Katie Evans - Sharing the gospel

Short-term volunteer Katie Evans, working in Namibia with David & Alisan Greeff, writes about her experience teaching the Bible and giving her testimony at the Eluwa School for the Deaf:

In the corner of the room a tap is dripping. It is profusely annoying, but I’m the only one it seems to bother!
Beside me, a boy vigorously gestures with his hands, the other 20-odd youth fixated on him as he ‘talks’. Another boy interrupts him, drawing the gathering’s attention. He has a question about what the first boy just signed. There is then a heated discussion – a silent one, of course. They reach a point where neither has anything more to ‘say’, and everyone looks at me.
I'm pretty sure I have the answer to their questions... but do I have the words to give it?
I wave my hands to make sure everyone is listening. And then I start – slowly at first, then gaining confidence, my hands twist and turn, pointing and gesturing, my face matching the emotions involved… I finish by flicking my forefinger against my forehead.
"Understand?" I'm asking. They respond by knocking their fists twice – at least some of what I said was understood! Today we've discussed the death and resurrection of Jesus, debating whether it was all a big hoax, and why it mattered. Yesterday's topic was the character of God and of humanity.
I tell them I'll come again on Monday. The group in unison asks me to come back ‘tomorrow’ – they want me to come again tomorrow and discuss the Bible with them!
Each day the group increases. Each day I get to see these young people understand the hope that springs from the pages of the little New Testaments I've given them. I ask who wants to close in prayer, and they avoid eye contact until one of them raises his hands. No one bows their heads or closes their eyes – they all look straight at our young volunteer. He closes his eyes and starts his hands moving. “My father in heaven”, he signs, “thank you for today, and for the things we have learnt”. He signs almost too fast for me to follow, but I don’t care: this young man is talking to his God in heaven in his own language – it’s an awesome thing to watch!
I have just under a month left in Namibia. I will miss these moments of sitting in silence, with 25 youth gathered round me discussing the gospel with their hands. I will miss having people asking me to come every day to explain God's word to them. And I will miss sitting in that room with the dripping tap.