Reaching the deaf in Brazil
SGM in Brazil has developed the booklet You Matter in a special version for the deaf. Rather than words, this version uses a form of written sign-language called LIBRAS.
Pastor Salomao Dutra Lins works as an evangelist to the deaf community in Curitiba, and is deaf himself. He explains the need for specific resources:
"Someone who was born without the ability to hear has great difficulties understanding messages printed i n the regular written form, because their minds work in a different way. Their minds work based on images. On top of that, they do not know prepositions, adverbs, and their language structure is substantially different. It is, at least, comparable to a foreign language. There's no direct correspondence between sign and written language. A good school education could make a difference, but very little is done in Brazil to educate the deaf community."
Pastor Salomao was so determined to leave something of the Bible with people he spoke to that he developed his own book, and gave out photocopies. This was photocopied in turn by other pastors, and the quality rapidly deteriorated. You Matter will fill an important gap, making it possible for the deaf to read at least a small part of God's Word, for themselves.
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