You have what it takes to make the gospel of Christ REACH OUT further.

In 1997, I felt a clear calling. It was a voice I knew and I decided to trust it. Maybe you’ve heard the same voice, felt the same calling.

For me, it was a call to share Jesus with Deaf people in my hometown of Salem, Oregon. I started Deaf Young Life at the Oregon School for the Deaf. The experiences with this ministry, plus a semester immersion at Gallaudet University (a Deaf university in Washington, D.C.) drastically improved my understanding and appreciation for sign language language and Deaf culture.

In 2015, our family moved to Nashville where I worked full-time in Video Relay Service (interpreting phone calls) and freelance interpreting for community assignments.

During this time, I learned what makes me weep.

Christ and Deaf people.

Have you felt this? Have you, like me, desired to support your family and work in the area of your deepest passion?

Look where the Lord led me! I asked numerous ministries I knew and had worked with to provide interpreting services. Guess what?! IF:Gathering said yes! And guess what else: between 3,000 and 5,000 people tuned into that first ASL livestream.

The experience of IF:Gathering was incredible. Life-changing. I woke up the night after it ended overflowing with prayer and thankfulness for what God had done. More opportunities came and even though that same excitement carried on, I knew being a jet-setting interpreter for Jesus was not the life for a mother of four.

So, I prayed. Within 90 minutes, the Lord showed a clear vision for what has become Sonshine Interpreting: a growing army of interpreters across the nation who love Jesus and have a heart for ministry. They go beyond access, and truly reflect the heart of Christ in welcoming the Deaf community to influence and lead in the worlds of Christian music, events, and media.

What are your deepest passions?
What makes you weep?
How could God use your deep passions to meet a need in His Kingdom?
What is a ministry that has been significant in your life that you would like to see reach the Deaf community?

If you’ve made it this far, maybe you’re willing to go a little farther….

Let’s connect!

Araya Sunshine Williams

JOIN SONSHINE

Emma

PROJECT MANAGER
Originally from Austin, Texas, Emma holds a B.S. in public relations from The University of Texas at Austin and an international development M.A. from Gallaudet University. With over eight years of experience in communications and partnership marketing, she loves supporting Sonshine Interpreting as a Project Manager.
She maintains BEI Advanced and National Interpreter Certifications in American Sign Language-English interpretation. She loves Sonshine’s core values and providing excellent access for ministries and organizations looking to include Deaf people. She is passionate about disability-led development and Deaf inclusion across the Middle East, and more specifically, the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
Fun Fact: Emma has been to 18+ countries and plays the flute.
Jules

ADMINISTRATOR
Although Jules wasn't born in Texas, she got there as fast as she could! A resident of Dallas since 2020, she holds the BEI Basic and EIPA along with an A. A. And B. A. In Interpreting. Her time consists of serving at church, working at several local interpreting agencies in various venues, and taking salsa dance lessons. Her biggest passion point is giving Deaf teenagers full access in schools and how to best support them in their educational careers.
Jules has worked as an admin at Sonshine since 2021. She has led multiple interpreter teams at Christian conferences, manages Sonshine’s socials, and coordinates the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Fun Fact: She believes the only way to eat an Oreo is with peanut butter smeared on top. She speaks mostly in movie quotes, loves traveling to new places, and gets local coffee beans from every city she visits.
Araya

FOUNDER
Araya attended mainstream schools and learned ASL through Deaf peers. After meeting Jesus, her passion grew for her Deaf friends knowing Jesus. As a student leader with Young Life in high school, the Lord placed the call on Araya’s life to share Jesus with the Deaf community. This call helped steer her college choice to be near a Deaf school where she could continue to invest in Deaf youth through coaching, mentoring, and ministry. Over 20 years later, Araya’s deepest passions are still Jesus and Deaf people. In 2016, Araya started Sonshine Interpreting, an agency of gifted interpreters that love Jesus and have a heart for Deaf ministry. Araya advocates for accessibility to anything that equips Deaf people for life and ministry.
Fun Fact: Araya is competitive. She caries the competitive nature of her college soccer days into most competitions, even when they are intended to be fun and playful. She may even take a peak at your cards if you "show" her your hand unintentionally.