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Some lives have unfathomably hard beginnings.
Take a moment to think what the worst start to a child’s life could possibly be. What would it look like? What troubles would there be? How would it feel?
When Gerald begins to tell me his story, I’m close to weeping. The early years of his life were unbearably harsh. He was the firstborn of “many children” and the only sibling who was Deaf. His mother had so many children in quick succession after he was born, that she not only had no idea how to raise a Deaf child, she had no time or interest in taking care of her firstborn.
For the first ten years of his life, Gerald roamed the streets uncared for, unprotected, unloved. There was no goodness, no purpose in his life; he just spent those years aimlessly “wandering around” the streets. And being Deaf, Gerald had no means to hear approaching danger, to communicate with friends or learn about his world.
This is the very sort of existence which some people believe discredits either God’s existence or His goodness. I mean, how could a loving God allow this?
But I’ve met Gerald. I’ve spoken with him. I’ve leaned into his heart. He is the gentlest, most appreciative soul who bears no grudge or bitterness. He loves God. He loves those around him (including his own family whom he sees a couple of times a year). He loves his own life. And as he shares it with me, I’m amazed.
Government workers brought Gerald to the DMI dorm in Bacolod when he was ten. Here, he was taken in by Pastor Albert and his wife Kim who oversee the dorm and live in the adjoining house. At first he was terribly shy but Albert and Kim and the other kids made him feel so welcome.
He came to life.
Learning to sign, he has made warm and lasting friendships. Hearing the gospel, he has found a sincere and lasting faith. He has found comfort in the routines that Albert and Kim encourage. He enjoys washing his clothes, washing the dishes, watering the plants and taking care of the (horribly noisy!) dogs.
But his favourite part of dorm life is when everyone sits around the table of an evening and does their homework together. This is followed by their devotion time which Gerald loves because he gets to hear how his Deaf friends deal with life and they all get to share their life stories. They then pray for each other, more and more deeply as they get to know each other better and better.
There’s nothing about dorm life that Gerald doesn’t like. I press him on this. There must be something that is hard, something lacking at the dorm that he would like? He thinks about that for a moment and signs with a shy smile that, if possible, it would be great to have a ping pong table. Rhean (the girl who featured in the last blog #16), sitting beside him, nods her head in agreement. (I interviewed them together.)
On Sunday morning the kids all bustle off to church earlier than us in a gaggle of excitement. They attend the Sunday school which meets before the service at one of the Philippine Immanuel Churches of the Deaf which is founded and pastored by Albert. I’m encouraged to see the kids so enthusiastically embracing church life and the roles within it that they have been assigned. Rhean is a praise and worship leader. Gerald is on chair duty. I ask him which role he thinks is more important. He looks at me like I don’t deserve to be in the church for asking such a question! but politely signs that they are of equal importance. I smile and assure him that’s true.
Back in the dorm, I ask Gerald about his future. He’s 18 years old. What does he see for his years ahead? Though still in year 8, he has a clear goal for his life and it’s one that I am hearing more and more often as I interview the kids in the DMI schools. He wants to be a preacher/evangelist to the Deaf. This is not a pat answer. Gerald’s sincerity and desire to take the gospel to the Deaf is clear and passionate.
As he explains this, I look at this young man before me. He began as a street kid with no chance, and no education or means to a meaningful life; by all accounts God-forsaken. But God had not forsaken Gerald. God loved him and continues to love him and DMI is one of the avenues through which God’s love is expressed to him, through which God’s love for Him is real and measurable.
As we finish the interview, I thank him and Rhean for their time. A moment’s pause follows this so I flippantly ask Gerald who the prettiest girl in the dorm is. He immediately looks at his feet and shyly signs “I don’t know, I never look at the girls”. Neville, Albert and I erupt in laughter. Rhean just giggles.
If you would like to know how you can support Gerald, any of the kids or teachers, or help meet any of DMI’s needs, please click on the donate button on the top right of the page, or mail to info@deafmin.org
A lovely story of hope and encouragement for the work done by DMI.
We are never forgotten by our heavenly Father. We do not realise or appreciate what we have living here in Australia. Thanks for giving us these stories.
a wonderful testimony, praise God