Andrew Miller is the International Director of DMI. When he’s not snacking on musk sticks 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…
#26 David
I’m traveling through New Zealand with DMI Australian board chairman David van Namen who is with me to connect to the Deaf communities in New Zealand, and possibly to keep me out of trouble as we visit churches and schools.
Andrew: David, how long have you been involved with DMI?
David: Since 2002. My mum gave me a free all-expenses-paid ‘holiday’ to DMI’s 2nd conference in Thailand. And that’s how I met Neville.
What was your first impression of Neville and how was the conference?
When I first met him, he just looked big! But he was so friendly and welcoming – and he could sign! The conference itself was eye opening for me. It made me more aware of what was happening with Deaf people around the world and how they lived and survived. I was able to connect with so many Deaf people there and I remain connected with them even today.
You spent some time in Egypt with DMI. How long after the conference was that and what were you doing there?
That was in 2007. I lived there for 6 months. Neville asked me to go there to help DMI’s leader at the time in Egypt. My role was to help Deaf people grow to become leaders in the Deaf community and to teach them some woodwork skills. During that time we also did some Bible courses for Deaf people. One of those Deaf men is now a pastor.
Excellent. That must have been a huge lifestyle change for you. What were some of the challenges you faced?
It was a big change for me! I’d always lived with my parents and it was my first time to leave home! Egypt was so different from Australia. But the Deaf community was much the same so I clicked with the Deaf community and they made me feel a part of them even though we were from different countries.
Tell me about yourself. Were you born Deaf? Do you have any hearing at all?
I was born deaf – profoundly deaf – so I can’t hear much, not even an airplane jet!
What was your family life like growing up?
I had a good family, but not all can sign. My mother learnt to sign ‘English (in) sign language’ [as opposed to Auslan] which helped me to understand English rather than learn real sign language. I have a brother and a sister. Both can sign a bit but not very well! My dad never learnt to sign and can only sign the alphabet. I found it hard to understand my dad from time to time.
How does it make you feel having family members who never learned to sign? How has that impacted your relationships with them?
My relationship with mum and my siblings remained strong because we can understand each other and have good conversations. I do struggle with my dad as we could never have a really good conversation together and that impacted our relationship.
I know it can be a contentious issue in the Deaf community but were cochlear implants ever an option for you and are they an option for you now? I know your wife Kay has them. Were they something that you ever considered?
I actually do have one! But I don’t wear it because it gives me headaches. I had it implanted in 2012. My mum asked me if I wanted one when I was younger but I didn’t want it that time.
Coming back to Kay then, can you tell me about your family now?
I have been married to Kay for 18 years and we have two hearing sons, aged 9 and 4. Both can sign and communicate with us.
That’s good to know. Do your sons have much awareness at their age that they are CODA (Child Of Deaf Adults) and how does that affect their lives?
Good question, both boys do know that their parents are deaf and that we use sign language to communicate. When both go and play with their friends they talk normally. So I do think my sons are aware that they are CODA at their young age.
What is your role in DMI now?
I’m the chairman of the Australian board.
Half of the Australian board is Deaf and half are hearing. I’d like you to be frank here, how do you feel working with hearing people in a Deaf ministry?
Honestly, it is good to have some hearing people on the board because they bring skills that Deaf people don’t have. I do know that there are some Deaf people who don’t want hearing people to control the organisation.
So, do you think we have the balance right? Would you like to see any changes?
For now, I think it is working well and there is a good balance of Deaf and hearing people working together. In the future, I would like to see more Deaf people bringing their skills and expertise to benefit DMI.
What would you say are DMI’s greatest achievements to date, and what are the biggest current challenges?
Recently we built the Africa Deaf Christian College, and I have to say that is the biggest achievement since I have been involved with DMI for over 20 years. The biggest challenges are that we struggle with some DMI workers overseas who take advantage of DMI and try to use it like an ATM or who use Deaf people to benefit themselves.
We are currently in New Zealand, building partnerships with churches and seeking support to start a new ministry to the Deaf in the Pacific Islands who have never had much support. (There are no established churches for the Deaf anywhere in the Pacific Islands.) How do you feel this trip is going?
The trip is going very well, better than I thought it would. Sharing about DMI to New Zealanders has really had an impact on them and led them to be very interested in what we do and how we help Deaf people. They certainly want to help and be involved in ministry to the Deaf in the Pacific Islands.
I think so too. How are you coping with New Zealand’s cold and a drizzle?
Fine! It’s just like Melbourne!
Thanks for your time today.
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