Miss-Delectable
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Vacation Bible school for the Deaf gives children chance to focus on religion
The girls sat still for a minute or two as Pastor Mark Seeger repeated the story from the Bible of the prophet Daniel who was saved from lions by an angel. Then came the questions.
"How will God protect me?" asked 12-year-old Amelia Hamilton. Seeger assured her that he doubted she would be attacked.
"There are not any lions' dens in the U.S.," he said — not out loud, but with his hands.
In fluent sign language, the pastor for Jesus Lutheran Church of the Deaf in South Austin was teaching a weeklong vacation Bible school in August for deaf children. Seven 11- and 12-year-old girls surrounded Seeger in the classroom at Christ Lutheran Church, where the Bible school was held because it has more space than Seeger's church.
The girls quickly turned the discussion to the story of Adam and Eve in the Bible. If the couple in the Bible had not sinned, then people would not have to die, said 11-year-old Emma Crawford. Then she switched to another observation.
"Every eight seconds a baby is born in this world," Emma signed to the class. Seeger, who is not deaf, laughed and then signed, "Boy, she learns stuff."
Fifty children ages 3 to 12 attended the Bible school, he said. It has been held since 2000 and includes activities such as arts and crafts, singing — in sign language — and a class about setting boundaries in relationships, conducted by volunteers from SafePlace. This year's theme was "Walking with Jesus," said Jennifer Ceyanes, one of the school's directors.
"I love doing this," said Ceyanes, who is deaf and also teaches at the school. "I get to know the kids."
Meanwhile, 8-year-old Genevieve Cox jumped rope nearby. Genevieve has attended the vacation Bible school for several years and called it "awesome."
Amelia, the girl who worried about lions, said she liked hanging out with her friends at the school. "I learned about Jesus and how he walks beside me, in front of me and above me," she said.
June Nasukiewicz, a parent who is deaf, stood nearby helping children glue together construction paper representations of Daniel in the lions' den. "I like to see the kids learning," she said.
The class was held during the third week of August to help parents working at the Texas School for the Deaf who had in-service training that week, Seeger said. He finished the day's activities in the chapel by signing a prayer for all the children who were sitting in the pews.
Anne Schindehette came to pick up her grandchild. "This is wonderful," she said. "It gives the basics on Christianity."
The girls sat still for a minute or two as Pastor Mark Seeger repeated the story from the Bible of the prophet Daniel who was saved from lions by an angel. Then came the questions.
"How will God protect me?" asked 12-year-old Amelia Hamilton. Seeger assured her that he doubted she would be attacked.
"There are not any lions' dens in the U.S.," he said — not out loud, but with his hands.
In fluent sign language, the pastor for Jesus Lutheran Church of the Deaf in South Austin was teaching a weeklong vacation Bible school in August for deaf children. Seven 11- and 12-year-old girls surrounded Seeger in the classroom at Christ Lutheran Church, where the Bible school was held because it has more space than Seeger's church.
The girls quickly turned the discussion to the story of Adam and Eve in the Bible. If the couple in the Bible had not sinned, then people would not have to die, said 11-year-old Emma Crawford. Then she switched to another observation.
"Every eight seconds a baby is born in this world," Emma signed to the class. Seeger, who is not deaf, laughed and then signed, "Boy, she learns stuff."
Fifty children ages 3 to 12 attended the Bible school, he said. It has been held since 2000 and includes activities such as arts and crafts, singing — in sign language — and a class about setting boundaries in relationships, conducted by volunteers from SafePlace. This year's theme was "Walking with Jesus," said Jennifer Ceyanes, one of the school's directors.
"I love doing this," said Ceyanes, who is deaf and also teaches at the school. "I get to know the kids."
Meanwhile, 8-year-old Genevieve Cox jumped rope nearby. Genevieve has attended the vacation Bible school for several years and called it "awesome."
Amelia, the girl who worried about lions, said she liked hanging out with her friends at the school. "I learned about Jesus and how he walks beside me, in front of me and above me," she said.
June Nasukiewicz, a parent who is deaf, stood nearby helping children glue together construction paper representations of Daniel in the lions' den. "I like to see the kids learning," she said.
The class was held during the third week of August to help parents working at the Texas School for the Deaf who had in-service training that week, Seeger said. He finished the day's activities in the chapel by signing a prayer for all the children who were sitting in the pews.
Anne Schindehette came to pick up her grandchild. "This is wonderful," she said. "It gives the basics on Christianity."
