I WANT TO KNOW2025IMPACT REPORTWHAT GOD IS DOING AMONG DEAF COMMUNITIES
2Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.Romans 15:21Mark SorensonINTERNATIONAL TRANSLATION DIRECTORDOOR INTERNATIONAL, USAClick or scan to watch Mark’s Story
allow all of our staff to work with greater effectiveness. These leaders will carry the message of Christ into communities that have long been overlooked, and will help to ensure that those communities have God’s Word in their own heart languages.What makes this vision so powerful is that it is Deaf-led. Deaf missionaries, Deaf translators, and Deaf leaders are at the heart of this movement—bringing the gospel to life in ways that are culturally meaningful and spiritually transformative. With each new leader trained and each new project launched, we move closer to a future where every Deaf community has the opportunity to know and be transformed by Jesus.As we look ahead to this coming year, I’m filled with deep gratitude for each of you who make this work possible. Your prayers, encouragement, and generosity continue to move this mission forward in powerful ways. Together, we are witnessing lives changed as Deaf communities around the world experience the hope of the gospel and encounter Scripture in their own sign languages.This season is especially exciting as we see the fruit of DOOR International’s strategic plan start to unfold. With so many remaining unreached Deaf communities around the world, the opportunities are incredible. In this annual report, you will read about our strategic plan, a three-year, $8M initiative that will accelerate Deaf evangelism, discipleship and Bible translation. This will not only allow us to equip and train many more missionaries and translation consultants, but also provide them with the resources and support needed to Rob MyersPresident/CEO Let’s run this upcoming race together!3
4DOOR’s vision is to see Jesus transform every Deaf person and community through a relationship with Him. DOOR’s mission is to grow and equip Deaf leaders worldwide in evangelism, discipleship, sign language Bible translation, and scripture engagement.Deaf people groups are distinct people groups with their own rich sign languages and cultures.Deaf people should be the leaders and implementers of ministry to their own communities.A Chronological Bible Approach effectively helps Deaf people understand God and His Word.God equips both Deaf and hearing believers to partner together in reaching the Deaf.VALUESMISSIONSNAPSHOT4
522 CountriesServed3,380Verses Translated 79New Churches Planted1.8 millionSign Language Scripture ViewsSupported70%of All Active Sign Language Bible Translation Projects Worldwide2025AT A GLANCE*Many countries not highlighted on the map for security reasons.
Daphne EngSOUTHEAST ASIA DISCIPLE-MAKING COORDINATOR (2-BY-2)DOOR INTERNATIONAL, MALAYSIAFY 2025 INCOMEContributions $6,148,097Other Income $688,226Total Income $6,836,323EXPENSEProgram $5,619,266Fundraising $572,974Administration $1,297,620Total Expense $7,489,860Change in Net Assets -$653,537ProgramAdministrationFundraisingContributionsOther Income8%17%75%Expenses90%10%IncomeWe are deeply grateful for the partners who stand with DOOR International. Your generosity reflects a shared belief that every Deaf person deserves access to God’s Word in their heart language. We steward each gift with care and accountability, directing resources thoughtfully to advance Deaf-led evangelism, church planting, discipleship, and sign language Bible translation around the world.2025 FINANCIALSClick or scan to watch Daphne’s Story6
PARTNERSHIPS & ENDOWMENTIn 2025, partnership continued to grow as more individuals, families, and churches joined this mission. New supporters stepped forward, and long-standing partners deepened their commitment. This growth reflects a shared belief that every Deaf person deserves access to God’s Word in their heart language. Together, this expanding community strengthens the foundation for Deaf-led ministry around the world.With gratitude for generous partners who provided a lead gift, DOOR International established an endowment in 2025 to strengthen the long-term stability of Deaf-led ministry worldwide.This endowment provides a foundation for support that secures evangelism, discipleship, and sign language Bible translation in the future. It reflects a commitment to ensuring that access to God’s Word in sign language will continue expanding for generations to come.By building this foundation now, DOOR is preparing not only for continued growth, but for endurance, so that Deaf communities around the world will soon have access to the gospel in their heart language.SUSTAINABILITY IN PARTNERSHIP68%Increase inNew Donors74%Donor Retention82Churches Engaged7
