MISSIONER NEWSLETTER – Advent 2024

Julie Lawler, Cambodia

In March 2024, Deaf Development Programme, where missioner Julie Lawler serves, announced the Deaf Leadership Training Program to train leaders to establish a National Deaf Association in Cambodia. Pictured, trainers and participants in September 2024.

“Suffering is a part of life, but it doesn’t have to define our lives. We can find joy even in the midst of suffering.” – Howard Thurman

PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA—I met up with SreyRoth at a local coffee shop in Phnom Penh after work one day in November. We both entered the store and ordered our drinks using Cambodian Sign Language. Café Amazon is a chain coffee shop in Phnom Penh that provides jobs to deaf people and allows hearing people to interact with the deaf staff by using the visual pictures/signs to order their coffee, teas, and juices. It has become the local hangout for deaf people, and it was the perfect place to catch up with SreyRoth.

I met SreyRoth at the beginning of May this year, when she joined the Deaf Leadership Training Program (DLTP) at Deaf Development Programme (DDP), the organization where I serve. DLTP trains future deaf leaders so that they can establish a National Deaf Association in Cambodia.

Even though SreyRoth and I have crossed paths several times in the four years that I have been in Cambodia, we didn’t have a chance to really get to know each other until she joined DLTP.

SreyRoth’s words remain with me: “Joy to me is having coffee with a friend who supports me and makes me smile, helping someone in need, and thinking of ways to build a brighter future for the generations of deaf people that come after me.”

When I asked SreyRoth how and where she finds joy, she shared a few experiences with me while we enjoyed our late afternoon drinks at Café Amazon. She said she finds joy participating in DLTP.

SreyRoth is hard of hearing and has been associated with DDP since she started at 19 as a student at DDP. She then later worked at DDP for several years.

She took some time away for personal reasons but was still a part of deaf events that DDP hosted throughout the years. Since 2018, she has been supporting her family and their local shop selling food.

On Women’s Rights Day in March 2024, DDP announced the new DLTP initiative. SreyRoth applied and joined DLTP two months later.

She said her joy comes from interacting with other deaf people who are open and supportive and desire to make change for the future.

“Even when life as a deaf person is hard, I still find ways to be happy,” she said. “Dreaming about the future and making change for deaf people in Cambodia brings me joy.” 

SreyRoth had a smile on her face when sharing about her hopes and dreams for the future. “In the DLTP training sessions, I get to share ideas, solve problems, learn new concepts, and create plans for the future,” she said.

She says these opportunities motivate her and it inspires her to think of a better tomorrow (i.e. establishing a national association for the deaf to advocate for deaf rights, such as allowing deaf people to drive and increasing the number of sign language interpreters, etc).

SreyRoth also likes to support the younger generations of deaf people. “I walk around DDP on Saturdays and Sundays during the Deaf Community Center activities and see younger deaf people who need support,” she said. She feels motivated to support deaf youth when they look sad, and she gives them counsel and listens to their needs.

During coffee with SreyRoth, I could see she knows the path to change is a long one but her desire for change runs deep. In our conversation, she explained that the daily life of a deaf person in Cambodia comes with discrimination, but she still tries to find joy in the little things and working for a better tomorrow.

SreyRoth’s words remain with me: “Joy to me is having coffee with a friend who supports me and makes me smile, helping someone in need, and thinking of ways to build a brighter future for the generations of deaf people that come after me.”

Please consider supporting my mission work at the Deaf Development Programme with a donation through the link below.

I invite you to walk with me as a “COMPANION IN MISSION.” Companions in Mission are friends and generous donors who give financial gifts on a regular (usually monthly) basis. For more information, visit Become a Companion in Mission. Thank you so much for your generosity!