Newsletter – December 2021

I am so thankful that God has called me to serve in Deaf ministry with Silent Word Ministries! Every week, God gives me plenty of opportunities to minister.

I have learned that when I focus on Christ and love Him more (abiding in the vine), He gives me daily strength to obey and serve (walking in the Spirit). Trying hard to do right and obey the Bible in my own strength only results in frustration. Without His help, I can do nothing.

God has given me the opportunity to begin a Bible study with a young lady whom I have known for several years, and this is what I have been sharing with her. She has a desire to grow and honor the Lord. I am grateful for this opportunity to influence her life. We need more young people with a heart for God.

Recently, I presented the needs of Deaf ministry at a missions conference in Ranger, Georgia. Getting the “Gospel to every [Deaf] creature” is an enormous task because we must go to every country! The people were very friendly and some admitted they hadn’t thought much about reaching the Deaf world. During the conference, it was sobering to hear statistics presented of how few Christian young people feel called to become missionaries in this generation. One missionary mentioned a recent gathering where 3,500 young people surrendered to Christ for service, but only one surrendered to missions. It reminded me of the Bible command to “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the Harvest that He would send forth laborers into His Harvest,” (Mt. 9:38). Dr. Terry Ellis (Rock of Ages Prison Ministry), the main conference speaker, shared this quote: “Christ alone can save the world, but Christ cannot save the world alone.”

In August, SWM conducted our annual Missions Retreat. I’m blessed to serve with such a wonderful team of missionaries, and I love this special time together! Hearing our leaders share burdens, plans, and goals for the ministry helps me assist in many areas. Sharing needs and blessings between missionaries helps us stay connected. Meals and free times give opportunities to talk with new missionaries and learn from the experience of others.

This year, SWM missionaries, Monique Lindsey & Carrie Whaley, shared their burden for Liberia. In Africa, Deaf people and those with special needs are often seen as worthless and sold into slavery or sacrificed to idols. Yet these people are treasured by God, and many can be saved spiritually and physically.

God has not called me to go to Liberia. But He has called me to assist Carrie, Monique, and other SWM missionaries. Forwarding their mail, sending materials for meetings, keeping them informed about events and new resources, connecting them with churches, passing on phone calls, and making sure that the SWM website and online donations are working properly are a few ways God allows me to help with their ministries.

 

 

In November, I joined SWM missionaries Jon & Diane Barr in their West Virginia Fantastic Saturday. It was a small meeting, but there were some first-time attendees who wanted to begin or grow their Deaf ministry. What a blessing it was to talk or sign with several ladies and to learn about their ministries, burdens, and blessings.

NEXT YEAR – The DeafNation World Expo is scheduled for July 2022. In the past, this international Deaf event has brought thousands of Deaf people to the US. SWM International is taking a mission team and, Lord willing, I plan to join them. We will personally witness and hand out tracts, Gospel DVDs, and other materials. This will be my fourth trip to the Expo. The cost is $1700 plus airfare. I currently have $1,775 for this trip and still need $425 to cover airfare/ travel. I am looking forward to this unique opportunity! (Donation designations: SWM – Tabitha Beam Mission Trip)

Praises:

• Increase in online orders: (Getting Gospel and Deaf Ministry Materials in the hands of others)
  • 2019: almost 4,000 items ordered.
  • 2020: over 7,000 items ordered.
  • 2021 to date: almost 10,500 items ordered!
• Bible study begun with a young lady
• Increase in social media – requests for materials, questions, people seeking help
• Recent missions conference opportunity
• Opportunity to regularly interpret in two local churches

Prayer Requests:

• Office assistant(s) needed to answer phones, clean, coordinate mailings, and send orders.
• Technology person needed to assist with IT, video, and other tech areas.
• Wisdom/creativity for reaching Deaf young people.
• For Salvation: John, Anna, Joan, Mechele, Ana
• Missionaries to conduct outreaches on the West Coast and establish events in the Midwest.
• More churches to develop a burden for reaching the Deaf – many Deaf people are looking for churches near them where they can understand God’s Word.
• Spring 2022 – SWM sign language classes, area-wide Fantastic Saturday Deaf outreaches, and more
• July 2022 – DeafNation World Expo, team mission trip with opportunity to reach thousands of Deaf people coming to the USA
• Support – I am currently receiving 69% of my needed support. Please pray that I can schedule more meetings soon and raise the additional amount.

Thank you so much for your faithful prayers and support. You are a blessing. God is still changing lives in the Deaf world!

Merry Christmas!

Truly Blessed,

Tabitha Beam
Ecclesiastes 9:10