Intentional God

Coincidence: “A remarkable concurrence of events or circumstances without apparent casual connection”

Intentional: “Done on purpose; deliberate”

After graduating college with a degree in Deaf Culture and American sign language, I was called to leave the states to serve and reach people around the world; rather than working with the people group I had spent four years building connections with and learning about.  As the race started, I began to recognize a feeling of bitterness I had.  I had just spent so long learning all about Deaf culture and sign language, which I am now so passionate about, why was I called to leave and enter countries that had completely different sign languages?  “Now I won’t even get to work with this people group I have a heart for, and I’m going to completely forget the language by the time I get back” is what I selfishly thought.  But my God is way to intentional for that…

After my first few weeks of the race, living in an indigenous community in Honduras, I was chatting with the pastor and his wife about how I studied sign in college.  The pastors face lit up and he said there was an eight year old, Aaron, in the community that was Deaf.  Aaron didn’t know any sign but he could read and write.  As I taught him the alphabet I felt discouraged that he would never be able to use it because it was American sign.  I had no internet connection or access to find Spanish sign so that I could learn and teach him.  We reviewed the alphabet a few times so that he can continue to practice fingerspelling words.  His mom and sister were intrigued by the language.  I prayed that it would spark an interest in his family to create better means of communication for him, and that somehow, he would be able to use this American sign some day.  I still pray that he has the opportunity to meet other Deaf people and become immersed in this community that he can communicate and connect with.

Next we went to Nicaragua, where we stayed at the child protection center.  I quickly met Mateo, who has a sister that is fully Deaf and signs.  He and I started signing with each other and I quickly realized that sign language in Central America is very similar to American sign.  There are only a few letters in the alphabet that are different!  I smiled big as I realized Aaron would have more opportunity to use the alphabet when meeting other Deaf people.  We spent some time practicing with each other so that we could keep up on our signing skills and this sparked an interest for him to become certified to do sign language interpreting in Nicaragua.

Then came Costa Rica! On our first day in Costa, we explored the little beach town we lived near.  As we were walking, a couple of the girls stopped into a place that does braiding to ask about styles and costs.  The hairstylist that was working was Deaf and I could understand her sign perfectly!  “GOD SEES ME!”  Is what I shouted leaving the building.  Connections, friendships, and interactions I totally would have missed had it not been for this beautiful language.

Just a few days ago my team and I took a bus about an hour to head to an indigenous community for VBS.  It was an early morning, so as we got off the bus we all laid eyes on a coffee shop and headed directly towards it.  As we walked in we were quickly greeted and nearly immediately prayed over.  The woman working has a son who works with her, he is Deaf.  Approaching any conversation in sign these days, I pray that God will refresh my signing skills, that if there’s anything he needs me to say, He’d just give me the signs for it.  We chatted a little bit and I felt my sign was sharper than it was before leaving the states.  Yesterday we had the privilege to spend the day with this family…meeting them was no doubt by divine appointment.

Some people might call these encounters coincidence.  I call it intentionality.  God knows what He’s doing, and I know He’s capable of anything.  So I’ll trust Him, and I’ll trust that He has purpose in the skills He’s given me and the encounters He’s prepped me for.  Even if my four years of college education in sign was that I might love on or share the gospel with one person, I will celebrate and praise Him.

(Names changed for privacy)