When a church offers services to deaf and hard of hearing members of its community, or forms a deaf congregation, this is known as deaf ministry. If a group of people goes to another country and assists in providing faith-related services to deaf and hard of hearing communities, that is a deaf mission. However, the two terms often appear to be intertwined freely, because deaf missionaries often establish deaf ministries internationally.
Why Have Deaf Missions?
Many developing countries have large, underserved deaf populations. International deaf missions and ministries go directly to these underserved deaf people.
How Can I Learn More?
The organization Deaf Missions has a signed and voiced videotape that shows deaf missionary activities around the world. Countries showcased include the Philippines, Romania, Africa, and Moldova. This tape is part of a complete informational and activity kit available from Deaf Missions.
What Are Some Accomplishments?
In addition to helping bring the word of God to deaf and hard of hearing people internationally, deaf missions also provide many other valuable contributions to the societies that they operate in. For example, deaf missions teach sign language to hearing members of the community, teach English to the deaf, provide religious materials tailored for the deaf, establish resource centers, offer camps and sports, and establish and assist schools for the deaf.
One deaf ministry, the International Deaf Ministries, works to improve the economic situation for deaf people in multiple countries. For example, in Thailand they have provided food to deaf entrepreneurs to set up sticky rice carts. In Africa, they have supported sewing projects to employ deaf women.
Where Are Deaf Missions?
Deaf missionary programs span the entire globe. Almost every developing country in the world has been touched by a deaf mission.
- Malaysia - Talking Hands has a ministry in Malaysia.
- The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod has been instrumental in the establishment of Lutheran schools for the deaf in China, India, and Brazil.
- The Association of Baptists for World Evangelism has deaf ministries in Japan and other countries.
- The American Ministries to the Deaf operates a school in Jamaica.
- The Christian Mission for the Deaf focuses on African countries, where they have opened many deaf schools.
- On the web site of Deaf Harvest International, you can read missionary updates from Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, and South America.
- Deaf International sponsors short missionary trips to Romania, Trinidad, and Moldova.
