New Arena do Futuro Season Includes Libras Interpreters

The new season of Arena do Futuro debuted on Hope Channel on Thursday, May 6. From now on, the Bible study program now has a novelty that will make the messages presented by Pastor Lues Gonçalves more accessible to a specific audience: the deaf. 

In every episode, either on TV or the web, people can watch and follow the interpretation in Brazilian Sign Language. "For some time, we felt the need to offer an evangelistic message for that audience," said Pastor Luís Gonçalves. According to him, the dialogue with the Adventist Ministry of the Deaf (MAS) was essential for the implementation of this resource. 

For this to become a reality, Pastor Jorge Rampogna, director of TV Novo Tempo, says it was necessary to adapt equipment and the production method of the program. The entire process is being monitored by MAS. “The biggest difficulty is in finding experienced interpreters for this type of work”, said Rampogna . 

Josnan Encarnação is deaf and explains that most of those who are also deaf have Brazilian Sign Language as their mother tongue . “When that happens [this investment], I feel respected for the way I receive the information completely visually. It is also important to be a watcher to the interpreter window and its dimensions," he said, in relation to the technical issues display. 

Expansion

TV Novo Tempo began the experience of including LIBRAS in the Holy Week of 2020, in the first months of the coronavirus pandemic. According to Rampogna, the response was positive. The plan, he stresses, is to expand to the other evangelistic programs on the grid in the coming months.

Arena do Futuro is shown every Thursday at 10:30 p.m. (Brasília time). The reruns can be followed at alternative times on TV, the website, or at ntplay.com. 

This article was originally published on the South American Division’s Spanish site