MWR : Deaf missionary translates Bible for Filipino Deaf

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March 9, 2009 issue

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Deaf missionary translates Bible for Filipino Deaf

By Linda Moffett Eastern Mennonite Missions

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PASIG CITY, Philippines — As a missionary who is Deaf, Julia Bange wondered where all the older Deaf people were in the Philippines.

Julia Bange works with Filipino Deaf Translation Team members, from left, Eduardo Agas Jr., Vincent Rodriguez and Rowen Penaso. — Photo by Leonie Orum/EMM

She would visit small Deaf churches and would see young Deaf people, but rarely did she come across a Deaf person older than 40.

Then she realized older Deaf people didn’t leave home very often because communicating with others was a problem.

“Many of the older Deaf people don’t know Sign Language,” Bange said. “They have no way, or a limited way, to communicate… .

“Fortunately, many Deaf younger people are going to high school and college and looking for jobs. So a good education can be possible now, and most can communicate very well in Sign Language.”

But Bange also met up with younger Deaf people who did not know how to sign or had not yet attended school.

“I feel so helpless when communication and gestures don’t work,” Bange said.

Bange is an Eastern Mennonite Missions associated missionary working with Deaf Opportunity OutReach International, in training with Wycliffe Bible Translators. She is working on translating the Bible into the Filipino Sign Language for the Filipino Deaf community. The Sign Language Bible Translation team, which consists of three Filipino Deaf men, is working on getting God’s Word into Sign.

After the team has researched the Bible stories, using eight to 11 translations of the Bible, Bange said they are placed on DVDs, using a signer, map and pictures. Although Sign Language is a universal language, it is different in every country.

“In Africa alone, for example, there are 50 different Sign Languages,” Bange said.

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Comments

Thank for highlighting this ministry. The use of DVDs for Bible translation of signed languages is exciting and innovative.

There should be some clarification, however, on the "universal" nature of signed languages. While it is true that signed languages, like spoken languages, can be found around the world, there is no universal sign language that all deaf people use and understand. Filipino Sign Language is quite similar to American Sign Language, but that is because Americans established the first school for the deaf in the Philippines in the early 1900s. Since that time, connections with the US and the American missionary presence have allowed for the ongoing influence of ASL on FSL as it has emerged as its own language. This might give one the impression that, because ASL and FSL are similar, all signed languages are essentially the same. But this is easily disproved by the fact that British Sign Language is not mutually intelligible with ASL.

- Steve Hartman Keiser (mar 13 at 11:50 a.m.)
I am a minister at Higher Rock Christian Church which gather's for worship in Quezon City. We have recently begun learning Filipino Sign Language (FSL) because God has been gracious to open doors for ministry to Deaf friends. I would very much like to to know how the FSL Bible translation is progressing because we continue to pray for the growth of the gospel work among the Deaf as well as for the hearing. How can I get in touch with Ms. Julia Bange? Do they have materials we can look at? We are eager to learn more so that God might be glorified in the way that we serve the Deaf with love and compassion in a manner.

- Oscar Villa (jul 26 at 11:38 p.m.)
hey i am deaf i live in Muntinlupa city because i learn the bib le for fellowship deaf people thank you.

- virgilio ravino (apr 30 at 7:52 a.m.)

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