A Hidden Community
There are an estimated 61,000 profoundly deaf people in Cambodia, yet only about 4,000 have been officially identified. Many are scattered throughout the city — displaced and isolated.
Most members of the deaf community do not have access to education, and among those who do, many end up dropping out. This greatly affects their livelihood and future. The gospel is also not accessible in their native language, Cambodian Sign Language.
My Journey in Phnom Penh
I first visited Phnom Penh when I was 19, back in 2016. At the time, I had just begun learning sign language for a little over a year and was eager to serve God on the mission field. However, there was still no accessibility for a deaf person to worship God in a church.
This year marked my third time in Phnom Penh, working with the same people on the ground. I had the opportunity to return — once in March and again in June. Over the past few years, two deaf Korean missionaries moved to Cambodia with a heart to bridge the gap between the gospel and the deaf community. Despite the differences between Korean and Cambodian Sign Language, they established a church and created a community where deaf people could fellowship, receive training, and learn to become independent. It was deeply encouraging to witness deaf individuals gaining access to the gospel and to a community of believers where they could grow and fellowship.
Across all three trips, our projects were similar: we ran workshops on basic life skills, taught English, social media and design, leadership, hygiene and upcycling. Most of the deaf individuals we met were not Christians, and I initially struggled with understanding how the work I was doing was considered ministry. I was excited to share the gospel, but as I built relationships and listened to their stories, I began to feel the weight of the injustice and oppression this community faces in society.
I concluded that sharing the gospel is important and necessary in missions. But is it considered unsuccessful if nobody accepts Christ? Should our love be conditional — only given to those who choose to follow Jesus?
Jesus didn’t do that for me. He loved me before I loved Him and laid down His life for me even before I knew who He was. Isn’t that the greatest love of all? If I love God, I should love His people. The deaf in Cambodia need Jesus. They also need access to education and a community that sees them. Loving well is the gospel.
A Church Without Walls
During our recent trip from 19 to 23 June, we invited about 20 deaf people to join us for a service at the Anglican church. We had to do relay interpreting to ensure accessibility. This meant a pastor preaching in English, a hearing interpreter translating into Singapore Sign Language and a deaf interpreter then interpreting into Cambodian Sign Language.
My deaf friends, Pauline Ong and Vanessa June — both volunteers and fellow trippers — were tasked with interpreting signed English into a combination of Cambodian Sign Language and gestures, enabling our Cambodian deaf friends to fully access the service. They readily took up the task even though Cambodian Sign Language is not their native language. This reminded me that God doesn’t require perfection — only our obedience. Their willingness to show up, serve faithfully, and step into the unknown spoke volumes about what it means to trust God to give understanding of His Word.
At the Anglican church, only baptised individuals can partake in Holy Communion. However, if someone is not baptised but desires to receive Jesus, they may go forward with their arms crossed over their chest, and the Holy Communion steward will pray for them. I saw God move during the service when some of our deaf Cambodian friends went forward with arms crossed. It was a sacred moment.
I wondered — is this what a church without walls would look like? Just like the book of Revelation, where it talks about the great multitude from every nation, tribe, people and tongue, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. Is there room and space for the deaf to access the gospel in church? In a land where there are no Christian interpreters to be found?
I was reminded of Zechariah 4, where God says to Zerubbabel: “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit”, that the mighty mountain shall be removed. When the Bible says that “faith comes by hearing the Word of God,” I think of how that mountain — the deafness and the inaccessibility of the gospel — is not immovable to God.
The deaf community is still one of the largest unreached people groups in the world. But God is moving among the deaf in Cambodia, and we are simply joining Him in the work He has begun. Galatians 6:9 says, “Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” Indeed, if by faith I don’t get to see the fruit from the seeds planted today, I take heart and know it will bear fruit in His time.
If the Lord is stirring your heart today as you read this article, I invite you to join us in praying for the deaf community in Cambodia — that they may come to know Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.
Do contact DeafMin to find out how you can be equipped and join us for future trips: deafmin@wesleymc.org
Photos courtesy of Victoria Ng
Read also: Finding Joy through Serving at COSC’s Inaugural Block Party
