Gallaudet University
Rockfest/Brickfest is a traditional sport competition weekend between Deaf students from RIT/NTID and Gallaudet Univerity. Rockfest is held at Gallaudet University during the even years and Brickfest is held at RIT/NTID during the odd years. This tradition started in 1978, where the schools come together for one weekend a year to promote socialization in the Deaf community and have a competition in every sport you can think of! After 2 days of competition, they end the weekend with a Bash on Saturday night.
This year, 2014, Rockfest was held at Gallaudet University and our team decided all to go and get involved with the action. Many of us saw friends, from Galluadet and RIT that we have made along the years, going back to HS classmates. It was amazing to love them by listening, giving an encouraging word or praying for when we were on campus.
Announcing of the winner of the weekend . . . and the winner is . . . Gallaudet University!
This year is also the 150th year that Gallaudet University has been established. April 8 2014 was the day, 150 years ago that the charter for the school was signed by Abraham Lincoln. Our team, also was on campus, celebrating the day and the opening of a museum explaining the history of Gallaudet.
I bumped into David and Alyce Reynolds, who were in from Freemont, California for the week for the Charter Day Celebration. David was one of the first Deaf people I met in Normal, IL at a Silent Dinner and has been a great influence in my life. He loves Jesus and completely welcomed me into the Deaf community and taught me so much ASL as well as answered all the questions I had about the Deaf community when I was just beginning. He also was the one who encouraged me to attend Gallaudet University for my masters degree in Deaf Education. I was able to share what God has been doing. He shared how he still reads our blogs and is proud of what God is doing in me and through me. I know that was the heart of God the Father speaking through him.
When I met David, I was learning ASL and being introduced to the Deaf community. I had no idea what God would do in my life or how I would share Jesus with others and did not even see the connection between my heart for missions and sharing Jesus with my recent new passion of people who are Deaf. But as I saw him, I was reminded of God's faithfulness and how he loves to use us in crazy ways. I was reminded how how much God can do! I am currently fluent in ASL, with a husband who is on his way to being the same and our full-time job is to disciple Deaf people to know Jesus and make him known in the world! And I love it. I love how creative our God is and I love that the one thing I seek is to see him glorified on earth and in the Deaf community! Because He is worthy of every person's heart and soul because of what He did on the cross! Seeing David, made me praise God and his faithfulness and his amazing plans He has for each of us!
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