Thank You for Sign Language Worship Services

Beloved Brother Eduardo, my name is Sister Hershey Cruz, from the Local Congregation of Garden Grove, District of Orange County, California. I am married with two beautiful children.

As we celebrate 16 years of your leadership, I reflect back on the blessings, mercy and care that God has given to your Administration. That blessing is felt by my family and I through the mercy and care you show in establishing Christian Family Organizations like the Christian Society for the Deaf.

My parents have always instilled in my siblings and I to always put our God and our duties first in our lives no matter what happens. I was able to continue to perform my duties as a choir member, a Christian Family Organization Officer and a Children’s Worship Service Teacher. I found strength in every Worship Service whenever I would hear the words of God. My life began to change when I reached my mid to late 20’s. I started to notice a change in the way I heard and understood sound. Little did I know, my hearing was slowly declining.

My mom was no longer alive when my hearing started to fade. But it was through both my parents’ advice and their examples of faith that kept me strong. I knew something was wrong and human as I am, it is a natural feeling for fear to start setting in. But as a member of the Church Of Christ, I have learned early in my childhood to always pray and trust in God first through any trials.

After I got married, I finally went to an audiologist and confirmed that I was in fact losing my hearing. I was fitted into my first pair of hearing aids, but my hearing continued to decline.

I was not born deaf. I was born with perfect hearing. I grew up being able to hear my family and friends. I was able to talk on the phone, listen to the radio, watch movies, and hear the beauty of simple sounds that surround me like birds chirping, the sounds of laughter and the waves that crash at the beach.

One morning during my 2nd pregnancy, I woke up feeling like I was wearing ear plugs in both my ears. At that moment, fear and anxiety set in again, especially since I was pregnant with my son. Though the doctors cannot give me an answer, God knows the exact cause and reason, and I placed my faith and trust in Him.

My family witnessed my everyday struggles. I isolated and distanced myself from everyone because of the communication barrier. I was scared and embarrassed. The comforting voices and laughter of my husband and children started to fade away.

But the most painful part of losing my hearing was not being able to return to the choir,  and no longer being able to hear the hymns and the words of God during the worship service.

I recall sitting in the front row during the worship service when the choir members started to sing. I closed my eyes to focus, and all I heard was faint humming. When the minister started to preach, I could no longer comprehend what he was saying.

I broke down and cried. Though the congregation was full, I felt alone. I did not know what else to do. I embraced this sadness and I took advantage of this very moment to voice my concern to God in prayer.

I closed my eyes, and in silence, I said “God, if I never hear my family’s voice or anyone’s voice again, I’m fine with that. But how will I go on if I cannot hear your words to strengthen me and get me through this life? Please help me accept your holy will and give me peace.”

In 2017, I attended the Video Streaming Worship Service of your preaching. When captions of the English translation came up on the screen, I was overjoyed! This was the very first time (in a really long time) I was able to fully understand the lesson simply by reading the translation. What also caught my attention was the Sign Language Interpreter in the corner of the screen.

Suddenly, I thought to myself “Wow! The Church Administration is providing interpreters for the deaf! Maybe if I learned Sign Language, I could request for an interpreter in the future for our worship service!”

It was this realization and hope for the future that inspired my family and I to start learning sign language. God continued to show His love and support for my eagerness to learn by bringing family and brethren into my life to help me learn sign language. One day I was informed that sign language worship service would start in my local congregation the following week.

This was an answered prayer because after years of sitting in silence, I would finally have full access to the worship service through sign language. The Christian Society for the Deaf was established in our District on August 19, 2017.

The CSD Organization continues to grow with many CSD Officers. We have been spreading deaf awareness and continue to share our faith with the Deaf community.

CSD has also helped my family. We continue our nightly prayers and my daughter is able to interpret the prayer through sign language. Sign Language has also benefited my son who has autism. When he can’t express himself with words, he uses sign language, which I continue to teach him.

I am still able to perform my duties in the CFO. I am a Buklod officer and a CSD officer.

But the greatest lesson I have learned from my hearing loss, is that one does not need to physically hear or talk to communicate with our God and our Lord Jesus Christ. We communicate with them with our hearts and minds through prayer. Through my loneliest and most difficult moments, all I had to do was close my eyes, and I know that they were listening to my silent cries, thoughts and requests. Even when I thought I was sitting alone.

Through this letter, my family and I humbly thank you for launching CSD inside the Church. We thank you so much for your unwavering love and support to the Deaf brethren around the world. Your decision to include subtitles and sign language during your preaching leads the Deaf brethren towards their salvation. And I am one of them.

With all my heart, I thank you. You have been a true inspiration to us all and are always in our prayers. My family and I promise to always be in complete unity with the Church Administration, as we are led closer to our salvation.

Respectfully,

Sister Hershey Cruz