A DEAF KENYAN

"I grew up in the rural town of Migori in Kenya, as any other boy, not knowing what the future had for me.

I was born in a real African family of nine. My first-born brother is Deaf.

At the age of eleven, I became sick for three days, and on the third day, I became Deaf.

All of a sudden, I was in another world! I was in a completely different culture!

I discovered how challenging it was to be Deaf. You get very little information. Much information in the villages is passed verbally through gatherings, radios, televisions, etc. The Deaf are left to guess for themselves what could be happening.

I also discovered that many hearing people feared the Deaf, thinking the Deaf are very aggressive people. Miscommunication or no communication at all with family members, community members, and religious leaders became real. When I went to church, there was no one to help me understand who God was, what he wanted me to do or what he expected of me.  

Then one day a friend invited me to a Deaf church. I was surprised to meet a Deaf pastor. The message was signed so clearly. I gave my life to the Lord.

I later realized that the Pastor was using the DOOR Kenya Sign Language (KSL) Bible on DVD.

Then, later on, I was privileged to be asked to be part of the Deaf KSL translation team that is working on a sign language commentary (the "Deeps").

For me, working as a sign language "Deeps" (Deaf name for Translator's Notes) signer is very fulfilling.

In the last six months I have learned more about the Bible than I ever did in the whole of my Christian life before.

I have always wanted to go to Bible School to study Theology. But there is no single Bible school for Deaf in Africa. Now I have the opportunity to learn a lot as I work on the "Deeps". This is more of a Bible school for me.

Now, whenever I meet other Deaf, I can explain so many things they do not understand.

 I AM TRULY CHANGED!"

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