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Over the past 22 years, six Maryknoll lay missioners have been serving at Cambodia’s Maryknoll Deaf Development Programme. During those two decades, DDP has become the preeminent deaf organization in Cambodia, and its pioneering work has helped to develop, standardize and promote Cambodian sign language.
“Most of our students have never been to school a day in their life,” says Father Charlie Dittmeier, the co-director of DDP. “They have no sign language, no spoken language, no written language. They have never even really talked to another human being.” When they first arrive at DDP, he explains, the most they have learned are “some very basic ‘home signs’ — like signs for ‘cow,’ ‘water,’ ‘cooking’ or ‘Grandma.’”
At DDP, “we are starting at square one,” Father Charlie says.
Read the full story from Maryknoll magazine:
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