Deaf in Mozambique

Introduction / History

As a Deaf population within a hearing one, the Mozambican Deaf struggle from the same things that most Deaf globally do. Most are born to hearing parents, but do not usually learn language or values from them. They often lack anything more than basic communication skills with family members. Their difficulty is not the inability to hear, but rather the significant barrier to communicating with the surrounding dominant culture, especially in acquiring information.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Among the poorest of the poor in Mozambique, the Mozambican Deaf typically are unemployed or underemployed. This forces them to remain with their (hearing) family to have regular income, moving to a city to try to find employment or joining a local Deaf gang.

Local churches have attempted to reach out and meet the needs of the Deaf, but the need is substantial. Most Deaf live for "today." Many fall into sexual immorality as well as drugs, alcohol, gangs, and stealing to survive.

In Mozambique, many hearing families still consider the birth of a Deaf child to be a curse for some previous sin or wrong.

What Are Their Beliefs?

While a majority of the Mozambique population is considered Christian (56.1%) according to a 2007 census, the number of true disciples is estimated to be relatively low.

What Are Their Needs?

Mozambique formally recognized Mozambican Sign Language as an indigenous language in 2005. But it has only three schools for the deaf, with limited use of Mozambican Sign Language (oral methods are employed: to read lips, speak, and read Portuguese). Thus, many of the Deaf in Mozambique lack formal education, especially beyond Grade 6. This creates a substantial literacy issue among the Deaf. There is also a significant lack of qualified sign language interpreters in the country. With little understanding of resources in the official written language, Portuguese, and almost no resources in Mozambican Sign Language, the Deaf are cut off from understanding God's word.

Prayer Points

Pray for the Lord to raise up and send out Deaf workers to reach these people for Christ.
Pray for Deaf schools and fellowships to be established in Mozambique.
Pray for the Lord to heal many Deaf people in Mozambique as a testimony of his goodness and power.

Text Source:   Joshua Project