The Deaf Hear the Truth

A CERTAIN lady in Rio de Janeiro subscribed for “The Watchtower,” but it was her son, a deaf-mute, who actually read the magazines. Soon the young man was attending Christian meetings at the local Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Sitting beside him, a Witness would write out the high points of the public talk. Before long, however, the young man’s mother began to object and to insist that he frequent various churches. For two months he complied, but did not like the atmosphere. He did not understand anything and, besides, nobody paid attention to him as soon as they found out that he could not talk. How he missed the human interest and warmth he had experienced at the Kingdom Hall!

So he returned. This time another Witness began studying the Bible with him by reading and writing, but this did not work well. Still another Witness had the idea of talking slowly so that the young man could lip-read. Although this took much time, he grew in appreciation, and Bible truth began to reach his heart.

To his personal Bible study the young man invited his mother, brother, elderly father and two sisters, one of whom brought along a hippie friend who was also a deaf-mute. When the young man’s father died, he was able to comfort his mother with the Bible’s resurrection hope. (John 5:28, 29) Meanwhile, at his secular work he had interested a man whose hearing and speaking were partially impaired. Progress was steady. Now the young man’s mother, two sisters, the former hippie and his work colleague are baptized Christians.

The zeal of these individuals was so great that eventually a group was formed that held Christian meetings by using sign language, and the average attendance grew to 30. At these gatherings, questions are asked and answered in sign language. Aware of the commission to declare the good news of God’s kingdom, these Christians participate in the house-to-house preaching work carried on by Jehovah’s Witnesses. (Matt. 24:14; 28:19, 20) They accompany other Witnesses in this activity, showing Scripture texts and offering Bible literature to householders. When other Kingdom proclaimers meet a deaf-mute man or woman, they pass the name and address to this group so that these Witnesses can call on the person. In this way, several deaf-mute individuals have been able to “hear” the truth.