Come Together: UBS-Asia Pacific Sign Language Consultation at PBS

It’s amazing how the Lord can turn one ordinary morning into a beautiful and extraordinary coming together of family – both in and outside of the Philippine Bible Society (PBS). We welcomed guests from all over the world to the PBS Ministry Center in UN Avenue, Manila last June 4, 2019 (Wednesday) for the UBS-Asia Pacific Sign Language Consultation.

This consultation was initiated by Mr. Sok Nhep (United Bible Societies Global Mission Team – Asia-Pacific team leader) and Mr. Chris Dale (United Bible Societies Deaf Ministry Coordinator).

The goal of the UBS-Asia Pacific Sign Language Consultation last June 4 was to actively respond to the increasing interest among Bible Societies in the Asia-Pacific region to develop Sign language projects of their own.

We’d like to recognize all of those who attended and participated. We had friends and colleagues from: the UBS China Partnership, American Bible Society, Bible Society of Taiwan, Bible Society of Malaysia, Bible Society of Myanmar, Hong Kong Bible Society, Indonesian Bible Society, Japan Bible Society, Mongolian Union Bible Society, Nepal Bible Society, Thailand Bible Society, and Vietnam Bible Society.

Also, we send a big thank you to our guests from these organizations that we’ve partnered up with: Asia Pacific Sign Language Development Association (APSDA), Deaf Go, DOOR, Deaf Bible Society, Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL), Philippines Deaf Sign Language Association (PDSLA), and TSCO.

Our friends and colleagues received a true PBS welcome when we opened up our Wednesday Staff Fellowship morning with a lively song of praise. We also had two Sign language interpreters on stage to translate for our brothers and sisters in the Deaf community. And as the music began to slow down and people started to raise their hands, we knew that this morning was special.

We’d like to invite churches and parishes with ministries for the Deaf community to get in touch with the Philippine Bible Society. You may email us at contactus@bible.org.ph. Let us work together so that more people will be able to encounter God’s amazing Word in their very own heart language.