Listen to Unspoken Words

An inspirational book drawing from the experiences of five young friends with the deaf community in the Philippines.

The authors' youth is reflected in a candid and touching style of writing.

Out of a genuine desire to gain a deeper understanding of the deaf and raise awareness on the deaf community in the Philippines, five young friends immersed themselves in a world without spoken words and chronicled their journey. Joaquin, Michaela (Mic), Christine, Rhea, and Krystel (Kay) learned sign language and got to know new friends from the deaf community with whom they shared laughs, new adventures, and meaningful conversations that came straight from the heart.

In Listen to Unspoken Words, the circle of five shares the highlights of their personal encounters and their unique insights form the journey through prose, poetry, painting and photography. Their stories and images convey a powerful message: there is much more we share in common with the deaf than we realize and their lives are a testament to what it really takes to live life fully - if only we are willing to see and listen differently.

Joaquin Benares, Michaela Eduque, Christine Kelly, Rhea Schmid & Krystel Yang were all junior high school students at the International School of Manila, Philippines during the time this book was published.