April 4. Ronald Dale Jackson. Ronald is a deaf-blind man with blond hair, cut military short.
In a church basement in New York City, an American Sign-Language interpreter named Pamela and her husband JH met Ronald, and they marveled at a man who had lost both hearing and sight, but gained the presence of God. This is his story.
When we face challenges head-on, in our pain, we find purpose.
In that basement in New York City, roughly twenty people sporting their Sunday best worshipped together. Most in the multi-cultural gathering were either deaf or deaf-blind. They sang in unison, not with voices, but with hands, arms, and sometimes their whole bodies.
When the sermon began, a hearing interpreter in the front signed to the deaf. In return, two deaf believers signed into the hands of the deaf-blind attendees. Pamela and JH were especially drawn to one: Ronald. As God’s Word was placed into his outstretched hand, his face radiated more and more joy.
Pamela and JH were eager to communicate with Ronald. He signed that he’d had both sight and hearing when he was born but was completely deaf by 16 months. At eight years old he was diagnosed with Type 2 Ushers syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that causes deafness in childhood and loss of vision by middle-age.
“It would be easy to feel defeated, like God left me or didn’t care,” said Pamela. “But Ronald’s attitude is the opposite.”
It wasn’t always that way. As a young man, Ronald worked for the US Postal Service. But after 20 years, his vision deteriorated, and he could no longer sort mail. Continued loss of eyesight soon made his next job impossible. As his Usher’s syndrome worsened, his wife left him. Then a second marriage ended. Unable to understand why God had allowed such difficulty and pain, Ronald questioned why he was ever born. The night was upon him.
Directionless at 39, Ronald battled depression. Then a friend encouraged him to visit Faith Baptist Mission, a deaf church. The pastor told Ronald God had a purpose for his life, and that he needed to find it. Ronald spent time in prayer and with Scripture. This spiritual awakening made him stronger, which made a sharp contrast to his continued decrease in vision. He learned to read Braille, mastered other skills needed to live with deaf-blindness, and married Elizabeth, who is also deaf-blind.
Since Ronald can’t see or hear, he can only listen when others sign into his hands. This is slow and limits communication to those who know sign language. From the outside, it would seem that Ronald’s world is quiet and dark, but it isn’t. He delights in constant, inner communication with God. “God is so tangible—so present—to him,” said Pamela. “He knows he’s loved. He knows God is using him.”
“He is probably the happiest person I’ve met,” agrees JH. “The large ‘I am Deaf and Blind’ pin he wears identifies him as unique, but when he starts praying and speaking about God, I understand how amazing he is. He glows.”
Ronald believes God gave him exceptional sign-language skills, so he can share Jesus with those who can only “hear” through sign language. “Ronald is present every day wherever he is,” said Pamela. Whether at home in shared housing for the deaf-blind or teaching at retreats throughout the United States, Ronald keeps smiling and telling others about his Savior.
Ronald’s inspiration is the Apostle Paul, who also suffered, but found purpose in sharing Jesus.
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me,” (2 Corinthians 12: 9, NIV).
Where do you find purpose? The ways you positively impact others? Faith? Working out of giftedness? When we face challenges head-on, in our pain, we find purpose.
Based on an interview with Ronald Dale Jackson, July 23, 2018.
Story read by Chuck Stecker