In the village, there is a Deaf School, started by the Catholic Church and attended by 75 students. Only one of these students believes in Jesus. We had the opportunity to teach the kids for 3 days, using our dramas in sign language. Then, on the last day, we showed the newly released Deaf Jesus film. These Deaf Gambian students were captivated by the story as it was the first time most had ever heard about Jesus. However, the story does not stop there! Near this school, there is a YWAM base where one of the students, S, lives. He used to go to the staff at that base everyday, asking to be healed from his deafness. But, when he met our team’s Deaf students, the YWAM leader shared that day was the first time he didn’t ask to be healed. Why? This student felt loved, included, and understood as people on our team could communicate with him. Through this encounter, two men on our team were able to show S what relationship with Jesus could look like.

My friends and family often ask me how our outreach trips work as most often we have few connections beforehand with Deaf people. I can testify it is all God! He arranges the encounters when we just obey and go. Here is just one story from the many I could share. In early January, we arrived in a small village, partnering with a hearing pastor who did not know Deaf people and a YWAM base that is in the process of being built. Upon arriving, this pastor was eager to show us a place with many monkeys. As we were on our way, our team realized we needed to buy bananas. The taxi driver pulled over to a stand, and said, “Oh I know a Deaf person that works back here at a welding shop.” Of course we said “GO!” There were two Deaf workers that came to meet us, and the one was the boss and the leader of the Deaf community in that village. The next day he called his friends and we had a gathering of 18 Deaf people where we shared the gospel, and the following day, many came back to watch the Deaf Jesus film. The group was entirely Muslim, but again open to hear from us. Then we connected his friends and him with the new YWAM base in the village, believing that this could be the beginning of this YWAM base welcoming Deaf people to be discipled. Please pray for the leader of this Deaf community, L, that God will open his eyes to the truth. I am sure that our meeting through the taxi driver was not an accident!

As we come to the last weeks of our outreach, we are expecting God to do even more! Today we are going to the first Deaf Gambian Bible Translation Workshop with over 100 Deaf Gambians hosted by a team from the U.S.! Our team will have the opportunity to share about our work with YWAM Deaf World and our students will be able to share testimonies of how Jesus has changed their lives. Honestly, I can’t believe the timing works out for us to attend. Again, it is all God! As we go to this conference, please be in prayer for our team that God will use our team’s testimonies, dramas, and interactions to bring His truth to others. 

Love, Ellie