It is quiet here on the M.F.D. compound in Pune, India. My team and team Sh' ma arrived a week earlier than all of the students that attend here did. The compound was deserted, minus us and a handful of workers, so of course it would be peaceful.
The funny thing is, it was just as quiet after the 130 students arrived as it was before. Students poured in, but you didn't hear a word. This school is a Christian boarding school for the deaf. Over a hundred students from all different beliefs, backgrounds, and states unite at this boarding school with one thing in common, they can't hear.
While you may feel sad for them because of their hearing impairment, I encourage you to see the blessing in it. These students, mainly from Hindu backgrounds, come to a Christian boarding school to receive an education. Here, they encounter the true God for the first time. While everything else may be silent, they hear the voice of the Lord. They gain something far greater than the ability to hear.
The joy on their faces is simply stunning. They can't speak, but they definitely are not silent. They sign with their hands to communicate with us in both American and Indian sign language. However, we don't always understand what they are trying to tell us through the established signs and it usually turns into an intense game of charades. Huge smiles overcome all of our faces when we finally grasp what they are trying to tell us. It has brought so much joy to my life to see how patient and passionate they are about communicating with us.
The students are so servant- hearted. They never want us to help clean and they are always telling us to go rest. The girls love to pamper us with henna and hair braids. The boys love to play soccer and do manly things with the guys. They all love to teach us new signs and learn about our families back home. They just love to be around us and are always interested in what we have to say. I wish they knew how much joy they bring to us every day and how big of a blessing they have been to us. You can tell they dont think they are anything special at times.
Someone came up with the beautiful idea of washing their feet. We really wanted to show them the love of Christ in action. It was such a great way to serve them and explain to them how Jesus humbled Himself for all of us.
We massage love into every toe. We laughed with every ticklish child as they squirmed in their seat. We scrubbed every beautiful little foot clean.
At the end of it all, I think they did more for my heart than I did to their sweet feet!
"In that day the deaf shall hear the words of the scroll.." – Isaiah 29:18
* I will add pictures soon. My laptop broke, so it has been difficult this month!
