Graduation

As I´ve mentioned in the past we have a program on Saturday that is equivalent to our GED program. This is where the deaf who never finished school can come to our church and learn the basics. Right now there are only 3 levels, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade. We hope to increase the levels each year so please pray for more teachers. Our Wednesday group, Vision 2 Hear (V2H), performed for the graduation ceremony. 6 out of the 22 graduates are a part of V2H.

Day of Fun and Fellowship

The interpreters invited the Deaf to the park for a time of fellowship. We began the day with different games, from a balloon toss, to trying to draw a body one part at a time, to something like a sack race. After the games, there was a time of prayer request and a small devotional. For lunch we had a sandwich and a drink and everyone enjoyed themselves. I know that we´ll be planning another event like it for next year.

October News

Vision 2 Hear (V2H), the group that meets for practice every Wednesday afternoon at my church, had a performance in Opico. This is a small, poor village about an hour outside of San Salvador. On the bus, on the way to Opico, we started out with Bible Study and reflections of God´s Word, and discussed the order of the performance. Once there, we began with dancing/signing, dramas, clowns, piñatas, and interacting with the people. Tracts are passed out to the parents and bracelets with the salvation message are given out to all. Jorge, leader of V2H, got the chance to pray with one of the young boys and offer some counseling. It was a blessed time for everyone.

I met with my friends for our annual Thai Dinner at Bangkik Gardens. Scott, Polly, Wendy, and I meet at the same restaurant (my favorite) every time I go home.

A baby shower was given to Alma and Misel (both deaf) who are expecting their first child. It´s a boy and they´re very excited. Candy, another American that works here in El Salvador with the deaf, hosted the shower at her and her husband´s farm house. They prepared a huge spread for us. Delicious!

Day of the Deaf

September 20-28 is the National Week of the Deaf. There are three different celebrations. In the East, Central, and West part of the country. Each have their own celebrations. My church, Iglesia Bautista Miramonte, celebrated on the 20th at the church, with over 300 deaf in attendance. We had good food and great performances. Grisel, President of ASDICSSA, explained how the "Day of the Deaf" began. Our Vision 2 Hear group signed songs and performed dramas. Everyone enjoyed themselves.

September News

ASDICSSA: Gave their first presentation on their plans to develop a course for sign language. I´m so very proud of these youth for caring so much about the deaf community here. They are working hard at not just establishing this new association, but also working towards a plan for professional sign language curriculum.

The first week of August is a National Holiday. My first year here, everything closed down. Then as the years have gone by, grocery stores, and now the malls stay open. My deaf friends came over and we had a B-B-Q. The men cooked on the grill and the women prepared their portion of the meal in the kitchen. It was so good! Afterwards, we walked to the Feria (like the Va. Beach Pavilion), where there was a week long festival going on. They had amusement rides, plenty of food and vendors. We just walked and talked. It was a really nice time.

July 08 News

Vision 2 Hear Is a group that has been coming to El Salvador on mission trips for a couple of years. They sign songs and perfom dramas at various schools here. We traveled to various schools and needed to have three different interpreters, one to change Spanish to English (and vice versa), one for American Sign Language (ASL), and another for Salvadorian Sign Language (LESSA). Everyone enjoyed the group and dancing to the Lord, laughing and having fun and we saw 55 in all accept Jesus as their Lord. Nine at one school alone. Praise the Lord and all that He´s doing.

June 2008

CONAIPD: (top photo) This is an organization to help various individuals in El Salvador that are either deaf, blind, in wheel chairs, etc. We had another Interpreter Workshop. We are going to meet at least once a month until we can establish a formal class. I meet with two of the deaf, Edwin and Grisel and train them how to teach the interpreters using Signing Naturally Level 3 book. Then they take the information and change it into LESSA (Salvadorian Signs). These interpreters have never had any formal training before so I think they are all enjoying it tremendously.

Bible Class: (bottom photo) Saturday and Sunday I teach Bible. Saturday I join the group who is studying for an equivalent of a GED. There I incorporate what they´re learning with the Bible. On Sundays I began teaching chronologically. We´ve grown from 4-6 students to 15-20 who are attending regularly, and it´s still growing. I´m so excited because they understand the lessons and we have great discussions afterwards. It´s still a challenge for me because I´m teaching not only in Spanish but LESSA. God is faithful in helping me with ideas to clarify each lesson.

April - May 2008

Cultural Differences: There are some things that I will never get use to. Being on time for me is a totally different concept. For example, a wedding invitation says that the wedding will start at 4:30 pm but the bride arrives at 6:00 pm. This is hard to get use to. However, one cultural difference I found I really love is that after a meal each person gets up and washes their own plate, utensils and glass. Wow, I love that! I think we should incorporate that in our culture. Think about it , at Thanksgiving and Christmas! How about it ladies, instead of us being in the kitchen all day cooking and then afterwards all night washing dishes, if everyone helped out it would make it easier.

ADICSSA: Asociación pro Desarrollo Integral la Comunidad Sorda Salvadoreña (English definition: Association for complete development of the deaf community in El Salvador) That is the name of the new Association for the Deaf we´ve been working on. This group of 6 deaf have been gathering every Sunday afternoon to work on two things: Establishing a new Association for the Deaf and material for the deaf. These are two huge projects that need your prayers.

DawnSignPress: I´ve gotten permission from DawnSignPress, who makes the American Sign Language Material to translate 3 of their books into Spanish. This is another major project but I´m so excited to be able to work alongside the deaf to produce these materials. This will improve their ability to teach sign language, share their culture and in many other areas in the future.

Gas Prices: I got back from Florida to see gas prices have gone up to $4.47 for regular and $4.67 for supreme. This has caused great hardship on the people here. When I got here 4 1-2 years ago it was .19 cents to catch a bus, now it´s over $1.00. While the cost of living has gone up, their salaries (if they even have one) have stayed the same. Many of the deaf are not even coming to church because they don´t have bus fare. If they´re not coming to church, they´re not hearing/seeing God´s Word. Please pray that somehow we, as a ministry and/or church can work out this problem. Whether it´s helping them with bus fare or various people picking them up, we need to get them to church. Please continue praying for this ministry.

Missionary in El Salvador

My name is Toni McAndrew and I´m a missionary reaching the deaf for Christ in El Salvador. I´m working with a local church in San Salvador as well as a school for the deaf outside of town. I´m ministering in different areas, from teaching Bible to interpreting classes to working alongside the deaf to create materials for them to use. I also host mission teams that come to El Salvador, whether it´s a construction team or a group of teachers/interpreters. We welcome everyone to join us.