SFH Matching Grant for the Collicott Deaf Adoption!

PAH!! Matching Grant is fully Matched!!
Funds still needed to bring Christopher home!
All donations are tax deductible!!


$750 Matching Grant = $1,500

   Help bring Christopher Home!  

It is time to bring this precious "little man" home!  Christopher will be the 3rd deaf adoption for Doug and Lynda Collicott.  I have had the distinct privilege of traveling with this family on three previous trips to Bulgaria to adopt and this one is by far the most humbling.  Christopher is labeled deaf with many other special needs and he will be 6 in February, weighs a mere 11 lbs and is 29" in length.  He does not walk yet, but with some TLC and medical interventions, he will, soon! 

Funds are being collected by Signs for Hope (all tax deductible) to help with travel expenses for the family and for a medical person to travel with the family, too.  Once Christopher is picked up from his Bulgarian "home" he will be admitted to the Japanese hospital, Tokuda, in Bulgaria to help stabilize him for travel to the states.  The medical person will help care for Christopher while in Bulgaria and on the long flights home.  Once here in the US, he will be admitted to Children's Hospital in Houston for evaluations and medical services.  Insurance will cover Christopher once he arrives on US soil. 

Signs for Hope will also be paying my travel expenses for this adoption home-trip, as well.  I will be Doug and Lynda's interpreter as they are both Deaf. 

The Collicott family is in full fundraising mode to collect the final monies needed.  Our $750 matching grant will help with those costs, but additional funds will be needed. 

My best guess for all travel expenses (12 - 14 days required in Bulgaria) for the Collicott family (Doug, Lynda and Christopher), the medical person, the ASL interpreter and Christopher's Japanese hospital expenses is roughly, $7,500 - $8,500, depending on airfare costs at time of purchase and Christopher's length-of-stay at Tokuda.  Travel is expected in December or January. 

All donations are tax deductible as Signs for Hope is an approved IRS charitable organization, non-profit. 

Donations can be made online through our secure Qgiv donation page or you can mail checks to:

Signs for Hope
PO Box 460
Fairview, NC  28730God places the lonely in families. Psalm 88:6a 

What My Eyes Have Seen! Part 3 of...

This blog post is the 3rd in the series entitled "What My Eyes Have Seen!"  Part 3 - Deaf Adoption, Up Close and Personal continued.

Part 1 - Is Sign Language the Natural Language of the Deaf Child?

Part 2 - Deaf Adoption, Up Close and Personal

These posts are shared in an effort to help me and others along with me gain a deeper biblical perspective of some of this world's injustices because of the fall and most often those injustices against the least of the least...in my opinion...deaf children.  

After a year of filling out the required paperwork and waiting on both countries to do their work it was time for me to join soon-to-be-Deaf-mom, again, on the first required trip to visit with this precious "little man".  To see him with our own eyes and confirm the official commitment of soon-to-be-Deaf-dad-and-mom to in fact embrace him as their own son.   Dad had recently started a new job, therefore he would not travel with us on this initial trip of confirmation, but would join with us in a few months on the trip to bring their son home. 

This boy's adoption was already confirmed by both mom and dad, over a year ago, this was just a formality in their minds required by their son's country of birth.

How does one prepare for something like this?  I knew God would have to do a work in me prior to my visually seeing this "little man", with my own eyes. He is now five and a half years old and weighs 11.2 pounds and is 29 inches in length, not height, as he does not yet walk. 

One of the things my Father has been reminding me of in various ways, during the past year of waiting/preparing, is the sanctity of every human life and the many ramifications of what that truly means on so many different levels and in many different arenas.  The ways He has done this are mind-boggling for me.  I needed to be led through this process before I arrived here for 'such a time as this' and as always my God knows before I do what I need. 

Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. Matthew 6:8
I was intentional to ask Him for weeks prior to our trip to help me not react inappropriately to what I saw, but to respond, instead, in an appropriate way with an accurate perspective, His.  Many times before our flight, my mind visually took me back to previously seen pictures embedded forever in my memory. Through the years I had seen photographs of young African children with distended malnourished-bellies and photographs of the men literally starving to death in the Auschwitz concentration camp in the 1930's. But never...with my own eyes.
 
