Transformation

From Pastor Jeff Jordan’s Southern Deaf Fellowship Newsletter April 2015:

“Here’s a story written by Daryl Famisaran, director for the SDA Deaf school in the Philippines, that I  thought you’d be interested in. 

He did it again for the second time.  Reneboy Collobong left without asking permission.  We learned that he had a clash with his classmate Airyl.  Misunderstandings are common with our deaf students so with the problem of leaving the campus without permission. This gives us the headache of looking for them even in the night.  As these children were endorsed to us by their parents so their security is our big responsibility.

In the morning I called his mother to check but he was not there.  But anyway, it relieves us the burden informing the family about their son.  After two days we received a call from his mother that Reneboy was found.   Having   no money he hiked for some   fifteen kilometres to his older   brother’s house. Reneboy was  not  back  yet  to  school  when  the four  American visitors Pastor   John  Blake,   Pastor Jeff  Jordan, Elder  Larry  Evans  and  Dr.  Fred Webb came to visit the SULADS   School for the Deaf. Everybody was excited to go to Cagayan de Oro city.

For  many  of  the  students, it  will  be  their  first time  to  travel  that  long  four  hour  drive  to  the city. In Cagayan de Oro City we were joined with our Deaf church   group   led by Sunny Suan.   It was a surprise for our Deaf students that we have a deaf group in that far city.  We explained to them  that these  are  our  family   too  we  visit  sometimes to interpret for  in  church   whenever we  come  to  the city.  But seldom can we come to take care of them when we started classes at the Deaf school.

When Pastor Jeff Jordan reviewed the doctrines we taught, I was praying in my corner that the Holy Spirit will move them.    I saw  that  they  were  so attentive savouring every  word  they  heard  again  but of different flavour as Pastor  Jeff  expounded it in a  Deaf’s  way   of   making   it   sweeter  in   their language. In the afternoon twelve   precious souls were buried in the watery grave.   We all shared tears  of  joy  as  we  saw  them  come  up  to  new  life baptized.

Oh what joy!  Oh what a relief! Who  would  ever think  that  these  children who  came  from  different homes,  with  different upbringings, with  different bad  influences,  bringing  us   headaches  of   the different misbehaviours are  now  crying   for  what? Whatever that is only God knows who can read their hearts. But for me and my wife and for the rest of our volunteers it was the sweetest moment seeing a miracle of change in them.

In the morning we headed home with Pastors John Blake and Jeff Jordan. Reaching the Deaf school we found Reneboy there.  He had come back. I missed all  of you and  I  missed  this school he signed.

Seeing the two Americans he asked.  Where have you been and who are these two white visitors. His classmates happily explained the good time we had in the far city.  They also shared their new life experience being baptized.

I WANT TO BE BAPTIZED he pleaded. We can set a schedule for your baptism after our visitors go home.  I interrupted. You came late.  I will be the one to baptize you. I said.  I WANT TO BE BAPTIZED now by him pointing to Pastor Jordan.  In the early morning the following day Reneboy together with his classmates cleaned and dug a portion of the stream that run by the school campus. Then we all gathered around as some of our hearing brethren sang and the Deaf classmates sang their hearts out with their hands as we witness Reneboy baptized. Tears of joy flowed again as we the Deaf family welcomed Reneboy with prayers and tight hugs."