In rural western Kenya, worship at the Kakima Adventist Church brings together deaf and hearing believers in a spirit of unity and belonging. Spoken language and Kenyan Sign Language are used side by side, every member is valued, and worship is characterized not by sound, but by connection. The speaker on the day I visited the church was a deaf pastor whose sermons in sign were interpreted aloud for the hearing members. Watching the congregation worship together, it was clear that communication reaches beyond words. The church has become a place where all are seen, included, and encouraged to grow together in faith. The church is closely connected to a school for deaf children, a project that began years ago when Global Mission helped establish it by sending four Global Mission pioneer teachers.

One of those pioneers, Lydia, still serves as a teacher today. “I thank God because I’ve seen His mighty hand working in this institution,” she says. Through this school, families from the com munity are encountering God in surprising ways. Emily learned that her son, Jabulani, was deaf when he was three years old. She searched for a school that would accept him, but she was often turned away. Eventually, she brought him to the Kakima Adventist Special Needs Centre, hoping that he could receive an education. Emily arrived at the school with Jabulani on her back, his hands wrapped tightly around her neck. He looked around for a couple of minutes, then jumped down and began running around excitedly. This was something he had never done at any of the other schools. “He was so happy,” Emily recalls. “I told my parents, ‘This is the school!’” For the first time, Jabulani seemed completely at ease. At Kakima, he began discovering joy, belonging, and faith through his learning at school and at church. “I love going to church!” he says. Emily and Jabulani weren’t Adventist, but one weekend after returning home from school, Jabulani insisted that they attend church on Sabbath, the day he had been learning about in class.

Curious, Emily began going to church on Saturdays to better understand what her son was experiencing. As she worshiped, built friendships with church members, and studied the Bible for herself, she felt God leading her. Week by week, her interest deepened. In time, she embraced Adventist beliefs and chose to be baptized. What began with a child’s simple conviction became a life-changing journey for his mother. “I knew I was a changed person and that my life would never be the same again,” she says. Along the way, Emily found more than faith. She found friendship, forming a close bond with Lydia, the former Global Mission pioneer who had helped nurture the school and church community. Stories like theirs are part of what makes Kakima special. It’s a place where deaf and hearing members grow together in faith and where families encounter the love of God together. Your financial gifts helped make the Kakima Adventist Special Needs Centre possible, and your continued support will enable similar projects around the world. More leaders will be trained, more families will be reached, and more lives will be touched by the love of Jesus.