[what]S'up, Wednesday?

"[what]S'up, Wednesday?" is a place where I give weekly updates about how day to day life is going here in Wildwood, New Jersey. It will typically include something that has just happened, a "forecast of a schedule (always subject to change), and an update on my financial situation.. :)
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Happenings: Update from last week's "happenings" - The Deaf BBQ was AMAZING.. I think we had over 50 people there by the time everyone showed up.. It was a blessed time of fellowship and meeting new like-minded friends. 

Half of the group from the BBQ - 11 Deaf from Wash. D.C., 5 local Deaf,
 15 Project students/Interpreters - eating out for lunch after Church.  

 Speaking of friends, one of my Deaf friends in the area was unable to come, but we have planned to get breakfast Friday morning to catch up; however, my other friend DID come, and enjoyed hanging out with all of us so much that she even joined us for Church the next day. It's my understanding that she is not a Christian, so please be praying that the Holy Spirit would continue to draw her to himself! I'll be running a 5k with her on the beach on Saturday morning. I'm hoping she will meet Jesus before the summer is over..
As far as Project happenings, the student schedule is winding down. Their last days of work are this week and then, next week, they will start packing up and saying goodbye to all their friends here as they head back to their respective home towns and then colleges.. Which will mean lonnnnng hours for us next week as they try to spend all the time they can with their friends before it's over.. 3am - here we come! :)

Schedule: Tomorrow night we'll be interpreting a local event called "A Closer Walk".. it's put on by Morey's Piers (the local boardwalk amusement park owners) for youth groups along the East Coast. The owners are Christians and bring in bands and guest speakers, allow the teens to camp on the beach, and host a 3 day weekend Christian conference at a pier near the ocean. We will be interpreting for Jefferson Bethke tomorrow night - he does a lot of spoken word poetry (which is super hard to interpret on the fly!). After that, our schedule winds down to mostly packing, cleaning and debrief meetings.. Next Wednesday I should have the schedule of our travels home.. some details are still in the works.. 

Finances:  You know that story "The Boy Who Cried Wolf"? Well, that is how I currently feel, except the opposite.. Every year I think I am doing so well with the finances (and my make shift budgets that I set up to help me understand Cru's accounting system), and every year, about this time, I find out there was something that I did not account for and am therefore in the red. I've been saying all summer, "We're good. The interpreting budget is fully funded!".. only to just find out, we're not :(  This year, I was so proud of myself for remembering to add in the 12% that Cru takes out for administrative purposes. Sadly, it turns out, that I forgot to deduct one of our housing costs. And there have been some unexpected interpreting needs (the main one being the Deaf guys team pairing up with a Hearing team for the second 1/2 of project causing us to have to bring in another guy interpreter), that I did not factor into my original budget. So I'm about $5,000 in the hole :(  This is very frustrating for me since I do try my best to be a good steward of the funds entrusted to me. I don't want to end every summer with a plea (like the little boy's cry) to help me get back into the black. 
                                    *hangs head in defeat* :( 
That being said.. If you fail, especially here on Project, it is expected that you get back up and try again.. So, if you are willing and able to help with my shortfall, please follow this link (https://give.cru.org/2870830). Thank you in advance for your generosity!

I appreciate your partnership with me on this journey!

Soli Deo Gloria
:D

[what]S'up, Wednesday?

"[what]S'up, Wednesday?" is a place where I give weekly updates about how day to day life is going here in Wildwood, New Jersey. It will typically include something that has just happened, a "forecast of a schedule (always subject to change), and an update on my financial situation.. :)
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Happenings: this weekend the Deaf Students are hosting a BBQ for the local Deaf community ->(Meaning: for as many Deaf individuals that we have contact information for in the Southern New Jersey area.) We also have 11 Deaf individuals from Washington D.C. coming down. I have invited 2 college age Deaf girls that I have personally befriend over the past 3 years that I've lived here in Wildwood. Please pray with me that they will *COME* (as they have a tendency, at the last moment, to not show up).. And that their work schedules would not be an excuse for them not to attend.  :) There should be about 30 to 40 people in all.

Schedule:  Tencia left today. All the interpreters took a short day trip to Philly to see her off. She will be missed. Ashley is picking up the pace of Project well, and Cara (one of the interpreters from last summer) will come down on Friday. Ashley leaves on Saturday, and then it will be Cara, Cory, Lindsey, Azael and myself until the end of Project on August 8th.

Finances:  I have been talking to some of the "higher-ups" in Cru, and it seems that in August I will begin the process of working with Cru part time to continue to develop this position that I have been volunteering in for the last four years.. If you would like information about how to join a monthly Support team for me, please comment below, or send me an email.

Thanks so much to any of you that have donated to Azael's/the students accounts! Below are update info about where they are in their support raising, one student is at full support. :) The students support raising goals are $2850 each.

