Perspectives from Dirk & Karen Martin

Dear friends at ECC,

We are thankful for the time we have been able to spend in Ohio this month helping Dirk’s mom and visiting with friends and supporters here in Eaton. We enjoyed our time with the two adult Sunday School classes and are thankful for all of the prayer and financial support we receive from ECC. We are thankful for the opportunity to reconnect with friends and supporters and to share about this past year and our current activities. 

Dirk is excited about the progress being made in online teaching with two students in Haiti. He was able to send an Orbit device to a colleague in Cayes, and he has been teaching him how to use the device through WhatsApp video calls several times a week. Dirk is also continuing to teach a young man Braille via WhatsApp. He plans to help this young man and his guardian learn to use screen reading programs on the smartphone and laptop. Dirk uses Scripture passages or other Christian materials for these Braille lessons, so he is continuing to format materials for both paper Braille copies and digital Braille displays.

Dirk has the opportunity to collaborate with individuals who are working on preparing a digital Braille dictionary in Haitian Kreyol. He hopes to be able to download the dictionary for use on the Orbit Braille displays. He is also looking into ways to get three or four more Orbit devices to colleagues in Port-au-Prince so he can begin to train them in its use. The current gang control of all ports of entry is the main obstacle.

We are thankful for the support of the church and the many individuals who make it possible for Dirk to continue this ministry to people in Haiti and for Karen to volunteer at Hope Academy of The Bronx. This past year Karen taught three math classes and helped in other ways at the school. There were two graduates this year, two girls who had been at Hope Academy for 7-12 grades. It was a joy to have taught them for two years and then to celebrate with them at graduation, thanking God for all He had done in their lives.

Karen is recovering from her heart attack in May and second stent procedure in June. She is scheduled for cardiac rebab in New York in August. We continue to thank God for the good care provided by Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York.

Thank you again for the continuing support of ECC for our ministry.

Sincerely,

Dirk and Karen Martin