And the Deaf Shall Hear...
A Bible Worker Story
Representative Photo
On the island of Mindoro in the Philippines live a people group called the Mangyan, a term loosely referring to several indigenous tribes. They live in primitive conditions and many do not read or write. They have often been taken advantage of by the surrounding people groups, who consider the Mangyans ignorant and uneducated. As a result, they have not welcomed contact from the outside world, including those wishing to share the gospel with them.
But with God, nothing is impossible and He is currently reaching the hearts of the Mangyan people through dedicated Bible Workers and the use of a new evangelism tool – memory sticks and speakers. Bible Workers have recorded sermons and songs in the Mangyan language and loaded them onto memory sticks. These, along with solar powered speakers, have been handed out to several villages. The villagers are curious and listen to them readily.
But after the speaker was turned on, a strange look crossed the woman’s face.
In one of these villages lives a woman thought to be deaf. The villagers had always used sign language to communicate with her, since even yelling didn't work. When the memory sticks and speakers arrived, no one expected her to hear anything. But after the speaker was turned on, a strange look crossed the woman’s face.
Moving close, she held the speaker to her ear, and smiled – she was hearing the words being spoken! The whole village was astounded. From then on, she joined the villagers as they listened to the messages. When the battery ran out, she begged the missionaries, “Please charge this, I still want to listen to the sermons and songs.”
News of this strange occurrence traveled quickly, and soon another deaf woman visited, wondering if she might have a similar experience. Holding the speaker to her ears, she waited. A song played, and a look of awe crossed her face as the sound reached her ears for the first time. Hungrily she held the speaker close, soaking up the life giving words. Today, both women live in the same village, and never tire of hearing the sermons and songs.
This wasn't the only miracle this village witnessed. In the same village there lived a small group of Seventh-day Adventists, who had been brought into the the truth earlier by a group of Bible Workers. But due to a lack of missionaries, they had not been visited for six months, and the work had slowed. Then a pastor from another Christian denomination came to that village and asked the chief, "May I open up a church and school here? In six months no Adventist missionaries or teachers have come. They are not coming anymore, so will you accept us?" The chief consulted with the Adventists, who begged, "Please give us one more Saturday. If no missionary comes by that Saturday, then accept the other pastor's offer." The chief accepted their request. And they waited. And waited.
The following Friday, God strongly impressed the JFA Bible Worker team in that area to send three missionaries to this village. They arrived just before Sabbath. The Adventists in the village were thrilled to see them coming up the mountain trail! God had sent them just in time, strengthening their faith. The chief turned down the other pastor's offer and now the group meets for worship every Sabbath. They are joined by the two deaf women whose ears God opened. Is anything impossible with God? The Bible says, "For with God, nothing shall be impossible." (Luke 1:37).
Please pray that God continues to direct the steps of our Bible Workers in the Philippines, as they use these evangelism tools to share the Gospel. And if God lays it upon your heart to support the work in the Philippines, please click the button below.