THANKS so much for partnering with me on this journey!

Soli Deo Gloria
:D

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Deaf student Bio's:

Azael Perry - is fully supported! He has been working solely as a Deaf Interpreter for the past 3 weeks. Unlike the Hearing Interpreters he doesn't have a team, or get a break during the 3 hour meeting sessions. Thanks so much for helping him to make his support goal! We feel very blessed! :)

Heidi Birchler - is about $300 away from her support goal. She is a student at RIT. She is involved in Hands of Fire, will be on their student leadership team this coming fall and  attends Cru meetings on campus. https://give.cru.org/0746231
Taby Benavides - is fully supported!  She is also a student at RIT. She is also involved in Hands of Fire and Cru.
Jacob Walden - is about half way to his support goal. He is a Community College student in Oklahoma. Involved in the Deaf Bible Study for College Students. https://give.cru.org/0766419
Joel Herrera - is almost all the way to his support goal. He moved from Honduras last year, and is involved in the Deaf Bible Study for College Students as well. https://give.cru.org/0760206
Dennis Alvarez - is a little under half way to his support goal. He flew from Honduras on May 31st. He is learning ASL since they use LESHO in Honduras. Azael is interpreting for Dennis (and occasionally Joel, since he's been in the states less than a year) during the meeting that we have most nights of the week and for social times until he picks up more ASL :) https://give.cru.org/0758657

Slacker Saturday!

Sorry, I've been a slacker for the last 3 weeks.. My "[what]S'up, Wednesday?" post has been edged out by wedding planning (71 days away!), and sleep (catching up on 2am mornings.. silly college students that think sleep is optional!) So, today, I'm calling this post "Slacker Saturday" to catch you up on the last few weeks.. I'll keep the same format as "[what]S'up, Wednesday?".. a place where I give weekly updates about how day to day life is going here in Wildwood, New Jersey. It will typically include something that has just happened, a "forecast of a schedule (always subject to change), and an update on my financial situation..  
Thanks for your grace in my delay! :)
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Happenings: Today the students are hosting a BBQ for their coworkers and international friends, as well as the local community. Jacob - one of the Deaf students from Oklahoma - will be sharing his testimony this evening. I'm so proud of him as he takes this step of faith to tell others what God has been doing in his life! :)

Schedule: Tomorrow (Sunday) Ashley comes down to help interpret for a week. She and I graduated from the same Interpreting program. I'm excited to have her here! :) We'll have 5 interpreters again for 2 days (which will be wonderful!) as Tencia leaves on Wednesday (which will be sad!). When TJ left the first week of June, we went down to having 4 terps for 5 Deaf students. It's hard during social times, as they don't always join the same conversations. Going to Zone Defense after being Man-to-Man for a while takes some adjusting >.<   

Finances: Ticket to Seattle for my terp has been booked! Thanks to my wonderful flight donor and his patience with me switching flights! :)

Thanks so much to any of you that have donated to Azael's/the students accounts! Below are update info about where they are in their support raising, one student is at full support. :) The students support raising goals are $2850 each.

THANKS so much for partnering with me on this journey!

Soli Deo Gloria
:D

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Deaf student Bio's:

Azael Perry - is fully supported! He has been working solely as a Deaf Interpreter for the past 3 weeks. Unlike the Hearing Interpreters he doesn't have a team, or get a break during the 3 hour meeting sessions. Thanks so much for helping him to make his support goal! We feel very blessed! :)

Heidi Birchler - is about $400 away from her support goal. She is a student at RIT. She is involved in Hands of Fire, will be on their student leadership team this coming fall and  attends Cru meetings on campus. https://give.cru.org/0746231
Taby Benavides - is fully supported!  She is also a student at RIT. She is also involved in Hands of Fire and Cru.
Jacob Walden - is about half way to his support goal. He is a Community College student in Oklahoma. Involved in the Deaf Bible Study for College Students. https://give.cru.org/0766419
Joel Herrera - is a little over half way to his support goal. He moved from Honduras last year, and is involved in the Deaf Bible Study for College Students as well. https://give.cru.org/0760206
Dennis Alvarez - is a little under half way to his support goal. He flew from Honduras on May 31st. He is learning ASL since they use LESHO in Honduras. Azael is interpreting for Dennis (and occasionally Joel, since he's been in the states less than a year) during the meeting that we have most nights of the week and for social times until he picks up more ASL :) https://give.cru.org/0758657

FrienDay FriDay :D

FrienDay FriDay is where post a "new friend" that I meet, 

or something that is definitive of the Wildwood experience

 that I would text a picture of to a good friend..

