For the Love of Books

I brought down some of my old favorite books to share with the girls. They are LOVING them! When I pulled them out for everyone to look at the got so excited!

I try read a book with the girls a least 3 evenings a week. Our first book to devoure was #1 of The Box Car Children. We moved on to #2 and are now reading some short Christmas stories.

Life on the "Homestead"

Just like the past couple years, in addition to the day to day school life we are still continuing on with Bible Classes, cooking class, and learning “homesteading” skills by caring for our small garden and chickens. This year we may be adding a few goats! Which will allow us to have fresh milk to drink, make ice cream and cheese. The homesteading projects has always been a things that only the girls and I did but the school principle Johnny, his wife Amber and I are hoping to get the boys involved and make it a Ranch wide project.

I think it is so important for the kids, especially the girls to learn things like gardening, baking, chickens and making cheese because they are viable ways for them to make money and start their own bussines when they leave our school. Mexico overall looks down on the Deaf making it hard for deaf men to find empolyment. It is even more difficuilt for women to find work. That is why being self imployed can have it’s benefits. 

Goodbye September

The first month of school has come to a close. It is so exciting to have all the students back.

What a year it has been! As many of you know I did not have an assistant this past year, so it was just the girls and I  most days. There were ladies on staff that helped on my day off or at other times here and there. In a way it was just what the girls and I needed. It was a blessing for it to be just with my girls.

This school year I have an assistant, Noemy. As much as I enjoyed our year alone I am very greatfull to have her with us. She is so enthusiastic to be in the dorm and is eagerly learning Mexican Sign Language.

I had two new girls this last year from Quertero, Mexico. They are sisters who came with their little brother. I was told that they weren’t going to be returning but they have! It was amazing to see Leticia (18), Isabel (13) and Alexis (7) learn to communicate in sign language! All three are doing amazing in school.

The greatest blessing of all was watching Lesly, one of my girls tell Isabel about Jesus! Lesly herself had just accepted Jesus into her heart the week before. Her enthusiaum was contagus! Two of my other girls Esmeralada and Sheley also decided that they wanted a relationship with Jesus. I could have asked for nothing better! 

A Job for Edith Marisol

A very exciting thing happened this summer, Edith Marisol one of my girl who graduated at age 18 in June was given a job and housing at an orphange in Provenir, just 10 minutes away. She has been with me from the beginning. It has been amazing to see her grow and mature from the shy 9 year old to a confident young woman with a gift for young children. The orphange, Ninos de Baja is connected to another orphange Rancho de los Ninos that I first visited as a teen when my youth pastor introduced me to the Ranch. I am so thirlled to have her near by!