Within the 40 days of David's Tent, through worshipping and seeking the presence of Jesus, we have seen so much breakthrough in the lives of our Deaf friends and the Deaf community. We have seen a dream come true, chains broken, people finding their voice, Deaf worship leaders birthed and more! Here are some testimonies as I have seen them through David's Tent.
Giovanna . . . A dream come true
Giovanna leading worship, picture of her signing forever.
One night at David's Tent after the 7 to 9 set, she shared "I have always dreamed of worshipping Jesus in American Sign Language (ASL) on a stage." I immediately said it is possible! And encouraged the girls that were there to request to led a 2 hour worship set for David's Tent. All who were there was more then interested. Less than a week later, 6 amazing Deaf women, Giovanna one of them, praise Jesus in ASL on a stage! Giovanna had a dream come true through David's Tent.
Mariah . . . Chains are broken
Mariah leading worship, picture of her signing cross.
Mariah shared as we were talking and preparing for the 1st worship set that she might not lead any songs because she does not like to be up in front or leading anything. Throughout the two hours, she led more than 2 songs and at the end of the 2 hours was eager to led another song. There was chains broken in Mariah's life through worshipping Jesus.
Esther . . . Steps into her calling
Esther leading worship (first) and Esther leading the group in communion (second).
Esther has had a strong calling to leadership her whole life. However discussing the first set she said she might not led a song but would support others in leading. Like Mariah, by the end of the first two hour set she had led 2 or 3 songs. She shared that there was so much breakthrough that first night in her personal life! And God continued to do marvelous things in her life. Within a couple weeks, by the third set, Esther was co-leading a 2 hour set with Kari (mentioned below). At the end of the third set as we were all heading out the door, Esther got the group together and led all of us (hearing and Deaf) in communion to remember it is all about Jesus. Through David's Tent, Esther stepped into her calling as a leader!
Heather . . . Finds her voice
Heather is the one in purple on the right. She invited and brought her three deaf friends.
Growing up Heather, a hearing graduate student at Gallaudet University, was told that she was tone deaf and can not do music. It was something that she just started believing about herself. During the second ASL worship set, she asked God how to connect the Deaf worship for the hearing people sitting in David's Tent. God told her to start singing what the Deaf worshippers were signing. So she did. And it was SOO beautiful and brought Jesus so much glory! Heather finds her voice during a Deaf worship set. I love Jesus and his marvelous plan!
Kari . . . A Deaf worshipper leader birthed
Kari leading worship, picture of her signing we lift our voices to you.
Kari has always had the heart for worship and prayer for Jesus. She was regularly coming to the Washington House of Prayer worship/prayer nights and actively seeking Jesus with us. Through David's Tent, Kari was given the opportunity to not only seek Jesus herself but soar into making a path for other Deaf people to seek the presence of Jesus through worship by scheduling the first Deaf Worship set and encouraging people to come. After the first one, she was hungry for more of His presence and signed up for 3 more 2 hour worship sets, making it a total of 4. With each set, Kari grew in worship leading and allowing phrases from her heart sink in with repetition. As well as she made the way for 8 other Deaf lives to be touched and changed through her pioneering. God through Kari made a path for intimacy with Jesus for hearing and Deaf alike through Deaf worship!
Laura . . . a Faithful flower buds
Laura at the Washington House of Prayer for the first time as the first Deaf worshipper (first),
and Laura in the front row engaged in Deaf worship during David's Tent (second).
Laura was the first Deaf person that attended Washington House of Prayer. She came one time, felt the presence of Jesus and just never stopped coming. Not only that but she started to invite others to encounter Jesus through worship. Just like Andrew, one of the 12 disciples of Jesus, recognized Jesus as the Messiah and went and got his brother Peter and brought him to Jesus, she recognized Jesus and brought others to him so they too can get to know him. Also like Andrew I have seen the gift of faith in her and her faithfulness to Jesus. She was sick and had a group project the opening night of David's tent but still stopped by the tent on a borrowed bike. She was there many times during the 40 days, and the closing night starting at 5 pm to 9 pm in the freezing cold to just be with her God. Like God is faithful to the end and will finish what he started, Laura and her faithfulness budded like a beautiful flower during David's Tent.
Renca . . . a Bridge Builder
Renca leading worship, picture of her signing fill us.
Renca has an anointing of worship, as she worships in spirit and in truth. She naturally can take the English words of a worship song and translate them in her head in the matter of seconds and produce a beautiful clear ASL phrase that represents the English words. She has helped me interpret many times at David's Tent with a clearer ASL interpretation. During the Deaf worship sets, I saw Renca become a mediator between the Deaf worship leaders and the hearing people seeking Jesus at the tent. As she would ask for a song to be sung and then sign it in ASL. Many times, hearing people would recongize the song and then start to pick up on the signs for the songs they knew. She also encouraged the hearing people get up and worship through ASL with her. God used Renca build a bridge for the Deaf and hearing people at the tent to walk across and be united in Christ.
Jonathan and Justin . . . New identity and Made alive in Christ
Justin and Jonathan playing keeping the rhythm for worship.
Jonathan and Justin, are twin brothers and are Deaf drummers! Kari invited them to come alongside of the Deaf worship and drum. They were able to come and drum for the last two sets of Deaf worship. During the last set, there hands became tired from drumming, which was Jesus's plan to get them up and using their hands for worship through ASL. As both of them lead worship, something in them was lit anew. Through it, I saw Jonathan gain a true understanding of who he really is. His eyes were opened to a new identity through worshipping in ASL. Justin was made alive in Jesus Christ. It was like God restarted his heart to beat to the heartbeat of God through worshipping at David's Tent.
During the 40 days of worship, God has created a group of community of Deaf believers who desire to seek the presence of Jesus through worship. Dan and I are blessed to be a part of what God is creating in the lives of people here in D.C. and so excited to see what He is going to do next!
David's Tent Group Pictures:
1st Deaf Worship Set at the White House Ellipse
October 13th, Saturday morning 1 am to 3 am
Left to Right: Dan, Carole, Giovanna, Mariah, Renca, Kari, Esther, Laura
2nd Deaf Worship Set at Faith Tabernacle Church (location due to Hurricane Sandy)
October 28th, Sunday night 11 pm to 1 am
Leading: Kari and Renca
Playing musical worship: Time, John Mark, Dan
Participating: Laura, Elizabeth, Renca's mom
3rd Deaf Worship Set at Faith Tabernacle Church (location due to Hurricane Sandy)
October 30th, Tuesday night 9 pm to 11 pm
Left to Right: Dan, Carole, Kari, Esther, Arlene, Justin, Jonathan, David
Back Row: Tim
Middle Row: Justin, David, Jonathan, Jason, Dan, Esther, John Mark
Front Row: Kari, Elizabeth, Carole, Arlene
4th Deaf Worship Set at the White House Ellipse
November 1st, Thursday night, 9 pm to 11 pm
Kari, Renca, Justin and Jonathan
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