Ecuador Blog

Nathan and I have decided to learn Ecuadorian Sign Language. At first, I thought I would just do it as a hobby, but then it turned in to a little more. Our elder (Tito) and his wife (Lety) have a son who is hearing impaired (Isaac). They received a letter about a week and a half ago from the C.O. of the Sign Language circuit. He strongly encouraged them to take Isaac to the Sign meeting in Ambato once a week. The day after they got the letter, Lety showed it to me. She told me that starting Jan. 1st, the meeting was going to be on Sundays at 9:00 am. I told her that I had been thinking about learning Sign and she got really super excited. So I got excited and told her that maybe Nathan and I could go with them to the meeting. Her and Tito LOVED that idea! So, this past Sunday we went to our first Sign meeting. They have the Public Talk and Watchtower Study at 9:00 am and it is translated in to Signs. Then, they have the Sign bookstudy at 11:30 am. It is purely Signs. I paid really close attention to the talk and Watchtower because I could listen to it in Spanish and try to figure out the signs for the words. After the meeting we went to a couples house for lunch. I took out my notes and asked the brother if I had gotten the signs right, and I did! So, last Sunday I learned 65 words just by paying close attention!! Oh. I also commented during the bookstudy! We had a couple visit us last weekend who are Americans and are currently living in Tena (the jungle) and are in the Sign Language group so I asked Autumn to help me work up a comment. We are studying the Bible Story book and did chapters 38 and 39. My comment was about the 12 spies who went out to see how Canaan was. I said, “The 10 saw lots of people who were strong, tall, and mean.” When I got back to my seat, my hands were shaking so badly I couldn’t even take notes. The group is extremely excited that we are going to come to their meeting. They already have about 8 deaf bible students attending!

Nathan and I decided that this would be a good way to help Tito and Lety (and Isaac) and also if we want to further expand our service we would have to learn another foreign language. I don’t think I have it in me to learn Kichwa or Chinese, so Sign seemed like a good idea. Also, I want to be just like Aunt Jeanie when I grow up!

Love you all,

Jennifer

p.s.- Nathan already started a study with a nearly-deaf, nearly-mute man here in Pillaro!!! Nathan has already taught him how to say “God”, the “Earth”, “Man”, and “Woman”.