Our History

1983

 DOOR founded as a ministry dedicated to the training of Deaf leaders and establishing indigenous Deaf churches.

1995

DOOR merged with United World Mission.

1997

DOOR begins utilizing the Chronological Bible Storying (CBS) method.

1999

DOOR registered as a not-for-profit organization called D.O.O.R. International (Deaf Opportunity Out Reach).

2000-2002

Deaf Christian Leadership Training centers established on 4 continents (Africa, Europe, America, Asia).

2000-2006

302 students from 48 countries graduated from DOOR’s 11-month training program.

2005

DOOR begins 2-by-2 Program in a strategic region of South Asia.

2007

DOOR begins sign language translation work in Africa and South Asia.

2009

Translation work started in BEGUT (Burundi, Ethiopia, Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania) sign languages.

2011

Dedication ceremony held in Nairobi, Kenya, for the Africa Deaf Bible Translation and Training Center (DBTTC).

2012

Three new South Asia Sign Language projects started.

Begin 2-by-2 Program in BEGUT nations (Burundi, Ethiopia, Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania).

Dedication ceremony held in South Asia for the Asia Deaf Bible Translation and Training Center (DBTTC).

2013

Nigerian Sign Language translation project started at DOOR center in Kenya.

DOOR begins 2-by-2 Program in Kenya.

 110-passage Chronological Bible Translation (CBT)  completed in Kenyan Sign Language.

32 scripture portions completed in American Sign Language.

2014

Launched new website to distribute completed Bible projects in several sign languages: www.deafbibles.com

Begin 2-by-2 Program in Nigeria.

 Translator’s Notes (DEEPs) 110-passage CBT started in Kenyan Sign Language. 110-passage CBT completed in Burundian, Ethiopian, Ghanain, Ugandan and Tanzanian (BEGUT) sign languages.

2015

Start translation projects in South Sudanese, Mozambican, and 2 Eurasian sign languages.

2016

110 CBT passages completed in three South Asian sign language

DOOR’s 2-by-2 program nearly doubles in size

2018

A new translation project is started in the Middle East

2019

110 passages published in South Sudanese and Mozambican sign languages

15 new sign language translation consultants and linguistic advisors certified

2020

119 Bible passages published in American Sign Language (ASL) through a partnership with Deaf Harbor

A new translation project is started in North Africa

2021

A major gateway sign language in Eurasia published 110 CBT passages

2022

60+ Deaf leaders officially commissioned in Asia by a partner church in groundbreaking ceremony never seen before in the Deaf communities there

2023

32 CBT passages completed in 3 Asian sign languages