Translators

Meet our team of translators...

Jason Ellis

Jason Ellis

Brought up with the oral method, Jason struggled with reading and written English, but at the age of eighteen the Lord has changed his life as Jason met his wife, Helen who introduced him to BSL.

God gave Jason the rich language of BSL and since then he has learned to read and write, which he is thankful to date. "BSL is the only way that I could access English language and I thank the Lord for giving me the gift."

Jason serves the Lord through teaching, preaching and drama and is one of the leaders at Christian Growth Centre in Chelmsford.

Esther Evans

Esther Evans

Esther decided to have Jesus in her life when she was 13 and in a year later, got baptised and has been passionately involved in Christian activities, both with the deaf and mainstream. Not only just that, Esther also grew up with another passion by playing football for England and GB, and other sports!

Esther has been doing translation work at Red Bee Media for several years now, and also works as part-time Media co-ordinator for Go! Sign. In addition she has been involved in the DY4C Team since 2005 and EDCY (European Deaf Christian Youth) in Summer 2013.

Esther exclaims "I love see God's work in my life and also in other people's lives too! It is a blessing to have a relationship with Him and it is exciting to see more of God's plans in the future!"

Adam McCormick

Adam McCormick

While studying a BA Hons in Visual Communication for Design at University of Ulster, Adam partook in and lead many Church and Christian activities and developed a keen interest in the linguistics of Sign Language. This lead him to study and achieve NVQ level 4 BSL and Linguistic studies at Queen's University in 2011 and in 2013 he became a qualified English to BSL Translator.

Before he entered final year of University he had been appointed the Youth Worker for the CFC Sign Language Community and was made Youth Pastor in 2013. Recently he was appointed as the Pastor for the CFC Sign Language Community.

He is passionate about Church and has a heart to lead people and communities into a growing relationship with Jesus.

In his own time he is a keen runner and enjoys travelling.

Michelle Hull

Michelle Hull

Michelle has been involved in presenting/translating for several years now.  She achieved her Certificate in BSL Linguistics and Sociolinguist at Queen’s University and completed a Women’s Study Fellowship Studies at Belfast Bible College over three years.  Michelle recently obtained a Level 6 Diploma in Sign Language Translation and is now a qualified RSLT.  She hopes to achieve a PGCE by the end of 2016. 

Over the past five years Michelle has taught sign classes at CFC (Christian Fellowship Church) and is active in the teaching of the Alpha course to Deaf groups.  Michelle feels so blessed to work for God. In her own time she enjoys dog-walking and crafts.

Ramon Woolfe

Ramon Woolfe

The vision for Daily Devotions in BSL came from God's calling to BSL Daily Devotions founder, Ramon Woolfe:

"Since I was diagnosed with colon cancer I had this 'calling' and started to pray and learn more about God and was grateful to know about Deaf Missions where I learnt more about the Gospel.

After months of receiving Daily Devotions in American Sign Language, I felt the need for this to be shared among our British Sign Language signers in this country."

Jay Morton-Thomas

Jay Morton-Thomas

Grew up in a Christian family, invited Jesus in his heart as 'Born Again Christian' during his teenager before being baptised at age of thirteen. Grew up with passion as ministry for the Lord Jesus with BSL Home Group and Word of Hands Service in Birmingham.
Took part of DY4C Team for seven years and organised the EDCY (European Deaf Christian Youth) in 2013.

Married to Elizabeth Morton-Thomas and born to blessing son, Noah who reaches the age of one in September 2013.

Carolyn Denmark

Carolyn Denmark

Born to a large Jewish Deaf family in London, Carolyn attended a Jewish deaf school and went to Blanche Neville school.

She cherishes how much she enjoyed attending bible classes with a 'wonderful' teacher, Mr Denton who signed the Old Testament.

Attending the Alpha course with her husband, Clark brought memories and she found the course enchanting and enjoys bible studies at home.

"It felt like coming home again and I was privileged to be baptised and to have relationship with God with both the Old and New Testaments." she says.

Clark Denmark

Clark Denmark

Clark grew up with the great late Rev. Stewart Lochrie, aka the man with "Golden Hands" at Glasgow's John Ross Church for the Deaf.

In his teens Clark was a member of Young People's Fellowship until life took him to other roads which although took him away from Church, he always felt God was behind everything he does in his working life, being a pioneer in BSL teaching for example.

After his prostatectomy, Clark felt his life was missing something, hence finding God again has been the most enlightening journey.

Clark shares the Christianity journey with his wife and got baptised in July 2013. Clark is still learning His word everyday and loves to share His word through BSL. He plans to do God's work more in the future.

 
Elizabeth Morton-Thomas

Elizabeth Morton-Thomas

Born into a Deaf Christian family in Northern Ireland, Elizabeth was brought up attending a lot of Deaf Christian events organised by DCF (Deaf Christian Fellowship) and has a lot of happy memories.

