Deaf in Argentina

Introduction / History

Argentine Sign Language (LSA) is descended from Italian Sign Language. Education for the Deaf has been purely oralist (teaching lip reading of Spanish and prohibiting any use of sign language) since its beginning.

What Are Their Lives Like?

There are some Deaf clubs in Argentina that hold classes, especially for Deaf people who want to learn sign language. Linguists, as well as some Deaf people, are pushing to have LSA officially recognized by the government and for a change to bilingual education for the Deaf. There are many clubs for the Deaf that network together.

Many Deaf people work in banks, counting money. More recently, many Deaf have been trained in computers, and many now work in some sort of computer job, often data entry. A few work with the handicapped on the streets selling lottery tickets, with the money going to help handicapped people.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Most Deaf people are Catholic, but they rarely attend mass. When they do, they just go and sit in the church and think about God (without anyone interpreting and without really understanding much of what is going on). On rare occasions, an interpreted mass is given, and it is a big social event for the Deaf. There is a mission group called MIES (Ministerio Esperanza) that is run by three hearing Argentine women. It is an inter-denominational ministry. Their primary ministry is to teach sign language to Christians from various churches around Argentina who are interested in starting a ministry to the Deaf in their churches.

What Are Their Needs?

The Deaf in Argentina do not adequately understand the Bible in any other language. In Buenos Aires, there are a few Deaf Christians, but there is no indigenous Deaf church. There appears to be a higher level of bilingualism in Spanish among the Deaf in Argentina than in other countries with Deaf communities. However, most are still unable to comprehend a complex text like the Bible in Spanish. There is a need for a complete Bible translation into Argentine Sign Language.

Though Argentina has made much progress in the past years, there are some schools that don t know how to accommodate Deaf students. These children grow up to be without the ability to read.

Prayer Points

Pray for the expansion of Deaf education in Argentina.
Pray for Christ followers to help the Deaf with any needs they might have, glorifying his name through their good works.
Pray for the Deaf in Argentina to have the spiritual hunger it takes to seek and find Jesus Christ.
Pray for Deaf disciples to make more disciples.

Text Source:   Joshua Project