Some of the congregants nod their heads while others raise their hands high as Reverend Sindisa Damoyi wraps up his sermon during this weekend’s Easter celebrations at an Mthatha church commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
For many, the service itself is a miracle. Born deaf, like Damoyi, they never imagined that they would be able to worship in this way, fully understanding not only what was being said during the service but the details of the faith of which they are a part.
The 31-year-old Mthatha-born Damoyi had always admired “men of the cloth” and wanted to become one himself, but soon realised there would be limitations to his dream.
But the limitations became a thing of the past in 2008, when he bumped into Reverend Phumelele Jemane who was not only deaf but was a qualified pastor himself.
In 2011, Jemane founded the Eastern Cape’s first ever church for deaf people in Mdantsane, Masidumise Fellowship Church. And two years ago, Damoyi founded Vuleka Deaf Fellowship Church in Mthatha’s Chris Hani informal settlement.
The two ministers this weekend presided over an Easter camp in Mthatha which attracted more than 120 deaf people from across South Africa.
Damoyi in particular said it had been a long and bumpy road for him.
“I grew up going to churches which were full of people who can hear and talk properly but I couldn’t hear anything being said there,” he said.
“There was no provision made for us deaf people. I didn’t even fully understand who Jesus is or what He is all about.”
But after studying towards a theology degree he decided to open his own church.
He claimed the Chris Hani informal settlement had the highest number of deaf people. “We had about 20 congregants when we started but that number has grown to more than 100,” he said.
However, he still feels there is not enough being done to help deaf people as there are very few interpreters even in government buildings and even fewer churches for them in the province.
“We only have two in the Eastern Cape.”
His sentiments were echoed by Jemane, whose wife and three children are also deaf. He said he had been a subject of ridicule from people who could hear without difficulty when he started his own church in 2011.
“What people don’t realise is that even deaf people can be Christians. At the end of the day we are all God’s children.”
Jemane said he wanted to show the world that deaf people were just as capable as any other people.
His mission was to provide a home for many deaf people in South Africa.
Thembelani Mamve who trekked more than 500km from KwaZulu-Natal where he works as a teacher at a school for deaf children said he never missed a chance to come to church ever since the Easter camps were started.
Although his school does hold Sunday services, he often locked himself inside his room because he felt left out due to the fact that he couldn’t properly understand what the interpreters were saying.
But it all changed once he heard about Jemane’s church and the subsequent Easter weekend camps. “Now I never miss any camp because I know I will be fulfilled spiritually,” he added.
Mamve said much still needed to be done to empower deaf people across the country.
“People who can hear normally have so many opportunities to further their education at tertiary level while the same cannot be said for deaf people. That is why most of them end up quitting school.”
Ntombekhaya Maziko has also found herself a spiritual home after trying out many churches. Although she can hear partially, it was still a problem for her because she sometimes needed an interpreter.
Deaf SA deputy chairman in the Eastern Cape, Michael Ntseke, said although government was supporting people born with disabilities, the focus was often on those with other forms of disabilities.
“From 1959, I went to a church where I would see the pastor getting animated while delivering a sermon but the interpreter would not convey the same level of excitement. It came to a point where I almost gave up on church altogether,” he said. — sikhon@dispatch.co.za
Deaf praise Mthatha Easter service: churches offer disabled a spiritual home
For many, the service itself is a miracle. Born deaf, like Damoyi, they never imagined that they would be able to worship in this way, fully understanding not only what was being said during the service but the details of the faith of which they are a part.
The 31-year-old Mthatha-born Damoyi had always admired “men of the cloth” and wanted to become one himself, but soon realised there would be limitations to his dream.
But the limitations became a thing of the past in 2008, when he bumped into Reverend Phumelele Jemane who was not only deaf but was a qualified pastor himself.
In 2011, Jemane founded the Eastern Cape’s first ever church for deaf people in Mdantsane, Masidumise Fellowship Church. And two years ago, Damoyi founded Vuleka Deaf Fellowship Church in Mthatha’s Chris Hani informal settlement.
The two ministers this weekend presided over an Easter camp in Mthatha which attracted more than 120 deaf people from across South Africa.
Damoyi in particular said it had been a long and bumpy road for him.
“I grew up going to churches which were full of people who can hear and talk properly but I couldn’t hear anything being said there,” he said.
“There was no provision made for us deaf people. I didn’t even fully understand who Jesus is or what He is all about.”
But after studying towards a theology degree he decided to open his own church.
He claimed the Chris Hani informal settlement had the highest number of deaf people. “We had about 20 congregants when we started but that number has grown to more than 100,” he said.
However, he still feels there is not enough being done to help deaf people as there are very few interpreters even in government buildings and even fewer churches for them in the province.
“We only have two in the Eastern Cape.”
His sentiments were echoed by Jemane, whose wife and three children are also deaf. He said he had been a subject of ridicule from people who could hear without difficulty when he started his own church in 2011.
“What people don’t realise is that even deaf people can be Christians. At the end of the day we are all God’s children.”
Jemane said he wanted to show the world that deaf people were just as capable as any other people.
His mission was to provide a home for many deaf people in South Africa.
Thembelani Mamve who trekked more than 500km from KwaZulu-Natal where he works as a teacher at a school for deaf children said he never missed a chance to come to church ever since the Easter camps were started.
Although his school does hold Sunday services, he often locked himself inside his room because he felt left out due to the fact that he couldn’t properly understand what the interpreters were saying.
But it all changed once he heard about Jemane’s church and the subsequent Easter weekend camps. “Now I never miss any camp because I know I will be fulfilled spiritually,” he added.
Mamve said much still needed to be done to empower deaf people across the country.
“People who can hear normally have so many opportunities to further their education at tertiary level while the same cannot be said for deaf people. That is why most of them end up quitting school.”
Ntombekhaya Maziko has also found herself a spiritual home after trying out many churches. Although she can hear partially, it was still a problem for her because she sometimes needed an interpreter.
Deaf SA deputy chairman in the Eastern Cape, Michael Ntseke, said although government was supporting people born with disabilities, the focus was often on those with other forms of disabilities.
“From 1959, I went to a church where I would see the pastor getting animated while delivering a sermon but the interpreter would not convey the same level of excitement. It came to a point where I almost gave up on church altogether,” he said. — sikhon@dispatch.co.za
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