Everyone is welcome: Susan’s story

Story told to Rebecca Thurrowgood  | Wycliffe Today Winter 2025 Edition

My family are all hearing people but I am Deaf. So it was really difficult when I was growing up. They were all talking but there was no signing. My mother would communicate with me through my sister as she couldn’t communicate well with me. Schooling was also really difficult. I missed a lot because I was trying to follow orally. I was bullied at school, which got me feeling down and depressed. 

When I was younger, I went to the synagogue (I came from a Jewish family). We’d learn to write in Hebrew but there were no other Deaf people there, and no interpreter. When I learnt stories in Auslan about famous characters from the Old Testament, it helped me understand the pictures I had been shown as a child. Then when I was about 15 or 16, I had thoughts about God. Who is God? Where is he? 

When I was 19, I had a Deaf boyfriend who was an amazing signer. He introduced my family to simple finger spelling and basic communication. He was also the Christian who led me to Jesus. I learnt more about the Bible from him and I was struck by the words in Revelation 3:20 – that Jesus invites everyone to join him. Everyone. Including Deaf.

I learnt how to teach Auslan at Latrobe University. Then I taught it at my old church for 20 years and many people’s skills improved. I’ve been at my current church for five years now and teaching some Auslan there too. There are plenty of Deaf people in the area but I don’t know how to encourage them to come to church. 

I used to lead Bible studies where we would watch some Auslan Bible translations together. I really like to have written text alongside the Auslan translation but written English is very different from Auslan. Having Auslan interpretations in church makes the message so much easier to understand. — Susan Shannon

If you’re looking for a sign language project to support people like Susan with resources in sign language, the Solomon Islands Deaf Community Assistance is developing educational resources such as training videos, printed materials and a mobile phone application to be used to support the delivery of sign language education. Visit https://wrdf.org.au/pacific/solomons-deaf-community-assistance/