Here are some quotes from a recent article in World Magazine
“The complete Bible has not been translated into any sign language anywhere in the world. Some ask: Can't the deaf just read the Bible? They're not blind, right? No, but for those who have never heard spoken words, English is like a foreign language. The deaf live in a separate language sphere and, depending on their upbringing, develop different levels of language.”
"The hearing church has not thought about them as a language group but as a handicapped population," said Albert Bickford, a sign language linguistic consultant with Wycliffe Bible Translators, an organization that translates Scripture into the world's languages. ASL wasn't widely considered a language until the 1980s. Now it ranks as a major language group behind English and Spanish.”
"Deaf people like stories, they're more like an oral people," says Geoffrey Hunt, a sign language translation coordinator for Wycliffe Bible Translators. He's quick to say he doesn't speak for all deaf people, but from his general experience: "They might go to a church with an interpreter and not know for years and years what is being preached."
“Thiessen, now 38, had a hard time hearing by the time he turned 4: ‘I just thought I was a broken hearing person.’ By the time he turned 18 he was completely deaf. He says he began to realize that deafness wasn't just a flaw in his body but was important to his identity, like being Irish or Hispanic. Since he wasn't born deaf, he learned more easily to lip-read and speak and is now getting a master's degree from the University of North Dakota. ” (Stuart Thiessen is on staff with DOOR)
To read more, go to this link: http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:4jtt2hRzN0IJ:www.worldmag.com/articles/15738+World+magazine+deaf&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us
DOOR’s mission is to bring God’s Word
and reproducing Believers’ Fellowships
to the Deaf of the world.
Someone recently asked, “We would like you to share your biggest praise or blessing from the past year, and also your # 1 prayer request for the balance of this year."
This was our answer …
BIGGEST PRAISE:
For the first time ever, God’s Word is being translated by DOOR into 8 different sign languages for the Deaf. As a result, Deaf – many for the first time – are seeing God’s Word in their “heart language” and understanding.
“Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.” Romans 15:21 & Isaiah 52:15
BIGGEST PRAYER REQUEST:
Pray for the spiritual health and strength of the eight Deaf translation teams now working on different sign language translations. Satan is not happy that this work is going on in a territory that he previously controlled. The DOOR team around the world is experiencing a lot of spiritual warfare on their journey into the Deaf world.
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Eph 6:10-12
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