Behind the Scenes of an ASL Animated Film Project

July 31, 2026 / deafmgecko

Greetings! I hope you all are doing well. It’s been over 2 months since I posted a blog in May, and during this time, I have reflected on my journey and the experiences I’ve had. I have been working for Wycliffe Associates for a decade, which has truly been a transformative experience for me, both personally and spiritually. Throughout these years, I have encountered various challenges and triumphs that have enriched my understanding of translation work. However, things have been a little slow lately since they have limited funds to support the translation projects for WA. Nonetheless, I remain committed and optimistic. I still work closely with my project leaders to follow up and help them continue their translation work, ensuring that the vital messages reach those who need them. I firmly believe in the mission of Wycliffe Associates, and I am determined to help sustain its impact.

I have asked God that I want to do more to help deaf people to know about God. He just gave me an opportunity to do more this year. A friend of mine has invited me to collaborate on an exciting ASL project for a biblical animated movie! He serves as the director of sign language for Revelation Media in Texas, and I couldn’t be happier to work alongside him in this meaningful project. This project is truly groundbreaking as we’re utilizing the innovative chameleon program and advanced AI technology to craft this animated film. Our goal is for biblical characters to sign instead of speak, interpreting in ASL what is conveyed in the film, allowing for a unique and enriching experience for the audience. We have already found two talented deaf actors who excel at both acting and signing, showcasing the beauty of ASL. As we were drafting verses from Luke chapter 1, we had enriching discussions about clarity, natural flow, accuracy, understanding, and what is acceptable in sign language, delving deep into how best to convey the message with authenticity. Our dedication ensures that our sign language is clear, natural, and precise.

We’ve begun filming the female and male roles separately over several days, and I’m thrilled to say that the filming has gone remarkably well! We continually check the sign language and translation to ensure everything aligns perfectly, making adjustments as needed to maintain the integrity of the project. Having completed our parts, the team is now busy with editing and integrating our actors into the chameleon program, pouring their hearts into every frame. I can hardly wait to see the finished film for this chapter, as I believe it will resonate profoundly with deaf people. This project will significantly enhance people’s understanding of the Bible through ASL, which resonates deeply as it’s the heart language for many deaf individuals. I also truly believe this film will help deaf children grasp the essence of the Bible, enabling them to engage in meaningful spiritual conversations. I can’t wait for them to experience it, as I believe this project has the potential to touch lives and transform the way stories from the Scriptures are shared and understood within the deaf community.

These pictures above are screenshots from Zoom, capturing an exhilarating moment in our filming process! It’s essential that we convey the sign language and the depth of facial expressions as we connect them to the powerful biblical verses in Luke chapter 1. The actors truly shone, memorizing every line with passion and dedication. The tech team was in awe of their talent! I’m truly blessed to be part of this inspiring project. If the filming of this chapter goes as well as we envision, we’ll eagerly dive into Luke chapter 2!

Check out on this link from Revelation Media: Revelation Media for ASL

FYI, now that I have a new job for Revelation Media, I want to share that I will be continuing my commitment to work with Wycliffe Associates as well. This opportunity allows me to blend my skills and passions while making a difference in the world through both organizations. I truly appreciate the dedication of my supporters, who can continue to support me financially through my ministry account in WA. Your generous contributions not only empower my efforts but also help to spread important messages and resources that impact many lives. Thank you for being an essential part of this journey!

Understanding God’s Holiness and Its Impact

April 10, 2026April 10, 2026 / deafmgecko

Greetings! I hope you all are doing well. I want to share what I have done few weeks ago in Brasilia, Brazil. A deaf pastor asked me to preach God’s Word in our church. I, of course, accepted and have prepared for a sermon on March 21st. I fell compelled to share about God’s holiness. This is something I need to tell people about being holy.

God’s holiness represents His absolute moral purity, total separation from sin, and incomparable, majestic uniqueness. God is holy in every attribute and every action: He is holy in justice. He is holy in love. He is holy in mercy. He is holy in power. He is holy in sovereignty.

