Dallas, Catch You On The Flippity Flip!

(Disclaimer: This was supposed to be posted about three weeks ago... heheh...)

It is time for me to say goodbye to my summer internship here at Pioneer Bible Translators.

Wow.. that was fast. 

I am so thankful for the time I've had to be here and get to know these people. Everyone here has been so kind. It should come as no surprise to you that I have gotten quite attached to them. I love the little community I've built in Dallas.

God has taught me so much about his care for every detail of my life. As a lot of you may know, my primary love language is words of affirmation. God has been intentional in affirming me in His love for me, people's love for me, and the calling he has placed on my life to work with the Deaf. 

The other interns have been so considerate about the ways they've communicated their appreciation for me. I am doing something completely different from all of them, and I honestly don't see them all that much. That has not stopped them from making me feel sought out, loved, and appreciated. Monday night they surprised me with one last whole group hurrah before I fly out. We all ate spaghetti together and played games and made each other laugh. I can't tell you how many times I have looked around at their beautiful faces in astonishment at how amazing, kind, brilliant, determined, and Christ-like these people are. It has been such a sweet gift to spend the summer with them. 

The Lord has used the Deaf Group to affirm His calling on my life. They've taken me under their wing and taught me more about their language and their culture. It keeps getting more beautiful. They have commented on my heart for the Deaf and the way I've educated my peers about interacting with them. One of the guys said I have a Deaf heart. For that, I am very thankful. 

On one particular day, when I was feeling less than inadequate, I had the opportunity to engage in a lead conversational prayer with the Lord. He spent time tearing apart lies I've believed for so long. He reminded me of my students and how the mere fact that they exist is enough for me to adore them. When the Lord directly tells you He feels the same way about you, how can you respond but in utter awe? The Creator not only wants to watch me learn, grow, and experience life; He wants to be a part of it. 

Prayers: 

-Please pray that God will continue to guide me and give me clarity about my role in Deaf ministry. 

-I move to Georgia on Monday to start my new job! Please pray for a peaceful transition. 

Praises: 

-I am praising the Lord for the time I was given to get to know the wonderful people at PBT. 

-I have been in more contact with my teammates at my new school. They are so wonderful! They have been praying for me and our students. I am so excited to get to know them. 

Learning With the Deaf Team

Hello friends,

There is so much to say, and I don't have room to say it all! 

Trip to Deep Ellum with intern pals!

My friends and I have gotten to do some fun things down here in Dallas. One weekend we explored Deep Ellum in Downtown Dallas. There are tons of murals painted all over the sides of buildings. It was so fun to get to walk around and see them! We took some pictures, got some lemonade, and spent some time laughing together in the sunshine. Everyone was so sweet about celebrating my birthday with me! We went for ice cream, made spaghetti for dinner, and watched a movie together. The Red Team had decorated the room with streamers and smiley face balloons. It makes my heart smile to be around people who care so deeply. 

Two weeks ago I started working in the office with the Deaf Group. Guys, these men I am working with are everything fantastic. They patiently teach me, encourage me, and genuinely care about my health and my input. They feel like family. I have learned so much in the past couple of weeks! Perhaps the most impactful being that there are approximately 300 signed languages in the world, and American Sign Language is the only one with a complete Bible translation. You may ask, "Why is it necessary to translate the Bible into sign language? Can't deaf people read?" Yes, if they've had the opportunity to learn. However, English (or whichever written language they've learned) is often their second language. I don't know your experience with languages, but learning new concepts in a language you are not a native of can be difficult. In addition to that, imagine the impact of reading or watching Jesus speaking in *your* language. Hearts are touched when people realize that God cares about them, about their culture, language, life, feelings, etc. Transforming lives is what it's all about. 

Me and the Deaf Group at Deaf VBS! 

Last week the Deaf Group and I volunteered at a Vacation Bible School for deaf children. It's like squishing two of my very favorite things into one! I very much loved getting to know their little minds and spirits. The week inspired me to give you all some things to keep in mind when interacting with deaf people: 

1) Do not be afraid! I know this one is hard. Interacting with a language you don't know can be very intimidating! However, in my experience, deaf people tend to be very patient with new learners. It is so appreciated when someone puts forth effort to interact with them in a way that is accessible. 

2) Be prepared to write! If you don't know any sign language, writing is an easy and effective way to communicate with deaf friends. It is a very common practice in America for Deaf to type back and forth with you on their phone or to write on a pocket notepad. It may take a little longer than speaking, but it's worth it, I promise. 

Practicing ASL with my friends!

 3) Keep a learner's attitude! If you ask them, deaf people are usually happy to let you know how to best communicate with them. Be willing to learn and be flexible! If you are learning ASL be patient with yourself. Learning languages is hard, and you will most definitely mess up. That's okay! That's how you learn. I am so proud of my fellow intern friends as they continue to learn and be curious, even though it's hard. They are such humble learners! 

