International (MNN) — Reaching Deaf people with the Gospel isn’t always easy, but it’s happening.
Deaf leader Allan Orozco oversees DOOR International’s church-planting program. He says Deaf communities in distant regions of places like Nepal often keep to themselves.
“Many Deaf individuals find it hard to navigate the city, so they often remain in their villages in these remote mountain areas,” Orozco explains.
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Through a program called “2-by-2,” DOOR helps pairs of church planters begin work in unreached Deaf communities. In Nepal and other difficult regions, 2-by-2 workers travel to places inaccessible by car. See a 2-by-2 team in action here.
“2-by-2 workers have motorbikes that they can navigate up these big mountains and engage with the individuals in these communities, sharing Jesus with them,” Orozco says.
“Some of them are from generational-Deaf families – the parents are Deaf, the siblings are Deaf, aunts and uncles, and so on. They’ll (2-by-2 teams) go out to these villages and engage with them, share the Gospel.”
How 2-by-2 works
DOOR International currently supports 40 2-by-2 teams serving Deaf communities worldwide. No matter where they’re working, the teams’ mission is the same: introduce the Deaf to Jesus.
“Many of these Deaf communities have no Deaf leadership, no Deaf churches that are accessible,” Orozco says, “so we send these two workers to begin interacting and engaging with the community.”
The 2-by-2 program trains and pairs Deaf leaders gifted in evangelism with Deaf leaders gifted in teaching. Those with an evangelism skill set are typically outgoing and able to begin relationships easily.
As the evangelist teammate meets Deaf people and invites them to a Bible study, “the Chronological Bible Teaching approach allows these two workers to see some [Deaf people] being saved and continuing in that journey of discipleship with them, teaching and training,” Orozco says.
“The teaching gifts come into play in the discipleship journey of those who are becoming saved, and hopefully leading to reaching the [entire] community.”
Why support and prayer matter
Reaching the Deaf for Christ is a monumental task – fewer than two percent of the world’s 70 million Deaf people know or follow Jesus. Connect with DOOR here to help this work continue.
(Photo courtesy DOOR International)
“Often, we’re sending Deaf missionaries who don’t have a community to raise support through, whether it’s a communication barrier, or [having few people] in their network to ask for support,” Orozco explains.
“We want to see their ministry continue regardless of this lack of support, so providing support from the outside can be so beneficial.”
Most importantly, pray. You can download a prayer calendar here to intercede for Deaf Gospel workers throughout the month.
“Like the Bible says: ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore, ask the Lord of the harvest to provide more workers for His harvest field.’ That is our prayer: to raise up more Deaf leaders to go out to the harvest,” Orozco says.
Header and story images courtesy of DOOR International.
