Twenty-seven trained sign language interpreters are now helping make church services, evangelistic programs, and other ministries more accessible to deaf and hard-of-hearing people across Adventist churches in the southeastern Philippines region (SePUM).

The initiative is part of Adventist Possibility Ministries (APM), which promotes inclusion, dignity, and meaningful participation for people who are often overlooked by society. APM serves deaf and hard-of-hearing people, people who are blind or have low vision, individuals with physical or mobility challenges, people experiencing mental health concerns, orphans and vulnerable children, widows and widowers, people experiencing bereavement, and caregivers.

Rather than defining people by their circumstances, the ministry emphasizes that every person is “gifted, needed, and treasured.”

The ministry in SePUM is led by Aida Lamera, a registered nurse whose 19 years of hospital service have shaped her approach to caring for people with diverse needs. Under her leadership, APM began addressing communication barriers experienced by people she describes as individuals “who hear with their eyes.”

Recognizing the need for greater Deaf inclusion in churches, Lamera introduced SePUM APM’s first program, which combined basic sign language training with Deaf culture immersion. The training was designed to help participants understand that Deaf culture includes a shared visual language, identity, traditions, and ways of experiencing community.

In April 2026, delegates and APM directors representing SePUM’s five missions gathered at the Adventist Church in Davao for intensive instruction. The training was led by volunteers from the Deaf Literacy Center of the Socio-economic Uplift, Literacy, Anthropological, and Developmental Services located in San Jose, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon.

Lucienne Sabugaa and Irel Jones Causing coached participants alongside members of the Deaf community, giving trainees opportunities to learn directly from those who use sign language in their daily lives.

Participants studied the sign language alphabet, fingerspelling, basic vocabulary, grammar, and sentence construction. They also learned signs connected with rural life and developed conversational skills in Filipino Sign Language.

Practical exercises included greetings, role-playing, dialogue, and storytelling, with some activities based on Bible lessons. After three days of in-person instruction, the participants continued practicing through daily online meetings, strengthening their skills and confidence.

The results became visible during Sabbath school teachers’ training and the recently concluded 15-day “Discover Your Way with God” digital evangelistic series. As the livestream moved from one mission territory to another, interpreters communicated sermons, songs, discussions, and hosts’ presentations in sign language.

Their participation enabled deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers to engage more fully with the programs.

The initiative was designed as an ongoing ministry rather than a one-time project. Members of the interpreting team now serve in their local churches, districts, and mission-wide programs. Plans are also being developed for the current interpreters to train a second group.

Organizers hope future training will involve South Philippine Adventist College, Adventist Hospital Davao, and other Adventist institutions. Expanding the network would allow more congregations and organizations to provide consistent interpretation during worship services, training events, and evangelistic programs.

The 27 interpreters have also become part of SePUM’s media and communication ministry, integrating accessibility into the planning and delivery of church programs.

Lamera said the ministry reflects the church's responsibility to care for people with diverse needs. She pointed to counsel from Ellen G. White, who wrote that the way Christians treat widows, orphans, people with disabilities, and others needing care reveals the true character of God’s people.

During the training, participants were reminded that sign language is more than a communication tool. It represents a ministry of presence, love, and equality—one that seeks to build a church community in which everyone can participate, worship, and understand.

The original article was published on the Southern Asia-Pacific Division news site.