Deaf Employees Learn The Story of Hope
Pastor Isagani Sta Ana (a deaf pastor in the Philippines) participated in a Good Soil Evangelism and Discipleship seminar at the Redemption Ranch in the Philippines. So, now he and his wife (Sarah) travel every last Sunday of the month, by plane, from their island of Palawan to Manila to teach The Story of Hope to a group of deaf employees of the Hapee Toothpaste Corporation.
There are many deaf employees in this large corporation. Pastor Isagani reported they average 59-70 deaf employees in the class each time they meet. The company owners are strong supporters of the deaf schools in the Philippines. Pastor Isagani says the deaf really enjoy the Bible stories and respond readily to the gospel because The Story of Hope Bible study book and the accompanying visuals make the BIG Story of the Bible much easier to understand.
In the photo below Pastor Isagani is having the group act out the Old Testament story of Moses and the brass serpent.
Pastor Isagani taught the story of Moses and the brass serpent in which God told Moses to make a brass serpent and place it on a pole so that all who looked, by faith to the serpent, would live. And he explained that those who chose not to look, died. He also taught them the most important meaning of this story that is revealed in the New Testament.
To some people, the Old Testament is just a bunch of unrelated stories, but The Story of Hope makes it clear that the Old Testament is an essential foundation for the New Testament and the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament is part one of God's BIG overall story that begins in Genesis and unfolds throughout the Bible until the end of the book of Revelation.
For an easy-to-understand overview of the entire Bible order a copy of The Story of Hope and download the FREE Leader's Guide and Class Facilitator Guide from our friends at Good Soil. If you need any help or more information, you may contact me, Missionary Steve Deal
Pastor Isagani teaches these deaf employees how God delivered the children of Israel from Egyptian bondage when He brought them out of Egypt with a mighty hand. He shares the story of the Passover with them, how God killed the first born of every family who did not kill a lamb and put its blood over the door posts. He explained that the Israelites were by-faith believing (though not necessarily clearly understanding) that God would one day send a Deliverer (a "Lamb of God") to die for the sins of the world and deliver us from the curse of sin.
Pastor Isagani Sta Ana clearly illustrates the Bible's main stories and its BIG redemptive STORY for the deaf, using The Story of Hope.