Deaf in Uzbekistan

People Name:	Deaf
Country:	Uzbekistan
10/40 Window:	Yes
Population:	178,000
World Population:	50,265,850
Primary Language:	Language unknown
Primary Religion:	Islam
Christian Adherents:	0.75 %
Evangelicals:	0.00 %
Scripture:	Unspecified
Online Audio NT:	No
Jesus Film:	No
Audio Recordings:	No
People Cluster:	Deaf
Affinity Bloc:	Deaf
Progress Level:

Introduction / History

Various estimates place the world Deaf population at between 30 and 70 million.

Unlike most people groups, Deaf people live in every country in the world and often blend in with the broader community around them. Uzbekistan is no exception.

What Are Their Lives Like?

In many situations Deaf people are viewed as disability groups, but a more accurate approach is to consider them as a distinct people groups. Since most Deaf people are born to hearing parents, and very few of those parents learn to sign, many Deaf people are isolated from their family and the broader community. Instead of acquiring language from their parents, many acquire language from other Deaf in the community or from a Deaf school. In Uzbekistan, they use the widely available Russian form of sign language. The more fortunate among them might be able to learn something from lip reading.

The Deaf in Uzbekistan have limited job opportunities. They gravitate to the capital city where the women weigh people for a fee and men usually are day laborers or sell souvenirs and trinkets for a tiny profit.

What Are Their Needs?

Because of lack of access to the spoken language, many Deaf people have a difficult time participating in church services and activities; relatively little Bible translation work has been done in sign languages, and interpreted church services provide only the most basic of access to the Deaf community. In Uzbekistan, they use the Russian form of sign language, which is widely used throughout that region.

Prayer Points

Pray for the Lord to speak to Deaf individuals in Uzbekistan, drawing them to Jesus Christ.
For many Deaf people, the Bible is out of reach. Limited access to education makes learning a spoken language well enough to read scripture exceedingly difficult. Pray for adequate education for the Deaf in Uzbekistan.
The global Deaf community is very much in need of missionaries, but the best people to reach a Deaf person is another Deaf person. Pray for training for Deaf leaders and Deaf missionaries to serve others.