Elizabeth drifted away from Jesus when she went to Mary Hare school for the Deaf, as there were not much support there nor opportunities for her to attend a church with a BSL interpreter. Her faith was renewed by attending Alpha course in Derby when studying in Nottingham Trent University at the age of 21 years old.

Elizabeth presented for BBC See Hear whilst studying at the University of Bristol, and has done translating work for different organisations.

Currently Elizabeth lives in Birmingham with her husband Jay, son Noah and their dog Ollie! They are also a part of Word of Hand team organising BSL services once a month and weekly Homegroup.

Tina Igbintade

Tina Igbintade

The only deaf person in her Christian family, Tina has a passion with visual languages that she is a native BSL user and loves other international sign languages.

At the age of 19, she was saved as she attended a Church service with her older sister as she came to know and accept Jesus as her Lord and personal saviour.  Attending the London School of Theology to broaden her faith and knowledge in God’s words afterwards she then travelled with her classmates to Bolivia in 2004 to do a missionary work with deaf people and have been back four times to date to do God’s work with deaf Bolivians.

Currently a Bible study leader of Come Sign Fellowship, Tina also loves to sign songs in visual ways and have led songs of praise and worshop and have always volunteered her time at Christian events.  “I always experience God's presence and blessings in my life. God's word in John 15:7-8 "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."

Moni Adedeji

Moni Adedeji

Moni became a born again Christian about 27 years ago while she was attending a Deaf Church in Africa. Since then she has always been an active member in the church such as participating in worship and songs of praise. Moni worked as a missionary with deaf people in Fiji back in1997 with her husband.

Currently Moni is one of the leaders at Hand in Hand ministry (a Deaf-led ministry based in London and under the auspice of Ruislip Baptist church). In addition Moni leads the worships and songs of praise during the service. "It is always a joy and privilege to serve the Lord in anyway He wants to use me for His service and great glory." says Moni.

Coming soon...

Karl Morgan

Belfast lad, Karl decided to have Jesus in his life when he was 20 and got baptised 3 months later.

His reason for accepting God into his life, as he states, "...because God saved my life when I had a serious incident in my life when I should have been killed but God is giving me another chance..."

Karl attended BBC (Belfast Bible college) for one year, and went to Morocco for Missionary for eight days.

Karl has shared his testimony at other Deaf churches. Reflecting on his past, he realises God's plan for him. He explains his favourite Bible verse, "I always keep my faith in the Bible - Jeremiah 29v11"

Karl attends CFC (Christian Fellowship Church) and the Sign language Community Church.

Naomi Broughton

Naomi Broughton

Naomi grew up in a hearing christian family who attends church weekly and was involved with all the church’s activities. During her teenage days, she decided that christianity wasn’t for her and stopped going to church.

In 2001, after an eye-opening experience during a trip in Africa with her Mum and sister, she began to explore her way back into church and now has accepted Jesus. It has been a journey since then.

Currently Naomi is living in Belfast and attends CFC Sign Language Community Church. She works as a childminder and a classroom assistant with a deaf child in a mainstream nursery. In her own time she enjoys keeping fit and being outside with nature.

Rita Abernethy

Rita Abernethy

Rita became Christian since she was 12 years old and has served Him ever since.

Rita and her husband Raymond are now retired pastors for CFCSLC in Belfast, travelling as missionaries in Asia and India . Both they are still travelling with their caravan as a favourite hobby among others. They also have a white deaf dog as pet as well as eight grandchildren who they also spoil.

Fatimo Ballantine

Fatimo Ballantine

Fatimo converted from a Muslim to Christianity in 1988 when she attended an interpreted church service at New Life Christian Church, in Croydon.

With a pictoral tract, she came to know the Lord Jesus as her personal Saviour and Lord. She then learned more about Jesus Christ at her church and was saved. Praise God. Since then she has always wanted to serve the Lord. This led her to participate in Sign Cross Drama. It is her passion to use her hands to serve the Lord through song and worship.

One relaxing day as she meditated in a park after walking the Lord gave her more vision about using her gift of singing in BSL to reach out more to people. From that point she started signing songs and worships. Her favourite verse in relation to this is Psalms 63:4 "I will praise you as long as I live, in your name I will lift up my hands” The Lord led her to create and lead the Uplifting Hands ministry - a ministry where she and others used BSL for songs and worships in different churches.

For about two years Fatimo was ill and couldn't find time to read the Bible and other Christian books much. But then she heard about BSL Daily Devotions, which she found it helpful as it was an easy way for her to learn about God and strengthen her faith in her own language. Praise God for that! After she recovered she decided to contribute something to BSL Daily Devotions by using her hands to translate the devotions so that other people communicating in BSL are blessed and glorified in God's name.