3 Angels Deaf Ministries - First Deaf Seminar at Southern New England

First Deaf Seminar at Southern New England Conference

On the morning of June 23rd, I walked among brown canvass tents on a campground near an old barn. I walked into the barn and found rows of wooden benches sitting on a dirt floor. I saw an interpreter signing for a few Deaf people so I slid onto a pew.

I was at the Southern New England Conference Camp Meeting. I had never been to Massachusetts for camp meeting. I must say, the Southern New England Conference has set a precedent for other conferences. The conference has few Deaf members. The exact number unknown, I am aware of only 8 Deaf members. Though the numbers are small, the conference decided to invite Pastor Jeff Jordan to speak to the Deaf and myself to give a seminar to the hearing about Deaf ministry.

The first mention of Deaf work in SDA history was recorded by Ellen White in Testimonies volume 4 p. 300. In the 1870’s, a group of Deaf people were at a camp meeting in Ballardvale, MA, about 35 miles away.

The attendance for my seminar on Deaf ministry was small. However, everyone returned each day. One pastor said, “I have learned more in the past hour than I have over the last several years. If I saw a Deaf person, I used to think, ‘Oh, poor Deaf person’ and walk away. I will never do that again. I will now think, ‘Wow, a Deaf person!’ and go and make friends with that person.”

The seminar attendees were invited to join us in the evenings to “hear” Pastor Jordan preach. Most of them did! The Deaf were richly blessed in different ways by having Pastor Jordan with them. Altogether, we had six Deaf people.

One couple really touched my heart. The lady was born into an Adventist home and faithfully attended church. She is now 45 years old and had never “listened” to a sermon in her own language until now. Her life will never be the same.

A young Deaf couple soaked up the messages like sponges. While the wife is Adventist, the husband is not. He shared, “I wish there was a Deaf pastor here so I can listen to his sermons each week!”

Interpreters were also given encouragement.

After the final program, we all, Deaf and hearing, stood in a circle to pray. Each one took a turn. One hearing man choked up when he confessed to God that for the last 80+ years, he had been blind. But he expressed thankfulness that he now knows more about the Deaf-World.

Each prayer brought tears to my eyes. Again, I must commend this conference for stepping up to the plate. These lives may never be the same. Also, thank you, Dayna Beal (Michael Carrier’s interpreter) for bringing Deaf ministry to the conference’s attention.

By Esther M. Doss