EvangelismDeaf leaders enter new communities sharing Scripture in sign language.New BelieversDeaf men and women encounter Jesus and form believers’ fellowships.TranslationDeaf translators produce Scripture in local sign languages, ensuring clarity and accuracy.*Church PlantingFellowships mature into Deaf-led churches where leaders are trained.MultiplicationNew leaders are sent to neighboring communities, and the movement continues.* In some countries we start with translation instead of evangelism because sometimes there are no Deaf believers to start training as evangelists and disciple-makers, and the gospel is key to growing that poolHOW IMPACT HAPPENS DEAF-LED MINISTRY IN MOTION8
STRATEGIC PLANIN MOTIONStrategic Plan LaunchedDOOR officially launched its 2025–2027 Strategic Plan, focused on multiplying Deaf missionaries, translation consultants, and church planting efforts worldwide.12 active sign language Bible translation projects6 new Deaf missionary teams launched each year3x growth in trained Deaf consultants and leadersThe work before us remains urgent. Millions of Deaf people still do not have access to Scripture in their heart language, and many communities have no Deaf-led church nearby. While 2025 marked significant progress, much remains to be done.In 2026, DOOR will continue strengthening Deaf leadership, accelerating translation efforts, and expanding 2-by-2 teams into new regions. Preparation for the Nehemiah School will continue, with a focus on building the right foundation for long-term missionary development. Consultant training through CEDAR will also move forward, increasing capacity for future translation projects.We will pursue new opportunities in regions with large unreached Deaf populations, particularly in South and Southeast Asia, while continuing to support and stabilize existing teams.Our desire is that Deaf people in every nation will have the opportunity to know and follow Jesus in their own language.9
REINFORCING THE STRUCTURE FOR A GROWING MISSIONAs DOOR International looks ahead to the next season of ministry, the opportunity for growth is greater than ever. Initiatives like the Nehemiah School and the CEDAR program are preparing more Deaf missionaries and translation consultants to serve in communities that have never had access to the gospel in their own language.As part of the 2025–2027 Strategic Plan, DOOR is realigning its organizational structure to better support the expansion of evangelism, discipleship, and sign language Bible translation worldwide. This realignment strengthens leadership pathways, clarifies responsibilities, and adds key support roles that allow missionaries and translation teams to be deployed, sustained, and cared for over the long term.A simple picture helps explain why this matters. An airport needs more than pilots to operate well. Flights depend on air traffic control, ground crews, maintenance teams, and coordination across many roles. As flights increase, the support structure must grow as well. The same is true for ministry.As DOOR trains more Deaf missionaries through the Nehemiah School and develops more translation consultants through CEDAR, we need to strengthen the framework that supports them. This includes roles that help with global mobility, supervision, training, logistics, and care for missionaries and their families.By strengthening these layers of leadership and support, DOOR is building the capacity needed for long-term, sustainable growth so that our ministry can multiply.When Deaf Leaders are SentIn Kha*, our 2-by-2 teams have been intentionally building relationships within the Deaf community. One day, while Ross* was playing checkers, an older Deaf woman named Lucille* noticed his wedding ring and asked about his family. Later, she invited Ross and his wife to her home, asking for help with her computer. They went with no expectations, simply focusing on building a relationship.In time, they invited Lucille to their home. She noticed some Christian items and asked if they were Jehovah’s Witnesses. They said no and briefly shared about Jesus. On her next visit, Ross’s young daughter told her the story of creation. Lucille was deeply surprised that a child could share God’s story so clearly, and she wanted to hear more.Soon, Lucille began attending church and weekly Bible classes. As she listened, she shared that she had been searching for God and could see truth here.During a study on the bronze snake, everything became clear. She understood that just as they looked and were saved, she too could look to Jesus. That day, she stood and prayed, giving her life to Him.Lucille, and so many others like her, is the reason why DOOR does what we do, sending Deaf leaders so that the gospel can reach Deaf hearts and change lives.10*Names changed for security purposes.
