Liebrandt’s describe ministry to the Deaf in the US, Thailand, and Colombia Nov 22 2014

Dear Friends and Supporters,

 

Here is our latest update on what has been happening in the ministry. Some of you received this in Newsletter form, but some of you have requested that we send it via email. If you would like to see any of the photos used for this update, most of them can be found on our Facebook page. There is a link to that at the bottom of this email.

 

Thailand Distance Learning.

 

May was when my SKYPE sessions with the deaf in Thailand began to have a regular scheduled time. That is Tuesday mornings every other week . Initially, our sessions were kind of hit and miss as issues came up. Now that we are meeting regularly, I have had the opportunity to teach over the internet from several states in the US and Colombia.  I have been using Jack Cottrell’s book, “The Faith Once for All”, and notes of Dr. Johnny Pressley of Cincinnati Christian University from his class “The Church” which he was kind enough to share with me. These two resources are proving very beneficial for the deaf in Thailand. I am so glad to have these resources available which allows me to concentrate on the translation process which is very time consuming, and not as much on my lesson plans.

Sometimes there is no sign for some of the concepts I need to teach. Through patience and clear explanation, those hurdles are being overcome. A case in point is my last SKYPE session when the deaf developed a sign for “rebuke” within a Christian context. As their language grows, so does their spiritual understanding.

Thanks again to Jack Cottrell and Dr. Johnny Pressley for their resources, help, prayers, and encouragement as I teach these hungry Christians!  The deaf have so many questions that these resources are answering, and the lessons are also helping them deal with issues that are popping up from some who are sowing confusion. 

We are in the hopes of purchasing a video projector to help with these SKYPE sessions. The projector makes it easier for everyone to see when I sign to them. Is it so much better than everyone trying to crowd around a laptop screen to see. We appreciate Kendall Cobb of ActsCo and Tom Silkwood of Freedom Films for allowing the deaf to borrow their video projectors from time to time. We want to provide the deaf with a projector so they can have access to it whenever and wherever it is needed. Please pray that the funds to make that happen will be donated here soon! 

 

National Christian Convention for the Deaf.

 

September 25-28 we attended the National Christian Convention for the Deaf (NCCD) in Pigeon Forge, TN. Jackie and I had a booth for our ministry and I also presented two Workshops. It was good to see so many of our deaf friends and ministers from all over the US at one time! We even enjoyed doing some sight seeing in the area as well. 

While we were at the NCCD in Tennessee, we were blessed to be able to attend the Memorial Service for Leroy Wright. Leroy was the minister who baptized both Jackie and myself, and he also presided over our wedding. He was a special man of God and a spiritual Father to us! We will miss his laughter, smile, and counsel!

 

Hi-Plains School of Missions.

 

Since the last Newsletter, Jackie and I have driven over 10,000 miles to visit 23 churches in Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. We represented the ministry at two weeks of Camp in Indiana, and taught two classes at Kentucky Christian University with Brother Dale Meade. 

In October, we took part in the Hi-Plains School of Missions. For those of you who don’t know what this School of Missions is, I will try to explain. There are 19 churches in the panhandle region of Oklahoma, Texas, and southwestern Kansas who join together to support missions. 

They have a different missionary each night of the week. The presentations are broken up into two weeks with half of the churches hosting a different missionary each night. Then the second week we all rotate to a new group of churches. We drove a lot, visited a lot, and talked a lot! It was great to be a part of The Hi-Plains School of Missions and we enjoyed seeing a part of the US we had not been to before. We were so blessed to meet some new Brothers and Sisters in Christ too! Thanks to Marvin Garrison, Philip Smith, and Scott DeVore for inviting us!

 

Thailand Seminar & Board Meeting.

 

Jackie and I will be in Thailand January 1 through February 18, 2015. During the first two weeks, Brother Dale Meade will be with us. He will be teaching his “Biblical Foundations of Marriage” Seminar and I will be interpreting it into Thai Sign. He will also be teaching this same Seminar at Bethany for the Lisu Brothers and Sisters of NBCM. Bother Dale will be leaving in mid-January so he can be back in Colombia before the Work Crew arrives in February.

We will spend another two weeks attending the NBCM Board meeting, and visiting with the Board members and missionaries of NBCM. After that, we are planning about a months time to be with the deaf for teaching, counseling, visiting, and preaching. Who knows what will happen! Last time they planned and held a Deaf Camp on a moments notice just because we were there. So we are expecting anything and everything to happen in this time frame. Jackie and I will just be open and ready to be used as God directs, and the deaf need!

 

Colombia Work Crew Trips.

 

There will be three Work Crew opportunities in Colombia during 2015. One will be in February, Deaf Family and Friends Camp will be from April 2-5, and the last trip will be in late July to early August. We are receiving a lot of interest about going on a Work Crew from people in several Churches. So you better hurry and let us know if you want to be on a Work Crew!

Jackie and I will not be able to attend the Work Crew in February because we will still be in Thailand. I will be going down to Colombia for the Deaf Family and Friends Camp, and the late summer Work Crew though. Deb & Vic of In His Sign, along with students from Deaf Missions, are hoping to come down for Deaf Family and Friends Camp. They plan  to help with games and crafts. We may even get a sermon and some teaching from this group too! Please be in prayer for all of these Work Crews, and for open hearts of those in Colombia they will be ministering to!

 

Welcome Naomi Rose!

 

Meet our new grand-daughter! Daniel and Bobbie are pleased to announce the arrival of Naomi Rose Liebrandt. She was born on September 5, which just also happened to be Jackie and my 38th Wedding Anniversary! What a great Anniversary present she was! We are all so excited to have her with us! Grandma and I are enjoying baby sitting for this sweet little bundle of joy! It sure is going to be difficult to spend January and February away from her while we are in Thailand. With God, all things are possible!

 

Happy Holidays!

 

Meet our new grand-daughter! Daniel and Bobbie are pleased to announce the arrival of Naomi Rose Liebrandt. She was born on September 5, which just also happened to be Jackie and my 38th Wedding Anniversary! What a great Anniversary present she was! We are all so excited to have her with us! Grandma and I are enjoying baby sitting for this sweet little bundle of joy! It sure is going to be difficult to spend January and February away from her while we are in Thailand. With God, all things are possible!

 

One in Christ,

Dewayne & Jackie Liebrandt