God’s holiness causes an awareness of human impurity, often leading to a realization of sinful conditions and a need for repentance. Believers are called to be holy as a reflection of God’s character, setting themselves apart from worldly behavior through sanctification by the Holy Spirit. Holiness involves a life of moral purity, love, and obedience rather than mere legalism, transforming one’s heart and conduct to represent Christ. Scripture directly commands believers to be holy because God is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16, Leviticus 11:44-45). To be holy, we need Holy Spirit to help us to be sanctified daily. The Holy Spirit enables this transformation, aiding in sanctification and helping believers live a life that pleases God.

Holiness involves rejecting immorality and conforming to Christ rather than worldly standards, allowing believers to serve as witnesses. To be honest, I do not think many Christians today practice to be holy. They do not showing the good Fruit of the Spirit to others and also being “light” to others in this dark world. They are often following worldly pleasures, being cold to others or practicing sin without repentance. According to the Bible, a “great apostasy” or “falling away” (2 Thessalonians 2:3) will occur, many professed Christians abandon their faith due to deception, persecution, or the allure of sin. This is happening today. We need to be vigilant, be rooted in Scriptures, and be watchful. We need to pray ceaselessly, to help others, to love unconditionally, to encourage those who are in need, and to support each other.

I hope we need to examine ourselves and realize that we need Holy Spirit to help us to follow God daily. It’s really easy to take things for granted, we all want to live comfortable but we need to be outside of comfort zone to serve others and share others. Sometimes worldly pleasures look very appealing to us but we need to realize that God does not like us to conform the worldly pleasures and behavior. We glorify and please God when we obey Him and do things that help others like being a godly example, help those who are in need, practicing of being holy, sharing God’s Word to both believers and non-believers, etc. Don’t give up on God, He is always faithful to us, no matter what! He does really cares about us and even non-believers.

God bless you abundantly!

I’m sharing some pictures below taken on March 21st. I did sign LIBRAS instead of ASL. I’m getting better on this sign language!

Mission Experience in Chile: Supporting the Deaf Community

January 26, 2026 / deafmgecko

Greetings! I want to share my update about my missions in Chile. It was productive and fruitful. We did give some necessary basic things to people who are living on streets. We prayed with them. Later, we went to church camp in the country. We saw a baptism for the 4 deaf believers and 6 hearing believers. I also trained discipleship with deaf people. We observed their Bible translation work and shared my mission experience at church. See pictures below for our experiences.

We went to meet deaf people at church and Sergio did a discipleship with deaf believers. Sergio and others did interpret for deaf people at church service.

We went to church camp in the country. We enjoyed our time there. We also witnessed baptism for 4 deaf and 6 hearing believers.

Sergio asked me to train discipleship with deaf. I was glad to do it for them. I taught them about stewardship for God’s gifts. It is important to use what God gives us to help or share with others.

Meeting for preparation of Bible translation

They did translate a book of Philippians. Alan and Silvia each did a chapter of Philippians. They did a great job. Also, Sergio did a great job on technical work especially with a new camera.

The pastor at church asked me to teach on Wednesday’s Bible study.

I had a great experience to share my testimony and mission experiences. I also shared about Bible translation and SUN (symbols) for deaf. The audience understood more better about the Deaf.

Pray requests for them:

Pray for them to continue to translate more books in Bible. They need more people to involve for this project.
Pray for them to grow in their church in Valparaiso. There aren’t many deaf people in the church.
Pray for leaders for wisdom and guidance for this group.
Pray for them to share their translation videos in Chile and help them to understand what they signed on video.
Pray for them to have strong deaf leadership like pastors for deaf community in Valparaiso and in Chile.

Thank you for your support!

Living for Heaven: Our Citizenship Beyond 2025

January 13, 2026 / deafmgecko

Greetings to all! Wow, time has gone so quickly in 2025! I felt like I skipped some months last year. It seemed like I was living for about 6-8 months instead of a full year. We had a great year especially with our daughter Hannah. We watched her to learn basic every-day things like walking, talking, carrying, waving, etc. It’s a joy to see her smiling and laughing. I’m really looking ahead to see her growing this year and many years to come.

