Katie, an American YWAM ‘Year for God ‘ intern joined us in March for a four month placement.

Photo: Katie, an American YWAM ‘Year for GoPhoto: Katie, an American YWAM ‘Year for God ‘ intern joined us in March for a four month placement.

She has quickly got involved in many aspects of our work.

Katie is bringing  talent in the areas worship-leading, song, dance. She has a passion to address the emotional and spiritual as well as the practical needs of families with members with sensory or mobility challenges.

Photo: Katie, an American YWAM ‘Year for God ‘ intern joined us in March for a four month placement.

She has quickly got involved in many aspects of our work.

is bringing  talent in the areas worship-leadi

New Illustrated signs produced for Carpentry

Our partnership with West Nile Ecumenical Vocational Training Centre (WNEVTC) continues. One new partially deaf building student, Kennedy, has enrolled. We have just recruited Moses, a hearing  carpentry instructor with sign-language skills, whose mobility challenges have strengthened his determination to achieve and serve.

 Our sign-language resource development team has  developed what appears to be Uganda’s first illustrated carpentry signs. This has allowed one of last year’s deaf building graduates, Wilfred, to join WNEVTC’s carpentry course for the first time.

    

We also ran a half day sign workshop for all WNEVTC  new student intake, are setting up sign-language displays and alongside deaf instructor, Temia, we continue to provide communication support and optional sign-language teaching in other useful topics at their student fellowship once a week. We have provided sports equipment and some sports sign teaching too to help the deaf and hearing students relax and compete together. Thank you WNEVTC for your  continued willingness to train deaf and hearing students alongside one another.

Workshop for staff/ families of deaf students well received ..

.. at Arua Primary. It attracted well over 100 participants for each of the four Saturday mornings it ran. Its success was a fantastic team effort resulting from a strong set of agreed expectations, team production of many new illustrated signs, and training of trainers in new sign vocabulary and teaching skills. 

Our team had over 20 deaf sign language instructors/assistant instructors. Many hearing staff, classmates,  relatives and deaf students themselves testified to more effective teaching/social relationships.

 A police officer and girl guide leader (circled) came because they support isolated deaf We put up a sign-language display in the school compound which students studied! 

Home Sign Workshop for local families with deaf members

        On the invitation of local pastors John Toburo (circled) and his wife Alice, we co-led our first home sign workshop in their home. Their deaf nephew Samuel, and deaf neighbour, Vilma (both boxed), helped us teach their 15 relatives who all enthusiastically squashed into the small room. John and Alice have temporarily adopted Wilma because her family support network is almost non-existent.

 YWAM Deaf Connections support is helping this arrangement to continue. David, one of John’s sons has produced a wall-display of everyday signs to help everyone practice, including our UK friends Paul & Christine, inset!

       Alongside this support, we have worked  with John & Alice and the local deaf association, to set some personal, social and vocational development goals for Wilma.

 Our long term goal is that Wilma’s close relatives are willing and able to see her potential and will eventually welcome her back fully. Samuel, partially deaf/sighted/lame,  has also benefitted from YWAM DC support to attend local school Eruba Primary deaf unit. His cousins have marvelled at how his self-esteem, confidence, self-motivation is growing. 

Community Sports Discipleship Tournament for Deaf & Hearing United

Signs & Wonders – Six deaf in paid building work ...

… alongside their hearing colleagues is ongoing at a new building site at YWAM Arua since April, I was so delighted to see this .  Team adoption of interdependency was the the key. All are developing new skills and growing in their love and understanding of God. We have enjoyed watching each work to his/her potential capabilities alongside a hearing employee, on a separate task.. Bernard, their boss praises them and their teamwork mentality.

  

Temia, assistant building instructor‘ for  deaf students, was giving sign support at the construction site. She is highly regarded and she is thriving.  Back in 2009, on Bernard’s advice, and with our help, our partner vocational training school (WNEVTC)  was able to accommodate Temia, a speech impaired partially deaf woman at where she gained a credit in building. She’s now employed there.

 Deaf DTS graduate Philliam and Deaf Go-Camper Herbert were also on the construction assisting  two new deaf -building student, Kenny ,and labourer Edmond. Neither Kenny or Edmond had sign language skills 6 months ago but thanks to Bernard , Temia, Philiam & Herbert they are picking up. Edmond, hopes to have gained the communication skills to earn a place there next year. We think this is very likely and thank God for these developments. We’d love to share the video clips with you.

In the Refiner’s Fire: Ang Tulay…

… is a Philaippino phrase that means “the bridge”. It is an emotional healing program that was originally developed for traumatised children/youth in the Philippines to help them  journey from their pain towards healing. YWAM Uganda leaders were so impressed that they asked  Its founders, a ministry called Precious Jewels to come and teach their YWAM staff about it. So, in the month of April, an Ang Tulay, came to Arua to run this program for staff and students. Because Adam and Helen had to prepare Laurence for his exams I, Katie, went to the week-long session in their place.

   
Each day was a new subject that unwrapped the dark, hidden, and hurting parts of our hearts to bring healing through Jesus Christ. We worked through our problems with various activities, talking in small groups, and prayer.  I realized that I had more grief, sadness, and pain in my life then I was aware of.  It has pushed me to seek deeper healing in my Saviour.  The purpose of my going was to gain more knowledge of how to mentor youth that are deaf because many of them are often rejected the community and their families. There were many lives that were immensely touched that week and will continue to be touched through the program of Ang Tulay.               Katie

News from the family:

 Maria:  This month I've had a lot on in terms of uni. I've had 2 exams so far and my last one is on the 24th so I'll be glad when they're over! It's amazing how fast my first year has gone! Modules for next year have been chosen and i have a house sorted for next year. Had a fantastic time go-karting with friends last week and am enjoying a relaxing break visiting Matt in Dundee. I had lunch at St Andrews gold course - student budget didn't reach to cover a round! Looking forward to my end of year ball, then travelling with my boyfriend in July :)

Jerome: Well I'm writing this on the 1st sunny day in England for quite a while. Its beautiful, but for some reason I'm inside. I've got my stockmanship parade coming up next week its hard getting the sheep clipped and trained to show. It looks very unimpressive! I've been doing a lot of tractor work recently cultivating for planting maize. I'm looking forward to harvest time & a summer break from assignments.

Planning what to do right now. 

Laurence:  Hello. I am about to do my last exam. For the past two weeks I have done the exams for my three IGCSEs English, Maths, and Geography.  Apart from that, our football team have had are first two tournaments. We lost all our games but not by a big margin, I don’t think it is too bad, considering they were our first matches. I am looking forward to going back to England on the 27th of January. Now the premiership has finished I am really missing watching matches, so I’m looking forward to euro 2012 where England only have a chance if we are as lucky as Chelsea.