Proud to be a Refugee?

Definition of REFUGEE

: one that flees; especially : a person who flees to a foreign country or power to escape danger or persecution

Here in Utica, NY it is estimated that between 12-18% of the population is made up of refugees. This is a concentration so large that it has been known to make national lists and has caught the attention of NPR, the New York Times, PBS, and countless other publications.

Many of the individuals we serve here at Utica Eastside Mission are refugees and discussions about culture happen on a regular basis at our After-School Program around the snack table.  


Recently I was brainstorming new ideas for our summer program and I was trying to come up with a name.  I want the name to tell individuals who have no idea about the refugee population in Utica exactly who we are and what we do but I have been afraid to use the word "refugee".


When I worked in the Deaf community in Baltimore, MD the Deaf individuals there were proud of their Deafness, so proud that they intentionally used a capitol "D" whenever writing the word.  I began to wonder if refugees are proud of, ashamed of, or indifferent to the fact that they are refugees.


When you search for images under "refugee" these are the typical results:

This is very close to my own image of refugees before moving to Utica and this is absolutely an honest portrayal of individuals who have been forced to flee from their homes around the world.  Although, once I arrived in Utica my image of refugees changed to something more like this:

Isn't that something to be proud of, something worthy of honoring?  So, I asked two of the kids that attend our After-School Program and here is the deeply significant response I received...


Me: I have a question for you, are you a refugee?  Is that something you talk about at home?
Child #1: I don't know.  My family is from Vietnam, my brother was born in another country and I was born here.
Me: Does your family ever talk about being refugees?
Child #2: What is a refugee?
Me:  A refugee is a person or group of people that need to leave where there are living because something bad happened to them.  They then go live in another place. It just refers to the group of people.  Would your feelings be hurt if I called you a refugee or said we had programs here for refugees?
Child #2: What is a refugee?


Next time I will ask the older kids and adults.  For now I will continue to think this over.  What I know is that I cherish the relationships I have made with these group of individuals.  I understand that some of them have been through terrible things in their lives and I want to show them the greatest amount of respect.  I also want volunteers who come to work with us to know who they are working alongside.  Maybe I will name the program "Awesome People Who Have Great Stories, Outreach"

Tonight We Shine Lights

Recently I was honored to be asked to give the opening prayer at the Utica Relay For Life Luminaria Ceremony. It might seem like a nice way to network but since my mom has been battling Colon Cancer for over 2 years now and since she recently found out it is spreading again, I was touched by the opportunity. The ceremony was beautiful and I felt like the process of writing the prayer might have been more for myself than anyone else but I hope that others found something in it that touched them too. Here is the prayer that I wrote:

Creator God,

Comforter,

Healer,

Tonight we shine lights for those who have ignited sparks in each of us. We watch as their lights still warm us. We focus on their glow and grieve their loss, grieve for their fight. We speak their names:

“My Mother”

“My Father”

“My Brother”

“My Sister”

“My Loved One”

“My Friend”

As we walk past the lights we watch as they all shine in their own way. They each guide our paths uniquely. Comforter, we miss them. Healer, we are scared for them. Creator God, comfort and heal.

We notice as we march that these lights, though unique, share a similar story, guide a similar path and bring us together to say:

“I am sorry you are grieving”

“I don’t “know” your pain but I care about your pain.”

“Enough is enough!”

And “There Is Still Hope”

Because just as we have lost, we have also heard powerful stories of survival. “Survival” a word we shout with some and are too afraid to whisper with others. Creator God, comfort and heal.

So tonight we grieve, we honor, we support one another, we share, we walk past these lights and remember, we are sad, we are encouraged by the reality that someday there will be a cure. Tonight we do all of these things and we ask that you, Creator God, comfort and heal.

Amen.

Annual Report

Recently I needed to create an annual report for Utica Eastside Mission. This was a great task. I love taking the time to look back over the year and report about all the great things that have happened. Here are the highlights!

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

This year local churches were involved in mission in the city of Utica because of their collaboration with Utica Eastside Mission. Mohawk District congregations were inspired to share their witness and encourage others to be involved in local mission. This year 16 district churches gave their time and talents to Utica Eastside Mission.