Our first morning visit, the unknown was the hardest.  We were all three a bit nervous.  This was our adoption guides' first time to see a child like this, too.  Mom and I had already discussed so many things prior to this first morning meeting, we each knew we were nervous, but were both trusting our God to give us what we needed that moment our eyes saw him for the first time.   

After the formal introductions with "home" staff, we were all asked to put on, over our garments, green disposable gowns, shoe covers and masks.  Mom instantly explained that covering my mouth would make our communication very difficult as she is skilled at reading lips and depends strongly on this.  Our guide shared mom's concerns and it was waved off as not a problem. We proceeded down the hall a short way to a small room with five of the "home's" staff.  They were not wearing any protective gear.  It was obvious we were on display for all that morning and this felt very awkward, too.  It was very warm and humid, as well, and the additional gowns and masks made things more uncomfortable in that overly crowded tiny room.  





In a few moments, another "home" staff came in carrying a tiny frail body with dark hair, eyes and skin in the crooks of her arms, swinging them a bit back and forth.  We awkwardly just stared at him.  I suggested mom sit on the built-in child-sized bed on one side of the room and he was placed in mom's arms for the very first time.  Mom has raised five children of her own and adopted two others, but it was clear she had great concern she might cause this little one pain or injury...just by holding him. 

She and I both pulled our masks down around our necks so we could communicate, as moms hands were both full, now.  No one seemed to notice or to care.  Praise God!

Mom studied him intently counting his fingers and to her delight he could grasp her finger with both hands.  She began to lightly rub his face, head and then his torso and he did not seem to mind this at all.  In fact, he would place his hand on hers as she rubbed up and down slowly on his torso.  She kept him in the same position for most of the hour, in the crook of her left arm, studying his face and body as best she could since he was clothed in two shirts and heavy denim pants and socks. 

Miraculously, for the afternoon visit, we were left alone with only our adoption guide to monitor us.   This had been a prayer of ours from the beginning.  Mom wanted to see his legs and feet, so she pulled his socks and pants off, very gingerly.  That is a preemie size diaper he has on in the photo.  I took many pictures and video of this sweet "little man" that will be shared with doctors and others in the states before he comes home. No, I did not ask permission, but was very discreet in my actions.  We thank the Lord for allowing us to do this!

His legs are bent at the knee in this photo. 
His club feet will likely require surgery.

These are some of the verses that His Spirit brought to mind which helped to sustain me throughout the week while we were there and beyond.  

"I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:16-21

Just to clarify...

Signs for Hope pays the travel expenses for a qualified ASL interpreter to travel with Deaf mom and dad when they adopt.  The ASL interpreter donates his/her skill and time to provide this service.  If you would like to help support this great need, please click on the "DONATE" button above and choose the "ASL Interpreter Fund" when given that option. 

ASL FOUNDATIONS, NO ENGLISH

 Prayers Appreciated! 

I am in the beginning stages of developing a new way of teaching American Sign Language (ASL).  This approach to teaching ASL as a second language, as a completely separate language from English, was one I began to envision, develop and use almost 7 years ago when I could not find anything else already published.

When God called me to all things Signs for Hope​, in 2008, I let go of this "vision".  Little did I know He would bring it back to me.

About 7 months ago, while teaching on the college campus and at the same time hearing multiple pleas from hearing parents who have adopted deaf children begging for HELP to learn ASL, I began my search again for an ASL curriculum using this method. NOTHING! 

Since that time, I have presented this idea to many hearing and Deaf folks and all are intrigued and wonder why no one has done this before now. 

I am not pleased with our current ASL teaching curricula as I see so many hearing folks struggling to learn the most basic and yet most vital foundational aspect of ASL, the ASL handshapes. 

There are differing opinions on how many handshapes there really are in ASL, but I will focus on what I believe to be the most commonly used across North America, initially. 

Please join me in praying for me as I continue to develop this curriculum and for this method to be one that will benefit greatly those desiring to learn and master ASL, especially family members with their deaf children.   

John 15:5b  Apart from Me, you can do nothing. 

Together for Adoption 2015! Orphan Care = Gospel

   

ASL INTERPRETERS PROVIDED!!
Please let us know you are coming!

I have exciting news to share with you!  Please share this with others! 

The Together for Adoption 2015 conference is coming to Durham, NC this November 5 - 7.  ASL interpreters have been secured for all aspects of this event, covering both adult and children's activities. 

