Augusta "Gussie" Marie (Thiessen) Baum, 81, passed away peacefully with her children by her bedside at the Kansas City Hospice House on October 28, 2009, in Kansas City  Mo. She was born in Buhler, Kansas, on December 3, 1927. While she worked as a pediatric nurse at Children's Mercy Hospital she attended Kansas City Bible College. She graduated in 1952 and went to the Philippines as a pediatric nurse with the International Christian Leprosy Mission. She was married in 1955 and joined her husband, Wilhelm, "Bill", serving in Japan and Germany until 1980 with SEND International. She was preceded in death by her husband. She is survived by a daughter, Mary Esther and her husband Mark of Japan; a son, Timothy and his wife Denise of Pennsylvania; six grandchildren; a brother she adored, Abe Thiessen of Inman, Kansas, and a sister-in-law, Charlotte Frank of Overland Park, Kansas. The memorial service will be held on Sunday, November 1, at 3 p.m. at Woods Chapel Bible Fellowship*, 701 NW Woods Chapel Rd.  Blue Springs, Mo.,  Visitation begins at 1:45 p.m.

*Tel. 816-228-1411   Directions: http://www.woodschapelonline.org/Contact/Contact%20Us.htm

Mark is in Dallas for the next three weeks, along with three Japanese Deaf people from ViBi. With us are Deaf translators from Brazil, Columbia, Costa Rica, Finland, and the U.S. First is BT2009, a major Bible Translation conference, which runs from Friday night until Tuesday. Saturday was pretty intense. Mark was the only JSL interpreter for back-to-back workshop and general sessions all day. Today (Sunday) was a bit of a break, but Monday and Tuesday will be non-stop again, so pray for clarity and stamina. After that will be two plus weeks of training workshops aimed specifically at Deaf translators. We’ve already seen wonderful learning and cross-pollination of ideas between the translation projects, and look forward to more to come.

Pray for stamina for Mark; even when he's not interpreting, he's still working hard to decipher the mix of international sign and ASL (American Sign Language) in which all the Deaf participants are communicating. Pray too for breakthroughs in translation skills and vision for our Deaf team, and all those attending.

·         Scripture Engagement Conference brings new info and vision to Deaf Pastor Matsumoto

·         Mary Esther's mom's health is failing.  Mary Esther leaves for KC this week.  

·         14 More Wheelchairs to clean and send

Thank you for praying. The international conference on Scripture Engagement was both exhausting and refreshing at the same time. The sessions themselves were all incredibly enlightening, both the large group gatherings and the smaller topical workshops. Then Deaf group interaction with the material brought it together with our particular situations in the Deaf world.  Pastor Matsumoto came away with a whole new vision for connecting the Deaf community of Japan with the Word of God—ideas for how to bring the Living Word to life in a living Deaf community using the JSL translation. Much of the day I was either interpreting English to JSL (or reversed when Pastor Matsumoto was talking), or struggling on the margins of international sign and ASL (American Sign Language) while the Deaf group was alone.  In addition to that, we thank God for opportunities to interact with funding organizations.

That was the exhausting and exciting part. At the same time, though, we were encountering the Word in new ways in our own lives, not just thinking about how to engage others. Temporary though they were,  our mini-communities formed around the Word in various contexts brought connections that were particularly refreshing. The Holy Spirit worked through the Word of God and the people of God to bring me personal healing and renewal, and again, I thank you for your part in prayer.

On the home front, we are facing still another period of loss. Mary Esther’s mother’s health is failing, and all of her caregivers recommend that we return soon to say our last goodbyes. Please pray that we will know God’s strong, comforting presence during this time.

Mark writes:

On a lighter note—Mary Esther couldn’t meet me at the airport this time. She just picked up 14 wheelchairs that are filling every spare inch of our van and I didn’t feel like holding a carry-on and a backpack on my lap the whole way home! Praise God for more chairs to clean. The influx was starting to get a little sparse for a while.

Mary Esther’s mother underwent orthopedic surgery this week involving “a metal plate, a bunch of screws and wire.”  Her aging body is dealing with the results of 10 years of kidney dialysis. 

This was a truly amazing week. We accomplished more than we dared hope.  We set out to work on a comprehensive plan for the various Sign Languages in Asia that need translation work, and in the process, the Deaf participants went on to form an ad hoc group to take responsibility for the promotion and development of SLBT (Sign Language Bible Translation) work in Asia.  ViBi will serve as the interim Asia office until a group of five Deaf people from China, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, and Japan chosen by the participants meets again in January. We have a good start on the comprehensive plan, and are putting systems in place for continuing the work.

Please pray for me.  Last week‘s meeting took a huge toll  between late nights,  interpreting, working to follow conversations in Sign Languages related and unrelated to Japanese SL, and transporting people unfamiliar with Japan. Life has not slowed down much since then either. The comprehension check for Matthew is going full swing every day, and we have two guests (Japanese Deaf Pastor and Korean Deaf missionary to a restricted access nation) staying overnight part of this week.  Next week we have a Deaf couple from Costa Rica stay with us.  Life is not always like this, but every once in a while it happens, and we need extra strength. Thanks so much for standing behind us.

When I offer breakfast to our guests,  the Korean missionary and Japanese pastor ask for fried eggs and toast.   Mark、he prefers his rice and fish.