Residents living on the east side of Utica see the United Methodist Church as a place of safety and compassion because of the witness of Utica Eastside Mission. Authentic relationships were created across race and class barriers when local church members volunteered at health-fairs, community meals, the after-school program, or social events. This year UEM passed out 30 back packs filled with school supplies, filled 6 large garbage bags at our neighborhood clean-up and treated the After-School program children to 18 fieldtrips.

Young adults were given leadership opportunities in the church because of Utica Eastside Mission, this year. As a direct result of those opportunities, young adults are encouraged to be involved in the United Methodist Church. Utica Eastside Mission employed 3 individuals this year and all were young adults. One individual is a neighborhood resident, one a Utica college student, and one a United Methodist Church and Community Worker.This year local churches were involved in mission in the city of Utica because of their collaboration with Utica Eastside Mission. Mohawk District congregations were inspired to share their witness and encourage others to be involved in local mission. This year 16 district churches gave their time and talents to Utica Eastside Mission.

Children and adults received healthy meals and nutrition education because of our after-school program, community meals, and health fairs. Neighborhood residents received the tools and education to combat disease and improve their health and the health of their families. UEM served 2,519 healthy meals this past year and participated in a 5 week long nutrition education program.

CHURCH AND COMMUNITY WORKER MESSAGE:

Greetings!

It has been my pleasure to work at Utica Eastside Mission this year. I have watched as lives of neighborhood residents and local church congregants were changed. Children experienced the love of Jesus Christ through the United Methodist Church in Utica, NY, neighborhood residents witnessed the expression of that love through the children and volunteers, and United Methodist Churches in the Mohawk District volunteered their time in mission and were blessed in return.

The accomplishments of Utica Eastside Mission would not be possible without the support of our volunteers and donors. I sincerely thank you for taking the time and choosing to be in mission with us! We are all Christ’s hands and feet and his footsteps are evident across this city in

profound ways. Thank you for making this year fantastic! I am excited to see where next year takes us!

Blessings,

Mary B. Gladstone-Highland

MESSAGE FROM AN AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM PARTICIPANT:

Seven year old Mariam marches into the UEM office with a sticker and a scowl on her face. “Hey! Why couldn’t I hang out in the office with you today?” she exclaims.

I explain that I was busy earlier and ask her if she would like to be interviewed. She hops up on the filing cabinet, grabs the video camera and says “shoot!”

Mariam proceeds to answer my questions about the After-School program with dramatic intensity. “What is your favorite thing about the program?” I ask. “You have fun!” she explains. I continue with “What is the best thing we did this year?”and she adds “We went to the museum.” Mariam goes on to explain that she enjoyed spending time at Munson Williams Procter Art Institute and having a story read to her. She tells me that she has friends at the After-School program and has learned “to be nice” to everyone.

Mariam is just one of kids that attend the Utica Eastside Mission After-School program. She works hard on her homework and appreciates the UEM staff and volunteers. All the children served by Utica Eastside Mission are unique and unrepeatable miracles of God and we are blessed to know them. Being in mission with UEM is a chance to get to meet great kids like Mariam.

CALL TO ACTION:

If each church in the Mohawk District made a commitment of $600 a year in support of Utica Eastside Mission, our current operating budget would be paid for in full. Please consider answering the call to this challenge and become an annual donor.

FINANCIALS:

Income 7% Individual Donations 18% Grants 75% Church Donations

Expenses 59% Programming 41% Administrative

Utica Eastside Mission currently receives income from three different sources, individual donors, congregational donations, and grants from the Upper New York Annual Conference. A majority of UEM expenses are spent directly on Utica Eastside Mission programs such as the After-School program. For a copy of the full UEM financial report please contact the UEM office at (315)-292-1239 or by e-mail at uticaeastsidemission@gmail.com

New population, New heartbreaks, New blessings

Church and Community Ministry is described as a “kaleidoscopic” ministry for a reason. In my first placement I worked with culturally Deaf or Deaf-Blind individuals who were mainly adults or older teenagers.

At Utica Eastside Mission I now spend most of my days with children who are either refugees themselves or descendants of refugees. Our After-School program attendees are fantastic kids with great imaginations, and it is not uncommon for me to spend some time in my office each afternoon having discussions about the zoo, or monsters under the bed.