TRANSLATIONCEDARStrengthening the Future of Sign Language TranslationACCELERATION & INNOVATIONOne of the greatest bottlenecks in sign language Bible translation is the shortage of qualified consultants, especially Deaf consultants. Traditionally, it has taken seven or more years to train a translation consultant. CEDAR is changing that.The Consultant Empowerment, Development, and Resources (CEDAR) Initiative is designed to reduce consultant training time to approximately three yearswhile maintaining the highest standards of clarity and accuracy. It establishes a structured pipeline for developing Deaf translation consultants and support staff who can serve teams worldwide.CEDAR will be the only program in the world dedicated to training Deaf translation consultants. In addition to accelerated training, the initiative includes a specialized video resource team to create tools that strengthen translation quality and support teams across regions.As more Deaf consultants are trained, DOOR will be able to begin translation work in new, unreached Deaf communities each year. By addressing the consultant gap, CEDAR changes the trajectory and scale of sign language Bible translation.11
12NEHEMIAH SCHOOL OF LEADERSHIPWhen Deaf leaders are equipped and sent, the gospel reaches further. And where the gospel goes, transformation soon follows.ACCELERATING THE DEAF MISSIONARY MOVEMENTAcross the world, Deaf believers are ready to go, but preparation for cross-cultural ministry has often taken years. The Nehemiah School was created to change that.As a key initiative within DOOR International’s 2025–2027 Strategic Plan, the Nehemiah School establishes a dedicated pathway for identifying, training, and sending Deaf missionaries more effectively. By creating a focused, immersive training environment designed for visual learning and sign language instruction, the school will reduce the preparation timeline from several years to approximately 18 months.Located in Kenya, the Nehemiah School will equip Deaf leaders in theology, evangelism, leadership, and cross-cultural ministry. Through intensive classroom formation and supervised field experience, students will graduate ready to serve on evangelism and church planting teams, bringing the gospel to new Deaf communities with confidence and clarity.But this initiative is about more than speed. It is about sustainability. The Nehemiah School strengthens not only new missionaries, but also the families and leaders who mentor them.
Around the world, Deaf men and women are seeing and understanding the gospel in their own sign languages. Churches are being planted. Leaders are being trained. Scripture is becoming accessible where it has never been before.But the work is not finished.Millions of Deaf people still wait for access to God’s Word in their heart language. You have an opportunity to join us in this mission.PrayPray that God continues to raise up Deaf leaders, translators, missionaries, and church planters. Pray for open doors in communities where the gospel has not yet taken root.For monthly prayer requests, go to doorinternational.org/pray.GiveYour gift supports Deaf-led ministry and expands access to Scripture. You can help Deaf people know Jesus.Visit: doorinternational.org/donateEngageShare the vision. Introduce others to the need.Advocate for Deaf communities to be seen and included in the Great Commission. AN INVITATIONTogether, we advance DOOR’s mission so that Deaf people everywhere may know and follow Jesus. Jared OmondiAFRICA TRANSLATION COORDINATORDOOR INTERNATIONAL13
2025Celebrating God’s WorkIn 2025, more than 400 leaders, missionaries, and partners gathered at DOOR’s campus in Marcam* to celebrate 40 years of God’s faithfulness through DOOR International. What began decades ago has grown into Deaf-led churches, translation teams, and leaders serving across three countries in South Asia.A few months later, we celebrated the first-ever 33 Scripture passages released in Slibar* Sign Language, expanding access to Scripture in a region where Deaf communities have long waited for a clear understanding of God’s Word. Now they have access to key passages like Jesus’ birth, crucifixion, and resurrection!I WANT TO KNOW IN ACTION14 *Names changed for security purposes.
I WANT TO KNOW IN ACTIONI Want to Know EventIn October, partners gathered for the I Want to Know event, with Mart Green and Tim Tebow, an evening of Deaf-led worship, testimony, and vision for the future.The night celebrated what God is already doing through Deaf leaders worldwide and cast a vision for expanded access to Scripture and church planting in the years ahead.15HIGHLIGHTSNew InitiativesDOOR International expanded ministry into Ankora*, where the first Deaf Ankoran 2-by-2 church planters began training.In Cornerstone*, groundwork was laid for evangelism and church planting.A partnership with a ministry in Twin Peaks* was formed to support evangelism training and Bible translation among Deaf communities.Those who were not told are beginning to see. *Names changed for security purposes.*Names changed for security purposes.
DOOR International DEPT. 9012PO Box 30516Lansing, MI 48909-8016Former and current staff gathered in Texas to celebrate DOOR’s 40-year legacy, remembering God’s faithfulness and reaffirming the mission to serve Deaf communities worldwide.doorinternational.org