After weeks of bulging inboxes of e-mails and countless webcam conferences, it's finally happening. Ten leaders interested or engaged in Sign Language Bible translation (SLBT) from seven countries will be converging on Japan to join ViBi leadership in planning Deaf Bible access in Asia. Our aim is to lay the groundwork for the creation of a comprehensive plan for SLBT in all of Asia, including a funding proposal.

Pray! With all the time, energy, and funding that has already gone into this endeavor, we want these next four days to be the crux of something new. Beginning with arrivals and someone to meet each person coming, there are seemingly endless possbilities for things to go wrong. Pray that everyone will make it, sleep well, and be ready for the first day. Pray that we'll find ways to communicate in the various Sign Languages we're using. Pray that we will find a way to begin building a solid plan that includes all of the Sign Language Bible needs in Asia. Pray above all that the Holy Spirit with fill us with wisdom and unity, that what comes of this meeting would surpass our dreams. Bible translation needs in the Asian Deaf community have gone unnoticed for years--its time to start moving.

Some who have supported us for years and know our commitment to Japan's Deaf might be wondering:  How does this all fit in with ViBi's needs and goals for Japan's Deaf? The way I see it is this:  The  main thing keeping ViBi from really moving quickly is insufficient funding. Since ViBi's strong Deaf leadership and committment to excellence and innovation have already positioned them as world leaders in SLBT, they are sure to be part of any funding proposal that is made. Funding ViBi's translation needs will meet the needs of Japan's Deaf, while at the same time showing the way and providing resources for other Deaf groups in Asia and beyond.

·         New funding for a new full-time translator for the Japanese Sign Language Bible!

·         Preparation for an Asia Comprehensive Sign Language Bible translation Plan meeting September 10-12.

·         Pastor Minamida’s arm/shoulder/neck condition improving.

·         Check it out!  Wheelchair cleaning lessons. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvWx_6AInlU

Praise God!! We just received word last week of long-term funding that will enable us to hire one new full-time worker. This is a huge answer to prayer, and we thank you for being a part. Pray for wisdom now as we make decisions soon as to who we should hire, and re-adjust our budget. Also, do keep praying. We still have one more request out that will be decided soon. It could, in the best case, enable us to hire a full team of six and finish translating the whole Bible in 10-12 years.

September 9, Sign Language translation leaders from across Asia will arrive in Japan. Our task is clear, to move as far as we can toward a comprehensive Sign Language translation plan for Asia, and then appoint a smaller group to finish the task and report back to the larger group. By March, we need to determine all the Sign Language translation needs in Asia and come up with a comprehensive plan for meeting those needs, including a budget to present to major donor organizations.  ViBi is partnering with SIL International Asia area, who is providing funding, know-how, and logistical support for these meetings. This is a major strategic opportunity that could provide a breakthrough in funding not just for Japan, but for Deaf people all across Asia, but it comes at a very busy time. Pray for us as we plan and prepare.

Praise God!  When pastor Minamida went overseas, it was to minister, but while there, he was ministered to in return. One of the workers there has used podiatry and massage to reach out to others, and was able to provide relief to Pastor Minamida for the arm/shoulder/neck condition that has been hampering him for so long. Pray for his continued healing. Maybe it’s not what Jesus had in mind when he said “it is more blessed to give than to receive”, but our outreach to Sign Language Bible translation in other countries seems consistently to benefit our own project.

This morning we finally received a positive response from an overseas partner organization saying they have found a way to get an import permit for the container of wheelchairs from Japan.  Please pray the process will go smoothly and we can send the container of wheelchairs soon.  Even with the amount of storage space we do have, keeping 150 chairs until they can be shipped takes up valuable space.

We are now both back in Japan. Mark returned August 7 and left on the 8th for a wheelchair event and other activities in Northern Japan. Mary Esther returned on Monday the 17th.  She stayed on in Kansas City after her father's funeral for a while to care for things there.[MP]  People who knew dad from Germany, Japan and the US joined us for dad's service and we are grateful.  To all who sent cards and messages,  thank you. We learned so much about dad, and are humbled to have had such a father.

While Mark was in the U.S. for the funeral, and Pastor Minamida, our translator, was in China, work continued unabated at ViBi. Ms. Yano, our new translation helper was on the webcam almost daily with Pastor Hori. He would explain what the passage meant, and she would sign it. Working together, they recorded Matthew 11-25, and edited all the best takes of chapters 11-20 together into a seamless first draft. Praise God for these wonderful additions to our team, and pray the we fill find the funding to continue working with them.

While you're praying for funding, here's another prayer opportunity. September 9-12 we're partnering together with SIL to host a meeting of representatives from the various Sign Language Bible Translation groups and donor groups operating in Asia. Our aim is to come up with a comprehensive plan for the region that will include funding for the various projects, including ours. The window of opportunity is a small one, and we need to work fast. Pray that the many details and schedules of the people we hope will attend will come together. 

Mary Esther's father, Wilhelm Baum, is now with his Lord and Savior and we rejoice.  

His prayers and ours were granted in that he died in his sleep and didn't seem to experience any distress or discomfort.

Before going to bed he asked for graham crackers for his night-time snack and sat in bed munching away enjoying his treats.  We are thankful he was spared the move to the Long Term Care facility.  He has now moved to his real home!  Rejoice with us.

For those in the Kansas City area, there will be a memorial service on Sunday afternoon August 2 at Blue Ridge Bible Church.