These children are so full of life and excitement that it is easy to forget what they have experienced in their short lives. One elementary student is already on probation; a middle school aged youth is being kicked out of his home.

Recently I took our youth to a paintball ministry weekend at a district church. Two of the youth had gone the first day and on our way to the church the second day they were telling the third youth that because he missed the first day he would have to spend time at a practice session to learn how to shoot the paintball gun. While he was fretting about how much time he would miss on the field his brother piped up from the back and said “Oh never mind, you have shot guns before you will be fine!”

The youth then confided in me that before they came to America they knew child soldiers and used to fire guns often.

These are children and youth that are appreciative of what you offer them, hard workers, and amazing creations of God. I am anguished to hear what they have experienced and glad that at Utica Eastside Mission they are experiencing the love of Christ.

What a blessing it is to provide a safe place for children who have experienced so much violence. What a blessing it is to learn from each other and share with one another about our lives.

Thank you so much for your prayers and gifts, thank you for being in ministry with me and with these children and youth, thank you!

Living in the Westside, Working on the Eastside

Andrew and I moved to upstate New York this summer to take on two new Church and Community Worker positions. We are now living in the near west side of Syracuse and Andrew is working at Syracuse Westside Urban Mission, a ten step walk from our front door. I am working in Utica, NY at the Utica Eastside Mission, a commute of two hours a day. So far, I have listened to these books in the car:

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows (21 hours)

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (18 hours)

Marley and Me (6 hours)

Car Talk (4 hours)

The Appeal (12 hours)

Blood Brothers (12 hours)

During the first two weeks I had not tuned into the audio book scene yet and I found myself trying not to be depressed about the drive and now I look forward to that time each day.

Back to what it is like living and working at our new sites. As Church and Community Workers we are called to live with the community we serve. Andrew’s site had a very nice parsonage for us so we are living in his community. During my 5 years in Baltimore at the Deaf Shalom Zone, we did not serve a geographical area, so I spent those years living downtown. I liked to think of myself as someone who was smart about safety but also not afraid of the city. I had clients and friends that lived in abandoned looking row houses and clients and friends who lived in nice suburban homes. I got to see all sides of the city. When we first drove through our new neighborhood in Syracuse I thought it looked rougher than I had been used to but, like I said, we are called to live in and with the community.

During the first few days of living in the near west side I am sad to say, human to say, privileged to say, afraid to say, I experienced culture shock. One drive through the neighborhood took us past a cop who was choking a young man to get him to spit out the drugs the young man tried to swallow and another young man who was walking his giant pit bull with large free weights hanging from the dog’s side. We have been told there is dog fighting in the neighborhood. One friend told us she walked out of the church next door one night to find a dead body.

In the few months that we have lived in the area I have grown to feel more comfortable. Andrew has met a lot of the individuals living in the neighborhood, our air conditioner did a good job of drowning out the blaring street noise most nights, we have learned how to use our alarm system and not set it off accidentally every day, and our back yard, though in need of gardening, has begun to feel like our own oasis.

Sunday night I needed to go out to the car and bring in the giant bags of dog and cat food I purchased. When I came home from church I put on my black bike shorts, a huge t-shirt and my pink, rubber soled, hippo socks with actual 3D hippo heads on them. Attractive, I know, the glamorous life of a missionary. Andrew and I marched out to get the pet supplies and we lugged them into the house while three cop cars, a fire truck, an ambulance, and an “undercover” police van complete with antennas and computers inside busted the drug house across the street.

This is our new life, and so far, I am really enjoying this new chapter. Andrew and I get the opportunity to meet and learn from people who are vastly different and very similar to us, we get to make connections with local churches and encourage them to comes to the city and help out at our missions, most of all we get to be in mission and ministry with our neighbors in Christ. Some parts of this new life are funny, some scary, most exciting. Stay tuned for more stories from this chapter. Peace.

*pictures shown are random pictures of the neighborhood

Another Way to learn about the Zone

I put together a Prezi presentation to share the ministry of the Deaf Shalom Zone, Inc. You can view it by clicking http://prezi.com/qg2f5rxxfvo-/ Once you open the link click the right arrow at the bottom of the page to watch the presentation! Enjoy!

