Dear Prayer Team,
Several months ago, I first learned about mapping and how it is used to better understand one’s city. While we were learning about mapping using peoplegroups.eu, I noticed a Point of Interest (POI) titled “Ethnic Deaf.” This immediately caught my eye and I clicked on it. I wanted to know where the Deaf in Berlin were.
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For as long as I can remember, I have always been interested in sign language and the Deaf community. Because I have never personally known anyone who was Deaf, people often find it odd that I have such a huge passion for the Deaf and their languages. My first American Sign Language class was in high school, and I continued to learn the language in college. I love the language and I love to sign. With no personal connection to the Deaf, God must have given me this passion for a reason.
After being so excited to see where the Deaf were on peoplegroups.eu, I was saddened when zero results came up after looking up the Ethnic Deaf. When asked why there were no results, my team leader told me that he wishes there was more information about the Deaf, however, he hadn’t had the time to do the research. He then asked me if I would be interested in looking up where the Deaf in Berlin are. I was happy to say yes.
Since then, I have researched churches for the Deaf, schools for the Deaf, and other organization for the Deaf. I even discovered that there is a hotel for the Deaf in Berlin. I have prayer walked the neighborhood near the Deaf school and I have witnessed several signing conversations between the Deaf. This past Sunday, January 23rd, I went to my first Deaf church service. When I was there, I meet a Deaf man. He told me more about the Deaf in Berlin, and I am looking forward to continuing my research with his personal knowledge to help. I was invited to attend several other Deaf events, including a chorus concert, where a Deaf choir will sign a song. I am excited to get to know more people from the Deaf community here in Berlin.
Sadly, the Deaf in every country are often pushed to the back. When the Church sends out missionaries, many do not think specifically of the Deaf. They are grouped in with the rest of the population. This, however, can be very detrimental. The Deaf community have a different language and a different culture than the majority population in any country. Even though many Deaf individuals can read, their native language is sign language. This means that there are very few Bibles translated in the Deaf communities’ native languages. There is much work that needs to be done to bring the Gospel to the Deaf.
Our team leader has been wanting to map the Deaf community; however, he did not have the time. God has placed the Deaf community on my heart. I love their language and culture. I am in Berlin for a reason. Part of that reason, I believe, is to use my passion to map the Deaf community. I have just started to meet the Deaf people and I hope to meet more in the future. This is a scary for me to do, because I have not one, but two language barriers. I do not know German Sign Language and I am still learning German. Please be praying with me that God will use me regardless of language barriers and that I will have to courage to step out in faith and trust that God is with me as I start to reach out to the Deaf community.
Please also go on praying for us to connect with or find fourth soil people.
Closing salutation goes here,
Ryann Getz
on behalf of the MultiplyBerlin team
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