Jonas' Stories
February 16, 2007--"Give Jonas a yarn to spin," they say, "and he'll catch even a corpse's interest." About two years ago, Back to the Bible partnered with Mark and Diane Vanderkooi to build a small, local radio station among the 17,000 Kwong people of Chad. Now they have hit upon a novel way of teaching Bible stories. Mark prepares a cassette, in the Kwong language, of a Bible story. Jonas, a village chief, listens to the cassette with him and they talk about the story. Then Jonas takes the cassette home and internalizes the story. By Sunday morning, Jonas knows the story well and keeps the kids spellbound. When questioned about what they heard, the kids often retell huge sections in detail. Jonas' stories are being recorded for possible future broadcasts.
Sharing Christ in Catastrophe
February 8, 2007--Flooding has crippled Jakarta, home of our Indonesian ministry. At this point, our director’s home and office have been spared. They have electricity and clean well water and are helping a growing number of people. In times of catastrophe, Christians are often the first to arrive and the last to leave, offering the love of Christ while meeting people’s needs. Pray for Frans Silalahi and his staff as they come to the aid of their neighbors.
Broadcasts Reaching High Officials
February 5, 2007--The program director of Radio Rwanda recently wrote Australian Director Berni Dymet to thank him. He said, "I did not take seriously your programs in the first stages, yet you doing a great job in lives of many of my compatriots including members of my direct family: my wife and children listen to your programs every week..." Though initially identified as an atheist, this man and his wife now attend a Bible study that includes some high-ranking government officials. The Christianityworks programs are part of those meetings.
At the Crossroads
February 2, 2007--Venezuela's National Assembly granted President Hugo Chavez nearly unlimited power this week. David Logacho, director of our Spanish ministry, conducted meetings there recently. He was struck by the changes that have come about. Gasoline is about ten cents a gallon and President Chavez is popular to the point of idolization. This is a critical time for Venezuelan believers. Many struggle with materialism and are in need of the kind of quality Bible teaching La Biblia Dice provides. Pray for effective ministry.
Fiji Bound
January 29, 2007--Because of a coup d'etat in December, the US government cannot guarantee the security of US citizens traveling to Fiji. Nevertheless, Woodrow Kroll is headed there following his time in Manila. Several public speaking events are planned. The US-produced Back to the Bible program can heard in Fiji on Radio Light from the capital city of Suva. In addition, the station carries programming produced by our Indian ministry to serve the large Hindi-speaking population of the country.
Going Strong at 50
January 26, 2007--Woodrow Kroll is in Manila to help our Philippine ministry celebrate 50 years of ministry. The first office there was opened in a missionary’s home in 1957 to handle mail and literature requests from Filipino listeners to the US-produced Back to the Bible program. Over the years, the staff grew and moved several times, eventually purchasing a building in 1976, which burned to the ground four years later. Nevertheless, the ministry kept going. Today, the Philippines outreach includes not only the international version of Dr. Kroll’s program but also two Tagalog programs and a live, nightly program that brings in many calls and hundreds of text messages from around the world.
Daily Radio Visits
January 22, 2007--Back to the Bible partners with SIM to produce a program in the Fon language of Benin, Africa. We recently learned of a small Fon church, many of whose members are new converts through listening to the transforming message of God Word on the radio. For a part of the year these people are separated from the rest of Benin by a river--but the radio visits them every day. Bad roads and full rivers cannot hinder the ministry of preaching, teaching and encouraging people and bringing them to maturity in Christ!
Listenership Exceeds Expectations in Sumatra
January 19, 2007--Indonesian director Frans Silalahi recently returned from Sumatra, where he conducted training for staff members who help with the Heart to Heart call-in program. While there, Frans was amazed at how many calls came in until 2:00 a.m.--including text messages and prayer requests from the non-Christian sector of the listening audience. In meeting with inmates in a local prison, he learned that many of them are listening also. Only a few months into broadcasting, response to our programming from the Sumatra station is twenty times that of all other Indonesian stations combined!
New Station Taking Shape
January 12, 2007--The foundation is being laid in Sulawesi. KAMI, as Back to the Bible’s Indonesian ministry is known, is in the process of building its second radio station. This one will serve the people of a remote part of this island that also known as Central Celebes. Once the foundation is finished, the tower, which is ready, can be installed. A station manager, whose native language is Mori, has been hired and the local government has given approval. Of the five languages spoken here, initial broadcasting will be done in Wana and Mori, in addition to Indonesian. Praise God for moving in Indonesia!
Millions Listen
January 10, 2007--Though feedback is hard to come by, there is encouraging response to our Nepali program. Millions listen but few take the time to write. Nevertheless, letters come from Nepal and several Indian states. Those who attend conferences in those places often express their gratitude to Dr. Mangal Man, the Bible teacher. They listen regularly and some even record the messages so they won’t miss a thing. Phone calls have come from not only Nepal but also Qatar and South Korea. God is at work among the Nepali!
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