May 2010
Dear Friends,
The last day of school
has finished. The last homework assignment corrected. The last runny nose
wiped. As I reflect over this past school year, I see how God has worked, and
provided, and never left my side.
*August 2009 began with the challenge of
the brother/sister duo that needed so much love, structure, language, and
discipline. My classroom assistant, Stefanie (from PA) began her year with us
at the end of the month.
*September took Criss and his family
to New York, where they have relocated. He will receive the therapies and
services in NY that he could not get here in Puerto Rico. A young lady named
Sonia from the neighborhood showed up with a degree in teaching and a desire to
volunteer. She did not know Jesus, but she had two willing hands, so she was
brought in to help manage the chaos of my class and teach Spanish to the older
division of students.
*October and November were really
tough months of tedious and continuous instruction and discipline. I had a
class of beginning readers, and the two who couldn’t spell their names or sit
still. God gave me the energy and patience to face this challenging bunch each
day.
*December brought wonderful
encouragement as Kioney (the sister in the challenging pair) had her
understanding awakened during the nativity and birth of Jesus activities. She
understood the role that Jesus played in our hearts and lives. As I began to
erase the pictures of a clean white heart with Jesus in it, and a black heart
with sin, she “whispered” to me in sign language that her heart was still
black, and she wanted Jesus to live in her and erase her sin, too. What a time
of rejoicing. I looked at the next semester with hope.
*January-March brought three
different work groups down to work with us and on the school grounds. The kids
learned how to quickly make friends with these visitors, but are still learning
how to say goodbye as each group goes home. Then I set aside time each week
that we would go on Facebook to see pictures of these friends, and read about
what they are doing now. Their writing journals were left in the dust as they
began to write letters to friends instead.
*March also brought Selena to my
class- a 13 year old from the mountains. She began to work with my group in the
mornings because sadly, she had been in the PR education system for 8 years and
still could not read or spell her name. She didn’t know she had a birthday.
This expanded my age group from 4-13! All learning the days of the week, the
months of the year, counting to 100, sight words, etc. After lunch, Selena
would join the teenagers for some age-appropriate interaction. She would sit in
on their classes, not with the goal to learn Algebra, but to learn more sign
language and social skills.
*April and May were good months of
uninterrupted learning. Selena (the student) and Sonia (the volunteer) made
professions of faith! Kioney, who began the year kicking and screaming, ended
the year by 
passing some of her classmates in math and language. Her brother is
now doing age-appropriate school work. The rest of the class is also
doing well, and celebrating educational milestones. My Spanish is improving,
and I have good relationships with the parents, grandparents and cousins of my
students. God is so good, and I praise Him for these things.
I am so thankful for
YOU, who faithfully support me through finances and prayer. The letters of
encouragement helped to keep me going on those days that were especially
tiring. I truly could not be here doing this work without you.
I look towards
the next school year with great anticipation, wondering what God will do next!
My early readers will move up to the next class, and I will be teaching ONE age
level (phew!) but please keep praying, because that level will be KINDERGARTEN!
So I’ll be starting all over again with a few new students and Saul (the
brother from the super duo challenge of this year). There are also several
other families with older deaf students that are moving to the island and
hoping to join us in August. Sadly, my assistants Stefanie and Sonia will not
be with us- they have finished their year commitment, and are headed for the
states. Stefanie will go back to PA, and Sonia is hoping to move to South
Dakota. Please pray for all of these transitions, and for the new teacher and
assistant who are making plans to come here for this next school year.
With the end of my
online degree program in sightJ, and an easier load of students, I
have a goal to write to you more, and also maintain that blog that I have
neglected this year. Thank you again, for all that you do in teaming up with me
to bring God’s word and gift of salvation to the deaf children and their
families in Puerto Rico!
Jennifer Johnson visited a
friend working at E.S.D. in 2006. After visiting for a month, Jen left, sure
that she would not be returning any time soon. In a matter of weeks, God
changed her heart and Jen applied to work at E.S.D. as a teacher.
Jen had not complete the degree necessary
for her to obtain her certification as a teacher in Puerto Rico so returned to
that task quickly finishing off the required work for an Associate's degree and occupying a classroom at ESD. She is completing her work towards a Bachelor's degree and is contemplating her next step in academia from her classroom in Luquillo.
Jim O'Brien, ESD's California-located maintenance man, accompanied the team of college girls what came with Jen on her first visit. Since that time, Jim, a retired San Dimas police officer, has continued to visit the school at irregular intervals working along with teams to coordinate the efforts to keep the buildings and grounds in good shape.