There were a lot of happenings in this world. We see injustices, abuses and immorality. So often leaders demonstrate a near total lack of ethics and integrity. It keeps getting worse with every day. It’s a sign that Jesus will come soon. It’s not a matter of if but when. We are reminded of this verse, (Philippians 3:20), “We are citizens of heaven, where Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for Him to return as our Savior.” We live in this world, but we are not part of this world. That’s why we need to focus on our citizenship with a perfect government when Christ returns. He will answer to our world’s problems and set up His power to change everything on this world.

I’ve learned to keep my eyes focused on my Creator and the calling He has given me. We all need to focus on Him especially the way this world has gone. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:11-13). These verses are encouraging for all of us followers. This is especially true when I start to get distracted by other things. News stories and my own wants & desires are distractions. It’s crucial to continue to seek Him with all your heart and not to give up on Him. He knows everything going on with us. We are very grateful that He’s very patient with us. His love never stops! Keep praying, stand firm and stay connected with Him!

May God bless you all abundantly in 2026!

My Year-End Reflection of 2024

December 31, 2024 / deafmgecko

Personal reflections – I’m thinking about 2024 and how it was for me this year. The most amazing moment in 2024, and probably in my whole life, was when my daughter was born. Having a baby has significantly affected me. It drastically alters my lifestyle, reshapes my priorities, and even defines my new identity as a father. Each day brings a wave of feelings. These range from immense love and responsibility to moments of sheer joy. At times, there is also exhaustion. My days are now filled with challenges like sleep disruption, a time commitment devoted to her needs, and the social adjustments that come with being a new parent. Yet, midst these struggles, there is overwhelming love and joy for my daughter that outweighs it all. It’s incredibly fulfilling to watch her grow and develop. I delight to see her smiles. I love the way she locks eyes with me. Her natural curiosity to explore and learn is fascinating to witness—every little discovery seems like an achievement. She also imitates sounds, which brings such a joy to our days. I’m looking ahead with excitement to see her first crawl and the day I hear her say “Dad” for the very first time. I imagine her taking her first steps, walking on her own, and all the new physical and social developments that will soon unfold. Every milestone feels like a great blessing, and I am truly grateful to have her in my life, knowing that each moment is a treasure that I will hold dear forever.

Mission work – In 2024, I did go to Belem, Brazil, Mozambique, and Angola. It was a great experience for me as always, as each location brought some opportunities for growth. Right now, we are making some adjustments for DOT to enhance our program, ensuring a more effective translation for our projects. Our goal is to make our projects better for Bible translation, recognizing the critical need for accuracy and accessible for the Deaf. Bible translation is very challenging work. This is especially true for the Deaf. It requires not only linguistic precision but also cultural sensitivity to convey the intended message. We want for all Bible translations to be clear, natural, and understandable, maintaining high standards of accuracy and acceptability so that the Deaf community will understand better. I’m still keeping in touch with my projects, collaborating closely with dedicated teams. They all are eager to do more translations in 2025, fueled by a shared passion for making the scriptures accessible to the Deaf. The enthusiasm and commitment I see from my projects involved inspire me to continue this important work.

Goals for 2025 – I’m hopeful to do more missions in 2025 to meet and see how the ongoing projects are progressing. Observing them in person works best. In-person interactions give immediate feedback, share ideas, build relationships, etc. Relying solely on contact via video calls, messages, and emails lack these qualities. I’m excited about the possibilities that lie ahead. I am looking ahead to discovering what God has planned for me. I believe that each journey holds unique lessons and opportunities for growth. This is not only for myself but for everyone involved.

Prayer requests – Pray for wisdom in raising our daughter. Pray for effective ministry to deaf communities. Pray for mission opportunities. Pray for guidance in finding a new home.

I’m blessed to do Lord’s work so I’ll continue on this path in 2025.

Thank you for your support and prayers! Of course, I will continue to update with my missions in this blog.

May the Lord shine His light upon you and bless you abundantly in 2025!

If you are interested to support me, please use these websites to donate: https://mikejournal.blog/donate/ or https://give.wycliffeassociates.org/donate/michael-geckle. If you have any questions, please let me know.