Good Food for the Sharing: International Day of the Deaf @ OLL Klang

Father Michael Chua
using sign language during the 8.00a.m. mass

30th September 2012

Members of Reach
joining parishioners
at the mass in OLL this morning

It was a mass with a difference this morning-voice, sign language and interpretations. Members of REACH-a community and ministry for the Deaf comprising individuals from Klang , Petaling Jaya , Kajang, Batu Caves and Setapak, from the Kuala Lumpur Archdiocese shared their world of sign language with the Parishioners of OLL. The group of around thirty odd members, together with their interpreters and co-ordinators were invited to OLL to celebrate International Deaf Day 2012 (IDD) with the parish.

Homily-Translating sounds
&words into sign language

Celebrating the achievements of the deaf was something close to the heart of the parish priest. Since seminarian days, he had been involved with works for the deaf and had started learning the sign language then.. He said...be more understanding of the deaf, because the deaf lack hearing and need interpreters to relay their message and in turn understand the speech of the hearing community. Understanding their limitations and making allowances for their disability takes away the chaos of non comprehension and create mutual respect.

What other terms in sign language
do you want to learn??

Teaching sign language to those
who turned up for the event

This morning,, parishioners were given the opportunity to enter into the world of signs , gestures and active use of facial expressions and body language to celebrate mass, convey and express message and speech, and what a learning experience it was! Yours Truly was seated just behind members of Reach this morning. There were plenty of smiles around and guess what- you could ... joke in sign language! Do you want to tease someone? There are expressive signs for that as well! Laughters were aplenty. YT was amazed. The message? Being deaf does not necessarily mean caged into a world of silence, unless you want to stay within that shell and feel sorry for yourself. Our deaf brethren followed mass very actively, in their own unique language. To get attention, they shoulder touch , and once they get their friend's attention, they gesture and sign to convey their requests and to communicate. YT was awed and fascinated by their expressive and creative language and resourcefulness. And they were simply appreciative of the opportunity to gather and come together as one unique group to bond and spend fun time together.... To be welcomed in a special way by their hearing friends is not only a blessing-it is a show of care.... an acknowledgement and acceptance of their presence in community and society. Truly, there are so many ways, to serve!

Enjoying fellowship

After mass there was fellowship, activities and games. IDD is about creating awareness of the deaf's abilities and achievements. It is also about raising awareness of their plight in a world where the majority is a hearing community, sometimes uncaring. .The celebration and activities gave opportunities for the deaf to show their abilities-and this morning, they were in top form. They showcased their ability to interact well-work as a team, capable of active participation in games and activities. There was a teaching activity-teaching (the hearing) those who want to learn basic sign language. The majority of Reach members were pretty confident individuals. Some members of the group shared how they rose above their setback to live meaningful and productive lives...Some had gotten married and were proud parents. They have their own livelihood and appears to be coping well. Main concern still centres round communication, the bridging of gap between them and the hearing world- theirs is silent expressive sign language , which requires interpretation if they want to be understood by others and there are not many among the public who know how to sign .. That is not desirable, because barriers in communication restrict their progress and development..non comprehension of what ails the deaf hinders provision of proper .medical care and so on. Reach is on a registration drive for more interpreters, people interested in learning the sign language to communicate with the deaf and help them grow as a community. #.

Outside the community hall, I was amused by the antics of a handsome young man who was trying to catch hold of a young lady's hand. hmmm...no, actually more trying to hug the lovely lady only she ducked and backed away...signing no, no.. there were lots of hand gestures, sign conversations, giggles from their friends ....hey , who says, the world of the deaf is all dull? These young people showed that life can be pretty normal and fun ,with no lacking in romance and love.

Games

In their own community...life is pretty normal ....but reality is, it is not healthy for them to be cocooned within their own secured walls...life will pass them by, society will forget about them..... If that happens, what is there for them ...to build community and home...to develop and progress? They live in a world where the majority is hearing , therefore they and the caring public have to create awareness of their plight....the lack of facilities in education, employment, the medical front xtra.....to be understood and be accepted as useful members of the larger society. Perhaps, there is a need to encourage more people to learn and be proficient in sign language if only to provide more services and opportunities to the deaf.-so that they could blend into society and be accessible to available facilties and resources....It is like taking up English or French. An additional language learnt is an asset. The onus is on the hearing world to open more doors, windows and actioning more care, to make life more pleasant and rewarding for their deaf brethren...

To many members of this community, joining Reach is the best thing that had happened to them...it had taken away isolation , opened and broaden their borders, enabling them to carry out their religious obligations... have their own identity and a sense of belonging -a part of their own unique community... That's exactly what Reach proposes and aims to do...bridging the communication gap...opening borders...instilling confidence,...promoting friendship, faith formation and in the days to come, many more achievements and aspirations for the betterment of the deaf community. Certainly, that includes removing negative perceptions from the public, and of course getting the deaf themselves to rise above their challenges and stand tall. .

Peace!