Thanks for all of your support while I'm out here. I do not doubt that God put me here to make me a better teacher, a better minister, and a more understanding ally to the Deaf community. Here are some ways you can continue praying for me in the coming weeks: 

Prayers: 

-Doing something completely different from the rest of the interns often makes me feel out of the loop. Please pray for my emotions as I navigate how to connect with the other interns in the small amounts of time I get to spend with them. 

- I only have about two weeks left in Dallas. Everything has gone by so fast! Please pray that I will be present and focused while I am here. 

- My stress levels as my move to Georgia approaches are getting higher. Please pray that I will be able to get the important things done without trouble and that I will feel peaceful about the move. 

Praises: 

-I am so thankful for the guys in the Deaf Group. They are so kind, patient, and willing to teach me. They are so fun to be around and have been a huge blessing and encouragement to me. 

-I am seeing improvements in my abilities to interpret and to translate ASL. My teammates have told me so too, and it is so encouraging! 

-I am so incredibly thankful for my roommate. She has such a kind, fun, curious, and caring spirit and I feel like I've known her forever! I am very much cherishing the time we have together in this way. 

Love and hugs, 

Rebekah

The First Time I've Sat Down

I even took a picture out the
plane window!

To all my partners and friends, 

I've only been in Dallas, TX for 11 days and it has felt like a month. It started with my very first plane flight, which went less horribly than I'd imagined. My seat was in the emergency exit row. You cannot cover the windows when you're in the emergency exit row. As I'm sure you can imagine, I panicked a little. However, in my fear, God provided for me. A kind man sat to my right who fueled me with tips for flying and navigating the Dallas airport. Two Christian women sat across the aisle from me. They welcomed me into their conversation, took pictures out the window for me, and one of them even let me hold her hand as we took off and landed. It was a beautiful reminder to me that God sees my fears, and to Him they are significant. 

72 cm high

We started with a week of Pre-Field Orientation (PFO). During that week all the interns got to know one another and formed deeper connections within their teams. My team, the Red Team, is amazing. We've all become friends and it feels like I've known them for years. We shared our life stories and also built an award-winning spaghetti-marshmallow tower. 

This past week has been Discovery. During Discovery, missionaries from Pioneer Bible Translators come to present. These presentations have covered all sorts of topics from dealing with spiritual warfare on the field, to literacy development in orally based cultures. Did you know that there are approximately 7,300 languages in the world? Or that one of the biggest needs on the missions field are business people? I didn't know either! It has truly been a fantastic learning experience. 

I finally met the Deaf Group face-to-face after nearly three years of talking with them. We all exchanged hugs. I was so excited I could hardly breathe! One night Mark Lowenstein, our fearless leader, gave a presentation. The sheer joy of experiencing American Sign Language in a ministry setting brought me to tears. I'm finally here, guys! 

One thing the interns have been practicing this week is listening for God's voice. Yesterday, we did an activity where we asked God what He wanted to speak to us, and then waited. The most random thing stuck out to me in the room: the sound dampeners hung all over the walls. I was like, "Okay God, so what?" I thought about their use and how teachers use similar things to dampen the noise in their classrooms. Teachers have important things to say to their students. I care about them and I want them to be able to hear my voice. However, if my students do not want to hear me, they won't listen. God spoke to me saying, "My dear daughter, I am the same. I will give you every tool you need to hear My voice, you only need to stop and listen."

The Red Team!

I'm sure you can tell that my schedule has been very busy! Every night I have been excited and relieved to crawl into bed. Even so, I have learned so much already. I am so thankful for all of your prayers and support as I finished up school and prepared for the summer. Here are some ways you can continue praying for me:

-Pray that, while our schedules are packed, the Lord would give me and my teammates good rest and motivation for the day. 

-While I am leaving early, pray that God will use the time I have here to be a blessing both for me and the groups I'll be a part of (Deaf Group, Third Culture Kids Group, Red Team, etc.)

 -Pray that the Lord would protect me from any evil anxiety so I can be bold. 

Let's not forget to praise the Lord for the beautiful things He has done already:

-I am praising God that my internship did not happen last year. He brought me here just at the right time to refocus my desires, to meet the right people, and to grow my relationship with Him before I move out on my own. His timing is perfect.  

-Thank the Lord for the kind people He brought to me to help me through my first flight! From Emma helping me buy my tickets and frontloading me with tips, to the kind woman who held my hand while I was afraid, to the lovely flight attendant who made sure I was doing okay. God provides for me and sees me in all circumstances. 

-The girls on the Red Team are amazing. We've worked well together the past 11 days, and I am hoping our friendships are long-lasting. 

Thank you all for your prayers and support! I couldn't be here without you! 

Love and hugs, 

Rebekah Knisley