After months of training, Edna’s dream came true. She made it to the Deaf Olympics in Taipei, China, and represented Colombia in the swimming competitions.

Edna joined hundreds of other deaf children and teenagers who share her passion for sports and made many friends. When the 17-year-old returned to the Filadelphia School for the Deaf in Bogota, she was able to use the new computers Samaritan’s Purse provided to stay connected with the friends she made in China.

“A wonderful use of the computers is the video chat with deaf and hearing Christian friends and pastors in other countries,” said Patti Jones, the school’s principal. “These contacts have strengthened the students, graduates, and other Christian adult deaf in their faith as they have also been able to encourage others.

“It has been exciting to see the students use the video chat to share the Gospel with their deaf friends in other parts of the world.”

Watch a video of some of the students saying thank you


Edna has been able to use the computers for more than just communicating with friends. Each one is equipped with Bible study software, sign language preaching, and other programs to help the students with their Christian education.

The computer skills and programs will also help prepare the students for college and future careers. For the children who have additional disabilities, the computers are tools used to catch them up to their appropriate grade level.

Jessenia, 14, was born deaf, blind, and with other physical disabilities. Because it has taken a lot of time for her to be able to do normal, daily tasks, she did not start school until she was 12.

Jessenia doesn’t have enough sight to participate in the classroom without the support of a guide/interpreter, but with the help of the computer programs for the visually impaired she is able to learn faster, catch up with her classmates, and receive spiritual encouragement.

“Jessenia has a lot of reasons to feel sorry for herself, but she is a very happy young lady,” Patti said. “She is glad to be alive, to be in school, and above all to be learning about Jesus.”

The majority of the students have a personal relationship with the Lord, but Patti said many of their family members do not. By getting them involved in their children’s activities and education, they hear the Gospel.

Jessenia’s mother came to faith in Christ after hearing the Good News through a parent workshop, and that is giving her strength during difficult times. She is now very active in the school, helping in the kitchen and taking sign language classes.

“Only Jesus could have brought Jessenia and her mother to our school, and He has filled their hearts with joy,” Patti said.

In addition to seven new computers, Samaritan’s Purse donated new furniture and books for the school library. Diana, Filadelphia School for the Deaf library project leader, said the first time the students saw the new materials they excitedly dashed for the books and began looking through them.

As with the computer programs, these books will aid in the children’s overall educational and spiritual development.

Some of the students are already passing on what they have learned at the Filadelphia School for the Deaf to the next generation. Seven boys and girls, including Edna, are working on translating the Bible into Colombian sign language.

“The Bible stories in sign will be shared with other deaf children around the country,” Patti said. “With the Lord’s help, we trust this will be a way they will come to know Jesus personally.”

Six videos are being made, which will include three stories from the Bible and three originals. Edna is doing hers about butterflies. It will be filmed in sign language, and then she will write the story in Spanish with illustrations. This way the deaf students learn to become bilingual, using Colombian sign language as their first language and written Spanish as their second. The translation project will contribute to the literature available in sign for deaf children all over Colombia.

“We are so grateful to the faithfulness of Samaritan’s Purse,” Patti said. “It has been a testimony to both our students and to their families that this help is coming from Christian people. The students have commented that the computers and books are a gift from God for them, so they understand that these blessings are from His hand.”

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Samaritan's Purse , Colombia , Children's Ministry , Equipping Disabled Students