Dennis (in the green jersey) is praying before the students go out on the boardwalk to initiate spiritual conversations, asking people what they believe, and sharing the gospel with them. Azael (in the purple shirt) is translating from LESHO to ASL (since Dennis just moved here from Honduras and uses LESHO), and Cory (in the gray shirt) is translating from ASL to English for Damien (in the white shirt), who is a fellow student, who paired up with Dennis. It seems like a long process, but because Azael and Cory are both skilled interpreters, most people that they approached marveled at the smoothness of the conversations..  Praise the Lord for His gift of languages and community! :D

FrienDay FriDay :D

FrienDay FriDay is where post a "new friend" that I meet, 

or something that is definitive of the Wildwood experience 

that I would text a picture of to a good friend..

The guys on Project hosted a "Women's Appreciation Night" a few weeks back for all the ladies. The picture is a lil grainy because I stole it off of Azael and I's Instagram (if you'd like to follow). After the guys served the girls a full course meal and had a swing-dance lesson, they started playing worship music. I asked the Deaf girls if they would like me to interpret the songs and was was met with an enthusiastic, "YES." I tend to get lost in the worship songs when I sign them and looked up part way through the worship set to see ALMOST ALL of the Hearing students joining the Deaf students in signing the songs. I didn't realize I was leading all of them in ASL worship. It was a humbling and grace-filled moment! :)

FrienDay FriDay :D

FrienDay FriDay is where post a "new friend" that I meet, 

or something that is definitive of the Wildwood experience 

that I would text a picture of to a good friend..

T.J - or TreeJ as he's become known around here - flew back home today.. Only after we made a stop to a local yet hidden beach that is one of my favorites though.. (if I have to go to the beach, I'd pick this one every time..) You'd have thought he'd never seen the ocean before! ;)TreeJ is posing with one of the interpreters "inside jokes" sign of the Awkward Terp. I'm glad T.J. was able to come out for the month he was here, and we're sad he's gone. 

[what]S'up, Wednesday?

"[what]S'up, Wednesday?" is a place where I give weekly updates about how day to day life is going here in Wildwood, New Jersey. It will typically include something that has just happened, a "forecast of a schedule (always subject to change), and an update on my financial situation.. :)
          ******************************************************************
Happenings: Tomorrow is July 4th - which means everyone and their dog comes to the beach. In other words, it gets crazy here! The monsoon season seems to have let up, though (for the first 3 and a 1/2 weeks we were here, it rained everyday for a good part of the day)! There was a tropical storm off the coast that was interfering with the SUNNY Skies here. It was very a-typical weather for this area, as flash thunderstorms are common every other week or so, but not rain all-day every-day. All that said, it's more humid now (much to my interpreter roommate from Seattle, Lindsey's, chagrin , and I think it's back to the normal swing of things..

Schedule: On Friday, TJ flies home He's been here interpreting for a month, and has been a great help. Then on Saturday, Cory, Azael, and Tencia move to their respective new housing locations, as the time is up for our current leases and the rest of the staff (they have been living with) leaves on Saturday too. There will be lots of shuffling around on the interpreter side of things, but we are all looking forward to a more relaxed schedule once the only things we need to interpret for are in the evenings for the students. It's great having the staff here, but it makes for looooong interpreting days.

Finances: I am still needing a one way ticket from Philly to Seattle (around July 19th/20th). If you have airline miles that you could donate, I would greatly appreciate it :)

As always, money is also tight on the students side of project. If you are looking to make a tax deductible donation, or would like to support any of the students, below are the links to their accounts and a short bio about them.. All students have some amount of their support raised, but none of them are at full support yet. The students support raising goals are $2850 each, the Staff goal is $1750.

THANKS so much for partnering with me on this journey!

Soli Deo Gloria
:D

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Deaf student Bio's:

Azael Perry - is the Deaf staff individual. This is his 3rd summer on Project, and he's functioning in a dual role (as staff and a Deaf Interpreter for a Deaf student from Honduras who has come on project this year). He's working super hard this summer, going between the staff/councilor role and the Deaf Interpreter which has not given him much time to work on raising support. The link to his account is here: https://give.cru.org/5572350

Heidi Birchler is a student at RIT. She is involved in Hands of Fire and Cru on campus. https://give.cru.org/0746231
Taby Benavides is also a student at RIT. She is also involved in Hands of Fire and Cru. https://give.cru.org/0745970

Jacob Walden - Community College student in Oklahoma. Involved in the Deaf Bible Study for College Students. https://give.cru.org/0766419
Joel Herrera -  moved from Honduras last year. Involved in the Deaf Bible Study for College Students as well. https://give.cru.org/0760206
Dennis Alvarez - flew from Honduras on May 31st. He is learning ASL since they use LESHO in Honduras. Azael is interpreting for Dennis (and occasionally Joel, since he's been in the states less than a year) during the meeting that we have most nights of the week and for social times until he picks up more ASL :) https://give.cru.org/0758657