MANY Christians labour under the misconception that only those with the ability to hear need to be evangelised. It is a misconception that sign language tutor Tricia Blair is determined to correct, as she teaches both the young and the old how to minister to the deaf.

Blair, who is in her 30s, has been doing so since 2000 when she learned the art of signing at the Faith Cathedral Deliverance Centre, which she has attended since she was seven years old. When the sign language ministry started at the church, she and eight other members joined the group in a bid to win souls among the hearing impaired community.

Shortly afterwards, the founder of the group migrated and Blair took up the mantle. She has since had the pleasure of watching the group mature to the point where she has had to develop five different sign language groups in the church, with members ranging from ages four to 35 years.

“It’s a meaningful way to minister to the deaf, because the deaf really don’t have persons to sign songs to them. They go to school and people teach them how to sign, but they really don’t have a ministry per sé where people can go and sign the gospel to them. I really want to help them by giving them the word in song,” Blair told the Sunday Observer.

Incorporating mimicry, drama, comical costumes and songs into the activities of the sign language group has made ministering more appealing and has won even more souls than Blair bargained for.

“It feels good knowing that you are sowing seed here and there. We are trying to win souls and I feel that we are reaching that target because deaf people are saying that they really enjoy it and we are reaching them,” she said.

Although sign language is a means to communicate with the deaf, Blair said members of the hearing community also benefit.

So effective has her ministry been, that the church sign language group has garnered mass attention and is now in high demand. The group has been travelling since 2003 with co-pastor Dr Alma Blair to minister on her trips overseas. So far the group has visited St Kitts, The Cayman Island, Barbados and The Bahamas. They have visited the Bahamas twice and developed two sign language groups there.

The group, too, has visited almost every parish in Jamaica, ministering at events when called upon. They have become the voice behind the Hands Across Jamaica Ministry, singing and signing the organisation’s theme song whenever the need arises.

But Blair is not naive to believe that her success in this ministry was of her own accord. She attributes her calling to God and the encouragement given by her pastors Bishop Herro Blair and Dr Alma Blair. Basking in the support given by her sister, mother, grateful parents, the hearing impaired community and her church family, she continues on a steady course to change the lives of her students, most of whom she said got saved under the ministry, as well as the deaf.

“It wasn’t easy and it is not easy, but thanks to God, the ministry has been a blessing,” Blair said.

With a sense of humility, she recounts some of her most memorable moments teaching sign language and ministering. She easily recalls times of watching young people weep as they hear the gospel and people running to the altar after her group ministers. One of the highlights for her was performing during the half-time of a 2004 football match played by Jamaica and The Cayman Islands in The Cayman Islands. Her group’s brief performance had spectators begging for an encore.

Blair would really like to see people gravitate to sign language, solely on the basis that it has the power to win souls. However, she knows that is asking too much.

“It has become a style which is popular and that is not good. Our aim is to really help the deaf, but persons see it and like it and want to start it at their church because it looks good,” she told the Sunday Observer.

Meanwhile, Blair has been getting requests from schools and churches to teach sign language. And despite her hectic schedule, she finds the time to fulfil the requests.

Included among the schools she has visited to teach are Cockburn Gardens Primary and Junior High School and Penwood Basic School. She has also taught sign language at Penwood Church of Christ, Maverley Church of Christ and both the Gateway and Victory Deliverance centres.

As for those places where she is unable to teach, her young students – keen on fulfilling their duty to become ambassadors for Christ – have been sharing the sign language ministry at their schools and with their friends.

One of Blair’s most devoted students, Monique Bailey, has introduced the sign language ministry to Tarrant High School where she was head girl. Upon graduating from the school, Bailey started a group at the St Hugh’s High School where she is currently enrolled as a sixth-form student.

The teen, who is also a member of the Faith Cathedral sign language group, said she started the group in both schools after being approached by students eager to learn.

“Many persons want to learn it. So they would come to you and they will say you know how long I want to learn it,” she said, adding that her “Auntie Tricia” has been teaching her much more than just sign language since she became a member of the group 10 years ago.

“She tells us what we are expected to do as Christians and young people. She prays for us – not only as a group, but also personally – and she encourages us. She looks out for us fully. She would always ask us how we are doing in school; she is not only focused on the spiritual,” Bailey noted.

But while her ministry has been very fulfilling, Blair said at times having to constantly minister across the country, training teenagers twice weekly, while having a full-time job can be extremely stressful.

“It becomes very tiring sometimes because of what they have to do and how often they have to minister, but then I love what they do. To see that they are being touched and their lives are being changed, just being around the ministry, makes me feel good,” she said.

Blair’s advice to people involved in ministry is to allow God to work through them to spread the gospel.

“Sometimes you get discouraged, sometimes you will have your down days when you feel that your ministry isn’t growing, but keep going on; God has a plan,” she said.

Her dream is to see more deaf people attending church, but for now she is pleased with those who are turning out to get to know Christ through the efforts of her church’s sign language ministry.