that her father only had a week to live.  Olivia is just about the sweetest young woman we have ever met.  Being deaf, she has converted her ASL to LSM quickly and the kids just love her as a teacher.  We all miss her terribly but know that it is important that she have these last few days with her Daddy.  Please pray for her and her family that this would be a sweet time together. 

We had a great science lesson this weekend.  Dorm Dad Ray found a young rattlesnake on campus and promptly cut off its head with a shovel and brought it to our house.   We know that young rattlesnakes are generally more dangerous than grown ones so we would always be cautious.  What we didn’t know is that they don’t look quite like a grown rattlesnake and had we come across it, we may have not recognized it.  It  was good to get a first-hand look.  Ray then took it back to the dorm where it was dissected and cooked.  Ray and Mark share the responsibility of caring for 21 boys.  Words cannot describe the respect and love we have for these two men.  Their commitment to serving the Lord by loving these boys is simply breathtaking.

Katie and Serafina are the dorm moms to eleven girls ranging from age 8 to 17.  Even as we are writing,  Katie is putting on a tea party for the younger girls.  They are both so proactive in their role as dorm mom; they are always teaching the girls either through planned instruction or simply in their beautiful example of Godly womanhood.  Teaching in the classroom for five hours a day is just a small part of the instruction the students receive.  Please pray for our dorm parents.  Parenting is not an easy job, but parenting so many who come from very different backgrounds seems overwhelming to us.

We had observers in our classrooms:  a group of students from La Paz, Mexico who are training to be teachers for the deaf.  It is very encouraging to see the Mexican government taking steps to provide for it’s citizens.  For thirty minutes each day, we have silent reading time.  Robin could see that one of her students, Angel, was desperately trying to share with the guests, what he was attempting to read.  He was given permission to sit with the guests and talk with them.  Robin watched as he signed the gospel message and offered each an opportunity to accept Christ!  17 years old, deaf, and can’t read and he makes no excuses for not sharing the life-saving message of salvation.  We have to wonder how many excuses we have made over the years for not stepping out in faith and sharing the gift we have been given.  Please pray for Angel, he has a desperate desire to read God’s Word, but it does not come easy for him.  While other boys choose to watch a movie or play games in the evenings, he is studying.  Robin would also appreciate prayer for herself, that she would be equipped to teach him and her other students.

Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See

Micaela and Morriah (the other aid in the youngest class), taught their students without Amber.  A very exciting and stressful day for both!  They directed the children in a dramatic version of Brown Bear, Brown Bear.  The entire school and a few guests crowded into their classroom for the best Kindergarten play we have ever seen.  We have included a picture, but it does not do it justice.  Milagro is the white dog.  She has been here for three weeks and is making incredible progress.  She came with no language, very little fine motor skills, and absolutely no understanding of why her parents were leaving her with these strangers.  Robin and Micaela get to sit with her for many meals and are so excited to see her blossoming into a joy-filled little girl.  We have also been happy to see less and less of her food on her and us!  Please pray for her continued development.  One of the reasons she struggles with sign language is because she cannot control her fingers.  The sign for sí is the bending of an extended pinkie finger and she just can’t do that.  We don’t know if there is a problem or if she was just never encouraged to use the muscles so we will wait and see if exercise helps.

Since we started writing this particular blog, Olivia has returned.  Her father is still alive and the family decided that everyone should return to their normal activities.  We understand that doctors can make educated guesses on how long a person may live but we know our God has life and death in His hands and only He is the controller of time.  It is comforting to know that not a one of us has a moment more on this earth than He has already determined.  Our goal is to live each of those moments glorifying the One who gave them to us.

Bendiciones de Rancho Sordo Mudo

Ruben, Robin, Micaela, Christopher, Danielle, and Kelli