Imagine taking part in a service at your local church: while the choir sings, you see the other participants dancing, clapping their hands, ... and when the pastor speaks, you don't understand any of it. You'd be frustrated, wouldn't you?
This is the scenario – or at least the most likely one – experienced by a dozen deaf and hard-of-hearing United Methodists from the Kindu North and South ecclesiastical districts at the Eastern Congo Annual Conference.
A member of Lokole United Methodist Mission in Kindu offers sign language interpretation during worship, helping make the service more inclusive. Photo by Chadrack Londe.
Recently, however, the Church in Kindu took a significant step forward in its commitment to the inclusion of deaf and hard-of-hearing people.
Thanks to funding from the United Methodist Committee on Deaf and Hard of Hearing, the United Methodist Church of Eastern Congo has created a new ministry to welcome, support and share the Gospel with people who are hearing impaired. Financial support has also helped to provide scholarships for the education of fifty deaf and hard-of-hearing pupils.
The new program aims to enable the region's deaf and hard-of-hearing United Methodists to participate fully in church services and meetings. In October 2024, the church launched sign language interpretation courses for 10 clergy and 10 lay representatives who come from local churches in the Kindu districts of Maniema province - which make up the Eastern Congo Annual Conference. Kindu is also home to the Office of the United Methodist Bishop of the Eastern Congo Episcopal Region.
The training sessions enabled participants to acquire basic sign language skills, and participants expressed their gratitude for the opportunity while calling for more training and resources. The church hopes to establish dedicated services for the deaf and hard-of-hearing to ensure their full participation in the United Methodist community in Congo.
Full participation
Thanks to these trained interpreters, deaf and hard-of-hearing people can now participate actively and inclusively in the various United Methodist meetings in Eastern Congo.
Sign language training for a more inclusive Church
In the Kivu Annual Conference in the Episcopal Region of Eastern Congo, a significant step has been taken to strengthen the inclusiveness of deaf and hard-of-hearing people within the Christian community. Thanks to training in sign language, more than 30 deaf and mute people are now able to participate fully in religious services, an essential step towards their social and spiritual integration.
The initiative received financial support from UMCOR - the humanitarian arm of The United Methodist Church. The three-month training course has transformed the way many practice their faith. Philippe Epanga, head of the program, is delighted with the results: “Today, they attend services without difficulty. It's a huge step forward for their inclusion.”
“This training has changed my life,” testifies Albert Diongo from Bethleem French-speaking United Methodist Church. “I can now communicate with the deaf and hard-of-hearing people in my community and enable them to live their faith to the full.”
Reverend Bernard Katako, pastor of the local Kitumaini United Methodist Church in Lokole mission and initiator of the project, said he felt frustrated to see people who were not able to fully participate in the church's activities.
“In many of the churches I've been assigned to since I've been a pastor, I've noticed that deaf and hard-of-hearing people are … not included in the church, yet they too need to receive Jesus Christ into their lives,” said Rev. Bernard Katako. “When I learned that there is a sign language, I said to myself that this would be an opportunity to include them in the activities of our local churches through sign language, as communication is of paramount importance in this context.”
Katako pointed out that thanks to this inclusiveness, deaf and hard-of-hearing people will now find their way into everything that happens in worship.
“Jesus Christ sacrificed himself and died on the cross for all of us, whether we are deaf, hard of hearing or not. Whether we have a disability or not,” said Reverend Bernard Katako. “The gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ should therefore not be limited to people without disabilities. We all know that Jesus saved us without any discrimination.”
The local churches involved in the program have seen a significant increase in the participation of deaf and hard-of-hearing people.
Lohombo Kasongo—from the Tokolote Motomoto United Methodist Church in the town of Kindu—who trained in sign language, reported that deaf people now attend worship.
“Every Sunday, two or three deaf people attend our services, and we're sure more will come,” says Lohombo Kasongo. “I provide sign language interpretation of hymns, sermons and other important messages during worship. This enables our brothers to participate fully in our services.”
Scholarships provided
In addition to sign language training, funding from the United Methodist Committee on Deaf and Hard of Hearing has also supported the education of fifty deaf and hard of hearing students through scholarships.
Thanks to the scholarship, we are able to take care of 50 deaf-mute children who now attend a special school," said Reverend Bernard Katako. The scholarship covers school fees for the whole year.
At the Kitumaini United Methodist Church in Kindu's Lokolé mission, we met Elongo Wandja. Deaf since birth, Wandja is always smiling when he speaks to us in sign language. He is interpreted by François Kahenga and Furaha Julienne, with another interpreter occasionally joining in. “I finally feel included in my religious community," says a smiling Wandja. “Thanks to the sign language interpreters, I can understand the services and take part in the discussions.”
Expanding the ministry
Reverend Bernard Katako indicated that the United Methodist Church of Eastern Congo plans to continue its efforts to include deaf and hard-of-hearing people by expanding the sign language training program and developing other initiatives to encourage their active participation in the life of the church.
United Methodist Bishop Gabriel Unda Yemba said the initiative demonstrates the church's commitment to promoting inclusion at all levels.
“For us, this is an important step towards creating a more inclusive church, where every person, whatever their abilities, can participate fully in spiritual and community life.”
Inclusivity and commitment to the hearing impaired come to life through this project. Participation in church activities is now a reality in Congo's North and South Kindu Districts.
No doubt these efforts will inspire other regions to follow this remarkable example.
Londe coordinates French-language content in Africa for United Methodist Communications and is a UM News correspondent. He is based in Congo.
