September, 2010

Dear friends and family,

It is already September. The winter in Lima is almost over. We see the sun trying to come out often after this unusual cold and wet winter we have had. It is the end of the summer in the USA and as I type this we are preparing for Hurricane Earl to pass by Long Island.

I write to you from New York where I am visiting my family. We are all well. The news from our family is that our daughter, Carmen, has moved to Lima to teach at Callao High School for six months. She was unemployed here in the States when this opportunity presented itself. This will be an opportunity for her to consider what the Lord wants for her life.

This past winter in Lima and at Señales has been challenging because of the way the Peruvian government is responding to the laws recently passed recognizing Peruvian Sign Language and the deaf community’s need for interpreter services.  Let me try to explain:

The Parent and Friends of the Deaf Association (APAS in Spanish) recently joined forces with the Parent-Teacher Association of the mainstreamed school Ludwig Van Bethoven to protest about the lack of teachers who know sign language and the lack of interpreters in the classrooms.  The school year began in March and by the end of May they still had no sign language access for the deaf students as they had promised.

The frustrated parents decided to go on strike and not let their children go into the school until the school got teachers skilled in sign language or interpreters in each classroom. The school threatened to expel the students and yet the parents stood their ground. A vigil was organized to stand in front of the school all night. The local press and TV came and the school’s director finally agreed to have interpreters in the classroom. He asked for a list of possible candidates. It was given. However, not all the names were accepted. Instead, people without experience were brought in. One of them listed as an “interpreter” was a custodian who did not have contact with the students nor did he know anything about signing. One teacher with a degree in deaf education and knew sign language was asked to apply. Strangely, this competent teacher was not hired but rather was sent to another school where they do not need her skills in working with deaf children.

The fight goes on and it is being spearheaded by the parents. Many of them are frustrated and they feel cheated by the authorities who are mandated to provide proper education to their children. These deaf students are being denied their right to quality education. The school specially created for them does not fulfill its goals because the teachers do not know signs. The teachers focus their attention on the students in the school who can hear. The deaf children (50% of the entire school population!) are forced to read lips and repeat and copy without understanding what is going on because they do not yet know how to read or write.

But not everything is bad news. On September 29th, a group of 14 people will fly to Santiago, Chile for a 4 day conference about bilingual education for the deaf.  We hope to motivate the organizing committee to have their next conference on this important topic in Lima in 2013.

I am also excited to share good news regarding a young child who attends Señales, a child who, until recently, could never communicate with anyone at home or in school. I want to share Humberto’s story. (He is leaning on the table and paying attention to his deaf teacher.) He is eight years old. Since his mother discovered he was deaf, this child has gone from the oral school to a state school where he was forced to color and copy. His behavior was problematic and his school work was next to nothing. Because he was deaf, his father abandoned the family. His mother had to leave a good paying job to raise him. She was often frustrated due to the complaints Humberto’s teachers gave her about the lack of progress in her child. None of these teachers knew sign language. Fortunately, Humberto’s mother talked to other mothers who suggested she try Scripture Union’s Señales, Center for the Deaf. Intrigued, she went to see what this Señales was all about and discovered that they used signs. Her first reaction was not to even try this strange new language, but she was so impressed to see so many deaf kids sitting down, participating in class, communicating with each other that she felt that she needed to give it a try. She enrolled Humberto in our after school program where he would be taught by a deaf teacher. The involvement demanded of her as a parent was frightening at the beginning. She needed to register herself to take sign language classes. This was something she was not sure she could do. But, the interesting part was her sign language instructors were deaf themselves. This was something she had never before imagined.

Humberto’s mother is now learning the native language of her child, signs. Humberto loves to go to Señales where his behavior has improved beyond belief and his academic skills are improving. Now he understands what he needs to do. At home, his grandparents and the rest of the family have seen the big change in his behavior and in his attitude. Humberto is on his way to a better future with sign language that allows him access to communication and the information that he so badly needs. And in due time, the deaf and hearing teachers at Señales may be able to witness to Humberto and his family the Good News of the Gospel. His mother is already listening and asking questions. In her own words: “Something is so special at Senales.”