I want to share a few quotes from Dr. Russell Moore, the eighth president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, from his 2009 SBC Resolution on Adoption & Orphan Care: 

“Something is afoot among Christian families and churches of virtually every kind.  God is calling the people of Christ to see the face of Jesus in the faces of orphans in North America and around the world. Southern Baptists have affirmed our belief in the authority of Scripture, and the Bible tells us pure religion is defined by care for the fatherless."

“We’ve been defined by our commitment to evangelism, and there is no greater field as `white unto harvest’ right now as children in orphanages, group homes, and the foster care system, children who don’t know a parent’s love and who don’t know the name of Jesus. When Satan wars against children, we should be the ones who have compassion on them, even as Jesus did and does…"

“My prayer is that twenty years from now there are thousands of Southern Baptist pastors, missionaries, and church leaders who started their lives as orphans, now preaching the gospel of God their Father.”

James 1:27 – PURE RELIGION

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this:

to look after orphans and widows in their distress and

to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Together for Adoption

“Over the past 5-7 years orphan care has become a bona fide movement within evangelicalism. This is why Together for Adoption’s primary focus 
is to look out 50 years and provide that which we know will sustain

the church’s long-term care for orphans, namely,

a vibrant gospel-centered theology of adoption.”

Our Mission:

Together for Adoption (T4A) exists to provide

 gospel-centered resources that

magnify the adopting grace of God the Father in Christ Jesus and

mobilize the church for global orphan care.

__________________________

Signs for Hope has secured ASL interpreters for this event and we have special rates for registration and hotel rooms for Deaf attendees.

Contact Becky Lloyd, asap, for all the details.  beckyblloyd@gmail.com

If you cannot attend this amazing conference, personally, please join us in praying God will be glorified and His kingdom advanced because of T4A 2015 and those who are obedient to 'care for the orphan' will spread the gospel as they do. 

 

What My Eyes Have Seen! Part 2 of...

2014
Eastern Europe 

Gender: Boy

Age: 4

Multiple special needs, including DEAFNESS

Weight: 10 lbs 

His picture and the label of deafness is what caught the attention of his unknowing soon-to-be parents, because they are Deaf themselves. 

I remember, vividly, the day his picture was shared in the adoption group in 2014. Even fully clothed, the years of limited nourishment were blatant, as was his distant stare.

Four years old and just 10 pounds?!  Surely that was a typo, a misprint or a gross understatement?  Maybe it was in kilograms instead of lbs?  That would make more sense for a four year old boy...roughly 18 kilograms, that would make more sense.   I remember soon-to-be mom commenting on advocating for this precious fragile one.  If she and soon-to-be dad had not just brought home their 2nd deaf adopted son earlier that year, maybe...

I remember thinking, "He looks like a __________ (last name of soon-to-be mom and dad).  No, I did not share that with them, then.  

A few weeks later, I just happened to be in soon-to-be mom and dad's home for a visit.  With great pleasure, I was observing the growth and improvements of their two already adopted deaf son's from the same country as this one.  

A few days prior, God had begun to open the windows of heaven for soon-to-be mom and dad to bring this third little one home.  I sat and smiled, shaking my head in agreement, as they shared with me story after story of the ways God was moving to convince them, especially soon-to-be dad, he was to become their third deaf adopted son and He would provide all the funds for his adoption and He would equip them to care for and raise him.

I had traveled twice before with this family to bring home their first two deaf adopted sons.  This time, I would actually be going into the orphanage with them, for their first of two required adoption trips, IF the orphanage director would allow it. 

We did not know it then, but it would be almost a year before that first trip would take place, but already my heart was pounding as I wondered how I would react to seeing this frail little one, for the first time...with my own eyes!

                                 <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant 

brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,  

equip you with everything good for doing His will, 

and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, 

through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Hebrews 13 : 20-21

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for 

teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,  

so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3 : 16-17

 

 

 

COLOMBIA SFH DEAF ADOPTION MATCHING GRANT!

God places the lonely in families. 

Psalm 68:6

We are so thankful to be able to offer another matching grant for the Coleman family for the adoption of a precious deaf boy in Colombia, South America!  For every dollar you donate up to $750, Signs for Hope will match it!!   Read the first chapter of the Coleman Family's Deaf Adoption Journey below:

Hi! We are Jacob and Misti Coleman from Slidell, Louisiana. We have 3 biological children, Anna Beth (7), Lynnsie (6), and Creek (4).

