6th DMI INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

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1 Deaf Ministries International April th DMI INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE It is less than four weeks to go before our 6th DMI International Deaf Conference in Seoul Korea. Our Australian office staff and Korean counterpart are working flat out coping with the logistics for such a gathering. Many have applied from East Asia, various countries in Africa and the Middle East. This adds another dimension as we assist peoople with their visa applications providing them with invitation letters and other legal documents that have to be obtained and forwarded. We have language complications, communication breakdowns, cultural differences and expectations beyond our ability to meet but, we are getting there. Continued on Pg 3 In this Issue: Neville s Update Page2 Front page cont... Page 3 Stories from Page 4 Burundi Syrian Update Page 6 Prayer Points Page 7 Fun Night Report Page 8

2 Neville s Update Some of us are a bit old fashioned. Even though I send s non stop, sms messages day in and day out and chat on Facebook, I often long for the good old days of pen and paper, a stamp and a few weeks in between letters. At least one could get one s wits about one in order to reply! No matter how hard I try, I still have about 2000 messages in my inbox and the need for an instant reply to a problem sometimes drives me to borderline insanity. However, a weekend or so ago when I was home recuperating from surgery number two, I was so thankful for the internet and the use of Skype. Because of this wonderful Nedal giving a tour of Damascus provision I was able to participate in two exciting events on the other side of the world. Our people in Syria were holding a conference for deaf young people in a hotel in the city of Damascus. I was so thrilled to be able to be part of the conference for a few minutes on the Saturday afternoon and was able to greet, and be greeted by, everyone there. It was wonderful to see with my own eyes how God was blessing and encouraging this group of believers who are going through such hard times in their war-torn country. Syrian Deaf Conference 2 Issue 2 - September 2014

3 Neville s Update cont... Front page cont... On Sunday afternoon, through the medium of Skype, I joined in the ordination of Samuel Begumisa at our Immanuel Church for the Deaf in Kampala Uganda. Gunnar Dehli from Norway together with another pastor from Norway), Josephat Mulongo (from Kenya), and some local pastors, were able to lay hands on Samuel; ordaining him into the Christian ministry. As you can see on the laptop screen in the photo below, I was able to join in the service. It was a great experience. So whoever invented Skype, thank you very much. There is still room for a few more delegates, so if you are planning on joining us, please let us know immediately. Registration is no longer available on the web page so please phone the office or us to request the link: info@deafmin.org October 7th to 11th are the dates. Check out our Deaf Ministries International Facebook Page for some interesting Korean efforts to encourage people to attend or volunteer. We would love to see you there. Neville Neville laying on of hands via Skype Neville s Health Update Thank you so much for your concern and prayers. My second operation showed no sign of cancer but because of the aggressive nature of the type of cancer I have and its anticipated return, ongoing treatment will be necessary. As soon as I get back from our International Conference in Seoul I will begin weekly medical treatments for a six week cycle, followed by another operation before the end of the year. It is not over yet but signs are good and I am at peace about it all. Thanks again. Issue 2 - September

4 Stories from Burundi My name is Gaudiose. I was born in I was born deaf and I am one of six children. My family lives in the province of Ngozi. It is 4 hours from the capital Bujumbura. At the moment I am living in Bujumbura so that I can complete my secondary school studies. My father and one of my sisters are deaf. My Father did not attend school, but when we were children, we often attended deaf churches. I did not know anything about the Bible. I now know more about the Bible and God. I am a singer and I always sing during the Sunday service. I also welcome other deaf to my place for believers fellowship. After completing primary school, I was not able to attend secondary school because my father wasn t able to afford the school fees. He was a farmer and he could only afford to feed the family and pay our primary school fees, which are much cheaper than secondary school. When DMI started work in Burundi, I was given a scholarship and support to attend a secondary school with hearing people in Bujumbura. I am doing well at school. This year I finished top of my class. I will finish my secondary education in My family are happy to see my improvement at school and we thank DMI for all they have done for me. Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ! My name is Leopold and I am a deaf person. I was born in I live with my mother and two younger brothers. My father was killed during the war crisis in 1993 (I was just two years old) may his soul rest in peace. I attended primary school at Ephphatha School for the deaf. My uncle paid for my primary school education because my mother did not have a job and was unable to pay my fees. After finishing my primary studies, my uncle was unable to afford my secondary education. Thank God that DMI came to work in Burundi. This is when I received Jesus as my saviour. I was baptised in 2007 and I am a singer in my deaf church. I also attend Bible evening classes. DMI gave me a scholarship to pursue my secondary studies. I am doing well in my studies and this year have finished top of my class. I have three years left until I complete my secondary education. I thank all of you who pray for and support me. May the Lord God Almighty bless you. 4 Issue 2 - September 2014

