José’s mother noticed that as a baby, her son didn’t respond to sounds in their home in Mexico. She would call his name, and he wouldn’t notice.

When José was about two years old, his mother sought help. She sent him to a school to learn sign language and how to speak. His teacher taught him the sounds of letters and words. He put his hand to her throat when she spoke, and then tried to replicate the sound with his own throat.

His mother cried because her son couldn’t hear her voice.

“Don’t worry,” the teacher said. “Have patience. Everything will work out fine.”

Each day, José went to the sign language school for two hours before going to an Adventist school for another two hours. The church school taught him how to read and write, but most importantly, it taught him about God.

He attended this school up to the age of eight. Since the school didn’t have teachers who knew sign language, José’s mother ended up sending him to a public school with teachers who could communicate with him.

The first time that José met other Adventists with hearing impairments was at a church-organized conference at Linda Vista Adventist University. It was wonderful to mingle with other Adventist young people with the same needs.

Not long after, the Inter-American Division organized its first special needs conference and held the event at Montemorelos University in Monterrey, Mexico. At the conference, a desire grew in José to serve God as a pastor. But how? He could never afford the tuition.

As the conference concluded, the university president made a surprising announcement. “Do any of you want to study here?” he asked. He offered a full scholarship for the tuition. José understood then that God was calling him to be a pastor, and he stood up.

José is the first deaf theology student at Montemorelos University. It’s difficult because almost no one else knows sign language. He concentrates hard and tries to read the teachers’ lips. In his first year, he failed several classes but pressed on knowing that God had big plans for him.

He has led several evangelistic meetings for the hearing-impaired, including one in Mexico City. Several churches with deaf people have invited him to preach.

José has a desire in his heart to serve as a pastor. He dreams about going to the mission field one day, ministering to the hearing-impaired.

Please pray for the students, like José, who are willing to do big things for the Lord. Thank you for supporting mission!