·         Mary Esther on radio interview tomorrow and next week

·         Over 1,000 hits on YouTube JSL Bible video

·         Finishing up Matthew 1-10

Pray for Mary Esther. She will be interviewed tomorrow by FEBC, a Japanese Christian Radio station, regarding Wheelchairs of Hope. Pray for words! Next week Thursday is even more intense—she’s at NHK Chiba, an area branch of the Japan’s national radio station, and the interview is live.

This week at ViBi, we finished up the last major revision work on Matthew 1-10. All that remains is to make sure the revisions were properly edited, run some consistency checks on key words and phrases, and determine a few more name signs.

 

Just did some quick addition and found that our Bible translation video on YouTube has been getting attention. Genesis, Jonah and Ruth have been broken into 103 segments for YouTube publication, and the total hits for all of them is well over 1,000. Jonah chapter 1 was top with 294 hits. Second was Genesis 1:1-5 with 110. Take a look yourself at http://www.youtube.com/user/vibideaf.

Boy--do I hear you loud and clear on that prayer request!  There are so many things where we pray "God we want to know, just show us what it is you desire of us" and then we wait. But God is putting things together in ways we have no idea, long before we can even start to plan what will actually happen. I have to tell you something that really blessed me about making plans.  

 

All the way back in February, Wycliffe and ViBi began talking about 3 weeks of meetings in Dallas in October/November 2009. Mark put it in his calendar to be in Dallas during that time, and to visit some supporting churches.

Two days before Mark was to leave on the trip, I got the phone call. My mom was not doing well, and if I wanted to see her, I needed to get to KC soon.  I was able to book the same flight as Mark, and we flew as far as LA together.

After the first week in Dallas, Mark flew up to KC for the weekend as planned, and got to be with my mom before she passed. The second week-end he was able to come for the funeral. He was still in Dallas while I cared for various things in Kansas City the third week.   I finished up my last appointment there on Friday afternoon  and met him in Chicago on Saturday (arriving 30 minutes before he did.)  He spoke in a church in Chicago on Sunday, and Monday we flew back to Japan together!  

Can you imagine that kind of timing!  Our God was so gracious in allowing Mark to be there (plane tickets paid for by Wycliffe) and available to fly over with me, help on the weekends and fly back with me!  I am so grateful!

 

For three weeks, it’s been 12-13 hour days of either interpreting in Japanese Sign Language or trying to decode meaning from signing in languages I barely understand. This interspersed with weekends in Kansas City with church meetings, hospice vigils, and a funeral. A major loss for our family, particularly for Mary Esther.  Pray for us as we seek to grieve well and also keep up with the work that needs to be done in the coming weeks.

 

The training in Dallas at the Wycliffe center was well received, and gives our whole team a broader base of information on translation theory, linguistics, and planning skills to incorporate into their work. We look forward to see what results it will bring in the weeks, and even years, to come. One immediate result is that planning for the worldwide sign language Bible translation effort spurred our Japan team on to some new looks at how to organize our own work. The two places in Japan where Deaf people are most interested and involved in translation are Tokyo and Yamagata—too far to commute to a central location. The Kansai area, even farther away, seems to be opening up as well. We’re exploring ways to re-structure the project so we can use our limited funds and scattered personnel most effectively. We’ll also be looking at ways to re-structure our translation processes to improve the quality and speed of translation.

 

Work continues on Matthew 1-10, and I need to do final proofing and budget adjustments for a grant application we hope to send in soon.

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

 

Meanwhile, Mary Esther is in Kansas City having some last days with her Mom. She lived a full life and is ready to meet Jesus. We are especially thankful for some precious interactions that Mary Esther will be able to carry with her into her days of mourning. Do be praying for us, though, as it is still a painful loss.

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.

 

 

On the home front, Mary Esther writes:

 

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.