Piecing the puzzle together

 

I had someone ask me the other night if I had decided to learn sign language because I knew we were going to be adopting a deaf child. I had to smile as I answered "no". It dawned on me that I've made assumptions that ALL my friends and acquaintances know my sign language story. I realized that's just not true. So, for those of you who may not realize how amazing this adoption really is, here's another piece of the puzzle for you.

My desire to learn sign language started when I was 16 years old. I attended a Christian concert and saw an interpreter signing the music. I was amazed at the beauty of this language, and I wanted to learn it right away. The only sign language course I could find was at a neighboring church. Several people from my church took the beginner class together in the hopes some Deaf would begin to attend our church. Unfortunately, that never happened. I finished the class and never met a deaf person.

Years later, when I was in my mid-twenties, I decided to take another beginner class. Again, with the hopes I'd meet a deaf person. I finished the class, but never met a deaf person.

Then I met Bruce. We were married, and a year or so later both of us decided to take a beginner course in sign language. It was offered at a local community college and it seemed like a fun thing to do together. I sailed through the course (not surprising, since this was now my third beginner class!), but STILL never met a deaf person.

All along I felt the Lord was telling me to learn the language, but it just didn't make sense to me to go further if I was never going to use it with the Deaf. 

Fast-forward to 2006. Once again I felt the Lord telling me I needed to learn this language. This time He was very clear that He wanted me to learn the language whether or not I ever met a deaf person. It really didn't make sense to me at all, but after talking with Bruce and some of our close friends, I decided I should move forward and go farther than just a beginner class. 

After I made the decision to move forward and learn ASL (American Sign Language), the Lord opened the doors for me to meet not only one deaf person, but MANY deaf people! (Little did I know the Atlanta area has a very large Deaf/Hard of Hearing population.) Over these past years the Lord has opened doors for me to use ASL with Proskuneo Ministries (the ministry I work with), at our church, and in the community. I have often been overwhelmed with the many doors God has opened because of my (rather late) obedience.

When we heard about this little boy in Hungary (who just happens to be deaf), we didn't know right away that God wanted us to pursue adopting him. But God made it clear to us that the past years of learning ASL, and becoming more familiar with deaf culture in general, have been part of HIS plan for us. 

Although I didn't begin learning sign language with this little boy in mind, he is definitely another piece in the amazing puzzle God has put together for our family!