Deaf Culture?

I know that in my church, I am pretty much they only deaf person, although I am only partically deaf, I found out this week though that my hearing is starting to decrease more rapidly, the doctor told me last year, that my hearing in my right ear would only lose a little but it actually lost alot, I will only have 20% of hearing in my right ear by the end of the year. I keep putting off a hearing aid, my doctor said that by the end of the year I will have one in place, on the right ear. I started cutting my hair to where I can cover it. Although it's probably not going to work. Anyway I heard the name of richard fulton, he is so cool, he is my favorire missionary, no offense, C4K, I've known Bro. Fulton for a long time. He just got over cancer about a year ago, maybe less. I prayed for him alot then. Back on topic though I would love to start something for the deaf in my community, I don't know about a completely separate church but maybe another service for them. I know alot of ASL but not extensively. I meet alot of deaf people at my specialists, since I know basic signs and some more, I have gotten several friends, there most of them are from down south Missouri though, i have to drive 70+ miles to the specialist.

 

I noticed the difference between the church with interpreter service for the Deaf AND the deaf church since 30 years.

How many deaf people attend to hearing church with interpreter service? Less than 15 deaf people.

How many deaf attend their DEAF church and have their deaf preacher? Up to 300 deaf people.

Why? It is very simple to answer: The deaf preacher reaches the deaf people.

I know one deaf missionary in Africa. He reached 500 deaf people and established his program for them.

My friend told me saying that he went to Asia and started a deaf church then he trained a deaf person who is responsible to take care of deaf people. My friend came back here and went there again a year later. He was awestruck to learn that this ministry in Asia grew FASTEST from 0 to more than 100 deaf people in ONE yr.

Deaf people NEED their DEAF church because their preacher understands their DEAF culture, and deaf people understand what he preaches in ASL.

I NEVER forget that interpreters CANNOT catch up if a hearing preacher preaches TOO FAST. Some deaf people CANNOT read what interpreters sign too fastest to catch up the sermon. It actually UPSET deaf people. Deaf people were upset and quitted.

 

[/QUOTE]My offer to you is to GO TO DBFA (Deaf Baptist Fellowship of America) Conference in Independence , Missouri on June 27 - July 1, 2005. I will be there.

Click here: DBFA's link

You try to find your deaf friend somewhere: click here: Deaf Directory [/QB][/QUOTE]

I've been to DBFA in Hammond, Indiana in 1987 and in Portland, Oregon in 1998. I had a great experienced and learned alot to profit from the DBFA. Maybe next time I go there, God's willing. (I can't guarantee)

 

The church I attend has a deaf ministry, and I think generally they interpret it as it is spoken, although I think that the deaf speak in dialects.

What is really interesting is that we took a mission trip to Ukraine for several years to a church that had deaf in it. Our deaf interpreter went and was able to effectively communicate with sign (even though there was a language difference even in sign, but not near as different between English and Ukrainian.)

 

I have experienced that, too, Saggy, with deaf hispanics.

 

It is interesting to me how deaf people from different cultures can communicate and get along with each other even if they don't necessarily understand each other's sign language, yet deaf people who live in the same country and same city can't communicate with one another because they can't get along!

A missionary's heartache!