Still Making Waves

Radio has become a ‘game changer’ in isolated regions. It is often the only means of communication with the outside world.

THE POWER OF THE RADIO MINISTRY

SGA launched its project ‘Sending Little Missionaries’ in partnership with Trans World Radio, with anticipation and a degree of excitement. It was a response to the challenge of reaching isolated communities across Muslim-dominated Central Asia, with the Gospel.

The ‘Little Missionaries’ are radios supplemented with pre-programmed SD cards containing Gospel material, and SGA’s initial commitment to finance and send 500 of these as our part in TWR’s plan of action, was soon overtaken by the generosity of our supporters in supplying money for 1300 radios. The impact of this partnership project has been significant, and very encouraging.

Radio has become a ‘game changer’ in isolated regions. It is often the only means of communication with the outside world – TV and internet do not exist! TWR exploits advanced technology to reach areas previously inaccessible, through the distribution of the ‘Little Missionary’ radios. Shepherds in the high mountain regions of Kyrgystan have even been recipients!

The results of this project continue to thrill and encourage us. Lives and communities have been transformed. One house church with little access to Bible material, organizes its worship and teaching around the recordings. Believers come together to pray, fellowship, and learn from the programmes. They rejoice in that they feel connected to the Word of God, and connected also to believers “outside”, without any restrictions!

A further blessing of radio ministry relates to the blind, the housebound, and those who are illiterate. Programmes are recorded in different languages so they can hear the words of life. Using the recordings on SD, they can listen over again in order to fully understand the teaching.

Reports have been received about radio as a channel for friendship and support. One lady invites her neighbours round for tea, and plays selected programmes, relevant for them. Another believer gave a radio to someone who had been unwell and was suicidal. After listening to a programme emphasizing the value of a life, she got in touch to say that she had recovered and was very grateful.

In other locations, where people are poor and in need, bags of groceries accompany the radios given by local believers. Food for body and soul!

No-one can measure or predict the range of contacts possible through this radio project. The ‘Little Missionaries’ sent out and backed by the prayers of God’s people are sowing Gospel seed, and reaping a harvest in places Evangelists cannot reach on foot. Praise God that the radio waves are carrying the truth of Jesus to hungry, needy souls.

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN HEART-WARMING:

Hundreds of radios, media players and SD cards in Tajikistan.

In Kyrgystan, the original distribution of 500 radios was followed up by a further 500. In co-operation with the Blind Society radios were made available to the visually impaired.

A house church was formed in one place in Kazakhstan as a result of listening to TWR Gospel broadcasts. That church then requested several hundred radios, SD cards, and CDs for distribution in their region. At a pastors’ conference 200 were made available, and more were requested.

A small team of evangelists visit very remote communities in parts of Uzbekistan. Over 200 radios were distributed. The evangelists will bring further material on updated SD cards each time they visit.