| Updated: 8/19/2012 1:14 pm |
Published: 8/18/2012 10:13 pm
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Everything about Happy Hands seems to make people happy.
"We look more towards their potential, than at their disability," said Happy Hands CEO, Al Proo. Proo opened the doors about two years ago. He used to pastor a church full of members with hearing problems, but Proo never imagined his ministry would move him outside the church.
"You have a vision, you know there's a need in the community and you can fulfill it,” said Proo.
Proo started happy hands almost 20 years ago. Now, more than 50 kids with hearing and communication disorders fill his classrooms.
That includes a set of twins: 3-year-olds, Alexis and Kayla Deyoung.
"We were in tears,” said mother, Tiffany Deyoung. “We prayed when we found out.”
Tiffany said she noticed something wasn't right just before their second birthday. She would talk to the girls, and they wouldn't respond.
"My husband had a little bit harder time with it,” said Tiffany. “He didn't know what to do."
Doctors diagnosed them with mild hearing loss. Their hearing aids help, but their hearing has progressively gotten worse.
"It was a blessing to me in some ways because they both are going through the same thing," said Tiffany.
At this point, doctors don't know if or when they'll completely lose their ability to hear anything.
"Wat they think is hilarious; when you're sitting there trying to talk to them they cover their faces,” said Tiffany.
They’ve been known to take breaks from their hearing aids.
"At home, if they are in a mood they will take them out set them on the counter and say 'done! not want,'" said Tiffany.
Proo's staff has taught Alexis and Kayla how to sign.
Soon they'll be ready to attend public school. Two more lives are changed through a calling that wasn't ignored.
