How Many Times Have You Heard the Gospel?

How many times have you heard the Gospel? Most Christians would have no idea how many times but surely it has been numerous. We are so blessed especially in America to have the privilege to hear the Word of God.

Why do I ask?

Yesterday I heard a challenging message from Bro. Jim Sloan, veteran missionary to the Deaf. Here are some statistics he gave.

There are 400 million+ Deaf people in the world. The plus is important because many countries do not count their Deaf therefore the number would be significantly higher.
For comparison, the United States has about 300 million people.

It is estimated that 90% of the Deaf have never heard the Gospel 1 time.

How many times have you heard the Gospel?

Bearing Precious Seed

All journeys have "bumps" and times of "Are we there yet?" Sometimes we just get plain discouraged and want to turn back. That's where I was last Wednesday. Thinking that our planes tickets would be purchased soon and knowing that our funds were not sufficient yet for the trip, I wanted to quit. During my devotional time with the Lord, I shared my thoughts with Him as if He was not fully aware of my despair. I asked God to give me a clear indication that day that He still desired me to go on this mission trip. I was sure that either I would hear of more support that day or I would just have to convince my husband we needed to quit. (Oh how foolish I sound now as I write this.)

Well the day continued with no news and per our usual habit, we went to Wednesday night prayer meeting at our church. The message was from Psalms 126:6, " He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." Pastor Jody related the verse to a farmer who had seed and must plant it to receive the hope of a harvest. He began to refer to Gospel tracts as seeds and said, "Anybody can give out a tract" Then he began to get personal. He said if we were saved someone had planted a seed and how selfish it would be not to plant a seed for someone else.

Still thinking about the upcoming trip to the Deaflympics, I remembered the first conversation with David Bennett, our Team Leader, in Burger King last fall. After sharing about the planned trip, he asked us to pray about joining the team. My first response was, "We are not good enough." At that time I was thinking only of our ASL skills. David's response was something like this, " No one is asking you to compete just give give out tracts." After much prayer we realized that God did want us to go on this trip and even though in ourselves we really were not good enough. However the Almighty God of the Universe would enable us to give out tracts to precious souls in a strange land or whatever He chose for us to do.

Fast forward to July 23, Wednesday night church at Buffalo Ridge Baptist. I am ready to quit and God sends the same message, " Anybody can give out a tract." What more support does anyone need?


I can hardly wait to bear some Precious Seed in Taipei.

Diana

... and the rest of the story. I missed a call from my son Wednesday night. I later found out he was calling to tell us that his church had voted to support us!! God is so good and His timing is perfect!!

Our Newest Blessing

This post has nothing to do with our trip to

the Deaflympics.

We just want to praise our Gracious Lord for our new Granddaughter.

Sierra Isabelle Mae Williams was born at 8:14 p.m., July 24.2009. Weighing in at 8 pounds, 1 ounce and 20.5 inches long, she is healthy and beautiful.

Her happy parents are our second daughter, Leanna and husband Kevin. Seirra is also welcomed by Big Brother Dakota.

Ghost Festival

In Chinese the seventh month corresponds with the time we will be in Taipei. I think you will find this post interesting. Please remember to pray for the team and also for the millions who without hope of eternal life celebrate this pagan custom.

For the entire seventh moon, ghosts dominate the island of Taiwan. Sometimes called the Mid-Summer Ghost Festival, this entire month is a period when its is believed that the spirits of the dead walk the earth. This is a long held Chinese Taoist belief, which has its roots with the birthday of the Chinese Guardian of Hell. It is believed he celebrates this day by decreeing an amnesty in the underworld, allowing all of the lost souls in hell to rise and return to earth for one month before being sent back.

During this month many special celebrations are held, with sacrifices and offerings laid out to feed and appease the wandering lost souls. The gates of tombs and graveyards are left open to allow the dead access to the world, and lanterns are floated in the sea to guide back the souls of those lost beneath the waves.

On the first and 15th day of the month, colorful ceremonies to honor the ghosts are held in public places and in Taoist temples. All over Taiwan, Ghost month is regarded with a great deal of superstition, and it is believed to be unlucky to travel, to marry or to hold a funeral during this time. They must wait until the ghosts once again depart the earth, and return to the fires of hell.

