Andrew Miller is the International Director for DMI. When he’s not eating corn chips in Sydney, he’s travelling around the world raising funds and DMI’s profile in developed countries or visiting the fields we support to see what’s needed and how our funds are being managed. Either way, he works tirelessly to avoid unidentifiable food and meets lots of weird and wonderful people who he just can’t resist interviewing…

#4 Alan

Alan Ebona is a quiet young man with a shy disposition; the sort of guy you don’t notice at first but when you take the time to sit and talk, you discover a gentle man with a soft charm, a warm intelligence and a sincere faith.

Andrew: Where are you from, Alan?

Alan: I’m from Silay city on Negros Island, Philippines

What’s good about Silay?

We live in simple homes. We have a simple lifestyle. It’s a beautiful place and not too far from the airport.

You’re not really selling the place. Any major attractions?

You’d love it. The simplicity, the tranquility, the small farms and vegetable gardens. Might be just what you need.

Touché. Have you lived there all your life?

Yes.

Were you born deaf?

No. I was born hearing but when I was 6 or 7 I bumped my head and lost my hearing. At first my hearing dropped a bit, and then hearing in my left ear dropped completely, then shortly after, my right ear, too. I still have marginal hearing in my right ear but nothing to speak of.

How did that affect your childhood?

Well, I lived with four brothers and one sister. I’m the 4th born. No, hang on, I’m the 5th! And I’m the only Deaf one.

So that must have been hard.

Yeah, it was really hard. No-one interpreted for me in the home. I was so happy to go to the school because the teacher could sign and taught me how to communicate. That was fabulous. But no-one in my family learned to sign. 

Did that make you bitter?

No, it made me patient. But I would get so frustrated sometimes. My family would get angry with me and I never knew why. I would get angry with myself and just walk away and cry on my own for a while. I would eventually forget about it but it happened so many times, over and over. But I came to understand that it’s better to keep quiet and just obey my parents. I was always willing to help them and do my best at home.

We’ve just had a Fatherheart school which focussed on forgiving our parents. Was that meaningful for you?

Oh yes. It completely changed my heart. I want to go home now and hug my mum and ask her to forgive me for not being a better son. I want to do the same with my dad but it’s hard to communicate with him.

Can you give an example of what you might need forgiveness for?

I often went out in the night without permission. And my parents would worry about that. I caused them a lot of stress. They would tell me to come home by 4:00 or 5:00pm but I would come back at midnight after going out with friends for their birthday parties etc. From my heart I feel so bad about that so I want to tell them how sorry I am and ask for their forgiveness.

When did you first connect with DMI?

I first met Ps Albert after I graduated from high school and moved from Silay to Bacolod in about 2012. I met a Deaf girl who invited me to Albert’s church and I became a Christian within a year. I then enrolled in the DMI-affiliated Bible school and studied under Ma’am Elisa. I was there for 4 years.

Where are you pastoring now?

I’m back in Silay where I planted a church in 2019 with Albert’s help. I went and gathered the local Deaf from the Deaf school in Silay. On the first Sunday there were about ten people.  Now we have about thirty members.

How did you feel when you first started the church?

It was exciting but a little bit scary. I felt quite unsure to tell the truth. I just wasn’t sure if I could do it. But I was keen and never wanted to give up.

Can you tell me some of the biggest challenges and some of the greatest joys you’ve experienced in pastoring the church?

The biggest challenge is simply ministering as a Deaf man.

Can you explain that a bit more?

Communication amongst the Deaf is a challenge because there are so many levels of education. It can be hard to understand what they’re saying and some can’t understand me. It’s easier with the better-educated members of course but I’m trying my best to reach those who struggle with language. 

As for the joys, sometimes there are new Deaf people coming to church and that really excites me. There’s a real joy in sharing the gospel with new Deaf members. 

How have you grown the church?

It’s never been easy. Sometimes our Deaf members don’t come to church because of conflicts with their work schedule or their family or they are sick or they are living far away or they can’t afford to get to church because they are so poor. That can be hard but I just do my best. If they are absent, I follow up as best I can. The question is always how I can best reach those who are finding it hard to come to church. But once we are assembled, we are really happy together in the Deaf church.

Have you ever experienced a miracle?

Honestly, it feels like every day is a miracle. I’m so weak and inexperienced but God gives me this strength to keep going, to keep serving and ministering and working. I could never have imagined that someone as shy as me would stand in front of people and speak but God has equipped me and strengthened me to do that. I remember my first time to stand and preach – I felt so weak I could barely stand up! I was trembling so much. But by God’s grace I preached and it seemed to go well. I thank God for that but it wasn’t an easy feeling for me. Now, looking back, I can see how God used my weakness and made something good from it and I’m so thankful for that.

What do you do Monday to Friday?

Mondays and Tuesdays are my days off. On Wednesday afternoons I go to Bacolod ICD for prayer meetings and fellowship with Ps Albert and seven others. Usually on Thursdays and Fridays I do labouring for my father and brothers’ construction business. On Saturday I go around on my bicycle and visit Deaf people in their homes and check in on them. 

I think ‘tent-making’* is really good for pastors. How does labouring help you become a better pastor?

(* Working a second job when a pastor’s ministry is too small to financially support them.)

I’m not sure it makes me a better pastor but it enables me to pastor and that’s the main thing. It also enables me to care for my mother and that’s important too.

Did you ever meet Neville?

(Alan’s face lights up). Oh yes! I would meet him at Albert’s church whenever he came to visit. I remember especially one year he came at Christmas time and we gathered for a big celebration. That was a highlight for me.

Was Neville Santa Claus? He had the girth for it.

No, he just looked like Neville. That made us happy enough. He was always so kind to us. We really loved Neville. He always made time to talk to us individually even though he was so busy. He was such a wonderful man.

How do you see your future and the future of your church?

I’d love my church to have its own land and building so that we can have a permanent home. We could meet for fellowship more often and serve the Lord from there. That’s my dream. We all feel this way. We would love that. But more importantly, I’d like to see more Deaf leaders raised up to help grow the ministry and reach more Deaf with the gospel. I have four assistants now. I’d love that to grow. We’re praying for more workers for the harvest!

That’s a great vision, a great hope and goal to have. There are many people around the world praying and giving toward the raising of more Deaf leaders.

That’s so encouraging. Please keep going!

Back to Silay, what’s the best food in the region?

We have really good seafood. Come to my house and I’ll cook you some.

I’m in.

~

We encourage ‘tent-making’ in all our fields. Yet more support is needed for our pastors who receive very little, if any payment, for their ministry work. To support Alan, or any of our pastors, please give generously at https://deafmin.org/donate/ or click on the ‘Donate’ button below and designate your gift to ‘Alan’ or to ‘DMI pastors’.