Deaf in Armenia

Introduction / History

In many situations, Deaf people are viewed as disability groups, but a more accurate approach is to consider them as distinct people groups. They have their own unique languages and culture. That is true of every country, including Armenia.

What Are Their Lives Like?

There are many common experiences shared by Deaf people around the world that contribute to Deaf culture. Since most Deaf people are born to hearing parents, and very few of those parents learn to sign, many Deaf people are isolated from their families and the broader community. Instead of acquiring language from their parents, many acquire language from other Deaf in the community or from a Deaf school.

While many Deaf people have some degree of bilingualism, for most of them, it is impossible to fully learn a spoken language that they cannot hear. It is becoming more common around the world for Deaf people to learn more than one sign language.

What Are Their Beliefs?

In Armenia, most Deaf people are part of traditional Christianity, like the Armenian majority. However, their ability to understand spiritual truths is hampered.

What Are Their Needs?

The global Deaf community is very much in need of missionaries, but the best people to reach a Deaf person is another Deaf person. Providing training for Deaf leaders and Deaf missionaries is crucial.

Because of a lack of access to the spoken language, many Deaf people have a difficult time participating in church services and activities; relatively little Bible translation work has been done in sign languages and interpreted church services provide only the most basic of access to the Deaf community. Just like spoken languages, sign languages are not universal and vary widely from country to country and often even within a country. For Deaf people to have full access to scripture, they need both Bible translation in their heart language and services in sign language.

For many Deaf people, the Bible is out of reach. Limited access to education makes learning a spoken language well enough to read scripture exceedingly difficult, and only a small percentage of Deaf people have access to scripture in sign language.

There are no training programs to teach sign language in Armenia. Usually, children of Deaf people become interpreters. This situation hampers their ability to get an education and find jobs. Few Deaf people in Armenia hold permanent employment.

Prayer Points

Pray for the Deaf in Armenia to get all the education and job training they need to flourish.
Pray for them to have the spiritual hunger it takes to seek and find Jesus Christ.
Pray for Deaf disciples to disciple others.

Text Source:   Joshua Project