Deaf Missions: Serving and Signing with LOVE

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 In 1990 I was introduced to my first taste of American Sign Language when I took it to meet the foreign language requirement in college. My fascination with the language and Deaf culture compelled me to become involved with the Deaf. I served on regional and national boards of an international Deaf organization, was involved in ministering with the Deaf in my local church, and was a freelance interpreter. In 1994 I joined a short-term missions trip to Mexico where scales fell from my eyes, and I started realizing the harsh reality of millions of deaf people in the world without language, and even more assaulting, without hope. After seeing the hardships that the deaf around the world are experiencing, I was compelled by my Lord to become involved in forging new frontiers. In 1995, I accepted an invitation to join a short-term missions trip to Honduras. While on this trip, I realized the unmet need of organizations working with the Deaf in rural areas of developing nations. I then began learning all I could about Deaf ministries in the Western Hemisphere, and after visiting a few countries, it became clear that this organization should be founded to reach the Deaf in rural areas. Signs of Love became a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization in 1999. The prevalent needs of the Deaf in rural Honduras, and the lack of any attention being given to those needs was the reason Honduras was chosen as the first country to focus our efforts. I moved to Honduras in the spring of 1999, and within a couple years Honduran Deaf leaders emerged, and soon began partnering in this work.  We now resource other countries in Asia, Africa, and South America training and equipping Deaf leaders to love outrageously.