This mission trip the focus is on the deaf - particularly those who come to the Mango Tree Church in Kanombe. One thing I have been learning since working alongside Ruth and Susan of Open Hands is the plight of many deaf people in Rwanda. I suppose I am like many hearing people, both here and in the UK, in failing to really understand just how isolated and difficult it is when you cannot communicate.
In Rwanda, the deaf are on the whole regarded as very low down the pecking order of society and many hearing people think that the deaf are not able to learn or be educated, or even hold down a job of work. Many are very poor and quite often the parents feel ashamed about their deaf offspring and they tend to have low expectations for the future. It is often impossible for them to get jobs - especially in the rural areas. In Kigali city they do have more and better opportunities. But for many the only option is to beg on the streets and many are very vulnerable to exploitation because they cannot complain or express their feelings and views very easily. They really have very little voice to say what they need.
As for schooling, few can access the education suitable to their needs. Some attend mainstream schools but they face many difficulties because there are no interpreters and they have to lip-read, which means they miss a lot of what the teachers say. The few who make it to secondary education or university also struggle because of lack of interpreters to help them.
Many churches are not aware of the numbers of deaf people who live in their parishes. They are often 'invisible' for reasons stated above. Deaf people tend to be excluded from society as a whole - not deliberately but because most people simply do not understand.
This week we are holding a Special Week for the Deaf at the Mango Tree Church. It is a wonderful opportunity for the deaf who attend the church and their deaf friends from around the area to come together for fellowship as 'Deaf'. It is very important work because most of them are very lonely at home. While with us this week they will learn about Jesus and the Bible. Many of them cannot read or understand the Bible and they like to be taught with the use of pictures or sign language. As well as the Bible they can learn to do different craft activities while relaxing and enjoying themselves. They play games and have fun together as there is generally very little fun in their lives.We provide good food for them as well meaning that they have a sociable time and are also well nourished while they are with us.
In addition to the group activities, time is set aside for one to one ministry, listening to their problems and concerns and praying with them. They receive clothes, shoes and toys for the children during the week. These deaf children and hearing children of deaf mothers need the toys to help with their learning and development. We teach them games like skipping, frisbee, volleyball and badminton that they can then play after we go.
The members of the Mango Tree Church are well integrated with this group and some help us during the week with child-minding, cooking and serving the deaf. We also get contact with the parents and siblings of the deaf children. Another thing we can do is to encourage them to pray, sing, do drama and give testimony in sign language.
In the four years that Open Hands has been developing this work at the Mango Tree Church we have seen lives changed for the better and confidence increasing. The contact with hearing people in the church has increased - they are now much less wary of the deaf than they were. Two of our deaf young adults are now serving as stewards/ushers in the church on a Sunday morning. Others have been baptised and confirmed having accepted Jesus into their lives and who have begun developing into more mature Christians.
Because of sponsorship from friends in the UK some have been able to go to school - some to mainstream schools and others to deaf schools. Others in the group can now communicate in sign language - where they were unable to so so before.We as a team have benefited hugely from their friendship and love for us. It is through their encouragement to us that we keep on going! The MTC deaf group as a whole has grown from 17 to 50 in four years which is both remarkable and very rewarding.
In Rwanda, the deaf are on the whole regarded as very low down the pecking order of society and many hearing people think that the deaf are not able to learn or be educated, or even hold down a job of work. Many are very poor and quite often the parents feel ashamed about their deaf offspring and they tend to have low expectations for the future. It is often impossible for them to get jobs - especially in the rural areas. In Kigali city they do have more and better opportunities. But for many the only option is to beg on the streets and many are very vulnerable to exploitation because they cannot complain or express their feelings and views very easily. They really have very little voice to say what they need.
As for schooling, few can access the education suitable to their needs. Some attend mainstream schools but they face many difficulties because there are no interpreters and they have to lip-read, which means they miss a lot of what the teachers say. The few who make it to secondary education or university also struggle because of lack of interpreters to help them.
Many churches are not aware of the numbers of deaf people who live in their parishes. They are often 'invisible' for reasons stated above. Deaf people tend to be excluded from society as a whole - not deliberately but because most people simply do not understand.
This week we are holding a Special Week for the Deaf at the Mango Tree Church. It is a wonderful opportunity for the deaf who attend the church and their deaf friends from around the area to come together for fellowship as 'Deaf'. It is very important work because most of them are very lonely at home. While with us this week they will learn about Jesus and the Bible. Many of them cannot read or understand the Bible and they like to be taught with the use of pictures or sign language. As well as the Bible they can learn to do different craft activities while relaxing and enjoying themselves. They play games and have fun together as there is generally very little fun in their lives.We provide good food for them as well meaning that they have a sociable time and are also well nourished while they are with us.
In addition to the group activities, time is set aside for one to one ministry, listening to their problems and concerns and praying with them. They receive clothes, shoes and toys for the children during the week. These deaf children and hearing children of deaf mothers need the toys to help with their learning and development. We teach them games like skipping, frisbee, volleyball and badminton that they can then play after we go.
The members of the Mango Tree Church are well integrated with this group and some help us during the week with child-minding, cooking and serving the deaf. We also get contact with the parents and siblings of the deaf children. Another thing we can do is to encourage them to pray, sing, do drama and give testimony in sign language.
In the four years that Open Hands has been developing this work at the Mango Tree Church we have seen lives changed for the better and confidence increasing. The contact with hearing people in the church has increased - they are now much less wary of the deaf than they were. Two of our deaf young adults are now serving as stewards/ushers in the church on a Sunday morning. Others have been baptised and confirmed having accepted Jesus into their lives and who have begun developing into more mature Christians.
Because of sponsorship from friends in the UK some have been able to go to school - some to mainstream schools and others to deaf schools. Others in the group can now communicate in sign language - where they were unable to so so before.We as a team have benefited hugely from their friendship and love for us. It is through their encouragement to us that we keep on going! The MTC deaf group as a whole has grown from 17 to 50 in four years which is both remarkable and very rewarding.
What amazing satisfying work you are doing, Hazel.
ReplyDeleteThank you for adding me to your blogroll. My blog Dreaming Beneath the Spires has now moved to wordpress and its new URL is http://anitamathias.com/. Perhaps you could make the change on your blogroll when you have time and internet, please.
Thanks much.
Anita
Thank you for your encouraging words Anita! It has been very hard going at times but an absolute joy as well - especially when we see the deaf developing and growing in their faith and their general confidence among hearing people.
DeleteI note your comment re your own blog and I will change the link when I get back to UK and on a faster and more reliable internet connection.
Hazel
Thanks Hazel, we'll be praying into this at the church prayer meeting this evening. God Bless You in all you do and please pass on our love to our brothers and sisters at MTC!
ReplyDelete