I attended Cornerstone University as a traditional undergraduate student with a ministry and Bible major. Unlike many of my classmates, I had no intention of working in a church.
It was during my freshman year at CU that I began to embrace my God-given passion for Deaf ministry, but I wasn’t sure what exactly that would look like. I started volunteering with the Deaf community in college while also researching the needs of the Deaf community. I had no idea how I was going to start a ministry, but I knew I still had a lot to learn.
Advancing as a Leader in Deaf Ministry
During my master’s program, I heard about a job opening at DOOR International, which is focused on international Deaf church planting and sign language Bible translation. I soon accepted a job as the executive assistant to the president of the organization. There, I get to serve alongside Deaf people all over the world on a regular basis.
And in 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, I launched my own nonprofit: The Adventure Center.
Earning my degree gave me confidence to connect my assignments and readings with what I actually encountered later in my leadership in the nonprofit environment. My master’s program was part of the springboard to make my nonprofit possible.
At The Adventure Center, we exist to honor Christ by empowering Deaf people and supporting those around them. During the 2020-21 school year, we had three Deaf interns who, through hands-on experiences, learned about serving others, engaged in Bible study in their own language, developed life skills, built relationships and learned basic leadership skills.
We are getting ready to enter our second ministry year with more interns and volunteers. And we’re continuing to strategically develop the organization’s programs and structure, including appointing a board of directors and applying for 501(c)(3) status.
