The Importance of Sign Language Bible Translation: Karen Vergara's Journey
The Bible is more than just words on a page. It’s the living Word of God that has the power to capture hearts and transform lives forever.
At Wycliffe, we desire for all people to have the complete story of God’s love for humanity and Jesus’ great sacrifice in a language and format they can clearly understand. For some, that means reading or hearing Scripture. For Deaf communities, that means seeing Scripture come to life in a format that resonates with them.
Karen Balza is the mother of a Deaf son. She shared a powerful testimony about how God worked in her family that illuminates the critical need for Bible translation in sign languages.
A Personal Journey of Faith and Healing
Karen and her husband, Jorge, welcomed their son Felipe into the world in June 2023. What should have been a joyous time turned into a season of sadness and confusion when they learned, just weeks later, that Felipe was born with permanent hearing loss.
"I was devastated," Karen recounted. "What would life be like for Felipe? Will he have friends? Will he be able to go to school? Will he play sports?"
Karen turned to the Bible for comfort and guidance during this season as she wrestled with her questions and specifically resonated with the Book of Job. Through her exploration of Job’s story, Karen found solace in God’s sovereignty and wisdom.
She also turned to the Book of Psalms for comfort, specifically reflecting on Psalm 139:13-14, as she was reminded that God created Felipe with a purpose from the beginning: “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well” (NIV).
This realization transformed her perspective from questioning God’s will to seeking His purpose. Instead of asking, "Why him? Why us?" Karen began to inquire, "What are you trying to do through Felipe, through us, through me?"
A Call to Action
Karen's journey led her to discover how many Deaf individuals there are in the world — and how few of them have access to the gospel in their own sign language.
She was surprised to learn that at the time, there was only one complete Bible in sign language: the American Sign Language Version (ASLV). That translation took more than 30 years to accomplish.
"I had never realized that the Deaf needed a visual translation of the Bible," Karen admitted. "For most Deaf individuals, their heart language is sign language, not spoken or written language."
There are hundreds of known sign languages in use around the world today, so the urgency became clear to Karen. This epiphany propelled her and Jorge into action. They made it their mission to connect with the Colombian Sign Language translation team.
The couple’s visit to Colombia allowed them to engage directly with Deaf communities and learn about ongoing translation efforts. Karen recalled, "We met with teachers and young leaders involved in ministries that serve the Deaf with the mission of sharing the gospel." The trip profoundly transformed Karen and Jorge’s hearts, igniting their passion for reaching Deaf communities with the message of Jesus.
The Power of God's Word
Karen’s story exemplifies how having the Bible in your language transforms lives. "If it had not been for having a Bible in a language I understood, I would have missed the invitation that God had made to our family to become ambassadors to the Deaf," she shared.
When Karen was concerned and in need of hope, she turned to God’s Word for comfort and guidance. Her initial questions evolved into a commitment to serve with and advocate for the Deaf. Through Scripture, she gained a deeper understanding of her faith and how God was prompting her into action.
Today she understands that God’s purpose was bigger than she initially imagined: "God had to break my heart for the Deaf by giving me a Deaf son."
This personal experience transformed her family into advocates for a group that has historically been marginalized and overlooked.
God's Word for All People
Around the world today, God is raising up individuals, communities and churches to take the lead in Bible translation.
We want all people to meet Jesus through reading, seeing or hearing Scripture come to life in a way that captures their hearts and transforms their lives forever.
Karen is a reminder that God has uniquely equipped each of us to play a role in ensuring that every person can access Scripture in their language. She said:
Bible translation is about more than Scripture access — it’s about God changing hearts, lives and communities through the gospel. You can be part of seeing Scripture made available to all people!
Together we can ensure that the greatest story ever told reaches every person’s heart — including those who communicate through sign language — in a way that resonates deeply with them.
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