| Dear Prayer partners,
We would like to share with you our ministries among the deaf and how
the Lord is directing our lives.
Nairobi Chapel for the Deaf: When Michael
returned from the US in June, 1982, there were no churches for the
deaf. Churches for hearing people did not know how to
minister to deaf persons, as at that time sign language was a prohibited
method of communication in schools for the deaf. Michael felt
burdened about the spiritual vacuum among our deaf people and in 1984
founded Nairobi Chapel for the Deaf where he has been the volunteer
pastor since then. The Chapel is now 17 years old and
averages 30 persons every Sunday. According to one American that
visited Kenya in April 2000, when Michael was in the US, the Chapel
"is the most biblically and doctrinally sound church of the deaf in
Kenya."
The chapel does not receive funds from any source in the US or any
other country. We rely on God for paying our rent to YMCA where we
have been meeting since 1990. However, we do need support
from our friends and churches over there.
The Deaf Christian Foundation: One of the reasons
for our establishing the Deaf Christian Foundation in 1991 was to have a
base for our ministries among the deaf. The Foundation, like the
Chapel, does not receive funds from any source. We have been
volunteering in this area too.
Mercy has a calling to work full time with the Foundation. She
has the necessary skills and education since she has a bachelor of
education degree from the University of Nairobi, a course in lay counseling,
and has skills in computer and sign language interpreting.
She has taught at secondary schools for hearing girls for over 11
years. The Foundation's motto is "Laying for themselves a
good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on
eternal life" (I Timothy 6:19).
Mercy agrees that the Foundation has the potential for laying a firm
foundation among the deaf in Kenya and needs your prayers and support
for her to work with the Foundation. With the
Foundation, she could do several things such as visiting schools for the
deaf to counsel deaf children and youths; teaching sign language and
Bible lessons to the children; and teaching sign language to the
teachers. Mercy would also like to expand the ministries of
the Foundation to include sourcing for scholarships and material support
for our deaf children; holding seminars for deaf youths; promoting
quality education for the deaf; seeking employment for deaf graduates;
assisting deaf youths in establishing small businesses; sourcing for
Bibles, Christian study materials and books for use at the Nairobi
Chapel for the Deaf and schools; and holding AIDS awareness and training
seminars for the youths. AIDS is orphaning many children in Kenya
and we would not like to see our deaf children end up on streets.
These are challenging areas, but we are confident that all things are
possible when we allow God to work through us one step at a time.
The College for the Deaf: God has given
Michael a vision for establishing a Christian college for the
deaf. When Michael came to the US in 1972, he had no money
for his education. He did not know sign language. One of his
referees told the President of Harrison-Chilhowee Baptist Academy in
Seymour, Tennessee, "He might be God's man to lead the deaf in
Africa".
For 23 years, Michael has been trying to figure out what that could
mean. It was not until 5 years ago that God revealed to him the
vision for establishing Trinity University for the Deaf to serve an
estimated 14,400,000 deaf and hard of hearing persons in
Africa. God has been making this vision a
reality. The Government of Kenya has given us 50 acres about
an hour drive from Nairobi to start with. Gallaudet
University and Bethel College have shown an interest in collaborating
with us. Two other colleges in the US are willing to donate
computers and books. A school for the deaf here has agreed to
allow us to start with their facilites. The Commission for Higher
Education, which accredits universities here, supports the establishment
of this project.
Michael would like to move the school in June this year to start
laying the ground work for launching the project in September, God
willing.
Prayer requests:
1. Missionaries to work with our organizations.
2. Teachers to teach at Trinity University for the Deaf when it takes
off.
3. Financial support for deaf children in schools. One child requires
$200 per year.
4. Financial support for deaf students at our proposed university.
The fee will be approximately $2000 per year.
5. Christian materials and books.
6. Computers for the Trinity University for the Deaf
7. Our family financial need is $1950 per month.
In His Service,
Michael & Mercy Ndurumo
Please contact Deaf Harvest if you
would like to participate in any of the above needs.
More information about Kenya can be found at this
site. www.iaqi.com/kenya
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