Directly in the Middle of Awful and Beloved

As I have mentioned before, my job consists of the highest highs and the lowest lows with a few boring hours thrown in the mix.

Just for your reference, here is an example of boring:

Interpreting surveys so that a client can get a "free gift" of a t-shirt with a puppy on it...not life altering!

This is another post that will fall right in the middle of awful and beloved. In January I interpreted for a United Methodist, youth conference, in Ocean City. This conference hosts christian artists and has around 6,000 attendees. Needless to say it is kinda' fun to be on stage! (brag brag brag)

I went to this conference my first year in Baltimore and the worship leader was a man named Reggie Dabbs. He brought with him a group called "Masters Commission". Reggie is hilarious and MC preforms live music videos that are inspiring and blunt. I remember thinking as I watched that first year that the skits were motivating but more serious than necessary for a group of youth. I never experienced drug and alcohol abuse as a member of Warren First UMC's youth group.

This year on the other hand I had some experience under my belt. As I interpreted the closing service, Reggie asked all the adults to "hug their babies". Hug your babies! Show love to those youth who need it so desperately in their lives. It could have been the powerful music that moved me or the literally thousands of youth that were standing, saying "I have been hurt by this life!" It could have been both. It could have been the stories that ran through my head as I interpreted, the Deaf boy I know who grew up with no one to communicate with and experienced abuse at home and rape at school. It could have been the Deaf boy I know who held another boy down during a sexual assault. It could have been the girl at church I see every Sunday who has so much potential and a family that has taught her that she needs to hit and punch to get attention. Whatever the reason was, I no longer felt that the message was too harsh. I felt it was just right! I was moved by the message of love for those who need it and forgiveness for those who have done terrible things. I was moved by the youth leaders that got out of their seats and hugged their babies for what could have been a half an hour. I was moved to tears, crying like a baby up in front of 6,000 people.

That evening was beautiful, the experiences were not. This is the world that some youth live in. Some are like me and they play bite the onion with friends on a Friday night, and some have experiences that call us to "hug your babies!" This evening was life altering. Now, go hug some babies! Peace.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyheJ480LYA

Avoiding the Exploitation of Those I Love

I haven't updated my blog in a long time. The reason is only partly due to the fact that there are ten thousand other things to do in life like... get married, be there for my mom who has cancer, and work. Other than those factors I have mostly stopped updating my missionary blog because I linked it to Facebook. Before I could write entries about my experiences as a Church and Community Worker missionary and I was fairly sure that few would read it. Once I linked my blog to Facebook I not only became aware of the public(ness) of it, but I also began to think about the individuals I write about. I thought about what they would think if they saw their story being told. I struggles with how to tell the stories, the funny, exciting, heartbreaking stories of the Deaf and Deaf-Blind individuals I know, with respect. How would I share their experiences so that others can learn about the struggles and joys that face Deaf individuals while at the same time not exploiting those I love. I came to the conclusion, with the help of my new pastor and friend, that from here on out:

I will not use real names

I will tell true facts but...

I will combine many different stories in order to hide identities.

I will continue to post pictures of individuals who have given me permission but the pictures might not be of those mentioned in the post.



Here's to moving forward! Peace!

Conversations with Strangers

Yesterday I picked up a Deaf man from Damascus, Maryland and drove him into Baltimore City. The hour long drive from the man’s house to our final destination was filled with pleasant conversation about marriage and children, Deaf services and American Sign Language skills. He was not a client of the Deaf Shalom Zone except for the fact that we were asked by his Social Worker to provide transportation so that he could get into the city to pick up his four year old Deaf-Blind son from the hospital. We were told that his son was dying and he needed to be with him. I didn’t know this man and didn’t want to pry into his life so I left him at the front doors to the hospital knowing very little about his son’s illness or even his name. While we chatted in the car he seemed distant at first and then slowly began to ask me questions about my life. “How many children do you have?” “Is your finance Deaf?” “I like your driving.” I would like to say that the easy conversation was helpful for him during such a hard time but he might have just wanted to fill the empty space between the seats of two strangers. His name was James and I might not ever see him again but he and his family will be in my prayers. It is easy to feel at times like all we do at the Zone is transport people around and in this case that is literally all I did, but I hope that is was more James and his son. I hope throughout the rest of my ministry that I get the opportunity to transport more strangers, preferably for cheerier reasons, and share with them pleasant conversation. I also hope that I continue to meet different people from all walks of life in any moment in their life. I want to drive strangers to the hospital, the job interview, and the laundry mat, to their homes and to church and I look forward to the Christ that we will share with one another.

