The Holy Bible is for everyone, including the differently abled. Having this in mind, a non-profit organisation is leading efforts to break the barriers of disability to bring God's Word to those who cannot hear.
The New Mexico-based group Deaf Bible Society is tapping modern technology to enable the estimated 58 million deaf individuals around the world to also appreciate the Holy Bible.
According to its website, the group "works with various ministries to offer the global deaf community unlimited and free Bible access in their heart sign language." It added that the deaf community is "one of the largest unreached people groups in the world."
The Deaf Bible Society has developed a mobile application, complete with translations of the Holy Scriptures, especially for the hearing impaired.
This revolutionary app, already updated twice, has so far been downloaded 300,000 times.
JR Bucklew, the organisation's Deaf Bible director, says technology has really enable the group to reach more deaf individuals.
"Technology has really given us a platform in the last few years to take the Gospel to the deaf, unlike any other time in history," Bucklew says in a report on MNNOnline.org.
He also encourages the public to have greater awareness and appreciation of the deaf community.
"Sign language and spoken languages are very different. American sign language is not English with gestures. It's a completely different language with its own grammar rules, syntax, and everything," he adds.
The group also urges more individuals to educate themselves about how they can communicate with and reach out to the deaf community. This can be done by being an advocate in respective churches, where spiritual needs of the deaf can be studied.
To be able to educate more people about the deaf community, the Deaf Bible Society provides a free information kit for those who sign up on their website.
"The call of the Great Commission is to go to every nation with the Gospel — and that must include the deaf," Bucklew says.