5 You can make a difference to the life of students like Gaudiose & Leopold The Deaf Action sponsorship program assists deaf children, who could otherwise not afford it, to attend schools. Just $40 a month helps to cover costs of education, skills and moral training, which allows them to lead productive and fruitful lives. Programs range from kindergarten right through to College level. The schools also work with young adults who have missed out on schooling due to poverty or lack of opportunity. You can help by sponsoring a child. Children can be sponsored in Myanmar, the Philippines, Kenya or Uganda. Contact Deaf Action today! Change a life for just $40 a month Baptisms in Rwanda Pastors and workers from DMI Kenya went on a mission trip to train our workers in Rwanda and Uganda. It took them a long 22-hour bus ride with no stopovers to reach their destination. During their time there, eight members from the Rwandan deaf church were baptised. Since then, thirteen more people have started baptismal classes. We praise God for the way His Holy Spirit is working in the lives of the Rwandan deaf community. Interested in a Short Term Missions trip? Has God put it on your heart to do something for people less fortunate than yourself? Why not join a team going to the Philippines or Africa; supporting & encouraging deaf students and staff at a Christian school, supporting local churches, doing some practical work and much more. Interested or need more info? Contact Barry Cutchie: or bcutchie@bigpond.com Issue 2 - September

6 Update from Syria Dear friends, Syrian greetings to you all. We are still going through a civil war in Syria, we hear the difficult news every day but can be witnesses for the Lord s work with us. The good news is that we are continuing in the deaf meetings, and the deaf are very excited to know more about out God. Twenty deaf were at Monday s meeting and they were also at Sunday s meeting too. William lives two hours away from Damascus. He didn t know anything about Jesus, but now he has become a believer and has attended all the deaf meetings. He is excited to move to Damascus to be close to the church. Weam & Motee have announced their engagement. Wean is one of our staff members. She is a believer and her vision is for the deaf children in Damascus. Saed, Darin and their two hearing children are refugees from Aleppo. They lost everything there. They attended one of our deaf meetings and they are now believers, trusting in the Lord Jesus. Challenge The difficulties of war is a problem and challenge for us. The fear from shells and explosions, the weak economy and the spread of disease due to lack of water and electricity are all challenges while living here in Syria. Despite that, we as a church have been encouraged to continue our vision with joy as we see that the Lord is with us all the time. During the last three months we have been able to prepare dinner twice a month for the deaf children. We have also been given financial support to run our 8th conference for the deaf in Syria which we are looking forward to. Thank you for your prayers and support, Fadi & Safa Nedal & Mais Nedal & Fadi preparing meals for deaf children 6 Issue 2 - September 2014

7 Prayer and Thanks Pray for the DMI conference starting on Oct 7 in South Korea. Pray especially that DMI employees Korean Visas are approved and that sufficient funds for airfares can be raised. Pray for the short term misson group going on the trip to the Philippines lead by Barry Cutchie. Please continue to pray for our workers in Syria. Give thanks that they have been able to continue their work and share the gospel, despite the suffering from the war that surrounds them. Pray for wisdom for the new board and leadership team in Uganda. Pray for the upcoming international board meeting prior to the conference. Pray for wisdom as important budget decisions will need to be made. Pray for Joyce, the principal of the Ugandan Bible School as she undergoes medical procedures. Give thanks for the positive results from Neville s last operation. Prayer as he undergoes preventative treatment over the next few months. Give thanks for the good results following Charles last brain tumour check up. (Burundian Missionary to India) DMI Evangelistic Donations: Please make cheques payable to: Deaf Ministries International Details for EFT: BSB: Account: Deaf Ministries International P O Box 395 Beaconsfield, Victoria 3807 Australia Ph: Fax: info@deafmin.org Missionary & International Director Lill & Neville Muir lill@deafmin.org muir@deafmin.org (03) (Home) Tax-deductible Donations: Please make cheques payable to: Deaf Action Inc. Details for EFT BSB: Account: Credit Card facility available at office Paypal facility (secure) on website Deaf Action P O Box 395 Beaconsfield, Victoria 3807 Australia Ph: Fax: info@deafaction.org.au Issue 2 - September

8 The International fun night in Melbourne was a great success with over 400 people attending, most of whom dressed in international costume. The auditorium was full of colour and laughter as people sat around tables to enjoy a meal of six different cuisines from around the world. There was no shortage of entertainment with many lively cultural dance performances. Funds were raised throughout the night by generous donations, a silent auction and the DMI craft stall. Overall $5, was raised to go towards the work of Deaf Action. We want to take this opportunity to thank the team from Berwick Church of Christ for their hard work in promoting the work of DMI and Deaf Action in this way. Deaf Ministries International Ph: (03) Fax: (03) E: info@deafmin.org DeafMinistriesInternational Deaf Action Ph: (03) Fax: (03) E: info@deafaction.org.au