Tips for selling drugs at church...

#1 Don't.  Don't sell drugs period.  That probably seems easy enough but unfortunately I have to say that.

#2 If you are going to sell drugs at church don't put them in an envelope and write "to___ from___" on it.  This tends to be a dead giveaway as to who sold it to whom.  

#3 If you put the drugs in said envelope, don't put a note in the envelope that says "$125 Buy this drug please, not tell no one ok!"  

#4 and probably the most important... If you happen to ignore steps 1-3, it is best not to drop the drugs on the floor of the sanctuary while walking up to the alter to be prayed over for your birthday, this tends to defeat the purpose of selling/buying the drugs in the first place and ends up getting you in a lot of trouble.

Crazy things like this don't happen at my church because it is a deaf church. Things like this happen at my church because everyone is welcome.  Today we sereved communion and everyone walked towards the front of the church to taste the body and blood of christ and to know that they are all a part of that body.  The drug dealer, the ex-con, the immigrant, the social worker, the lay leader, the preacher, all are welcome.  Lets be very clear, we do not condone selling drugs, buying drugs, or any such self destructive behavior by any means, but we also do not turn anyone away from the body of christ and we hope that by coming to church and feeling excepted and loved that they can kick the bad behavior and drop more of their envelopes on the floor on the way to communion and leave them there for good!  Peace.

Deaf TV

I walked into my office the other day and one of the youth from church was watching a video on-line.  I asked him about it and he told me that it was from something called www.deaftv.com.  I wish I would have known about this during my first few years of learning ASL.  It is a great resource for anyone who is looking to advance their receptive ASL skills.  It is also great for all my Deaf friends as a source of media completely focused on the Deaf community.  Take some time and check it out!  Also, if you are looking to practice ASL try searching for Deaf Vlogs on Youtube.com this is a place where you can practice skills and learn what Deaf community memebers are going thinking about important issues.  I appologize to those Sign Language imparied friends of mine but most of the vlogs videos on deaftv are not captioned!   Peace!

Wordle

 

GBGM article

The Deaf Shalom Zone was featured on the General Board of Global Ministries website. Please enjoy the article below. To read the article on the GBGM wesbsite please visit http://gbgm-umc.org/global_news/pr.cfm?articleid=5118

Peace.

