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.