ARTICLES OF FAITH

Christian Articles on a Variety of Subjects by Linda

Have you ever been to the annual "Deaf Festival"? If you have not, you should plan to attend. If you are deaf or have someone close to you that is then you need to participate in this awesome event. Even if you don't know anyone that is deaf, you still should go. It will be an eye opener for so many people. They have everything you could imagine. I have been each year since they started and can't wait until the next one. My seven year old has a ball at these events. I have three uncles and an aunt and a cousin that are deaf. My aunt and uncles grew up in a time when deaf people were considered 'handicapped'. Other then my uncle (by marriage) the rest of them were surrounded by a hearing world. Parents were not forced or even encouraged back then to send their children off to school. They had no interpreters in the local school system. And their parents were poor, without transportation, overly protective, etc. This atmosphere can create feelings of inadequacy and low self worth. The people around them, even though they loved them, did not try to learn sign language. They lived in a hearing world just watching those around them who occasionally tried to use some home gestures to communicate. Two of them got a few years of schooling. My aunt was probably between 10 or 12 years old when they sent her to the deaf school (mostly to watch over her younger brother who was there). They placed her in a first grade class room with smaller children and of course she quit as soon as she could due to embarrassment (but not before she met my uncle). The oldest uncle, however, never went to school at all and doesn't know hardly any sign language today. He was a very hard worker as a janitor at a high school for many years. My aunt and her husband both learned how to ulphostery furniture, car seats, etc. In fact my uncle can lay his hand on the hood of your car when your having problems and narrow it down to two or three things. And he is usually in the right ball park. All of these wonderful people are active in church. In fact my aunt and uncle in Danville goes to a 'deaf church' and has a wonderful deaf minister. It's really a nice place. The one that lives in Pike Co. attends 'Jubilee' which offers a deaf ministry program. They are each very intelligent individuals. However, they don't generally see themselves as such. My cousin, on the other hand, grew up in the deaf culture (far removed from the old days in the hills of Pike Co.). She started driving the very first chance she could and is always on the go. Believe me, there is nothing handicapped about her. If you have a loved one that is deaf, don't think of them as handicap, because they are not. They can do anything you or I could do! Society is the 'handicap' for many people and not just the Deaf. The Deaf community is going to be the next minority group to make themselves heard. They are rising fast these past few years and rightfully so. Did you know that many centuries ago people threw their deaf babies in the creek to drown them because they didn't think they could go to Heaven because they 'couldn't confess with the mouth' that Jesus is Lord. Thank God for for the people who do something to make this world better. Be one of those people. Get involved with your loved ones and be apart of their life and their culture every chance you can. Don't worry that "you" may be "slow" in learning to communicate. Believe me, they will understand and be patient with you. After all they realize that not all of us catches on as fast as others! Show your loved ones that they are important to you; important enough that you 'want' to be able to communicate with them and be able to talk with them about love, life, emotion, the gifts the Lord has to offer, etc. I would like to compile a list of all the Deaf Churches and Deaf Ministries within KY. If you attend or know of one, please send me some information. Thank you.