Rick Milford
Missionary/Pastor of Faith Baptist Deaf Mission
Appointed by North American Mission Board as Church Planter, June 1, 1999
Ordained as a Deacon October, 1991
Treasurer of Alabama Baptist Conference of the Deaf, 2000, 2003 to present

Wife: Vicki L. Milford: Teacher in Primary Department at Alabama School for the Deaf, is a graduate of the Virginia School for the Deaf in Staunton and Gallaudet University. Two beautiful daughters: Amanda 28, Master Degree in Speech Therapy at University of Alabama and she is working for Hewitt Elementary school in Trussville as Speech Language teacher.  Allison 25, Graduate school at University of Alabama, major in Accounting.

Ricky gave his life to Jesus Christ at age 15 in October 1970. His grandmother had an influence on that decision and after her death, he accepted Jesus Christ.  He rededicated his life in 1981 and began his mission for Christ as a Sunday school teacher for the deaf at Rehoboth Baptist Church in Tucker, Georgia. From that point on, God guided and trained him for the next 18 years to become a pastor for the deaf.

He attended Georgia School for the Deaf from 1966 to 1970 then transferred to a public school in Cordele, Georgia where he graduated in 1974.  He graduated from Gallaudet University in 1979 and went to work for The Coca-Cola Company for 12 years. God moved the family to Talladega, Al in 1990 to work at Alabama School for the Deaf where he was hired as a Resident Advisor (Dean of Boys) and then later as a Microcomputer Specialist until God called him to become a pastor for the deaf. He became interim pastor in February 1998 and in January 1999,  he accepted God’s call as a full time Missionary-Church Planter/ Pastor of Faith Baptist Deaf Mission.

Shirley Musik
DOE Interpreter Grant Coordinator
Regions 1 and 8
 
I began my career in the field of Deafness by serving the Lord in a New Jersey Baptist church. There I learned the language of the Deaf by participating in classes, weekly visitations, teaching in the Sunday School and later, interpreting in church services, Sunday morning, evening and Wednesday nights. My experiences expanded to community interpreting after taking the state and national tests, now so kindly referred to as evaluations. God has allowed me to work in a variety of settings including educational, theatrical, legal, political as well as religious.  I have also taught Sign Langauge and Interpreting classes on all levels; community, churches and collegiate settings. Eagle Eyrie has been an important part of my experiences as I have lead interpreter workshops and worked with the teenagers and children. Freelancing, working as lead interpreter in a high school, an Interpreter Grant Coordinator and in a counseling setting keeps me busy, but the love of my life is my seven grandchildren.

"Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficut still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment."
Benjamin Franklin