deaf news 2005

Deaf Awareness Day

December 10th, 2005

Welcome to Canada, Yankees! Deaf people from Rochester, New York came to visit us for our Annual Deaf Awareness Day. We start the day with Sabbath school. It was fun to sign a song called "Hallelu, Hallelu".

Furthermore, we had divine worship filled with songs, scripture reading, special ASL song "Above All" signed by Farrah and "The King Herod Within Us" was presented by Pastor Paul Kelly who is from Rochester, New York.

Afterwards, we had a big potluck joined with Italian Folks from Italian SDA Church. Interesting Italian food! In a meantime, Nigel, Ruby and Farrah gave their testimony of how the Deaf Ministries established in Toronto, Ontario. See our testimonies in "about" section! We also present thankfulness to Harmony SDA Church for all their support, to the company who donated the video projector, to John and Alberta Blake who helped to start the Deaf Ministries in Toronto, and to Pastor Paul Kelly for making his effort to come to Toronto to give sermon and to guide us.

With our stuffed stomachs, we all drive to stay at Farrah's place for Sabbath Evening program. We signed songs expressing praises and thankfulness to God. We had a big discussion about how should we celebrate Christmas. It was interesting to know different views of Christmas. We closed the Sabbath day with a willingness to serve the Lord for the rest of the week and we are looking forward for another Sabbath day to rest with God.

Please come again for our second Deaf Awareness Day on December 16th, 2006!

Alberta Deaf Retreat

November 4th to 6th, 2005

story coming up soon... be patience

Deaf Eastern Autumn Retreat

October 27th to 30th, 2005

story coming up soon... be patience

Deaf Fellowship Day

September 17th, 2005

Long three hours of driving to Rochester, New York is a fun adventure. We arrived at the Genesee Park SDA Church feeling exciting to meet new faces of the deaf people. We had Paul Kelly presenting about "Finding God's Church". We had a long walk in the park. In fact, Nigel fell down twice from rollerblading and we all had a good laugh from that. We sat down at one of the deaf couples' place for a snack. As the sun went down, we all felt sad to leave Rochester to go back to Toronto because we all had fun with them. We are looking forward to visit them again in March 2006.

Deaf Reach 2005

July 24th - 31st, 2005

Deaf Reach was awesome! Never thought it would impact me so much. Never thought I would laugh all week. Never thought there would be a great training week. I'm amazed at everyone; I felt the love of God in this family. 17 people came together eager to learn something from inspiring speakers: David Trexler and Fred Griffith.

For the whole week, we had an inspiring morning devotions, workshops on the tools of witnessing for God presented by Pastor David Trexler and Fred Griffith, role play and discussion periods, and a temperament councelling by Fransica Trexler. I get to learn how to share the good news to the deaf people, by practicing the role plays with classmates. It was a challenge for I have to prepare to answer their tough questions or learn how to communicate through them.

Moreover, I met all Brothers and Sisters in Christ and I had a good time sharing testimonies and of course laughter, especially Rose Caloroso. When I found out that she just came back from three months stay in India, I bombarded her tons of questions. You see, I was reading the report about deaf people in India written by Pastor John Blake in the Canadian Adventist Messenger few years ago. I told my parents that I want to go to India. Umms and ahhhs are the answers. Okay I get it... I have to wait until it's a right time for me to go. As Rosa explained her journey in India, I realized that "Jesus is not going to come", unless I'm out there sharing the Good News. I knew it's time.. for I have been waiting for 5 long years. I would need your prayers for support as I prepare to go to India by September 2006.

I thanked God for all the support from Pastor John Blake, Alberta Blake and Harmony SDA Church for sending me to there and to bring the God's tools back for the Deaf Ministries in Toronto. Please pray for the Deaf Ministries as they are planning to set up a Deaf Camp Meeting coming up next year! Please watch our web site for an update!

Your Sister in Christ,

Farrah Gooding

Ontario Camp Meeting Report

June 11th, 2005

"Let it go!" The audience at the Ontario Camp Meeting cheered to the New Yorker Pastor. 5 deaf people enjoyed the sermons at the camp meeting all day. They had Deaf Pastor Paul Kelly as a special guest speaker for the deaf group for the morning session. The Deaf Ministries Booth display was successful and had become known among the Adventist people. Few of the hearing bough the "Our World In God's Theatre" DVDs. We hope that they will share this DVD to other deaf community in their home area.

Come and see us again next year!

Mayfest

May 13th, 2005

"To demonstrate that Deaf people can do anything and have and inspire younger Deaf and Hard of Hearing people to follow their dreams!" On May 13th, the Ontario Association of the Deaf hosted 31st anniversary of Mayfest this year. Hundreds of people, both deaf and hearing, came to share their worlds of schools, organizations, businesses, religions and entrepreneurs.

