One Year Missionary remembers ESD

I initially heard about ESD through Heather Crichton. Heather had spent a year at ESD and returned home toPa, where we met at an interpreting class. Heatherwent back shortly after we met to serve at the deafchurch in San Juan. I thought Heather was a greatperson, but honestly, we didn't know each other well. We were more acquaintances than friends.

When we arrived at ESD in August of 1994, Heather washome for three months on furlough. You can imagineour surprise when we first arrived at ESD and learnedthat Heather had left her car for us to use for theremaining two months of her furlough! Wow!

The generosity we experienced didn't stop there. Three single missionaries and housemates, Betsy Hoke,Ruby Martin, and Cheryl Kaltwasser, regularly watchedthe missionary kids so we couples could have datenights. My husband, David, and I had more dates thatyear than ever before or after! They would alwaysplan fun activities for the kids - swimming in a pool,a trip to the beach, baking cookies, etc. And theyalways brought them back to us later than they hadexpected! What a treat!

For our anniversary, principal Pam Eadie stayedovernight with our kids and let us stay in herbeachfront condo.Anytime David or I needed a car, Betsy was always morethan willing to loan us hers. She even let us use itfor a few overnights when we went on a mini vacationjust before we returned home.Betsy, Cheryl, and Ruby always gladly included us intheir weekend fun events such as snorkeling trips toislands, checking out the local beaches, and tryingout unique flavors of delicious Puerto Rican icecream, i.e. corn. We always felt included and wanted. This was very helpful as we dealt with homesicknessand adjusted to a new environment.

When our eleven year old son, Ben, was hospitalizedfor a month for a ruptured appendix, staff membersgladly took over our responsibilities so that we couldstay in the hospital with him. Teacher Shirley Dubber spent a full day in the hospital with Ben and read the entire book Island of the Blue Dolphins to him. Heather picked up a family member at the San Juan airport and drove her to ESD for us. ESD was a onehour drive from the airport.

I have never in my life experienced such generosity.
And I will never forget it.
Kathy Zimmerman