Deaf World Missionary Stories

Damion Stewart commitment is currently thru 5/31/2026

Nadianna Mills commitment is currently thru 5/31/2027

Peta-Gay and Kenroy Longrin

Amount Needed: $2,500/month

Raised so far: $1,533/month

A LOOK BACK AND A LOOK FORWARD 

The Past: God’s Faithfulness 

Our story is really God’s story, and we hope hearing it not only helps you know us better but lets you see how God is a God of every detail! To begin, did you know that there are over 70 million Deaf people in the world and only 2% know Jesus? As Deaf Jamaicans, we are part of this 2% and have fully surrendered to the call God has placed on our life to reach the unreached Deaf community with the love of Jesus. How did we get to this point in our lives? As God puts Peta-Gay and I into relationships with people, like you, we love to share how He has been the author of our story. 

Kenroy’s Journey 

It hasn’t been an easy journey, but I see now that what the world might view as a tragedy, God redeemed for good. I grew up until the age of ten as a hearing child attending a regular, public school. Then, at age 10, I started to lose my hearing although the doctors could find no medical cause for my deafness. My world was completely shaken! To get the support I needed as a Deaf child, I moved to CCCD ( Caribbean Christian Centre for the Deaf) in Montego Bay where I started learning sign language. It is there that I understood Jesus for the first time, and I met Peta-Gay, a teenage school girl attending CCCD. From the moment I met her, I knew one day she would be my wife. Again, as I’m writing this, it is so clear God always had a plan for our lives. 

After we both graduated high school, there was an American missionary couple, Daniel and Carole McClelland that came to Jamaica to set up a Discipleship Training School (DTS) for the Deaf through Youth With a Mission (YWAM). They came to CCCD and shared what they were doing to reach the Deaf for Jesus; explaining that very few Deaf people in the world know Jesus as their personal Savior. My heart was quickly moved to action, and both Peta-Gay and I said “YES” to joining the YWAM DTS for the Deaf; a 5- month program completely in sign language. 

This decision was life-changing! During our DTS in 2021, we both experienced God in new ways. For me (and I know for many Jamaicans they don’t experience the love of their earthly father), I had assumed God was like my earthly father. However, I was so wrong! After going through 3 months of Biblical teachings and a two month outreach in Nepal, I recognized my life and perspective of God had been completely changed through this DTS. I now experienced what it meant to have God as my Father and I knew I wanted more Deaf Jamaicans to experience God’s love as a father. 

Peta-Gay’s Journey 

I, Peta- Gay, also had a life- changing experience through my DTS where I experienced what true family meant and made Jesus my Lord. In the past, before joining YWAM,  I had struggled trusting God. However, when I read and studied the Bible in its entirety during my DTS, followed by another YWAM school, the DBS (Discipleship Bible School), I saw how many leaders in the Bible, in faith and trust, stepped up to where God had called them. In my heart, I knew God was calling me to something bigger.

After the DTS and DBS, in 2023, Kenroy and I obeyed God and joined the staff of YWAM Deaf World Jamaica in Montego Bay. Now, along with 7 other staff members, we are passionate in our goal to train more Deaf people, specifically Jamaicans, to be sent into all Jamaica and the world to make Jesus known in the Deaf community. Kenroy specifically desires to encourage Deaf men that they can be leaders and to show the Father’s heart for them. I, Peta-Gay am passionate about partnering with Deaf schools to teach Deaf children the Bible using dramas, visuals, Deaf Worship, and sign language to make the gospel clear. When I was young, this is how I learned best, and I want to bring understanding to them in their language.

Baby Asher

Since growing our family with the arrival of our sweet Asher last year, our lives have been full of more joy, love, and learning than we could have imagined. Watching him grow over this past year has been such a blessing, and we are so grateful for every moment. We continue to trust God as we navigate parenthood while serving in ministry, and we are thankful for the prayers and encouragement from friends and family along the way. Please continue to pray for us as we seek to raise Asher to know and follow God’s love and guidance. 

The Future: Glorifying God

We have loved this incredible adventure of parenthood, an adventure that doesn’t pause our ministry. We see clearly that this little one is already part of the future God has for our ministry. As God continues to grow our family, He is also raising up Deaf leaders who are passionate about Him and about reaching the world for Jesus. Starting in December, we are beginning the newest Discipleship Training School. This is a huge step of faith for us, because of the impact of recent hurricane Melissa. Starting in December, we are launching the newest Discipleship Training School. This is a step that was taken in faith and reliance on God’s provision. This is a significant step of faith for us, especially due to the challenges and impact brought by recent hurricane Melissa. In the midst of uncertainty, we trust that God is at work, using every circumstance to bring good.

We are grateful for your prayers, support, and encouragement as we navigate parenthood, ministry, and this exciting new season of discipleship training. Together, we are seeing God move in powerful ways, and we cannot wait to see what He will do next.

Our Calling; Our Need 

In closing, Peta-Gay and I recognize we are the first Deaf Jamaican couple to be missionaries with YWAM. In choosing to walk in faith with God, He has required we sacrifice our own desires for His. Again, what the world may see as an adversity, God deems as good! We are learning to trust Him and His word which says in Proverbs 3: 5-6:

Trust in the LORD with ALL your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him,and he will make your paths straight. 

As Jamaican Deaf leaders in YWAM, our hope is to make a way for others to follow in our footsteps, resulting in more Deaf missionaries answering God’s call in Jamaica and the world. To accomplish this, we are currently in the process of building our missionary support team so we can be financially stable, full- time missionaries. Humbly, we recognize that we need a strong community of people behind us. If you want to join in on our mission, consider making a one time or monthly gift using the link below.



https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/a44a4d75-1bf2-4b64-97c3-e5500c1d1d3b