As it so happens . . .

“Sometimes it seems like we’re the ones making things happen down here… and sometimes it is QUITE OBVIOUS that we are NOT!” That may be my all-time favorite quotes from Trish. Today’s post will deal with the quite obvious--as it so happens!

A team from Lighthouse church visited during the second week of August. The team included a young woman named Stephanie, who happens to have profound hearing loss. For a while now, Stephanie has wanted to get involved in deaf ministries--specifically, international deaf ministries. However, there aren’t many opportunities available.

When the Lighthouse team visited a school about an hour and twenty minutes from Gracias, a team member found Stephanie and introduced her to twin brothers, who happen to be deaf. Unlike Stephanie, who was educated at a school for the deaf, the brothers had never learned to communicate. At that point, their “education” consisted of going to school and sitting in a classroom while teachers taught the other students. The boys felt ignored and, well, stupid. Stephanie asked if the boys were available for sponsorship and Russell informed her they were. Later, Stephanie sponsored one of the boys and her mother sponsored the other. Stephanie also asked Russell what services or ministries might be available to help the twins.

As it so happens, a missionary family in Gracias recently had to leave Honduras for medical reasons. They found another, new missionary family to fill in for them--living in their house and caring for their newly placed foster children. The first missionary family hopes to be able to return, but, in the meantime, the new missionaries moved in with their very big family. As it so happens, that big family includes a 5 or 6-yr-old deaf boy who was recently adopted from China. And, as it so happens, the new missionary family has a sign language teacher named Ellie who agreed to move to Honduras for a year or so, to teach the deaf son and the rest of the family to sign.

As important as that task is, Ellie wants to do more than work with one family. Russell was able to get Stephanie and Ellie together one evening for a meeting of the minds. (As it so happened!)

As it so happens, four members of a deaf ministry named, “Signs for Hope,” were visiting the missionary family Ellie is teaching. Russell was able to take the team from Georgia and Ellie to visit the school attended by the deaf brothers. The group worked with the twins, their mother, the teachers, and the hearing students to teach them some sign language!

Of course, this is far from the end of the story. Russell will be taking Ellie to the school on an ongoing basis to work with the students and teachers! Russell is more than willing to go as often as once a week. This, of course, comes right on the heels of Rachel's loom being sold to a ministry that works with handicapped children, including deaf children. And all of that, my friends, didn't just happen. It was beautifully and divinely orchestrated!

- posted by Christi