Between 22 and 26 August 2026, we visited three cities—Salatiga, Solo and Semarang—to fulfil two missions: to report on the process of translating the New Testament into Sign Language at the Mennonite Training Centre (MTC) in Salatiga, and to meet in person with the deaf community and churches dedicated to serving children with special needs.
In Salatiga, we witnessed first-hand how silence is transformed into a living work of art. In the tranquil MTC studio, four deaf young men—Hizkia, Ale, Indra and Wildan—work side by side with Mas Tri Harmaji, Translation Advisor at the Indonesian Bible Society (LAI).
Their task is far from simple. Translating the Bible, starting with the Gospel of Luke, into Indonesian Sign Language presents its own set of challenges. Unlike most of us, our deaf friends understand the world through visual signs. The difficulty lies in the fact that many abstract words and theological terms in the Bible do not yet have equivalents in sign language.
In-depth discussions often characterise their workspace. Translating concepts of emotion or abstract terms so that they are easy to understand whilst remaining consistent can take up to an hour or more for a single verse. Whilst Hizkia, Ale and Indra discuss enthusiastically, using hand gestures and facial expressions, Mas Tri and Wildan listen intently to ensure the translation remains precise and does not stray from the true meaning within the Holy Scriptures.
Wildan’s presence in the team has made a truly memorable impression. As a devout Muslim and still a teenager, he brings an extraordinary sincerity to the team. When asked why he joined the translation team, Wildan expressed his feelings through Mas Tri’s translation:
“I want Deaf Christians to have easy access to their Holy Scriptures. In my view, access to spiritual guidance for Deaf Christians still lags behind that for Deaf Muslims. I hope that everyone, regardless of their religion in Indonesia, enjoys freedom and equality in practising their faith.”
Although he is still attending a general vocational school and is the only deaf pupil at his school, Wildan is also active as a committee member of the Deaf community in Salatiga. At school, he communicates with his teachers and classmates via his mobile phone screen and simple sign language—and it is not uncommon for his teachers and classmates to be keen to learn sign language from him.
Wildan’s visual acuity and creativity have often come to the team’s rescue. “Wildan is often my go-to person for finding new terms that aren’t yet in the sign language vocabulary,” praised Mas Tri. We even witnessed first-hand how Wildan cleverly and efficiently devised the right sign language gesture to describe the term ‘unleavened bread’.
Ale and Hizkia have slightly different backgrounds. Both were born and raised in Christian families. They are active members of the Deaf Community at the Church of God’s Hope in Solo. Ale holds a degree in theology and works in the administration department of a printing house, whilst Hizkia works as a layout designer (layout) at a digital printing house. Although they were diligent in attending church every Sunday, both often harboured the same spiritual longing: they were present, yet could not hear or understand the message of the sermon being delivered. Until one day, Rev. Yoesoef and his wife, Mrs Asih, from the Gereja Pengharapan Allah in Solo, conceived a service specifically designed to minister to deaf members of their congregation.
Consequently, when invited to join this project, both welcomed the opportunity with joy. They longed for the day when their deaf friends could understand the Bible independently and live out its teachings in their daily lives.
Whilst other young people choose to spend their weekends relaxing, Ale, Hizkia, Indra and Wildan have chosen a different path. They spend their Saturdays and Sundays in Salatiga. Inside the quiet studio, few words escape their lips, but their intense gazes and nimble, dancing fingers reveal deep perseverance and dedication to a noble cause.
Full support also came from Mrs Asih, the advisor to the Deaf community at the Church of God’s Hope in Solo. She emphasised that this translation should adopt a paraphrasing approach—conveying the core message of the story, rather than merely translating word for word. &“Many abstract terms and parables in the Bible are complex and difficult to translate into sign language. The team must be able to translate them accurately without compromising the essence of God’s word,” he said.
The importance of this project is also recognised by Mr Brent Baker, a missionary from the United States who has been serving in Indonesia for over 30 years. We met him at a service for children with special needs (ABK) at the Eben Haeser ABK Church in Salatiga. For him, deaf people who have not yet been reached by inclusive worship services are like ‘an isolated or neglected tribe’.
“They attend church, but feel alienated because they do not understand what is being said. To serve them, the Bible in a language and medium they understand is an absolute necessity. The availability of this Sign Language Bible will guide them to learn for themselves and experience a personal encounter with God,” he said, concluding the conversation. (keb)