We started the process to adopt from Colombia in January 2013. On our "special needs list" for our dossier, my husband and I both marked "Deaf" as a special need we were open to in our adoption. I grew up signing to music and have always loved the language and my husband had a very good friend when he was a child who was deaf. My husband also currently has a very good friend with a daughter who is deaf - which played a big role in him being open to deafness as a special need.

We were presented with the file of a precious 22 month old little Colombian boy in February 2015 who was diagnosed with profound deafness, following an audiogram in December 2014 and a delay in speech development. Our hearts screamed yes immediately, but we wanted to make sure we had the ability to provide an education for him through our school systems, first. We had already started discussions on the possibility of moving to be closer to the School for the Deaf an hour and a half away, if it was needed. It took 8 months for our son's orphanage to officially match us and send the referral. 

During our time of waiting, we completed several exercises of deaf education, as requested by Lifeline Children's Services, our adoption agency. We immediately began teaching our children sign language through the video series, Signing Time, at our local library and purchased the Learn and Master ASL DVD series for ourselves. We have also met with an ASL interpreter in our community who is willing to come work with our family in our home when we all return from Colombia. We have connected with several Deaf adopting families through Facebook, as well. In addition, our local Deaf action center has a monthly Deaf gathering at a local coffee shop that we plan to be a part of. 

One of our biggest prayers right now is to be able to connect with another Deaf child who is the same age as Silas. We hope that the Louisiana School for the Deaf can assist us in that.

We've also been extremely excited about the support we are receiving from our family, friends, and church family. Extended family and very close friends here are eager to learn ASL so they can communicate and love on Silas. Just yesterday, his future Sunday School teacher said we needed to plan an ASL training for the church volunteers who will be working with him. When I related this message to our preschool minister, she told me she had been praying about this very thing for a long time.  

What My Eyes Have Seen! Part 1 of...

IS SIGN LANGUAGE THE NATURAL LANGUAGE OF THE DEAF CHILD?

This blog series, What My Eyes Have Seen!, will be an ongoing series in an effort to share what my life's journey has revealed to me through my research, experiences and exposures to the Deaf community, locally and around the world over the past 15+ years.  While the Deaf community in other countries do share many similarities to all others, there are also, at times, some major differences because of the majority culture surrounding them.

Many who read this post and others to follow, will not be able to understand my perspective, simply because they have not walked the path I have walked.  They have not chatted with the Deaf folks I have chatted with.  They have not chatted with the hearing parents of Deaf children and adults I have chatted with.  They have not chatted with Deaf educators I have chatted with.  They have not chatted with the ASL educational interpreters I have chatted with; nor have they observed deaf children for many hours within many different family environments.  And they have not researched time and again, the many topics weaving their perspectives surrounding the Deaf community, as well. 

Do not be mistaken, I am a hearing person and always have been.  I am simply conveying my own personal experiences for these blog posts, in an effort to broaden and deepen the knowledge of those members of our hearing world as it pertains to the Deaf community and especially that of the deaf child. By far, the best way for a hearing person to learn about the Deaf community is to immerse themselves into the Deaf community by befriending Deaf folks and learning American Sign Language. We have much to learn from them. 

I will be the first to admit that my perspective has not yet attained perfection, as research always continues to unfold and I will be forever learning, but my current  perspective comes with years of experiencing the above and thus far it is what it is...because of What My Eyes Have Seen.

The first topic I would like to share about encompasses the question,

Is sign language the natural language of the deaf child?

This remains one of the most debated questions by so many and so many times by those without full knowledge of the topic allowing for inaccurate debate. 

In an effort to help our understanding grow deeper, let's dig a little deeper before I address this question, directly.

So what does "natural" mean?  According to Merriam-Webster:

Natural

: existing in nature and not made or caused by people
: coming from nature

: not having any extra substances or chemicals added
: not containing anything artificial

: usual or expected

Research of many sign or manual (visual/gestural/on the body) languages around the world, points to the natural development of each.  Most utilizing gestures and space, in the beginning, to get a point across in order for Deaf folks to converse with one another within their own groups, naturally occurring over time. 