Deaf Ministries Have a Heart

New York, NY, August 21, 2008--In American Sign Language, the sign for Methodist is the same as the sign for enthusiasm. This is historically appropriate, and many United Methodists today are excited about deaf ministries and communicating through sign language. One place of such enthusiasm is the General Board of Global Ministries.
Ministry with the deaf on a church-wide basis was launched by the 2000 United Methodist General Conference, the denomination's quadrennial legislature, and was assigned to Global Ministries. It continues as a creative, innovative, and global emphasis.
Bishop Rev. Peggy Johnson was a consultant with Global Ministries' deaf ministries at the time of its inception and was pastor of Christ Church, a congregation for the deaf at the time of her election to the episcopacy in July 2008. She is the author of Deaf Ministry: Make a Joyful Silence, which makes it clear that ministry of any kind, and especially with the deaf, is a matter of the heart.
The scope of ministries with people with hearing challenges has expanded into international and policy-making arenas.
"This international emphasis is empowering in many ways; in many places, deaf people are stigmatized," says Dr. Cherian Thomas of the Health and Welfare unit of Global Ministries, which provides staff services to the United Methodist Committee on Ministries with Deaf, Late-Deafened, Hard of Hearing, and Deaf-Blind People. The marginalization, unfortunately, also takes place within the Methodist family.
At the 2008 General Conference, one of the sign-language interpreters, William Suggs, was both deaf and blind, the first time a person with both conditions was invited. A participant in the Deaf Shalom Zone at Christ Church United Methodist Church for the Deaf in Baltimore, Maryland, Mr. Suggs passionately translated into sign language for the 900 international delegates.
"He is an amazing musician, visually beautiful at signing," says Mary Gladstone, a Church and Community Worker and a colleague of Suggs at Christ Church. "Whenever we lead a group he says, 'My name is William Suggs and I am a famous signer.'"
According to Ms. Gladstone, deaf people prefer to see deafness as a language difference than as a disability.
Building Bridges of Understanding
In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of mission trips for and with individuals who have hearing challenges. Groups have met, communicated, and empowered one another across national boundaries.
Significantly, the July 2009 meeting of the United Methodist Congress of the Deaf will be held in Seoul, Korea. The congress celebrates and promotes Christian leadership and discipleship within the deaf community.
Rev. Joo Hai Kang, campus pastor atGallaudet University, Washington, DC, the leading center of higher education for the deaf in the United States, is deeply involved in planning the Seoul event. According to Rev. Kang, international exchanges are valuable for sharing information on deaf ministries and in encouraging evangelistic and social outreach to the deaf.
"We can get stronger and stronger by the global cooperation among Methodist churches for the deaf in the world," he says.
Sensitizing people to hear the challenges of the deaf and emphasizing their common humanity is an important part of the committee's work. One program for achieving that goal among young people is through the Hands On mission week at the Deaf Shalom Zone in Baltimore.
This year, 30 teens spent a week learning sign language, renovating houses for deaf or deaf-blind individuals, and creating friendships across language barriers. Gladstone considers Hands On a great success. "We've had praise from the participants," she says.
Several congregations across the United States have significant ministries with the deaf, and the need for sensitivity to this community is growing. Local churches with defined health ministries are the most likely to grasp the opportunity deaf persons represent.
Patricia Magyar, RN, a Global Ministries health and welfare staff member, is enthusiastic about the positive role parish nurses can play in building bridges across the spectrum of hearing abilities. Increasing numbers of congregations have health ministries and full- or part-time parish nurses.
Magyar also encourages congregations to set up committees on ministries with the deaf, late-deafened, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind people, using the model of the general church committee.
The denominational committee is made up of pastors and laypeople who themselves have various levels of experience with hearing and deafness. Throughout the last few years, committee members have made presentations at 13 United Methodist seminaries, funded work in 14 countries, trained new leaders, and funded listening devices for churches.
A renewed attention to deaf ministries coincides with the United Methodist commitment to global health.
More Information and Support of Deaf Ministries:
The United Methodist Committee on Ministries with the Deaf, Late-Deafened, Hard of Hearing, and Deaf-Blind: http://www.umcsignsofsolidarity.org/
*Mary Beth Coudal is a staff writer for the General Board of Global Ministries.

Deaf Shalom Zone Promo

Check out the new DSZ promotional video and the newly updated website www.deafshalomzone.org!

Deaf Shalom Zone fundraiser

Hey everyone! The DSZ recently enrolled in a fundraiser with Verizon. If you are thinking about signing up for Cable, internet, or phone services please give some thought to using Verizon and calling in our tracking number. This is a way for us to raise funds that does not cost the zone or it's friends any more money than they were already plannign on spending anyway. Please see the flyer for more information. Thanks for your continued support of the Zone! If just 100 people sign up for the Triple freedom package the Zone will receive $6,500. That would be a fantastic way to support the life changing services that are offered by the Zone. Thanks again everyone! Please spread the word! Oh and read the information carefully because there is a certain number you need to call in order for verizon to recognize that you want the donation to be made to the Zone.

If you would like me to send you the flyer so you can post it up at your church I would be more then happy to do that!

Here's what you need to do:Order a new Verizon product from the list below to help us earn donations.For example:

Order new Verizon FiOS® Triple Freedom with TV, Internet, Phone and Long Distance, we earn $65.

If you are an existing Verizon FiOS Internet customer and you order new FiOS TV service, we earn $20.You must place your new Verizon order by calling 1.888.695.5299, the specialVelocity sales number. (Call Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. EST.)

