I've been waiting night and day as they work night and day to bring open this cafe.
Finally visited a newly opened cafe across the street from me today. I interacted with a deaf staff. Because I’m rather emotionally tone deaf, I did not realize she was deaf until after she took my order. The other staff were using hand signals to point to the POS machine where she was standing, and then reaching across her waist to pull out the English menu sandwiched between the cash register and counter in front of her. It’s quite a normal interaction, as occasionally you may encounter a person who doesn’t speak English, and the English speaking staff says something in their own language or uses hand signals to translate my English to the non-English speaking staff.
But after the staff person received the menu in her hand and placed it before me, I saw the name tag on her shirt flip over. It said “DEAF” in red letters. I immediately got sad and happy at the same time. Twenty years ago she would’ve been most likely a lump on the street or possibly begging across multiple street food stalls.
Today, the Year 2024, she’s a productive member of society and employee at this new cafe. There’s so many NGOs here. Last night I happened to walk by the Helen Keller Institute.
Most likely they had a role in her development and job placement here. I get the goose pimples seeing her work and being an integral member of the team. Somehow, the rest of the staff who aren’t deaf have learned hand signals to teach and train her. And they didn’t take over her job when she at first didn’t understand me, she still had to do the work herself.
I really have been thinking about communication lately. More generally how God communicates with us but more specifically whether I need to learn to speak Khmer. It’s not necessary for starting a business here. I ate dumplings from this restaurant started four months ago by a Chinese guy who speaks English and no Khmer, and his business is popping. So do I really need to learn this local language? What is the best heart language?