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/
Going MAD in the Outback
Wycliffe Today October 2019
MAD OZ was an opportunity to explore what God is doing in some of the Aboriginal communities of Central Australia with a bunch of ‘new’ friends experiencing it with me. I was blessed to see God working in and through me, as well as my fellow travelers. I came away with a better understanding and greater appreciation for the ministries that go on out there, as well as the greater work that God does inside of us when we allow Him to stretch us. It truly was a MAD experience! – Gary
It was a real privilege to go on a MAD OZ trip after hearing about them for many years. Being the cook was a stretching experience for me but everyone was so helpful. Dave Wake was a fantastic leader. Getting to know Wycliffe member, Lyn Street, was also a real highlight. Together with her late husband, Chester, Lyn made connections with the people in Wadeye and translated Scripture and language resources into the Murrinhpatha language. I also loved getting to know the team, hearing their testimonies and watching them grow as they learned and practised Bible Storytelling and engaged with the Aboriginal people. I learned a lot about Aboriginal culture and enjoyed spending time in the four communities we visited. – Robyn
It has been so encouraging to see Indigenous communities and meeting people who have a real faith. Yet my heart breaks that there is still such a need for discipleship, leadership and Bible resources to be available in Aboriginal languages. I have been so encouraged by the sacrifice and hard work of the translators who have been working in these communities to make this happen. – Sarah
I had the opportunity to learn about the work of Wycliffe and Bible translation. It was a pleasure to experience how Aboriginal people do community and interact with those who share God’s Word and the love of our Lord Jesus. I loved all the teaching we received, especially learning about Bible engagement and Bible Storytelling. I found this to be a great tool for sharing the Word of God with all ages and audiences in any setting. – Mandy
MAD is an amazing cross-cultural experience with Aboriginal communities from Central and Coastal Australia. I love the way that everyone on the team gets to use their gifts for the encouragement of others. It makes a big impact on my life every time I lead the trip and shows me the value of Bible translation in others’ lives. – Dave
Really heavy on my heart after my MAD experience is that we have so many English translations of the Bible while so many Indigenous communities do not have anything in their language. Some languages have translated books and there is now a Kriol Bible but this does not speak to everyone. What can I do to help with translation? – Tracy
Many Aboriginal people we met are open to the gospel but they are in need of effective discipleship in order to grow stronger in their faith. God’s Word, access to it in our own languages and having an understanding of it is essential to growing in discipleship and knowing Christ. – April
God uses ordinary, broken people to do his work. We will not be perfect and we will make mistakes, but he chooses to use us anyway. – Adele
Thanks for your patience...