The cell phone vibrated and buzzed, jumping around on his desk. After picking up the cell phone and reading the text message, he (DOOR Deaf staff member) smiled from ear to ear as he handed the phone to us so we could see the text message.
"BRILLIANT!" is what we read.
He proceeded to share with us some previous text messages that had been coming in, such as ...
"You are late! This should have happened long time ago. I'm old! I should have learned this years ago. WHY DID IT TAKE SO LONG? Wow! Now I have something I understand. Finally, I can become a teacher to other Deaf."
Other DOOR staff members were having the same experience. Text messages from some of the 400 Deaf who attended the celebration on Saturday (January 16 in Nairobi, Kenya) were coming in ... and continue coming it.
What an incredible experience to watch Deaf Kenyans walking around after the dedication service with a DVD set and storyboard in their hand -- their FIRST EVER Bible in their sign language. Wish you ALL could have been there to see their faces. Each "set" contains 32 carefully selected portions of Scripture with introduction, additional information and key points ... and a printed storyboard. All done by Deaf people.
One Deaf man signed ...
"WOW! You are doing a great job! The DVDs are really wonderful!!! I think this is GREAT!"
The following day, another Deaf staff member shared that one of his Deaf friends had immediately gone home to watch the DVDs. Deaf at his home, who were not at the dedication celebration, watched the first story with him and signed, "How do they do that?" One of them grabbed a written Bible and started checking if everything was the same. Shaking his head in amazement he signed,
"The words in the written Bible are so hard for me to understand, but the DVD is so easy to understand, especially for me as a Deaf leader. THIS IS REALLY GOING TO HELP ME!"
"How can I be saved? I want to accept Jesus in my heart?" asked another Deaf woman.
For the Deaf working with DOOR, who have strugged and worked so hard for years learning and figuring out how to translate God's Word into their heart language, these comments are making it all worthwhile. The Kenyan Deaf translation team is eager and excited to continue getting more of God's Word translated for the Deaf.
And, the best part? It was ALL done by Deaf people ... the translation, the videoing, the editing, the graphics, even the duplicating and packaging. What an incredible accomplishment!
But, it is only the BEGINNING! January 30, 2010 DOOR will again be celebrating the dedication and distributing of the FIRST EVER Kerala (India) Sign Language Bible (again, 32 carefully selected foundational stories). DOOR has 6 other sign language translations in process (Philippines, Burundi, Ethiopia, Ghana, Uganda & Tanzania) with plans to start an ASL (American Sign Language) translation. Wycliffe International is estimating there could be as many as 400 sign language translations needed in the future. A God-sized project.
THANK YOU for your many, many prayers, your encouragement during the past several years, as well as your financial support. God is blessing! God's Word is getting to the Deaf for the first time. Stay tuned for what changes this will make, not only in individual Deaf lives, but in families with deafness and the Deaf community around the world.
Two text messages that came in from hearing parents of Deaf children were ...
"Powerful! Powerful! Powerful! Hope and pray my Deaf son will take what is on the DVD and grow spiritually!"
"After today, I realize I did wrong with my Deaf son. We had no communication. I, as a father, need to learn to communicate with him in his language. Thank you DOOR-Africa."
Keep praying! THANKS!
For donations, please send to: DOOR International, P.O. Box 602167, Charlotte NC 28260-2167 or for credit card donations follow the donate links on the DOOR International web site.