2021-12 Prayer Letter
November-December 2021
Dear Friends,
The song says, “O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant! O come ye to Bethlehem! Come and behold Him, born the King of angels. O come, let us adore Him! Christ, the Lord.” The song calls Him “Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing” (John 1:1, 14). Think of it — the long-awaited Messiah, the Promised One of God, the One who, against all odds, fulfilled so many prophecies — Jesus Christ was born, lived, died, was buried, and rose again! May each of us never cease to be amazed at who He is, what He has done, and how we have been blessed. It is our privilege to serve Him.
2021 Meetings & Ministry Report – This year Diane and I conducted 11 area-wide deaf ministry Fantastic Saturdays to encourage and train deaf ministries (691 people – 58 service decisions – 1 salvation decision), 3 regional ASL Institutes to help church interpreters improve their abilities to interpret for their pastors and churches (197 people – 34 service decisions), and the local SWM Community Sign Language Class. Other highlights include conducting the Silent Word Mission Retreat for our mission team (30 team members), publishing 6 Silent Word newspapers (10,000 each printing), and creating 3 Gospel business cards (30,000 printed – over 20,000 distributed).
DeafNation World Expo – Thousands of Deaf people from around the world are expected at this special secular event in August 2022. Please pray with us as we complete the new Gospel Animation Project, which we want to premier at the expo. We have been working on this witnessing video for a couple of years and are praying for many salvation decisions at the expo. Our balance needed is $2,780 for travel, food and lodging, and gospel materials. (Checks: SWM, Address Below – Designate: Barr Mission Trip)
Special Needs – Please pray with us regarding these special needs:
- Passenger Van – SWM has a need for a good passenger van to be used for ministry errands and for our teams to attend meetings. Do you or does your church know of a good passenger van that could be donated or purchased? Contact: JBarr@SilentWord.org
- Office Helpers – SWM (and Diane and I) needs help in the SWM home office as we produce, print, and publish deaf ministry materials, and as we assist our growing family of missionaries.
- Personal Need – This year we have $4,000 of unexpected dental expenses, which our supplemental dental discount plan did not cover. Please pray with us for these personal needs.
SWM Deaf Tour of Israel – This nonprofit trip in March/April will expose Deaf pastors, teachers and laymen to the Holy land, some for the first time! (We are not raising money, nor will we personally benefit from this trip.) Two certified/qualified interpreters are going with our group of around 20. Please pray for a lasting impact on the travelers. (Flashback: Last time one of our travelers was saved in Israel – Praise the Lord!)
Thank you for the privilege of partnering with you to reach and teach Deaf people and train hearing people for the deaf ministry. Your prayers and financial support are greatly appreciated. Thank you!
For Deaf Souls,
Jon and Diane Barr,
Missionaries to the Deaf
Online: SilentWord.org/Team/Barr • JDBarr.com