Thanks to many of you, it is possible that this type of miracle takes place in Peru and also that there is the opportunity for the Señales team to go to another country to train and learn about bilingual deaf education. This type of training does not exist here in Peru. Our deaf teachers will have full access to this conference as presenters will either present in sign language, or the lectures will be interpreted. This type of access does not exist here in Peru.

Again, thanks be to the Lord and each and everyone of you who helps to make these opportunities possible. This would not be happening without His great blessing.

As I mentioned earlier in this letter, I am now in New York with my family. I am here primarily to raise funds to purchase a piece of land in Lima where we can finally build a facility big enough to house a proper school for deaf children and a training program for sign language interpreters. These interpreters will be the ones who will work to provide the language access the deaf community hungers for in Peru’s Universities, schools, medical facilities, community training programs and so much more. It is time this project for a Deaf Center move forward. We have been praying about this project for many years. Now, as we experience extreme crowding at Señales and more families seeking our services each week, we feel it is time to move forward.

In other news, I have been able to translate two books into Spanish. The first is Deaf Like Me by Thomas Spradley. This book is about the troubles that a young couple goes through to get the right education for their deaf daughter. The other, My Father’s Hands by Byron Uhlberg, tells the story of the life of a hearing child growing up with deaf parents. Please read them if you have a chance. They can give you insight to the reality of deaf people in Peru and other parts of the world and to their needs. They, like all of us on this planet, are a people who need God.

Much to share and much to do and I am terribly afraid for so many deaf children’s futures. Thank you for partnering with us in this work.

In His Service

Ernesto for the Zavalas

Psalms 121

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Greetings one and all,

Again, forgive me for this late communication.  January was a very busy but very interesting month! I have been busy hosting visitors who came to Lima to support our work here in a variety of ways.

Dr. Judy Kegl; Interpreters: Polly Lawson, Susan Haggerty and Gloria Carter; and deaf interpreter Lois Morin’s visit to Señales, Center for the Deaf was memorable.  They arrived in Lima on January 5^th.

Their visit began with a trip to Kawai, Scripture Union’s Center in the South of Lima. It was the first camp of the summer.  24 deaf children gathered to play and enjoy the sun and the ocean. Our visitors joined them and filmed them to study and document their progress in the linguistic research on Peruvian Sign Language that Dr. Kegl is doing at the University of Southern Maine.

Then, it was the visit to Ave. Uruguay, where many deaf people gather to socialize and chat. There the contacts were many.  Many remembered Judy and Polly and were glad to meet Susan, Lois and Gloria.

The weekend arrived very quickly.  Susan’s workshop, on interpreting from sign to voice roused a great deal of interest in the small community of interpreters for the deaf.  They were so interested that another meeting was scheduled to continue the workshop the next day.

Judy and Lois presented a workshop for deaf interpreters, which our deaf teachers and other deaf adults from the community enjoyed.

The second week began with a meeting the Association of interpreters for the Deaf on Monday. We all celebrated the successful formation of Peru’s first national interpreter registry under the umbrella of the World Association of Signed Language Interpreters (WASLI.) This is the culmination of three years of planning and hard work on the part of our small but dedicated and motivated group of interpreters.  Congratulations on this milestone!

The following day, Lois shared her experience as a deaf person in the USA.  She did the same with parents of deaf children and their children. These parents were encouraged to see, first hand, a deaf adult who could share her life and her pictures and show them how far she had been able to go in her life, her studies, and her career as both a Math teacher and an interpreter.

The second weekend, just before leaving to return to the USA; Judy Kegl  gave her talk on the Importance of Sign Language in the Education of Deaf Children.  Again, the use of hearing and deaf interpreters became a show case on showing how the information needs to be transmitted.

