Many Different Forms of Ministry

Recently a few different Deaf friends we minister to forwarded a video to me.  In the video a Deaf lady we work with was asking for help.  Herself, Deaf husband, and baby didn't have enough food.  Also the baby had been sick.  She sent this video to several dozen people in hopes that someone would help.  A few days later her brother, who can hear, contacted me asking for assistance in the matter.  He shared with me many people blaming her family for not helping enough. 

A few days later Miseal, our Deaf church leader in Orange Walk and I had the opportunity to visit.  We learned that the husband had been working cutting sugar cane.  He did not "Win" (Creole for make) a lot of money but with the rest of the family paying the "light" and water bill it was more than enough to sustain them.  They live on her family's land rent free. 

The family doesn’t understand why they can't budget the money to make it last for a week.  I asked the family who taught them that?  No one had.  How could they, with communication being so limited.  The family loves them and helps them so much, but what seems to be obvious to them, they take for granted.

Misael and I created a budget plan with the family.  Then we all got in my pickup and headed to the "shop" to buy a week's worth of groceries.  Afterwards, we headed to the bank to open a savings account.  We will continue in the ministry for a few weeks in hopes that they will adopt some healthy habits.  

Misael and I had a great conversation after. Sometimes ministering means buying things for people and sometimes it means helping people to use their own money to buy things.

Please pray for this young Deaf family and for Misael as he continues to learn to lead.

By:Nathanael