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Yesterday, I felt bored working, I started to tour by motor towards South Jogja and wore a short outfit and short pants because it's my favorite outfit in Indonesia and it was super warm at average 86-88 degrees (30-33 celsius). I spend 23,4 miles (37 km) in half three hours or a total of 46, 8 miles (74 km) without stops and just one-two stop by taking a rest and checking it out on Google Maps. During my trip, I memorized how I had done in Jogja for the last weeks and what is the next I want to do. The one thing that I always want to do is the Deaf Christian community.
After touring by motor, I took a rest and attended a Bible study for the Deaf every Monday night from 7-9 pm. That was my first time after a long absence due to having the best memories with the English Worship. The last I attended was in February. I'm super glad to have the English Worship community because I have best friends, spend more quality with them, and have new experiences, but there is something that I should be there. The Deaf Christian community is my answer at the moment. Unfortunately, Jogja has no Deaf Christians and all Deaf Christ-centered community are mostly just located in Jakarta because Jakarta has three churches that provide sign language interpreters and has Deaf Bible study in person. So, I'm the only Deaf Christian in English Worship and sometimes I feel lonely because no one is Deaf Christian in English Worship.
Back to Deaf Bible study, I attended and was super glad to meet my friends who were there. We discussed Colossians 1: 1-14 and the commandment to serve Christ. Deaf Bible study has always taken virtually and started since pandemics, and is still ongoing until present because there are Deaf Christian across Indonesia, including Papua, Manado, Maluku, NTT, etc. So, they have a chance of learning the Bible and knowing Jesus Christ on Zoom. We also have a BISINDO Bible translation and usually posted on Instagram. I'm sure it will work but it depends on where they get to. So, mostly Deaf Christians do not know Jesus Christ and lose their faith. Deaf Christian is something the most least discussed, as it does to Deaf Bible. No one Deaf studies who taken more specific about Deaf Christian life. We haven't a Deaf pastor. So, I can see it comes something can be put in danger. I always pray and hope that English Worship in the future will have more Deaf people and sign language interpreters getting as much as I expect since I trust I'm not going to be the last Deaf person in this community.
The Deaf Christian community is a minority community in the Deaf world in Indonesia. A look mostly Deaf friends are Muslim. If you go find where other Deaf Christian except me, it just counts on your finger. Sign language interpreters are as well as Muslim-dominated. Despite this, we also have Deaf atheists and agnostics. That's why the Deaf community in Indonesia is more liberalist and almost free life usually where they come and go with fellow Deaf friends--- way where it gets they go-- which it puts in danger, I have written. Deaf people are kind of more dependent on where they get and easier community by accessibility. I was raised by this community which made my growth more liberalist and supported other minority communities such as LGBTQ, females, disability, local religions, etc. As becoming a Christian, I need to be careful to serve this community and effort to know the boundaries because they assume that religion is a personal business to God, not other humans. The way just I can do it is to pray and preach the gospel as smaller as possible.
Nevertheless, I didn't grow up as a Christian in the Deaf Christian community, I always care about the Deaf Christian community because it's more important than where I am at this moment. Growing a Christian in a hearing Christian community then I want to serve the Deaf Christian community, isn't it look fun? We don't need a Deaf church but we just need how do Deaf people know Him and mingle with a hearing Christian community, in ways we can take it. Deaf and hearing shouldn't have segregated cause only different cultures and languages but Deaf and hearing can live together despite their needs being different due to different backgrounds and living experiences, which hearing people are more privileged than Deaf people don't have, such as Deaf Christians need their own Bible study, ministry, and something they can do it to chase those left behind by hearing Christians.
I always believe Deaf and hearing Christians can mingle and be friends because they come on the same mission, to get glory to Lord Jesus Christ. Deaf and hearing Christians are the same Christian community. That's way more important I expect to unite Deaf and hearing Christian communities become a Christian community that grows up and spends together.
Because Jesus Christ loves them, anyway they have different from and with.
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