Christian Radio Station Planned for Muslim Area of West Africa

Christian Radio Station Planned for Muslim Area of West Africa
Source: HCJB Global

HCJB Global Voice recently signed a final partnership agreement with another organization in West Africa, to start a radio station in the area. HCJB Global Voice expects construction to be completed in the next few weeks with plans to be on the air by Christmas.

After “Pastor J” and his team complete the building of the radio tower, HCJB Global Voice will donate the radio equipment needed and will also assist in the installation of the equipment. When the radio station is in place, the mission plans to help train the staff on the technical and programming aspects of the radio station, giving local partners the ability to run the facility on their own.

Pastor J, born in West Africa, was raised and trained in Islam. As an adult, he became a science teacher at an Islamic school. During that time, a Christian couple led him to the Lord. In 1983 he dedicated his life to reaching out to Muslims and has been serving as a missionary and strong spiritual leader ever since.

Christian Fellowship Church in Ashburn, Va., describes him as “a unique visionary and a strong Christian leader of exemplary faith … an effective evangelist with a heart of compassion for Muslims…and an astute, entrepreneurial businessman who continually applies his skill to spreading the gospel.”

Pastor J’s ministry focuses on providing schools, water wells and small-business opportunities for local communities. The station will be the first Christian outlet in this primarily Muslim area of West Africa, and will reach out to people who may otherwise never hear the Christian message.

HCJB Global is also involved in other community development projects that integrate both the voice (media) and hands (healthcare) aspect of ministry.

TWR Antenna Upgrade Completed

Trans World Radio (TWR) has announced the successful completion of a major antenna upgrade to North Africa as of April 9, 2009.

The upgrade greatly improves both coverage and signal strength, increasing the number of potential listeners in the region to 40 million people.

Prior to the antenna modification, TWR’s signal to many North African people groups, particularly those in the Northern Atlas mountains, was nearly indistinguishable above the interference caused by electromagnetic radiation from growing cities.

Today, the reception is loud and clear. The transmission is now beamed towards the Atlas Mountains in a concentrated beam, as opposed to the earlier, wider-angle signal toward an area with not much interest in reception. The transmitter power for 1467 kHz remains at 100,000 watts.

One North African listener says, “The signal is better than before. I know that this improvement not only helps us hear the gospel message, but also allows many more in all of North Africa to listen to these programs now.”

Trans World Radio envisions North Africa committed to Jesus Christ, and broadcasts strategic programming to North Africa in Arabic and Berber dialects such as Sous, Tamazight, Tarifit and Kabyle.

Beaming deeper into Africa

TWR - Trans World Radio - have been working on their Monte Carlo transmitter to increase the strength of their signal into Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and other parts of north Africa - with a potential of reaching 15 million new people.

Many of the people in reach of these signals have never had the Gospel in their own language before - and many cannot read. TWR currently broadcast in Arabic and four different Berber dialects.

Presently the TWR aerial system is omni directional. The increase in signal strength is being achieved by changing the aerial system to a directional beam.

The importance of this project was confirmed by a Moroccan man who had come to know Christ through a radio broadcast. For ten years, that man had no fellowship with other Christians, and it was only through radio that he had fellowship. Radio can go places missionaries often can't.

TWR has also delivered radio/CD players to Morocco and Algeria, along with a CD of TWR programming. If broadcast signals are weak, listeners can still hear the programs. In addition, several hundred pre-fixed radios are being readied for distribution throughout North Africa.

TWR know through anecdotal evidence that people are coming to know Jesus and that churches are being planted. They contact TWR in many different ways, and when they do, they are asking for more programs so that they can hear what God has for them.

Producers are focusing their radio program content towards women, youth, oral-speakers, and the general public.

The Living Secrets of HIV/AIDS

Trans World Radio is developing a new radio series about HIV/AIDS for the Dhuluo- and Luo-speaking peoples in Kenya, southern Sudan and neighbouring countries

The Living Secrets of HIV/AIDS,” or “Malingling Mag Ayaki,” will be aired twice weekly. 104 fifteen-minute segments will cover topics like dealing with HIV/AIDS on a daily basis, secrets of dealing with HIV in the family, safer ways of disclosing your HIV status, abstinence, integration of orphans into families, health care for AIDS patients at home, and encouraging people to adopt AIDS orphans.

Trans World Radio has been addressing HIV/AIDS since the early 1990s, but only in English and Swahili, which have a broader listening audience than local dialects. Sponsorship raised by TWR’s partner in The Netherlands made possible the development of the new show, in the Luo and Dhuluo languages.

Luo is spoken in Nyanza province, which is the Kenyan province most affected by HIV/AIDS. Kenya has 1.1 million AIDS orphans, and 6.1% of its adults are HIV positive, according to UNAIDS.

As a result of a rise in prostitution, 33% of 15 to 19-year-old girls near the city of Kisumu are HIV-positive, according to a recent study by the National AIDS STD Control Programme (NASCOP).

A regular listener from Zimbabwe explained why he appreciates the daily HIV/AIDS program that Trans World Radio airs in his area, called “Saving a Generation.”

“Undoubtedly HIV/AIDS is one of the greatest challenges facing the world today. Most people here in Africa (south of the Sahara) are affected in one way or the other. If one is not infected, then one is definitely affected. I lost my only brother and his wife to the disease a few years ago.”

• Trans World Radio Africa