Newsletter – February 2023

2022 was an exciting and eventful year for me at the SWM Home Office:

• Coordinated the use of Prophet’s Chambers nearly 30 separate times.
• Processed 419 online orders plus phone/mail-in orders.
• Prepared articles and advertisements for six issues of “The Silent Word” newspaper and coordinated volunteers for processing and mailing it.
• Traveled to Missouri in the spring with Mrs. Camp to help plan the Deaf Baptist Ladies Retreat.
• Taught Beginner Sign Language classes in Georgia and Michigan in the summer.
• Joined SWM International team to give out Gospel literature at the DeafNation World Expo in Nevada.
• Finished a three-year Bible program and graduated from Faith Bible Institute at a local church.
• Attended the Deaf Baptist Ladies Retreat in the fall -assisted with decorating and coordinated technology for speakers.

I am so thankful for the team of regular volunteers who are available and willing to help in any way needed. Often I delegate book orders, prayer letter mailings, and cleaning to them so that I can answer phones, edit/update master files for printing, and update the website. Once last year, I joked with one of our volunteers (as we were deflating beach balls after a Hawaiian-themed Deaf fellowship) that it is difficult to explain what I do at the office because of the variety. God has truly blessed me indeed and enlarged my coast since coming to SWM almost 12 years ago.

Last year, SWM hired a long-time friend of the ministry, Jackie Bradford, as the new “Office Assistant.” She comes to the office Mon-Wed, 9am-4pm. She assists Mrs. Carlene Camp and Mrs. Diane Barr in the business office and is also a huge help to me. Having another lady who can share the job of answering phones and processing/printing postage for mail is invaluable. She and a volunteer wrote descriptions for SWM online products and added them to the online store – a very time-consuming job!

In October of last year, SWM missionary, Mrs. Donna Condra, went to Michigan to care for her mother who graduated to Heaven on November 6 at 96 years old. Mrs. Condra, who grades and processes the Deaf Bible Institute (DBI) lessons for SWM, has remained in Michigan to take care of some family things after her mother’s passing. In her absence, Mrs. Jackie Bradford and I are working together to grade and process tests every week or two and keep the DBI program going. Please pray for Mrs. Condra to be able to finalize things and come home. She is missed.

2023 is proving to be just as eventful as last year. The office was closed for two weeks at Christmas. When I returned from time with family in Florida, SWM had two graphic design students from Pensacola Christian College, ready for their internship with us. Abigail Smith worked hard editing a new DBI brochure, updating the SWM logo, and designing a new prayer card for a missionary, while Michelle Cheatham gave advice and help for improving the SWM website.

Other Projects – Already this year, a ministry friend donated and installednew security cameras in the office. Soon the office will get much-needed new laminate flooring. This will be a HUGE project as furniture, desks, partition walls, and all of the printed materials and shelving will need to be moved and then set up again after the floor is finished. We processed the first issue of the newspaper this year – after changing to a different printing company, which also required increasing the size of the paper, ordering larger envelopes for packets, and getting creative in folding the papers to fit properly.

In my last prayer letter, I included a prayer request for God to provide $1,200 for a new laptop to use in ministry. I was overwhelmed at the generosity of friends and supporters! Thank you!!! Not only was I able to purchase the laptop, but I was also able to get a case for day-to-day use, a slightly larger organizer case for travel, an extra power cord to use at the office, a powerpoint clicker, and other needed adapters. I love using the newer, faster computer for projects!

Please pray as we move forward on a new project of updating and improving several SWM materials, and also begin another year of Deaf events and meetings.

I am getting closer to reaching full support! Please pray that I will raise the final 18% in the next few months.

Please pray:

• For wisdom in coordinating volunteer projects.
• For God to provide my remaining 16% support needed.
• For God’s provision of $1,200 for a new laptop to use in ministry. [PRAISE THE LORD! NEED IS MET!]

Thankful for you all,

Tabitha Beam