Many who attended the conference experienced using interpreters for the first time.  Those who could hear, heard  the information being translated from English into Spanish. Those who were deaf had the presentation interpreted into Peruvian Sign Language.  We also had a team of interpreters using American Sign Language so that Lois, from the US, could have access to the conference, too.  This, in addition to the information on the linguistics of Peruvian Sign Language that Judy shared, made for a very interesting day for all!

While all of this was happening, programs at Señales remained in full swing.  The usual summer workshops in cooking, theater and art for deaf children continued at the center.  The linguistic model program continued as well, as did the after school program for high school preparation.  This summer our Sign Language classes for adults and for parents of deaf children are at full capacity.

As I write, I have a second team of visitors here to help and to learn as well.  Please, pray for those visiting and for those being visited and that the learning process and witness takes place.

It is the end of January and February seems promises to be as intensive as January.  April is around the corner when we need to go to Santiago, Chile for the Third Conference on Bilingual Education.  We hope to bring the next meeting to Lima for 2013. We need your prayers and financial support to send all our staff to this important continental meeting.

Praise the Lord, for the following:

-          Those who came and helped in training the team in Lima.

-          Those who participated in the conferences and workshops to improve their skills

-          The deaf who participated and learned and opened up to new things

-          Our staff for their efforts to make these things possible besides their other responsibilities

Pray for the following:

-          For the new children coming to the  center seeking help in their language

-          New teachers and deaf instructors

-          Wisdom for all the teachers and deaf instructors in their teaching and sharing of knowledge and information to the young minds who seek knowledge in their language

-          Isabel and Ernesto in the daily situations at the center

-          For the people in authority to see the difference

-          For Ernesto to find the funds to continue training the staff in Lima and elsewhere.

Margaret, our children and our granddaughter are doing well.  Ariel is growing so big and strong.  Warren continues his education.  He needs wisdom to decide where to go next for more schooling. Carmen is seeking the Lord´s will for her life.  Again, thank you for your continued support and prayers.

In His Service

Ernesto

Proverbs 2: 9-11

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Dear Friends,

I wish to share with you all an update from Lima, Peru and the recent activities keeping all of us at Señales: Program for the Deaf so busy as of late.

Just weeks ago we held a conference on issues in deaf education. The conference was most successful! Our presenters came from various countries.  The first praise is that all our speakers arrived as scheduled and no one lost any luggage! The conference inauguration took place at the National Congress with several political authorities present including our faithful supporter, Congressman Michael Urtecho.

First to speak was Ruth Claros from the University of Arizona. As an expert in Bilingual Education for the deaf, she spoke about the advantages of teaching the deaf in their own language, Sign Language.  Next was Liliana Mora from the Villasoles Institute for Interpreters for the Deaf in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Liliana shared her experience as an interpreter and spoke on the need to have experienced and well trained interpreters in Peru. She emphasized that interpreters are a vital link between the deaf community and the hearing community.

I am excited to report that our own Marita Padilla spoke about the bilingual model at Señales. Marita is a trained teacher for the deaf who learned Sign Language at Señales and saw how important this language was for the deaf. She also shared her own experience as a public school teacher where the use of sign language is not allowed. She shared information on the mainstreaming program of Peru and the need for policy change. We are very proud of her. Thank you Marita!

Following Marita was Leonardo Hidalgo, a trained Psychologist. He lives in Miami and works at Jackson Memorial Hospital in the psychology unit for the deaf. Leo is Peruvian born. Isabel met Leo in Bogota, Colombia at the IX Latin American Conference of Sign Language Interpreters. Leo came to speak about his work, stressing the importance of recognizing language and culture issues in providing effective psychological services to deaf people. He stressed the importance of making Psychological tests accessible for deaf patients as well as providing counseling in sign language. Many in the audience were amazed that such services even exist for deaf people and several psychologists in attendance spent their time taking notes about everything he said and demonstrated. We rejoiced!!

One of the most emotional moments at the conference was when one mother of a deaf child decided to get up and say: “This is what I wanted to hear! This gives me hope and makes me realize that there is hope for my son. They are teaching my son, in a way that he understands! He is learning!” Then, she broke in tears.

