Hearing
the Calling Others Cannot
By JAN RICHARDSON
Kristen Wessels grew up the middle child to two deaf parents. For as
long as she can remember, sign language has been second nature, and
interpreting has been a way of life.
It isn't surprising that Wessels, 20, is transferring to North Central University in Minneapolis this fall to
study American Sign Language (ASL).
But Wessels acknowledges that the path that has brought her there has
been anything but predictable.
Wessels and her younger sister, Doris, began attending Bethany
Community Church in Mendon, Massachusetts, during her
eighth-grade year.
Money had always been tight for the family, and the church reached out,
offering the sisters free admission into its private school, Bethany
Christian Academy. In exchange, the girls worked in the
church's thrift store and community outreach center.
Then, on May 30, 2013, tragedy hit. Wessels' father, Edward, died in a
kayaking accident.
Those in the church immediately surrounded the family with support. The
pastoral staff, led by Phil and Cheri McCutchen, helped with arrangements, and
members of the congregation brought food.
Wessels also found encouragement from Bethany's administrative pastor,
Brandie Lee Gaudet.
"We kept reminding her that God has such a big plan for her
life," Gaudet says. "We just continued to remind her of God's love
for her and God's plan for her and how her life can be so much more than the
circumstances she's in."
That support made a difference.
"There was a moment shortly after my dad died that I thought to
myself, 'I'm not going to let the devil have victory over this at all,"
Wessels says. "I really just decided that I was going to let God be God
through this and let Him do a work."
Wessels had planned to attend a Master's Commission in
New York to study psychology, anticipating a career fighting human trafficking. But
after prayer and consideration, Wessels realized that this soon after the
tragedy, she needed to stay near home. She accepted an offer to enroll for free
in Bethany's internship program, NXGN.
Wessels interned for two years, also taking classes online through a
large Christian university. During the internship, she developed a new passion
for interpreting for the deaf. One of her influences was an interpreter and
family friend she had talked with at her father's funeral.
"She told me that deaf people are considered an unreached people
group," Wessels says. "And so that was something that definitely hit
me at home."
After two years with NXGN, Wessels applied to begin the required
residency for an ASL degree at the school where she had been taking online courses.
But that door closed when she learned the university had shut down fall
enrollment due to overbooking. Despite her persistent calls, she couldn't
secure a place at the school.
In searching for alternatives, Wessels discovered North Central and its four-year ASL degree. Because
of her earlier 4.0 grade point average, Wessels qualified for North Central's
maximum academic scholarship for transfer students, the Founder's Scholarship. Through
this, she will receive $6,000 per year.
Now, Wessels is preparing to begin her new pursuit in Minnesota. Her goal
is to help church leaders reach the deaf in their area without the hefty price
tag of an interpreter. That's a need she has experienced firsthand watching her
mother, Marie, try to find a long-lasting congregation where language is
interpreted for the deaf.
Looking back, Wessels says she can see where God has guided each step of
her journey.
"Sometimes we've got to let go of the things we have and our plans
-- and even sometimes our own dreams -- and just let God work in us and work
through our stories and allow Him to create our stories," she says.
"Because it's always a better plan."
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