Letting it Flow

A "crazy, goofy, Italian" interpreter.

1) HOW DID YOU BECOME INTERESTED IN SIGN LANGUAGE AND HOW DID YOU LEARN?

I was 15 and a counselor at G.A. Camp at Shocco Springs, Alabama.  One of the other counselors signed the song, “The Lord’s Prayer”.  I was so amazed at how beautiful it was that I asked her to teach it to me.   From that point on, every time I saw deaf individuals communicating, I longed to be able to talk to them.  When I went to college I wanted to be an interpreter, but at that time, some crazy folk thought it would be best if Deaf learned to “talk”, to speak and not sign!  So, they cancelled the interpreter program!  It wasn’t until recently they decided that was NOT a smart idea, and offered the program.  I went back to college, finished my Associates Degree and the Interpreter Training Program.  For a year and a half I took 3 night classes a week.  During that time, I wanted to start a Deaf Ministry at my church.  At first, there were only 2 people but it has now grown to 10 members!  I learned more from being around Deaf and communicating with them because they love for hearing to communicate with them. 

2) WHAT ARE THE REWARDING ASPECTS OF BEING INVOLVED WITH THE DEAF MINISTRY?

Knowing another language is one thing, but knowing the culture of that language is amazing and a reward!  Deaf love to fellowship and socialize.  They take the time to see the answer to “How are you?”   They truly want to KNOW how
you are!  Also, when interpreting something to them…either a sermon or a song, seeing their eyes nod in understanding is a reward for me.

3) YOU SEEM TO SIGN VERY ELEGANTLY AND EFFORTLESSLY DURING CHURCH, BUT WHAT ARE CHALLENGES YOU FACE PREPARING FOR AND DELIVERING THE PASTOR’S SERMON?

Thank you for the compliment, but I have to give God the glory!   I love the Psalms and David’s expressions of love to the Lord…”It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High.”  I’ve always loved music and to express that inward love for Him is easy in sign language.  When I or the other interpreter sign the music and sermons, it helps to have the words or an idea what our pastor will be preaching on.  If we don’t have the words to the music, it is a challenge to communicate to the Deaf.  It would be the same as the choir director handing the choir a new piece of music to sing that they’ve never heard!  The sermon is important for us to understand. We hear the words, change it to where the Deaf can understand, then deliver that through sign.  If the phrase is “We all have storms in our lives”, hearing people understand that we all have problems.  However, if we sign the word “storms” Deaf will understand a physical storm…lightning, thunder…etc.  We have to change that to “problems” or “crisis.”  When our pastor is preaching, he’ll throw in a joke….VERY difficult to make that come across as funny!  And by the time you do, he’s gone on to something else!

4) YOU ALSO USE MANY FACIAL EXPRESSIONS SHOWING VARIOUS EMOTIONS WHILE YOU INTERPRET, IS THAT TYPICAL OF SIGNING OR JUST A DEB BAKER TOUCH?

Well…I’ve been called a “crazy, goofy, Italian gal”…so maybe a little is in the genes, but I learned in school that 90% of signing is facial expression!  An interpreter has to sign the emotion of the speaker or singer.  If the pastor stresses a point and raises his voice, my signing will become a little more intense.  If a soloist is singing about angels and heaven, my expression will try and show the absolute beauty of being there!  I remember signing the song, “I can only Imagine”….tears were coming down my face because I COULD only imagine the beauty of seeing Jesus!!  I imagined seeing my mom, dad, brother and grandparents….so yep, that pretty much comes from the heart!

5) BESIDES SIGNING SUNDAY SERMONS, HOW ELSE HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO USE YOUR SKILLS AS AN INTERPRETER?

I’ve signed at school for a deaf parent during conferences and I had the privilege of interpreting for one of our own deaf members while she was at the hospital for some medical tests.  If I’m trying to explain something to a hearing person, I find myself signing while talking…thinking they’ll understand!  And of course, it’s a blessing to teach my grandkids sign language!!