“With a worship service led by the Deaf in sign language, more Deaf people will learn God’s Word, receive Jesus Christ, and learn to serve Him with their time and talents,” says Sherri*, a Deaf woman from Bishoftu, Ethiopia.
She recently shared this bold statement of faith with Wondwosen, who serves with DOOR International in Ethiopia. Under the tutelage of Wondwosen and his teammate Solomon, Sherri and her husband have grown tremendously as Deaf leaders.
“In January, Wondwosen asked us to open our house for a Deaf believers’ fellowship. He also asked if we would be willing to lead the fellowship,” signs Sherri.
“It was scary to think of ourselves as leaders, but Wondwosen has encouraged us.”
Sherri and her husband used to attend a hearing church. They felt accepted by the congregation, but understanding the pastor’s sermons was a completely different matter.
“Learning God’s Word among the hearing congregation has always been a challenge. We hoped that, one day, we would get a way to learn God’s Word in a way that we understand best,” Sherri recalls.
“Since we began [DOOR ministry] in Ethiopia five years ago, I have seen how God’s Word in Ethiopian Sign Language completely transforms Deaf lives,” signs Wondwosen.
“There are more Deaf people learning God’s Word than at any other time in history. More Deaf people are giving their lives to Jesus Christ as they understand – for the very first time – why they need a Saviour.”