Joseph Otsibah 
The 2025 edition of the Sign Language Interpreters Conference (SLIC’25), organized by the Ministry to Persons with Disabilities (MPWDs) of The Church of Pentecost, gathered sign language interpreters from across the nation under the theme “Unleashed: The Sign Language Interpreter on a Mission.”
Held at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa Fetteh, from October 16 to 18, the conference served as a revival and recommissioning ground for interpreters, affirming their calling as missionaries of God on divine assignment.
The atmosphere was one of empowerment, learning, and spiritual renewal, emphasizing the growing importance of sign language interpretation in promoting accessibility, inclusion, and equality for the Deaf community. In his keynote address, Apostle Samuel Gyau Obuobi, General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, highlighted that one of the key interventions of Vision 2023 and Vision 2028 is the intentional strengthening of the MPWDs Ministry. Through this ministry, he said, the Church reaffirms its divine mandate to reach all people with the gospel of Christ, without barriers or discrimination.
The conference featured a series of insightful and capacity-building presentations. Pastor Isaac Aboagye, MPWDs Pastor for Western and Western North Sectors, provided an overview of the ministry’s mission and structure. Pastor Joshua Korku Semador, MPWDs Pastor for the Northern Sector, spoke on “Discipling Persons with Disabilities for Christ,” while Mr. Marco Stanley Nyarko, a sign language lecturer at KNUST, taught on “Sign Language Linguistics.” Participants also benefited from a session on “The Ethics of Sign Language Interpreting” by Mr. Juventus Duorinaah, Executive Director of the Ghana National Association of the Deaf, and a presentation on “Interpreting Techniques in the Church Setting” by Dr. Cyril Mawuli Honu-Mensah of the University of Education, Winneba.
Other impactful sessions included “Working with the Deaf: Things to Know” by Pastor Reuben Peter Wuni, Ministry to the Deaf, and “Growing Spiritually as an Interpreter” by Pastor Benjamin Ofei-Badu, Home and Urban Missions Coordinator of The Church of Pentecost. Participants were grouped into beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels for breakout discussions, followed by an engaging Q&A session that provided clarity and direction for interpreters’ growth.
A major highlight of SLIC’25 was a panel discussion featuring experienced interpreters and leaders from the Deaf community. They explored the evolving role of sign language interpretation in ministry and the broader call to inclusivity in the body of Christ. Moments of worship, prayer, praise, and fellowship created a deeply spiritual and unifying atmosphere throughout the event.
At the closing session, Pastor Alexander Nyame, National Coordinator for MPWDs, spoke on the topic “Beyond Interpreting: Understanding the Missionary Nature of Interpreting.” Drawing from the call of Moses, he emphasized that God does not focus on ability but on availability. “To function as a missionary interpreter,” he noted, “one must cultivate spiritual intimacy, develop theological understanding, serve with love, depend on the Holy Spirit for empowerment, and carry the message beyond church walls, into homes, schools, and communities.”
He further stated, “God is an inclusive God, and through sign language interpreters, this truth is made visible.”
SLIC’25 concluded with renewed passion and gratitude as interpreters returned to their Districts and Areas, ready to serve as instruments of divine inclusion. Indeed, a new generation of interpreters has been unleashed; on a mission to make Christ known to all.
Report by MPWDs Media Team
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