~ Deaconess Myong-hwa Chung (1-4 Women's Mission)

Diligently learning sign language with a vision to serve God

I saw how deaf-mutes at "The 2000 Nagoya Healing Festival with Dr. Jaerock Lee" received overflowing grace through the message delivered in sign language and became evidently touched in their heart. From that point on, with a vision to serve God, I began diligently learning sign language.
In 2001, the Hearing-impaired Mission was launched at Manmin Joong-ang Church. I not only kept up my sign language studies with instructional videos on the Internet and books, but I also tried to expand my ability and increased my sign vocabulary by trying out sign language through frequent visits and purchases from deaf-mute street vendors. In a short while, I was able to minister to deaf-mutes and after receiving Senior Pastor Dr. Jaerock Lee's prayer, my sign language skills improved greatly to an extent that now I could simultaneously translate sermon messages.
As I serve God and the church with this service, I am always aware and grateful of the precious gift of speech and the ability to hear. From this, I have also come to possess the heart by which I could love others.

Teeming blessings from the service

Up until two years ago, financial difficulty forced me to work. After vowing to commit everything to God and to strive even more for His kingdom, I quit my job and made every effort to my duties as district leader and to the hearing-impaired service. God then did His part right away. According to my faith, He blessed my husband's salary to increase three-, fourfold at a minimum, and to five-, six times at the most.
Starting last year, I have been carrying out my God-given duty as sub-district leader and visiting the deaf-mute members of the church, and I often hear marvelous testimonies from them. What I do feel all the more rewarding when I hear the testimony of a deaf-mute couple, who say they become so thrilled and joyful whenever they hear the Senior Pastor's messages. Or when I heard from another person, who had been deaf-mute but says he could now hear after receiving the Senior Pastor's prayer, I was so grateful I was on the verge of tears.
What I do is very little but I could not be happier than the times I see deaf-mute members who meet with God, experience His power, and grow their faith. From hours and weeks of service, my sign language has become good enough for me to tutor it at Yeok-gok Eastern Women's Middle School once a month.
My husband Deacon Hyung-yul Han is faithful to God with his duty as director of the Rainbow Chrous, and is very proud of what I do for God. Our son, perhaps having learned from my service, never hesitates to look after his peers at school who have been isolated by others.
The sign language service has brought me overflowing joy and blessings to my life. Hallelujah!

Beautiful Work of the Hearing-impaired Mission

Launched in 2001 through the devotion of a number of sign language volunteers, the Hearing-impaired Mission (Rev. Soo-yeol Cho, Guidance Pastor) has ministered with diligence to deaf-mutes, held joint wedding ceremonies and honeymoons, summer retreats, "Welcome Parties," and provided beauty care services.
The Mission has also offered legal and family counseling, simultaneous translation during worship services, and has paved a wider channel of communication between deaf-mute members and regular members at Manmin by holding sign language classes.
With a vision to nurture workers through district revitalization and establishing a disabled-persons district, the Mission is planning to invite other deaf-mute churches and organizations in financial difficulty to its summer retreat this year.
Over the years many people at Manmin have received their hearing after receiving prayer from Senior Pastor Dr. Jaerock Lee. Through the beautiful work of the Hearing-impaired Mission we expect many more deaf-mute brothers and sisters to gain and lead new lives by having their hearing restored through the experiencing of God's power.
The sign language translation is offered during every worship service at Manmin Joong-ang Church.