Feast of the Ghosts

An array of food is offered to the deceased by Buddhists, Taoists, and Chinese folk religion believers because they believe the gates of Hell are open and all ghosts are permitted to receive food and drink.

The Ghost Festival is a traditional Chinese festival and holiday, which is celebrated by Chinese in many countries. During the Festival the living descendants pay homage to their ancestors and on Ghost Day, the deceased visit the living. On the fifteenth day the three realms of Heaven, Hell and the realm of the living are open and both Taoists and Buddhists perform rituals to transmute and absolve the sufferings of the deceased.

Intrinsic to the Ghost Month is ancestor worship, where traditionally the filial piety of descendants extends to their ancestors even after death. Activities during the month would include preparing ritualistic food offerings, burning incense, and burning joss paper, a papier-mache form of material items such as clothes, gold and other fine goods for the visiting spirits of the ancestors. Elaborate meals are served with empty seats for each of the deceased in the family treating the deceased as if they were still living.

Other activities may include, buying and releasing miniature paper boats and lanterns on water, which signifies giving directions to the lost ghosts and spirits of the ancestors and other deities.

People in Taiwan, as in many countries represented at the Deaflympics, are in heathen darkness. They need Christ. Pray for them.

How God Began to Direct us to this Trip

Actually we have no idea of all of Gods workings to direct us to this point. He is always faithful to orchestrate events in our lives to bring us into his perfect will. "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!" Romans 11:33.

However we did write a letter to friends to tell them about our plans. Here is a copy.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ.

God has given my wife and I a special opportunity to travel with an evangelistic mission team to Taipei, Taiwan. In September, Silent Word Ministries International will be leading a mission trip to the 2009 Deaflympics. There will be over 4000 deaf athletes plus many hearing support people. Many of them have never heard the Gospel and may never have another chance. The mission team will be witnessing, preaching, and sharing the Gospel with tracts and DVD Power Point presentations.

While losing my hearing, my family tried to get me to learn sign language. Not wanting to admit I was going deaf, I refused and moved into a deep silent, lonely world. Three years ago God allowed me to receive a Cochlear Implant. The world of sound opened to me again. I can actually understand the preacher and enjoy music in church again.

In a sign language class sponsored by my church, the teacher gave me a video of Brother Ted Camp of SWM preaching and talking about the Deaf living in a silent lonely world. I had been in that world. God began to work in my heart. The next morning in my Bible reading, God directed my thoughts to the deaf and blind in Isaiah 43, then to Romans 12:14 "...how shall they hear without a preacher?" I told God I would learn to sign, be a friend and witness to the Deaf. God has given my wife and me a burden for the Deaf to "hear" the Word of God. We are now active in our church's deaf ministry.

I would ask you to pray for us and help us financially as the Lord leads. The cost of the trip for Diana and me is about $6200. Please send funds to SWMI, P.O. Box 889, Trenton, GA 30752 and designate for Taiwan Trip: Larry & Diana Galyen. All monies contributed will receive a tax deductible receipt.

I would like to keep you informed of our personal and team progress and prayer requests. Please send your email address to lgalyen@gmail.com for these updates.

In Christ,

Larry Galyen

P.S. The Chinese characters at the top are a mystery to most of us, just as the Gospel is a mystery to many Deaf. The characters are Chinese for Gospel.

Anticipation

Forty-five days!!!!

How time flies!!! It seems like just a few days ago we were praying about the possibility of joining with a mission team led by Silent Word Ministries International to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Deaflympics. Now in about 45 days that will become a reality.

While talking to a former co worker of Larry's , she suggested we Blog about our trip. Taking her suggestion, this is the beginning of a trail of words that will hopefully continued until our plane leaves and throughout our trip.

Stay tuned for the exciting details and prayer requests. Right now Larry is waiting for me to finish so we can go "train for the Olympics." Since this will be a physically demanding trip and we were a bit on the sedimentary side, we started walking about a month ago. We tell people we are training for the Olympics. Got to run...ur....walk.

Diana