You must provide our 5-digit tracking code at the time you order: 12583.

Place a new order* for one or more of these qualifying Verizon products and earn the following donations:Verizon

Verizon FiOS® Internet - $25.00

Verizon High Speed Internet 3.0 Mbps - $25.00

DIRECTV® Service - $20.00

Verizon FiOS® TV - $20.00

Verizon Freedom Calling Plans - $10.00

Verizon Long Distance - $10.00

Additional Line - $10.00

Peace.

Hands On Wednesday and Thursday

Bradley Showed off his interpreting skills by opening the evening devotions during a bible drama put on by MYE.

Thursday Night, Hands On participants had the opportunity to experience what it would be like to be Deaf Blind. They used masks and ear plugs and then took turns leading each other around to different crafts and games. Alexa and Kalena tried to practice tactile signing while Colin helped Craig draw.

Brian's mask was the funniest although all the masks had their own flavor.

During the work day Bo Jangles hung out on the couch while the green group finished up the living room they were working on.

Kathleen and others used their creativity to add decorative embellishments to the walls.

The Pink team smiled for the camera on their lunch break. DeAndre, on of the youth from Christ UMC of the Deaf, worked with the group all week.

The pink team poses for the camera.

The yellow team spent the day trimming bamboo. Before they came home they decided to make walking sticks, out of the bamboo, for all the participants.

Carl, Heidi and Parker enjoy their lemonade while using their bamboo straws.

Hands On Tuesday

Tuesday Night the group played "The Game Of Life" Envelopes, consisting of a name tag and fake money, were handed out to each player and they were told to "succeed". The game simulated the daily struggles of people from differing socio-economic, gender, and race backgrounds.

Players lined up at different instituions trying to obtain jobs, money, material goods, and educations.

Craig was lucky, while everyone else was struggling to succeed money seemed to fall on him out of the sky.

During the day Brian decided to draw a representation of Carl's rabbit riding habbit. I thought it was great!

Hands On participants have the opportunity to leave daily reflections on the cork board upstairs.

The Green team continued to work on a Deaf Woman's home and in keeping with the youth tradition, they too were covered in paint!

When Brian isn't drawing on paper he spends his time painting on walls! The Blue team worked very hard to prepare the walls in their home for paneling. They spent more time preparing and cleaning then it will probably take to apply the paneling. They are really making a difference for the Deaf man who lives there. Tom cut the paneling while John and Brian helped.It seems as though the participants and the Deaf community are all having a great time!

Hands On 2008 Sunday and Monday

Hands On 2008 started on Sunday July 6, with 30 participants from 3 different churches and church groups. This year we are proud to have Birmingham UMC, Metro Youth Encounter, and Sandusky UMC. Sandusky UMC participated last year for our first Hands On year and the other two groups are brand new. After attending the noon service at Christ UMC of the Deaf the group checked into their dorms at UMBC and headed off to Patapsco State Park. After burgers and hotdogs the group got together and played the elephant game with members of the Christ UMC's Deaf youth group. After dinner everyone headed back to the vans to relax at UMBC before a long hard day of work and Sign Language classes.

Monday morning began with ASL class with Carol Stevens; during the class participants were given their own sign name while learning the ASL alphabet. After class everyone broke into the Pink, Yellow, Blue, Green, and Purple groups and left UMBC for their work day.

The Purple group spent the day working on the Sanctuary at Christ UMC of the Deaf. They brought supplies down from a recent roofing job, hung drywall, and moved furniture. During lunch the group took time to pratice their Sign Language skills by playing the name game with their new sign names.

The Yellow group traveled the furthest and spend the day painting the home of a Deaf couple. As with most Youth group missin trips, it was not really clear if more paint ended up on the walls or the youth.

During lunch Carl took the opportunity to pretend like he was riding a rabbit while doing his name sign. It has been great spending time with my brother Baltimore.

Just like last year the groups spent one of the first nights watching the PBS special "Through Deaf Eyes". At the end of the night Christ UMC's intern led evening devotions and then the group headed back to UMBC for games and some much needed sleep.

Please pray for the participants of Hands On and keep them in your thoughts this week!

Stay tuned...more to come