Imagine you’re the only deaf person in your family. While everyone else talks to one another, you must find other ways to communicate because your family doesn’t understand you.

Most deaf people in Thailand are born into an all hearing family. Deaf people most often communicate in sign language. Because most families do not know sign language, they congregate around deaf communities. But deaf communities represent some of the least reached language groups in the world. Of the 400 sign languages, only one sign language has a complete New Testament- American Sign Language.

Although deaf Thai people can read the words of a Thai Bible, they don’t understand the meaning because it’s not in their language. They need God’s Word in Thai Sign Language to connect with its life-giving messages.

Translating God’s Word in Thai Sign Language

A small community of deaf believers are working together with Thailand Bible Society and other Bible translation agencies to translate God’s Word into Thai Sign Language.

The hope is that God’s Word will be shared with:

• 1000 deaf Thai believers so they will understand the Gospel better and share their faith with fellow deaf people,
• Numerous churches in Thailand to empower their ministry to the deaf and
• More than 275,000 deaf Thai people so they can hear the message of Jesus for the first time.

So far, the gospel of Mark has been completed. The team has made this translation available via YouTube videos and social media. The team is currently working on completing the book of Acts by the end of 2020. After this, they will work on translating the books of Genesis and Esther.

Having the Bible in Thai sign language is so important. It means that deaf Thai people will have the opportunity to grasp God’s love for them. But this project needs your prayer. Will you join us in praying for God’s Word to be translated for the deaf community in Thailand?

Let’s Pray Together

God, we pray for those working to bring God’s Word to the deaf Thai community, encourage and strengthen them for this translation work. We also pray for deaf Thai people to understand your love and hope for them through your Word.