VRI is Approved

Steve has several communication tools under his control, including email, Facebook, video phones, VRS (Video Relay Service), and me. He has now added VRI (Video Remote Interpreting) for church related communication. From what I understand, the service has a cost if we use the company’s interpreters. It is free if we use a volunteer interpreter and the equipment is set up in the interpreter’s home. (Anyone want to volunteer?)

When the Deaf ward did not work out, Steve set to work with the intention of getting VRI set up in our home ward. He encountered several obstacles; including technical difficulties, miscommunication, no communication, and misunderstandings such as the belief that one unskilled interpreter in a different ward was sufficient for him. I assisted along the way by explaining a few things, such as the fact that Steve knows more about VRI than anyone in the ward, including me. The fact that the Church Handbook 2 says nothing about VRI was an obstacle.

After several weeks of effort, I felt that people had given up. Through “cosmic forces”…ok, the Spirit pushed me, I had the opportunity to talk to our new ward bishop and his wife about the situation and about how I was feeling. His wife, by the way, is my former Visiting Teacher and is one of the first people in the ward to learn how to communicate with Steve by fingerspelling and a few signs. She also got many people, including Stake High Council members, to write their Sacrament Meeting messages so that Steve could have a copy of them.

Bishop felt a desire to make VRI work for us. Perhaps the knowledge that the efforts of a willing but unskilled signer gave Steve about 20% of our leaders’ messages during Ward Conference, and most of the time Steve was teaching her signs, helped him to see the light. I think, however, the one thing that did the trick, was when our Relief Society president and Bishop called Steve on his video phone using VRS. The RS Pres. was so happy with it, she told all of the women in RS meeting how much fun it was to talk to Steve on the phone and she encouraged them to call him. Maybe she didn’t tell them that they would actually be talking to an interpreter, but he can use voice carry-over if he remembers to do that.

Bishop said to me as best as I can recall, “It appeared that the interpreter was able to tell him exactly what I said.” That is very good feedback. It lets people know that Sign Language is not just a baby language and using a professional interpreter is better than writing, or typing, or using an unskilled signer. I explained to Bishop that a professional interpreter is not just for Steve; it is for anyone who wants to communicate with him in an effortless (well, maybe not for the interpreter) and confidential manner.

With the efforts of Steve, our VRS/VRI company and interpreters, Bishop, ward clerk, me, and most of all God, we were able to have VRI approved. Getting the approval was a large hurdle. We still have to find interpreters and figure out how to use it. Steve also has to decide when and where to use it. I am confident that he will figure it out, and I am happy that he has an additional tool that will give him access to professional interpreters while we (hopefully) grow an interpreter or two.

Bishop’s Storehouse

Steve and I make our way into the Bishop’s Storehouse and are greeted by smiling and friendly faces. I converse with the receptionist while Steve watches. I know he wants to know what we are saying, but it is nearly impossible for me to talk to someone and interpret for him at the same time. Some people are able to do that. I am not. That is why I prefer to pretend that I am deaf, so that people will communicate with both of us by writing. He does not always prefer that, however.

I look at him. The smiles and friendly conversation are overshadowed by the look on his face. Already, my brain cannot remember most of what this lady has said to me. I manage to sign “chicken turkey which?”

We make our way through the store and I am gathering fruit and vegetables while Steve is gathering other items in another part of the store. As I weigh the produce, certain recent events and other challenges weigh heavily on my mind. I hear Steve tell someone that he is deaf. I cannot hear what else is being said, but I hear quiet laughter. My mind returns to my deep thoughts.

Suddenly I feel an arm around my shoulders, and a soft gentle voice says, “I can see those gears turning.” I tell this elderly gentleman, “They are always turning.” He replies, “As long as they don’t freeze up and smoke comes out.”

A gentle touch, soft voice, warm smile, and bit of humor was all I needed to lift my spirits, and coming from the same man who lifted Steve’s spirits. The right people work in that store.

If it Weren’t for Cosmic Forces, We Wouldn’t Know Anything

I use the term “Cosmic Forces” for those of you who may not believe in the Spirit. I for one believe that everything happens for a Divine reason, even when I follow along kicking and screaming.

In the previous post entitled Universal Ignorance I mentioned that “Steve is fortunate to have one wonderful lady, same age as I, who volunteered to interpret for him in a hearing ward within our Stake boundaries.” Karen has lived in this community for as long as we have (12 years). We found out about her 3 ½ years ago. (See blog post Stake Conference) She could have been interpreting for him several years prior to that conference if we had known about her.  For some reason, we had to wait until that conference to know she existed.

Last summer we found out that the wife of one of my many nephews knows Sign Language. They have been married about ten years. She has been teaching her kids Sign Language. How did we find out about her? Facebook! I had to explain to Steve who she is.

In one of my comments on Universal Ignorance, I wrote, “Steve is the only signing deaf person, as far as I know, in this community.” Apparently I am wrong. Our new Home Teachers told us there is a signing deaf man and member of the Church who lives in this community. (I should note that this community is small; however, it is growing fast.) Why does it have to take 12 years to find this out? Maybe he hasn’t lived here that long. It makes me wonder how many more deaf individuals live around here.

We recently found out that Andrea Ploehn (Signing4Baby) moved into our ward and lives a few houses down from ours on our street. How did we find out about her? She “just happened” to walk by our house when Steve went out to get the mail. According to him, she volunteered to interpret for him in our ward.

I know I should be grateful for all of these people, and I am, much more than I express. It’s hard to understand however, why it has to take so long to learn they exist and why we often learn about them through “Cosmic Forces”. My only conclusion is that when flawed human beings do not take care of our needs, God does. He tests our patience and humility in the meantime.