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Back in Fiji

21/3/2016

We’re back in Fiji again, and finally recovered from jet lag after our 34 hour trip, door to door. It’s been a good week of catching up with things here, and also getting to know our newest students---- and learning their sign names! We’re thankful to be finding children at younger ages now, and getting them started in school early. Our preschool class so far has 4 students, ages 3 to 5, all living in the hostel. The children are such a joy! And nothing can beat the warm Fijian welcome we always receive on arrival! There’s never a lack of hugs here, and as you can see, no shortage of smiles, either!

School and hostels are running well, with no damages to speak of from Cyclone Winston, thankfully. Two of our students from Savusavu, the next largest island, lost their homes, and one student from Ba, on this island, also lost his home. Families of two of our students from Taviuni Island had their farms completely wiped out. But help came quickly from Australia, the USA, the Fiji government, and the Fijian people themselves. (Fijians are such a generously giving people!) We’ll be preparing boxes of food at school to send to families of our students. We’ve also arranged for a new fence to be put up at the main hostel, and are having a new replacement sign made for the school. Those were our only losses here in Suva. We enjoyed a Saturday morning prayer breakfast at Suva St Chapel, praying for those who suffered losses in Cyclone Winston, and also for the deaf ministry and chapel concerns.

Last November we said good bye to our old home near the school, and turned it over to our senior girls, to be used as a hostel--- a move that saves us quite a bit of money in rent. The girls moved in, just in time for the start of the new school year in January. We recently visited the girls and Fine (pronounced Feenay), their hostel mom. Fine is a wonderful, humble, and sweet woman, affectionately called “Mother Teresa” by Jim! She loves her girls, and is one of the most selfless people we have known. Fine is also the mother of Tema, our Hostel Director.

Students are now approaching the end of first term, and preparing for Easter Camp, which will be held at the school over the long Easter weekend. On Palm Sunday, also known as Children’s Sunday in Fiji, the children all wear white to church, and perform ‘mimes’ and songs, and recite Bible verses they have learned. Here are a few of our students all dressed up for Palm Sunday at church.

More to come later----

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New School Year 2016

10/3/2016

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As Jim and I head back to Fiji in just a couple of weeks, we thought we’d give you a brief update on the new school year.

Several of our students completed their programs in November, and have returned to their islands, all with good qualifications for work. Although jobs are scarce, even for the hearing, we trust that these young deaf men and women will soon find work placements. We may make a trip to Kiribati (formerly the Gilbert Islands) later in the year, to help in that effort.

Jim, Temoua, Avikesh, and Philip at Gospel High School prize giving day

Avikesh, one of our students who completed high school last year, is now enrolled at The University of the South Pacific. Avikesh (3rd from the left in the photo at the left) was a 6 year old student in my class in 2002, our first year in Fiji. What a thrill, watching him grow and develop into a fine Christian deaf leader!

Avikesh has also taught Sunday School for us over the years, and has also helped out in the Junior Boys Hostel.

Several of our graduates have come back to work for us in the school and hostels. Lavenia (also in my first class in Fiji) is now a teacher aide, working with Class 1, teaching a unit on Children and Families around the World. In the photo above, students are learning about Mexico. Lavenia (left) also teaches sign language classes to teachers, parents, and the community.

New students are constantly joining the family at GSD. We began the school year in January, with 6 new students. Jim and I look forward to meeting them soon. They are (left to right in the photo at the right):

Tekamaeu, age 12, from Kiribati. His family learned about the school from other students we’ve had from that island country. He is not in the hostel, but stays with family in Suva.
Merekarita, who will turn 6 in February. She is from Ba, located in the interior of the island. Her mom heard about GSD, and wanted her daughter to receive an education, so she brought her to live in the hostel. Merekarita is very social, loves school, and is learning sign language and developing lots of friends.

Elena, who will turn 4 in April, is from Ra, a province in the north of Viti Levu. Her mom heard about the school, and contacted her sister in Suva to check it
out. Elena now lives in the main hostel, and though only 3, she is quickly learning sign language and loves school.
Lavenia will be 13 in April. This is her very first year in any school. Because she is shy, and not yet comfortable going into her classroom, her teacher allows her to watch from outside the door, until she feels safe enough to come inside. Lavenia lost her mom 3 years ago, and is being raised by her maternal grandparents. She lives at home, and her dad brings her back and forth to school each day. Lavenia was referred to us by an organization called “Project Heaven”, that tested her hearing in the village and diagnosed her deafness.

Qoroniasi (left) is 16 years old. He previously attended a special school in Suva for all handicapped. His parents heard about GSD, and wanted to send him.
And finally (at least for now) is Asesela (right). Though you can’t tell by this photo, he is actually very happy to be in school. After years of an isolated and lonely life in his village, he is now learning sign language, and is developing friendships in his new deaf community. Asesela is 17.

At one point we had decided not to take older students, because we felt it was late to give them an education. But we’ve changed our minds on that; we CAN give them a communication system and a community, and teach them about the Gospel, along with some basic reading and math.

New to our staff this year is Setoke and his wife Ledua. Setoke is also one of our graduates. While still a student, he fell in love and later married one of our hostel workers. They now have a wonderful family, and are great parents. This year they are in training to become hostel parents, and are excellent role models for the deaf. We are thrilled to have them join the staff this year!

We also lost two of our GSD staff members this year. Mere Masi, a veteran teacher, and Donald Reece, our computer teacher and Assistant Head Teacher, have both decided to leave teaching to take interpreting jobs in the high school this year. We wish them well, and are thankful for their years of service at GSD.

We also welcomed Christine Tawake this year. Christine was working at a small resort on the island of Beqa when we met her. Her dream was to become a teacher. Jim recruited her to come and work at the hostel, where she would learn about the deaf, and learn sign language. The ministry paid for her university education. She completed her program at USP (University of the South Pacific) in November, and is now the first teacher at GSD with a university degree. We are proud of Christine and all that she has accomplished, and look forward to working with her this year. Christine also discovered a young deaf girl in her village on Beqa Island, who is now in Class 1 at GSD.

Despite the recent devastation by Cyclone Winston in Fiji, we are thankful that all in our school and hostels were kept safe, and damages to buildings and grounds were minimal. Please pray for those who have suffered great loss on the island. We are presently looking into ways to help. Many thanks to all who have contacted us with offers of prayer, concern, and help.
We are grateful for a good start to the new school year, and for the new students who have joined us. Please pray for these students as they adjust to life at school, away from their families. Many of our students as yet have no sponsors. If you are interested in sponsoring a child, please contact us at [email protected]. Also, check our website www.fijideaf.net for information and updates.
Jim and Marilyn

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Back in Fiji

New School Year 2016

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