TOKYO – Hannah Walker didn’t know sign language when her journey began to serve the Deaf community. As a former Journeyman with the International Mission Board, she was drawn to the lostness of the global Deaf and was led by the Lord to serve them in Thailand.
“I actually moved to the field and learned Thai sign language first, and then over time I learned ASL [American Sign Language],” Walker said.
She and her husband Timothy are part of the IMB Deaf Affinity in Thailand, and Walker currently serves as a NextGen strategist, driven by a passion to mobilize students and young adults to serve globally.
This month, Walker will be in Tokyo to experience another opportunity for global outreach. Walker will join IMB teammates at the Deaflympics Nov. 15-26. This worldwide event brings Deaf athletes together to compete every four years.
IMB representatives attended previous Deaflympics, but this will be the first time the IMB has mobilized volunteers, church partners and national partners. More than 20 U.S. churches are partnering with the IMB to be in Tokyo, and Walker reported national partners will join from Africa, Eastern Europe, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Indonesia.
Though the Deaflympics will be observed in November, it will feature 21 sports that are associated with summer games including athletics, basketball, bowling, swimming, volleyball and wrestling, among others. According to the Deaflympics website, this will be the first time the Deaflympics will be held in Japan and will also mark the 100th anniversary of the first Deaflympics held in Paris in 1924.
Athletes will represent more than 70 countries. Walker expressed her excitement about the Deaflympics, noting many participants will come from countries closed to missionary work.
“The opportunity to reach the unreached is massive,” she said. There are more than 80 million Deaf people worldwide.
For this event, Walker will leave her role in Thailand and serve as a volunteer coordinator for the IMB Deaf Team in Tokyo. Walker will assign groups to engage with attendees at the Deaflympics. The goal is to have diverse teams consisting of at least one Deaf person, one hearing signer and one non-signer, who will spread across different athletic venues.
Each volunteer team will have Gospel trading pins, specifically designed to be used at the Deaflympics. The pin features a mountain with a sunrise and five different colors, which relate to a Gospel presentation that can be shared in five simple points.
The teams will also provide people they encounter with cards that offer follow-up information. If people want to know more, the cards will have a website address that offers information in different languages and resources to help people connect with someone who could help inquirers find a church in their home area.
Walker said teams will represent people who can sign in different languages, but she said signers are taught “sign roots,” a practice of communicating with hands, motions and expressions, which is often universally understood by the Deaf community.
Two team members will do research during the Deaflympics, as well. Researchers will meet with Deaf people from different countries and collect data that will be helpful to IMB missionaries as they develop strategies to reach more Deaf people worldwide with the Gospel.
Volunteers will come from different backgrounds and communication skills, but Walker knows God will bless their work of sharing the Gospel.
“What I’ve noticed from all volunteers is they’re super excited and eager to be a part of God’s work,” she said. “It’s interesting to put together 50 or more people from all these different backgrounds who will come and learn how to team together, even if they don’t speak the same language or have the same experiences.”
Walker expects the unity of the volunteer group will overcome their differences. “There’s an opportunity for the light of Christ to shine through the teams as they work together,” she said.
Those interested in praying for the IMB Deaf Team at the Deaflympics in Tokyo can sign up for 12 days of reflection, unity and prayer.For more information visit imb.org/tokyo-deaflympics.
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