Voice for the deaf
Dominican Republic
Deaf Mission
Santo Domingo
 
 
 
What is Voice for the Deaf?
     Voice for the Deaf is a mission to Deaf Hispanics, founded by the Rev. Robert Bell, a Baptist minister and missionary, over 20 years ago. Both Deaf and hearing volunteers of VFD have worked side by side all over South America and the Caribbean to bring the good news of Jesus to Deaf people who have never had access to it before.
 
Voice for the Deaf has established several schools for the Deaf in developing Hispanic countries, as well as deaf ministries staffed by Deaf and hearing nationals.
 
The Christian Deaf Education Center (Centro Cristiano de Educación para Sordos) is one of these schools, and I am a missionary with Voice for the Deaf.
 
What does the  Deaf Mission in Santo Domingo do?
 
  1.  Teach deaf children a language.  Most do not even know their own names. They cannot understand abstract topics, including the gospel, without one.
 
  1.  Present the good news to deaf children, allowing them to make their own decision to accept or reject it, and disciple those who choose to become believers.
 
  1.  Provide an education. Most deaf children are poor, and their children will be poor as well, unless something is done to break the cycle.
 
  1.  Train teachers of the deaf.
 
  1.  Give parents of the deaf the information and training they need to raise their deaf children. Learning to communicate with them is a priority.
 
  1.  Develop curriculum. Currently the same curriculum hearing children use is all that’s available. It presumes a large language base from the beginning.
 
  1.  Raise community awareness of deafness, dispelling myths.
 
Fact: Most Dominican deaf children never have the opportunity to attend school, or even to learn a language in which to communicate with others.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fact:
Most Deaf Dominicans are not presented with the gospel during their lifetime, nor are they able to understand a gospel presentation due to lack of language skills.