As some sign languages continued to evolve from this initial foundational phase, they began to influence others especially during the Modern "Colonial Era" (1500 - 1900) by western European countries as they spread out over the world.  In addition, the signed languages and/or sign systems missionaries took with them to other countries have also impacted the cultures, as well as, the development of some countries' signed languages. This is a fascinating topic for another post. 

"World 1898 empires colonies territory". Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:World_1898_empires_colonies_territory.png#/media/File:World_1898_empires_colonies_territory.png

No doubt, ASL's strongest roots come from France, but be assured Native American Indians and those living on Martha's Vineyard, year's ago, as well as, home signs developed by deaf children being raised by hearing parents have also shared their influence.  We often, mistakenly, limit our thinking of sign language to only American Sign Language. 

The use of signed languages dates much farther back than America. There is documentation of sign language being utilized as far back as 5th century BC.  There are currently hundreds of different recognized sign languages around the globe and others that have yet to be discovered.

Deafness has been noted as an "ailment to be treated" since 1550 BC.  Deafness occurs in every culture on the planet.

God, Himself, mentions deafness, much earlier, in Exodus 4:11 when speaking to Moses, " The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord?"
In addition, the wordless form of entertainment called pantomime--or mime for short--dates back to 800BC.  One must wonder if the observance of those who could communicate through signs, but not speak, lead to this form of entertainment and communication by hearing performers.

And do not forget, in Luke chapter 1, where Zechariah learns very quickly he must use signs to communicate to others after his ability to speak (it does not say he could not hear) was removed following his doubt of the angels' prophecy concerning the future birth of his son, John (the Baptizer). 

Now, just because a deaf child is born into a hearing family--and this is true more than 95% of the time--this does not mean the hearing family automatically begins to use gestures and mime to communicate with them.  In fact, the opposite is most often true and the deaf child will often be the instigator of "teaching" home signs to their hearing family members in an effort to get their needs and wants met.

For years, I have used the phrase "NO language" when describing deaf children and deaf adults (yes, I said deaf adults) in this world who have not yet been exposed to any formal signed language.  However, I was challenged by a ministry friend just this week as we chatted about deaf children and their natural language learning via "visual language" even prior to exposure to or training in a formal sign language. 

She matter-of-factually responded to my dismay and delight of the quick Vietnamese Sign Language (VSL) acquisition of the deaf children, ages 8 - 14, I had visited with last month with, "Well, of course they did!".  After only 6 months of formal training in VSL these deaf children were easily communicating with each other, their hearing teacher and even hearing foreigners using VSL and gesture. Naturally, some were more adept than others, but all were communicating remarkably well for just 6 months of formal exposure to VSL. 

Even after I reiterated to her they had NO language prior to the VSL exposure this past November, she quickly countered, "Maybe no formal language, but they did have visual language learning from birth.  Light bulb...ON!!! This has been a reconfirmation for me that the learning of a manual language (sign language) IS the natural language for the deaf child.  Their visual world has been evolving since birth, actually even in utero, and needless to say when granted the opportunity to be trained in a formal visual language their already visually thinking brains are more than primed for it.
Deaf children ARE exposed to "visual language learning" from birth, if they are not both deaf and blind when born; just as hearing children being taught sign language reproduce those signs, with full comprehension, long before they can verbally speak them. 

 
Of course, training a deaf child in a visual sign language IS natural, as they already have a strong foundation for visual language learning since birth.  This realization, for me, supersedes my previous thinking that many deaf children have "NO LANGUAGE", but rather they have no"formal language" training, yet. 

Visual language is not a new concept.  Visual thinking is also not a new concept.  ASL interpreters covet the skill that visual thinking grants them for interpreting English into ASL. 

While information that is only visually received by our brains may be limited, at times, visual language and visual thinking are occurring and evolving from the moment a child is born, deaf or hearing.  That visual information is being received by the brain and impacting the brain in its development, making it "ready" for the learning of a formal sign language, in my opinion, even beyond the optimal age for learning a spoken language.


I believe this is one reason it is much easier for even a hearing baby to learn to mimic signs they see for expressing their wants/needs before they are able to verbally do so. 

My conclusion...

Deaf children really are not totally language deprived, ever, since they use their visual sense to absorb everything around them in their silent, but fully visual world.  Hence, learning a formal sign language becomes the natural progression for learning language for the deaf child and that gives them the foundation needed for learning to read and write English as their 2nd language.