Week 5 S.P. Island Belize

Week 5

We have a couple visiting from Cayo sign language congregation, they brought the little deaf sister in the middle. They came to give us a little help. It's been nice to have their support. We had a great time preparing answers in ASL for Wt. Great encouragement for my student Yosselin on the right.

Having a great time inviting all the deaf on the island to the memorial of Jesus death! This was our silly moment! 

Yosselin and Sarita and Shari inviting a deaf man to memorial. He only signs a little, mostly uses home sign language. His brother is deaf as well.

Deaf brother Avi inviting other young deaf man Jorge to the memorial. Jorge and Avi both work cleaning the beaches of seaweed and trash for resorts and housing communites. It's hard work. But they do it to get by. 

Darin & the other hearing brother are waiting for Avi in the cart. Cars & trucks are not permitted to be imported to the island unless you need it for work or can prove its for health reasons. So golf carts are the way most get around, except us poor folk who walk or ride bikes! ;)

These are some of the friends interested in learning more ASL. They've been joining us in our Wt study groups. They all made their first comment at today's abbreviated Wt study! The reason we had it abbreviated is that today we were able to go to the KH to watch a streaming download of the Branch Visit for Central America. This is the first year they've had it translated into English and available for the English and Kriol and sign congregations to enjoy. 

Shari and I took turns interpreting the talks and Darin was the chairman. The English congregation is sitting to the right of us. To prepare for this Shari, Darin and I went to the Kriol congregation branch visit the day before, to listen and make an outline of what needed to be interpreted. Then we went to our place to discuss how to translate the ideas accurately and clearly, using The scriptures, Watchtowers and songs that we already have translated into ASL. Some scriptures we do not have in ASL & we needed to figure out how to sign them. All together probably 7 hours of prep. Today with Jah's help we felt like it was a success. Well worth all the effort! 

When the branch visit ended it started to rain, pouring really. So we waited it out in the Kingdom Hall, not just because we were on bikes but also because Darin is carrying a TV in his bag...Haha, we needed it for the broadcast. We made it home in true Belizian fashion!