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Logos International Ministry Association |
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Equipping Christians With Tools Necessary For Effective Ministry |
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Honduras Deaf Projects |
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We have been involved with the American Deaf Community for over 30 years. We have served as teachers, interpreters, counselors, pastors, and friends. We have been on many short term mission trips to work with deaf in Central America since 1992. In the past 5 years, we have been to Honduras 6 times. However, God has led us to go into full-time mission. Our first mission project is Honduras. Following are our 7 target ministry areas.
TARGET MINISTRY AREAS 1. Education for Deaf Children 2. Early Intervention Program 3. Community Hearing Resouce Center 4. Training for Deaf Adults 5. Logos Bible School 6. Deaf Leadership Training 7. Deaf Community Center 8. Evangelistic Crusades 1. Education for Deaf Children Deaf in Honduras do not receive public education. Unlike America, there are no special education programs for handicapped children, so children who are deaf simply do not go to school. Until the last 5-10 years, there was no official Honduran sign language. Deaf communicated with family members through gestures and home made signs. Deaf were isolated from the hearing world. A language is being developed by the deaf association, but many deaf adults and children even in the main city areas have not learned the sign language. There is one private church school for deaf children in San Pedro Sula and several others in the capital city of Tegucigalpa. However, there are HUNDREDS of deaf children who can not attend these schools, because they can’t afford the cost of tuition, or because they have no transportation. We have met with many of the parents of these children, teaching them sign language so they can begin communicating in their homes. Many people have volunteered to work with us so we have begun training individuals to become ‘tutor’ teachers. These teachers will be going into the homes of these deaf children and working with them one on one, as well as their parents. Others will work with the parents and children that we bring into the deaf center. They will give them educational training for 4-6 hours a week, primarily in language development and early education. We are working with Lee University to develop a reading program that can be used to teach both deaf children and deaf adults throughout the country of Honduras and other countries in Central America. 2. Early Intervention Program Reaching these children early is the key to a more successful education. With the assistance of local doctors we are beginning to identify baby’s and toddlers who have been diagnosed as deaf. Usually they are between 18 months and two years old. With the help of our new newborn screening equipment and school screening devices, we will be able to identify these children much earlier and begin to supply resources that will give them a better chance of success in life. This early intervention program will allow us to begin the education process to work with both child and parents, teaching sign language and communication, as well as speech therapy and audiological support with hearing aids and other resources. This will provide the foundation needed to provide quality education as they enter into a school educational program.
3. Community Hearing Resource Center Center will provide all means of testing, monitoring, listening skill development, training for both parents and teachers. We will provide affordable hearing aids that are specifically designed for the need of the individual. We will provide repair and support of hearing aids that are in use. We will also provide resources and information for advanced procedures such as cochlear implants and other digital, computer technology.
4. Training for Deaf Adults Most adults in Honduras can not read or write. Because of this, it is difficult to gain employment, they can not pass a written drivers license test and obtain a license, and can not communicate with a majority of other deaf in the country. Most adult deaf do not know Honduran sign language. This amplifies the problem of loneliness and isolation. We will be working to teach deaf adults communication skills. We have partnered with Lee University to develop an important tool to teach deaf to read. Because deaf cannot hear the phonics sounds normally used to teach reading, Lee is putting together an initial program that uses sight recognition of words to teach students to read. This will be presented in written materials and pictures, as well as interactive computer learning. Once this initial program is mastered the adult student will be have the necessary skills to progress in the Spanish A.C.E. curriculum effectively, giving a reachable opportunity to graduate from school being able to effectively read and write. It will be taught from their language of LESHO thus providing a progressing development of the standardization of a basic language throughout the country allowing for signs for regional dialect, just as we have in America. The ability to read will open many doors for deaf adults in Honduras, but the most important is the opportunity to read the Bible. The deaf adults that we have met are very hungry to learn more about God.
5. Logos Bible School Few deaf people in Honduras are taught the Bible. If one is fortunate enough to be raised in a Christian family and taken to church, they do not understand what is said because of the lack of language and lack of skilled interpreters. The people that have been able to attend churches have learned Bible stories from a comic book type Bible, but have not learned the concepts behind these stories. Logos Bible School has been established to train these adults in a deeper understand of God’s word. Logos Bible School offers deaf adults the opportunity to not only learn God’s word, but also earn Certificates and Diplomas in Biblical Studies.
6. Deaf Leadership Training Deaf in Honduras do not have many role models. Because there has been a social stigma associated with deafness, the majority of deaf Hondurans have lived a life of isolation, oppression, and lack of self esteem. Part of the missing link in deaf adults life is responsibility training. People have not held them responsible for life matters because they feel the are stupid or unable to learn. This is not the case. With classes in responsibility training, we are helping deaf learn what it is to be a good, ethical, moral, responsible person who is an example of God to the world. Deaf people are becoming employed and are becoming are respected in their community. These deaf are becoming leaders in the deaf community and are wonderful examples to other deaf. Part of this community awareness is a deaf drama team that goes to different churches and civic functions to minister to people through their dramatic talents. This has been an eye opener for many people in our community.
7. Deaf Community Center There is an estimated deaf population in Honduras of over 70,000. San Pedro Sula, the second larges city in Honduras has around 1,000 deaf. Most living a life of isolation and seclusion. The Deaf Center is a place for deaf of all ages to come to socialize, and share with each other. A place where the once isolated deaf individual can be linked with the larger deaf community. This center will house the various training programs necessary to support the needs of the community. This will include teacher training and the two-year certification program. It will be the place that parents can be referred for early intervention, information about deafness, and educational resources. The Deaf Community Center also provides many of the services so important to the deaf here in America. Among those are audiological testing, hearing aid distribution, interpreter training, and soon will have a consignment store where the deaf can sell items they have made.
8. Evangelistic Crusades There are 70,000 deaf throughout the country of Honduras. Many of these deaf live in isolated, remote areas and we will have to take the gospel to them. We have now acquired video phones that we can communicate with Christian deaf leaders in America to help teach the gospel to the deaf here in Honduras. We are in the process of establishing the 8 new video phones throughout various cities in Honduras, that will allow deaf to come together in one place and be taught the gospel by our deaf leaders here in San Pedro Sula. They will be able to minister to all 8 locations each week, reaching hundreds more deaf that have not been able to attend a group to learn about Jesus Christ. Our plan is to go into the area to conduct a crusade, then establish a local place for the deaf to gather and be taught and discipled each week. We plan to use individuals who have graduated the deaf training program, as deaf leaders of these deaf congregations as pastors and interpreters in the future as the opportunity becomes available. This is where the video tapes that we make of Bible teaching will be invaluable. Honduras is the second poorest country in the western hemisphere Honduras is about the geographical size of South Carolina San Pedro Sula (where we are be based) is the second largest city Over 80% of Honduras is mountainous
Honduras is 97% Catholic Between 35 and 40 percent of the population is unemployed Gang members out-number military and police combined
Honduras has a “DEAF” population of around 70,000 Honduras has only 4 known deaf ministries Honduran deaf receive no formal education |
