Newsletter – June 2024
Greetings Friends & Fellow-Laborers,
God has given several service and outreach opportunities this spring.
Highlights:
New Volunteers – During the SWM Community Sign Class earlier this year, one young lady, Jordan, expressed interest in volunteering at SWM. Jordan now comes as needed to assist with projects. Another lady, Nancy, from a local church in Trenton has also begun volunteering occasionally. ((SWM still needs someone to assist with technology and website updates and upkeep.)
Fantastic Saturdays – Over 100 people attended each area-wide outreach for Deaf ministries in Trenton and Atlanta, Georgia! It was a blessing to be involved with these meetings. Praise the Lord!
“Deaf Days” – Creation Museum/Ark Encounter – I traveled with Jon and Diane Barr to Kentucky for this annual event. Jon interpreted and also taught a workshop to help interpreters prepare for some of the words and ideas that might be used during the event. Diane and I managed the SWM book table and talked with people about SWM.
Deaf Social – In April, I attended what was supposed to be a Deaf social event at a local coffee shop. However, only one person showed up – a lady who was learning sign language. As the two of us sat and talked, we were joined by another very friendly hearing lady who just “happened” to come into the coffee shop. Her name was Rasta, and she was originally from Taiwan. She had a very interesting “spiritual” story, and I was able to share some of my testimony and encourage her to read the book of John. Please pray for God to reveal Himself to Rasta and help her to understand salvation.
New Video Series – I am eager for SWM to launch a new short video series on social media soon. Deaf people love to watch other Deaf people teach the Bible in their own language. So recently, I coordinated a project for Allen Snare (SWM Deaf evangelist) to teach 5-7 min. devotions, explaining verses in signs. For several weeks now, SWM volunteer Vicki Shiffer has been filming the devotions and editing the videos. The title of the series will be “What Mean Verse?” (An ASL way of saying, “What Does This Verse Mean?”)
DBLR – The other Deaf Baptist Ladies Retreat board members came to SWM for 3 days in May. We met to discuss the annual retreat in October. This year, the retreat will be held in Kansas City, Kansas. The theme will be “There’s No Place Like Home.” Our local ladies also conducted a yard sale in May to help cover our expenses (travel, registration, hotel, etc.) to attend the retreat. One of the local churches in Trenton has graciously allowed us to use their fellowship hall for the yard sale for the past several years. Having the yard sale indoors has been a great blessing.
Missions Conference – God is so good! On a Sunday morning, I recently visited a church in Lafayette, Georgia. They were just beginning a missions conference. They had an opening for one more missionary to share on Wednesday night, so they invited me to share about the needs in Deaf ministry! The people were very friendly, and it was such a blessing to be a part of their conference.
Upcoming opportunities:
- I plan to teach the beginner sign class at the ASL Institute again this summer.
- I am eager to attend another DDR (Deliberate Discipleship Retreat) at the end of July, taught by SWM International Director David Bennett. The retreat will focus on how to disciple others.
Praises:
- The ladies group at a local church voted to begin supporting my ministry here at SWM!
Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for my family as Dad fights cancer and Mom struggles with lack of energy and other health issues. I have been driving up to middle TN about one weekend a month this year to visit and help with projects.
- Please pray that I will get deputation meetings and reach full support soon. Support needed: 12%
Thankful for you all,
Tabitha Beam
