SWMI and you, our supporters, are helping to construct housing for trainees of future deaf ministries worldwide. Both outside and inside walls are up and are now being plastered. We hope to have this housing available in January 2024.
We already have one man and one woman in training at the deaf school associated with Deaf Biblical Ministry in Nagaland, India. (I wrote about that in my last article.) Paisho has been a pastor and was working on his D. Min. degree. He was one of my students in two modules that I taught in Manipur, India. During my modules on theological and practical Christian subjects, I always take time to challenge the men in ministry with the need to reach those who are deaf and/or have special needs. Paisho surrendered his life to work with the deaf during one of my classes. Paisho resigned his church and is now being trained to work with the deaf in the school at Deaf Biblical Ministry.
Jaireen is a recent college graduate and has moved to Nagaland to get this training. Her father, Bimal Gurung, and mother have been working with the deaf for several years. They are also a result of the ministries of SWMI. Jaireen is now in Nagaland getting the same training as Paisho.
Both of them are growing very well. They are both able to give devotions in school chapels and will soon be getting training to interpret for the deaf. However, the long-term goal is for Paisho to start a church for the deaf in Manipur, his home state, and for both of them to start deaf schools in their states!
In reading the biography of Andrew Foster, deaf missionary pioneer to Africa, I was challenged with the idea of founding a church, school, or deaf educational center where people can be trained and get experience to start other churches and schools for the deaf. This basic idea has been facilitated by joining hands with Deaf Biblical Ministry in Nagaland. They already have the church and school and are already training their own teachers. Together we want to train teachers who can then multiply that ministry around India and beyond.
Construction is also continuing in Liberia. Working with two groups, Beyond the Bricks and IPM national missionaries, a boys’ dormitory and a girls’ dormitory are completed and occupied. An educational building is now being constructed.
Bruce & Amanda Stuart, SWMI missionaries, are now disciplining and training deaf leaders who are teachers in the deaf school.
We praise God for the progress seen in India and Liberia. We thank you, our prayer and financial partners, for your part in these ministries not only to reach the deaf but, more importantly, to give hands-on training to future laborers in these countries.
Pray … Give … Go with the Gospel — Worldwide!
