Andrew Miller is the International Director for DMI. When he’s not knocking back a chocolate milkshake 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…

#15. Zephie, Winnie & Maryanne

Zephryne Moraa, Winnie Atieno, Maryanne Awuor are in their final years as students at DMI’s Immanuel Integrated Christian School in Oyugis, Kenya. I interview them together where I discover that they are anything but shy and enjoy giving as much as they get.

How long have you all been studying here at this school?

Zephie: 12 years

Winnie:12 years

Maryanne: 11 years.

What’s the best thing about coming to the school?

Zephie: I like the quality of education here. I really enjoy my study.

Winnie: For me, I love mixing with all the Deaf here and spending time with them. It’s really good to fellowship with friends. I also love the teachers here. They are wonderful.

Maryanne: I love the way that the school supports the Deaf and other vulnerable people. The school also has a lot of good sporting programs and a lot of dancing and I really get into that!

What’s the biggest challenge that you have faced at the school here?

Zephie: I feel blessed because I’ve never really had a big challenge here at the school. Everything has gone well for me. I guess the biggest challenge is the lack of water that we all experience from time to time.

Winnie: No, I don’t see any challenges either. Things have gone fairly smoothly for me although sometimes we don’t have enough course books for everyone and that can be a bit tricky.

Maryanne: Yes, I think the biggest challenge is the water shortage. Often we go for long periods without rain and that can be difficult.

But there’s a lot of rain now. It’s been bucketing since I got here! Is this unusual?

No, it’s not unusual, but sometimes we do have lengthy periods without rain and that causes problems.

Zephie, can you tell me about your family?

There are five in my family and I’m the first born of 3 siblings. I have a younger brother and a younger sister. 

Are you the only deaf person in your family?

Yes. At first, it was a little bit weird being the only Deaf person, but I got used to it.

Do any of your family members sign?

Just my mum.

Have you tried to teach your siblings how to sign?

Yes, I’ve tried to teach them, but they’re still very young so it’s a slow process. My brother knows basic signs pretty well.

Have you tried bribery with your younger sister?

Well, she’s still on Mum’s breast, so no.

Winnie, can you tell me about your family?

I have three brothers and two sisters, and they’re all under the care of my grandfather who is a farmer.

What happened to your mother and father?

I grew up believing that my grandfather was my father and my mother just isn’t around much.

Are you the only Deaf member of your family?

Yes, it’s just me.

Can any of your siblings or your grandfather sign?

They only know basic signs. Not much.

Maybe you could try sending Collins around to your house to threaten them because he’s a big guy. [Collins is the school finance manager.]

No, I don’t want to do that!

Maryanne, tell me about your family.

I have five siblings – two brothers and two sisters – and we live with our mum who runs a small business. My father died many years ago when I was very young. 

What business does your mum run?

She cooks chips and sells them along the road.

I saw some people doing that on the way up from Nairobi. Maybe one of them was your mum.

Probably not. You were coming from the wrong direction.

Okay, I want to ask you all a difficult question: How would your life be different if you couldn’t come to the school?

Zephie: I want to get an education that will shape my future, but if I couldn’t come to the school, I wouldn’t be able to learn how to sign and I wouldn’t be able to get an education. So my life would look very different.

Winnie: My life would be much worse. I have had some health issues and the school has helped me to deal with those. I also want to live an educated life and without that there would be nothing for me at home.

Would you be able to share a little bit about the health issues that you’ve had?

I had serious heart issues which the school identified. It caused me to be unhealthily thin. The school enabled me to have heart surgery, which fixed the problem and has given me a nice healthy weight!

Is your health 100% now or do you still take medication?

I don’t take any medication. I’m fine now and I think I’m very beautiful, don’t you?

Absolutely.

Maryanne: If I wasn’t able to come to the school here, my life would look very different. I would probably be on the side of the road with my mother selling chips. But I would like much more for my life than that. There’s no way that my mother could afford to send me to a school like this so I’m really grateful for the sponsorship that allows me to come here.

What is your dream for your life after you graduate from the school?

Zephie: I want to graduate from university and become a doctor.

Wow! That is impressive. Why do you want to become a doctor?

So I can treat sick people and save lives, of course! 

Do you think it will be difficult to become a doctor as a Deaf person and do you think you might have a special practice treating Deaf people?

To me, I don’t think it will be that difficult, but I guess for people in society, they look at Deaf people and think that they need extra training or some special preparation.

I love your confidence and I sincerely hope that you do become a doctor. I think you would be a fantastic doctor.

Winnie: I want to become a teacher

What do you want to teach?

I want to teach math, English and Kenyan sign language to the Deaf.

Do you want to come back and teach here at the school or do you want a new experience?

I would love to have experience and some exposure somewhere else!

Why, where do you want to go?

Okay, maybe I will start here and then move somewhere else when I build my confidence.

Why don’t you come and teach in Australia?

Yes. That is a sensational idea.

You understand that Australians don’t use Kenyan sign language.

Yeah, but I will learn Australian sign language to take the job.

Maryanne: I’d like to become a waitress working in a big hotel.

What kind of food do you want to serve?

Seafood. I love seafood.

So you don’t want to become a chef? You just want to serve the food?

Yes, I’d like to be a waitress because I just love meeting people, but I’m open to becoming a chef too.

I love your hair. To be honest, I thought you were going to become a hairdresser.

No! Why would I want to do that?

Good point. I don’t know. I just thought it suited you.  

I’ve only been here a couple of days, but I’ve been very impressed with the Christian faith that you all seem to share. How important is your faith to you?

Zephie: I love to worship and engage in fellowship. That’s really important to me.

Why is it important for you?

I feel a peace in my heart when I do that.

Do you think you would like to go into ministry of some kind?

Not so much, but I’d be happy to be involved in teaching signed songs to the Deaf.

Winnie: It’s really important to me. Through my faith, I receive wisdom from God and my sins are washed away.

How do you receive wisdom from God?

When I read the Bible and sing/sign hymns and other choruses, they have words that really inspire me and teach me and guide me in my walk with God.

Maryanne: My faith gives me hope. It’s a big deal to me. I also enjoy the worship. I find that uplifting.

Hope for what?

Hope for a better future.

Beautiful. Before we finish, do any of you have a question for me?

Zephie: No, I’m too afraid of you!

Why are you afraid of me?!

Maryanne: How many are in your family?

Wow, you’re turning the tables on me. There are five in my family. There’s me, my wife and we have three children.

Zephie: What’s your wife’s name?

Toyoko.

Does she have a sign name?

Yes, it’s this…

When are you coming back to visit us again?

When would you like me to come back and visit you again?

I’d like you to be here for our graduation and to bring a whole bunch of visitors with you.

When is your graduation?

October 17, but you will be at the graduation in Uganda, you traitor.

I’ll try to come for the next one.

Maryanne: How old are you?

How old do you think I am?

Maryanne: 50

Winnie: 52

Zephie: 60

Maryanne – I love you the most, but you are the most wrong.

Zephie – I love you the least, but you are absolutely right. I am 60.

(Irene and Lavender interpreting)

~

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