training in lip-reading, and saw that he finished high school. In desperation, Ray sought a purpose for his e x i s t e n c e by studying cults, magic, spiritual ism, hypnosis, and yogi. If there was truly a God who governed the universe, who loved him, where was He? Then a friend gave him a book which explained God’s wonderful plan of salvation. Confessing his sins and begging forgiveness, Ray Roush found peace for the first time since tragedy struck. With ardor, he resumed his childhood custom of attending church only to be overpowered by a sense of loneliness. For he couldn’t hear the sermons, the prayers, the inspiring music. If only God would send someone to interpret the services to him with hand signs! But no one came. I sai ah 29:18 kept go ing through his mind: “And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the Book.” What day? How? Was God calling him? Could God use him as a messenger to hun dreds of deaf who had never heard the words? Yes! God was calling him! No wonder Rev. Ray Roush has a compulsive passion and em pathy for the lost deaf! His self- pity turned to gratitude that he had not been crippled by his boy hood illness and thus unable to heed the call. God had been merci ful to him. This was the purpose for his life. The students at the Jamaica Center are trained spirtually, so cially, mentally, and vocationally. The school day begins at 8 o’clock with Bible study and devotions, followed by regular school sub jects. Three hours of vocational training f o l l ow a nourishing lunch. There is prayer before each meal and at bedtime. Silent prayer God can hear! How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? When they are taught to hear with their eyes by dedicated mis sionaries with a vision who have gladly responded: “Here am I. Send me!" B3
Father above. And they quickly respond. The contrast between their former existence and this Christ-centered environment pro duces a spiritual impact on them all. One of the first resident stu dents had never seen a white man, a bathtub, a car, or a knife and fork before his father en rolled him in the mission school. He was one of a family of six children, all born deaf. In a few years he was preaching in the chapel, teaching other students, and managing the craft shop. Now a graduate in his twenties, he is employed as a printer! He has traveled across the United States, p r omo t i ng the Center forcefully with manual speech. Another boy was found living in the mountains with a herd of goats. He had no name, no home, no recollection of fami l y . He quickly learned to communicate with the sign language; to read, write, and use carpenter tools. He is happy in the love of Christ. Upon graduation, he prayed for a job in prayer meeting. The very next day he was employed. Homeless girls, roaming streets and highways, have been trans formed into neat, cheerful, edu cated young ladies with a ready testimony of what Jesus has done for them. Most of the staff at the Jamai ca Center are deaf. Some dedi cated exceptions are Florence Jor dan, a “retired” teacher from Pacific Union College in Seattle, and Mr. and Mrs. Galen Lehman on two years of volunteer service. The Rev. Ray Roush, Director of the Center for the last six years, lost his hearing during a siege of spinal meningitis at the age of 13. He became bitter and defiant when his prayers that his hearing be restored were unheed ed. What was the use of living, isolated from a world of sound, music, laughter, and communica tion by a wall of silence? His devoted parents took him to specialists, tried every treat ment prescribed, sympathetically tolerated his self-pity, gave him
OCTOBER, 1969
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