Adventist Church in Southeastern Philippines Equips 27 Sign Language Interpreters to Expand Deaf Ministry

Twenty-seven trained sign language interpreters are now helping make church services, evangelistic programs and other ministries more accessible to Deaf and hard-of-hearing people across Adventist churches in the southeastern Philippines region (SePUM).

The initiative is part of Adventist Possibility Ministries (APM), which promotes inclusion, dignity and meaningful participation for people who are often overlooked by society. APM serves Deaf and hard-of-hearing people, those who are blind or have low vision, people with physical or mobility challenges, individuals experiencing mental health concerns, orphans and vulnerable children, widows and widowers, people experiencing bereavement, and caregivers.

Rather than defining people by their circumstances, the ministry emphasizes that every person is “gifted, needed and treasured.”

The ministry in SePUM is directed by Aida Lamera, a registered nurse whose 19 years of hospital service have helped shape her approach to caring for people with diverse needs. Under her leadership, APM began addressing communication barriers experienced by those she describes as people “who hear with their eyes.”

Recognizing the need for greater Deaf inclusion in churches, Lamera introduced basic sign language training and Deaf Culture Immersion as SePUM APM’s initial program. The training helped participants understand that Deaf culture includes a shared visual language, identity, traditions and ways of experiencing community.

In April 2026, delegates and APM directors representing SePUM’s five missions gathered at the Adventist Church in Davao for intensive instruction. Volunteers from the Socio-economic Uplift, Literacy, Anthropological, and Developmental Services (SULADS) Deaf Literacy Center in San Jose, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, led the training.

Lucienne Sabugaa and Irel Jones Causing coached participants alongside members of the Deaf community, giving trainees opportunities to learn directly from those who use sign language in their daily lives.

Participants studied the sign language alphabet, fingerspelling, basic vocabulary, grammar and sentence construction. They also learned signs connected with rural life and developed conversational skills in Filipino Sign Language.

Practical exercises included greetings, role-playing, dialogue and storytelling, with some activities based on Bible lessons. After three days of in-person instruction, the participants continued practicing through daily online meetings, strengthening their skills and confidence.

The results became visible during Sabbath School teachers’ training and the recently concluded 15-day “Discover Your Way with God” Season 2 digital evangelistic series. As the livestream moved from one mission territory to another, interpreters communicated sermons, songs, discussions and hosts’ presentations in sign language.

Their participation enabled Deaf viewers to engage more fully with the programs and demonstrated that the gospel can be communicated through both spoken and visual languages.

The initiative was designed as an ongoing ministry rather than a one-time project. Members of the interpreting team now serve in their local churches, districts and mission-wide programs. Plans are also being developed for the current interpreters to train a second group.

Organizers hope future training will involve South Philippine Adventist College, Adventist Hospital Davao and other Adventist institutions. Expanding the network would allow more congregations and organizations to provide consistent interpretation during worship services, training events and evangelistic programs.

The 27 interpreters have also become part of SePUM’s media and communication ministry, integrating accessibility into the planning and delivery of church programs.

Lamera said the ministry reflects the responsibility of the church to care for people with diverse needs. She pointed to counsel from Adventist Church co-founder Ellen G. White, who wrote that the way Christians treat widows, orphans, people with disabilities and others needing care reveals the true character of God’s people.

During the training, participants were reminded that sign language is more than a communication tool. It represents a ministry of presence, love and equality—one that seeks to build a church community in which everyone can participate, worship and understand.

As the interpreters use their hands to communicate messages of faith, SePUM’s Adventist Possibility Ministries continues working toward a church in which no one is left behind.

The original article was published in the SePUM website.