Greetings from the next Office Manager of Deaf Kids Connect!
UPDATE TO DELAYED UPDATE: I added a whole new adventure Christmas Day with a squad ride to a 4-day hospital visit. Loss of motor control & slurry speech suggested stroke, but it wasn’t really a stroke – just a stern warning. Motor control & speech restored within 3 hours. We know why, it’s manageable, I need to stay away from salt, sugar, and stress. I feel fine, just easily fatigued (my relative normal).
I’m still doing the same work in the same office – tech support, development oversight, editing, and digging through 26 years of digital assets in search of forgotten treasures. In January I’ll double my billed hours and salary to add Office Manager duties such as mail, appointments, and being the smiling face in the front window.
Deaf Kids Connect is the new public name for Silent Blessings Deaf Ministries, in a “doing business as” arrangement that allows us to operate under both names. Our 2023 focus is rebranding the ministry, shifting from developing a TV show to making direct connections with families and providing interactive resources.
Another main project for 2023 is developing a family small group curriculum to coincide with the Jesus Film by Deaf Missions – think “The Chosen” in sign language, planned for release in 2024. See their website (DeafMissions.com) for more.
For the known future (or, as far as mortals can know it) I’ll remain at Rev. Brenner’s house, 60 miles NE of the office. His grandson bought the place to keep it in the family (along with his library), and as a comfortable stopping point when they want to visit people in the area. I’m thankful for the shelter, and they are pleased to have me keeping mice & mischief away.
I’ve been enjoying my Christmas CD collection in the 2003 Subaru Forester I inherited from my aunt and uncles over a year ago. This year it traveled 19,000 miles, got new belts & tires, and averaged 25 mpg. Though the cab is too loud for phone calls, it faithfully gets me where I need to go. Based on a recent week in the office, it looks like I’ll be filling up about 3x per week, but that’s still less than rent in Indianapolis.
Our primary efforts this year have gone into God’s Word for Deaf Kids. You may have seen the videos each Wednesday on Facebook, Instagram, or our website. As of this writing, we have 29 verses published and 69 in process. See www.SilentBlessings.org/memory for more. Just this week, we received a video of a child signing one of the memory verses, Ps 121:1-2, I look to God and know He will help me (paraphrased for easy memory). That pretty much sums up my continuing adventure. (even after Christmas)
Thank you again for your prayers, encouragement, and gifts of many kinds. I’m blessed & thankful to know you and will once again make a New Year’s resolution to do better with communicating. May your holiday season be filled with remembered and new moments of joy.
PS: yes, I plan to provide more details on all of the above. Subscribe to get an email when I write a new post.