Newsletter – May 2017

Greetings Friends & Fellow-Laborers,

It is so exciting to see how God is opening new doors and opportunities in the world of Deaf people!

THIS PAST SPRING – March was a busy month. Silent Word Missionaries Jon and Diane Barr conducted special area-wide Fantastic Saturday meetings nearly every weekend. I helped with three of the meetings. I taught the children’s class in the Atlanta meeting and took turns teaching the children’s class in South Carolina with SWM missionary Nicole Condra. In Trenton, Georgia, I helped with book tables and assisted those attending (we had over 100 people attend this meeting).

In almost every meeting, there were exciting stories about people who attended. A deaf family recently moved to America from Germany. They “just “happened” to visit a church where the deaf leader was a former missionary to Germany and knew German signs (sign language is NOT universal). The family attended SWM’s Fantastic Saturday in Florida, and the two daughters were saved. In Atlanta, a deaf couple from Brazil came. The Barrs put them in contact with SWM International Director, David Bennett, who was a missionary to the Deaf in Brazil for many years.

The theme for the Fantastic Saturday meetings was “I’ll Say Yes, Lord.” I think it is interesting that it seemed God was teaching me that exact thing in several areas of my own ministry this spring. In my last newsletter, I explained the burden God gave me to assist a church by teaching the pastor’s wife and her friend more signs so they could interpret for a deaf woman (the pastor’s sister) who was attending. In the beginning, the thought of driving 40 minutes each way to their church every week, interpreting morning services, teaching signs (I used SWM’s Video Vocabulary DVD and manual) and ASL grammar, then interpreting the late afternoon service by myself was overwhelming. I even asked the Lord, “Why me?” I felt there were others at SWM much more skilled at teaching and signing than me. But after my first visit to the church, it seemed the Lord was telling me that I was the one who was available.

I went for several weeks, and the ladies were eager to learn. But recently the deaf woman decided that she wanted to attend services at Piney Grove Baptist Church, where SWM regularly provides interpreters and teachers. The pastor and his wife are actually very happy that she has chosen to get more involved with us. Instead of being the only deaf person in church, now she will be around other Deaf people. However, please continue to pray for her, and also for us as we minister to her.

UPCOMING – My family in Tennessee is getting ready for an exciting adjustment – my sister, Mary, is getting married in October. I will be traveling there from time to time to help with plans and preparations.

PRAYER REQUEST – Would you please pray that I will raise the rest of my support soon? Often people ask, “Are you the secretary at SWM?” The answer is no – I am a “Home-Office missionary.” I am not paid (none of our missionaries are), so I need to raise support as any other missionary. Although I have many “duties” at the Home Office on Monday through Thursday, my ministry is full-time. God has extended my ministry outside of the office through helping with meetings and events, ministering at Deaf gatherings, interpreting in other churches, raising Deaf ministry awareness, visiting shut-ins, and more.

Silent Word Ministries does give me a supplement each month until I raise my full support – $1800 a month. My desire is to see that supplement be used for other SWM ministry needs. This is one reason why I would love to finish raising my support soon. I currently have 53% of my support. The current need is for an additional $846 per month. God is good!

Thank you for partnering with me in ministry!

Truly Blessed

Tabitha Beam