Speaking of religions, Deaf Seventh-day Adventist Ministries hosted a small booth with colourful displays. The "World Deaf SDA Mission" display, done by Farrah, attracted many people. Farrah Gooding took care of the booth display and met many Spanish and India people. They had missed their homeland and were happy to see one of their homelands in our Mission photo albums. Many of Spanish were surprised to see Farrah signing Mexican Sign Language. In fact, Farrah went to Mexico for two weeks of missionary work last year and still remembers their sign language. Many others requested that the Deaf Ministries to be involved with their other homeland such as Pakistan, Africa and some parts of the cities in Mexico and India.

Farrah also made contacts with other religions organizations to share Seventh-day Adventism role in their community and is planning to set up another booth at Ontario Mission Day at Bob Rumball Centre for the Deaf on Saturday, June 18th from 2pm to 5pm. If you missed our booth at Mayfest, then come to BRCD to meet us!

Furthermore, many were curious about the new DVD: "Our World: In God's Theatre". We sold few, but will be expecting to sell more soon. All the free products were all given away. We hope that these products will plant a seed in each one of them and Jesus will pour grace on them to grow more closer relationship with Him. We need your prayers for them to find a way to Christ.

Deaf Fellowship Day

April 9th, 2005

"...I will meet you at heaven's gate, I know I will meet you right there. When the trumpet has sounded, And the love ones are on their way, I will meet you at heaven's gate..." This is the song that Ruby Persaud, Rozzie Holiness and Farrah Gooding signed at Harmony SDA Church.

Deaf people came together again at Harmony SDA church on Saturday, April 9th for Deaf Fellowship Day with special guest speaker: Pastor Paul Kelly from Rochester, New York. During Sabbath School Class, they studied the Book of Mark as a theme for the rest of the second quarter. During the break, the ASL Choir signed "Heaven's Gate" to the both hearing and deaf audience. It was very inspiring and gave them hope to see Jesus' face when He comes. They are all looking forward to their new home in heaven where there's no more pain, nor sorrow and no more death. Praise God.

Afterwards, they listened Pastor Kelly's sermon based on the book of 2 Timothy, chapter 2 to discovered more about the Devil's work: to separate us from God and giving us a hard time but Paul said:

"If we died with him, we will also live with him. If we don't give up, we will also rule with him. If we say we don't know him, he will also say he doesn't know us. Even if we are not faithful, he will remain faithful. He must be true to himself." (2 Timothy 2:11-13)

They learned a lot about how to overcome the devil's temptations and how to avoid it. After church service, few of the deaf group went to Farrah's place to have a potluck. It was enjoyable. For the next Deaf Fellowship Day, it's on the month of July. Please check regularly for further updates and news.

Deaf Revival Day Rally

January 22nd, 2005

"I'm freezing!" Yep it was a blizzard winter in history. Unfortunately, Satan can't stop us from going to church to worship God. All of us managed to arrive at the church in one-piece. Thank the Lord!

Deaf came together with the Harmony SDA church on Saturday, Jan. 22, for a special Deaf Fellowship Day. Pastor John Blake of Lacombe, AB, Deaf Ministry Director for the Alberta Conference of SDA, was the special guest.

Pastor Blake presented the sermon on "Taking a Risk for God" giving a challenge to everyone to carefully, prayerfully and thoughtfully be prepared to take risks for doing God's work. Taking a risk might involve something as simple as speaking to a neighbour about Jesus, or starting a missionary work for deaf people in China.

In the afternoon, Blake gave a PowerPoint report of Adventist ministry for Deaf in India where there are now 11 full time workers. Blake showed pictures of the new church in Thanjavur, South India, built specifically for a deaf group there. Funds ($4,400 US) were just sent in January 2005 to build a second church for deaf, this time in Central India. There is also need for a third church for Deaf in the same area, but this one will be more expensive as the land will cost much more in a city situation.

Pastor Blake also showed pictures from his Sept/04 trip to China to investigate how to start a work for Deaf in China. He showed the picture of a young lady, Dena, who has just this January begun a work for Deaf about four hours SW of Beijing, China. Blake also showed pictures of the 2004 Milo SDA Camp meeting for Deaf in southern Oregon, and the 2004 Canadian mini-Camp meeting for SDA deaf at Hope, BC.

Blake also introduced and demonstrated a new signed DVD called, "Our World - A Theater in God's Universe". This DVD condenses the whole story of the plan of salvation into under two hours. It is illustrated with over 200 of the finest Biblical paintings available today. It presents the story of the Great Controversy between Christ and Satan from the beginning of sin in Heaven with Lucifer to the future end of sin and the creation of the New Earth. It is available through the Harmony SDA Church deaf group, or by going to: http://www.deafhope.org/DVD.htm