Next up was Juan Luis Marin, a deaf teacher from Chile, who explained his life experience and work at the Ministry of Education in Santiago. This deaf man is part of the Special Education Unit.  He is profoundly deaf with a degree in education.  Juan Luis is a gifted communicator using his mother tongue, Chilean Sign Language.

After Juan Luis, was Marcelo Salamanca. Marcelo, who can hear, was raised by his deaf parents. Sign language was the language used in his home and so it is his native language. He also speaks fluent Spanish, (he also holds a degree in Psychology.) Marcelo explained his special situation as child of deaf parents and his unique position as a bilingual person.

All of these speakers challenged those who attended in many ways. Many teachers and psychologists left wondering about the implications of all of this. Many parents left feeling hopeful that their deaf children will have a bright future here in Peru. One parent commented: “We must have this here in Peru!” “We will!” I replied in a whisper and a silent prayer.

I was able to see God in a very special way in our deaf teachers from the Señales Program. They all showed up and stood up to older deaf people who are reluctant to let go of ideas about language that are outdated.  The heated discussion was from an older deaf woman (who became deaf when she was 6) insisting that it is better to sign and speak at the same time. (We now know that mixing two completely different languages at the same time is impossible and results in unclear communication.) Another deaf man insisted that all signs should be standardized and published by the Ministry of Education.  Another one went as far as saying that only the Ministry of Education could prepare and train interpreters and that they needed to be college educated to be able to learn Sign Language.

Roxana, one of our own teachers in our bilingual program and the deaf person who went to Costa Rica 2 years ago, responded: “There are other methods with better results. We who were born deaf and have never heard spoken language, do not have an understanding of sounds and speech like some deaf people who became deaf because of illness AFTER they had learned to speak. We who were born deaf have our own language, Sign Language. I have seen in other places where deaf people can learn and become better persons with our language in our own way. Sign Language cannot be put in a box. Sign Language is well and alive! It is constantly changing and growing! It cannot be limited to a box!’

Roxana is a fellow Christian and a beautiful girl who shows us that God is working in her life and that she is a model for many others to follow. Like Roxana, we have Vanessa, Miguel Angel, Patty and Coco. They are also deaf. They are all learning and growing and being teachers and models to the deaf community and to deaf children. From my perspective, this is the foundation for the future present- ation of the Gospel.  Deaf Christians, prepared vessels, will be able to present the Gospel to those deaf people who are willing to receive it. Once received, discipleship can happen, deaf to deaf, in an effective and intelligent manner.

I am so grateful to all of you out there who supported this conference financially. I am grateful for those who came to teach us. They traveled far and gave of their time and expertise to prepare these vessels for the future. Thank you to those of you who made it possible.

Now, we focus on our summer activities! It is time to prepare our annual summer camps for the deaf children. We also are preparing for the next group of visitors, another group of experts coming to teach about the linguistics of Sign Language and to do more interpreter training with both deaf and hearing interpreters. Pray for those who are again giving of their precious time and knowledge.

Pray for the deaf of Peru and for those hearing people, volunteers and interpreters. Pray that they will be ready to learn and to take advantage of these opportunities to train.

News about our facility is exciting, too! Room was at a premium at the center. We recently had a spare room built on the roof and moved the silk screening shop upstairs. It also gives us room to have meetings for the parents

Pray for Isabel, Marita, Tatiana, Judith, Miguel Angel, Roxana, Vanessa, Coco, Patty, Moisés and Johanna as they continue working with the deaf children and show others how it is possible for the deaf to learn.

Pray for me as I continue ministering to the Señales team as a counselor and pastor. I also need to find the funds to continue our program and to do written translations into Spanish on the materials we have gathered from presenters. This is time consuming work but very dear to my heart!

Pray for our own finances and our family in New York. May the Lord bless you in the coming season of the celebration of the reason for the season!

In His Service

Ernesto for the Zavala Family

Psalms 128:1

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