Imagine living in a world where most of the people you interact with speak an entirely different language?
Rather listen? Click here to hear the podcast.
Matthew Belwood knows how that feels. At 16, Matt lost most of hearing and now, as the National Director of Youth for Christ’s Deaf Teen Quest, his heart is for young people to know their worth in Christ.
Matt says growing up, his church youth group surrounded him with love, but when they explained his deafness to others, it felt like they were saying, “He's awesome, but he has something that may be a little bit broken inside of him…these great people that are really trying to help me and protect me and love me and cherish me in my youth group kind of planted the seed inside my head that ‘ he’s amazing, except for one thing.’”
Matt emphasizes that the deaf teen isn’t broken, but part of the body of Christ with great potential.
Often deaf teens feel disconnected and alone during a time when there are so many mental, emotional and spiritual changes going on. More than 80 percent of deaf and hard-of-hearing teens don’t have a parent who can sign or communicate with them in a direct way.
Matt says with Deaf Teen Quest, “caring Christian adults come alongside deaf and hard of hearing teenagers between the ages of 11 and 19 in authentic Christian relationship.”