Helping People Understand

When our new Sunday School teacher invited me and Steve to attend his class two weeks ago (08/13), I tensed up. Fortunately, the Lord provides plenty of help or at least support if we rely on Him to provide. Someone on the deaf forum started a discussion (08/17) titled, “I really need some help. Deaf/hearing relationship.“

The people on that forum, whom I have grown to respect, seem to be able to express my thoughts and feelings better than I am able to. I again took the advice from Interpretrator and determined to educate the teacher, our bishop, and anyone else who wants to learn about how to work with a deaf person, and the difference between a signer and an interpreter. (Steve told me I should wear a T-Shirt that says, “I am not an interpreter.”)

I copied and printed portions of the discussion, made a copy of “How to Work With a Deaf Person“, a copy of the difference between a signer and an interpreter, a copy of suggestions I found in a 1991 Ensign article titled “A Language beyond Sound:
Making the Gospel Available to the Hearing-Impaired“, and several copies of a fingerspelling chart. Then I made an appointment with my unsuspecting bishop for today (08/27) after church services were over.

In the meantime (08/21), a friend on another discussion forum asked me what I thought of an article included in this month’s Ensign titled, “Hearing with the Heart“. This article includes suggestions for teaching the deaf and including them in the ward. The article gave me goose bumps and I immediately emailed the link to the teacher and my bishop. I’m sure they read the Ensign anyway, but I wanted to make sure they read that article.

At the beginning of today’s Sunday School class, I taught everyone how to sign “Our Heavenly Family” (the title of the lesson). Hopefully I taught it well enough so they will remember, but if not they at least got a taste of how some signs are formed. It’s a start. I also explained that I am not an interpreter, but I think that kind of whizzed by their understanding. I was still stressed because Steve missed out on some good comments in the class.

After Sacrament Meeting, Steve and I met with our bishop and I gave him my handouts. It has taken me seven years to learn this stuff, and I dumped it on him all at once. Steve also did his best to explain what it is like for him. He said, “Turn on the TV and turn the sound off. See how much you understand, and how bored you get.”

I believe that even though the people in our ward cannot understand what it is like to be deaf (I can’t understand it either), they care deeply and want to help as best they can. My bishop said he would make copies of what I gave him and asked if it would be ok if other people in the ward read this blog. Of course, you may read it. Keep in mind though, that this is my perspective and includes perspectives from other people. If you want to know what it’s like from Steve’s perspective, you will have to communicate directly with him. So get out your pens, notepads, email (steveshumko@hotmail.com), instant messaging (ask him for his T-Mobile Sidekick address), whatever works for you. There is a lot to learn and learning it from him is fun!

01/02/2007 – His T-Mobile Sidekick turned into a Blackberry after he accidentally dropped it in the toilet.