HCJB to Plant FM Stations in Tsunami-Affected Areas
HCJB World Radio is working with local partners to establish Christian FM stations in two areas of Indonesia affected by last month's quake-tsunami devastation
The ministry that pioneered the world’s first missionary broadcast station is working with local partners to establish Christian FM stations in two areas of Indonesia affected by the Dec. 26 quake-tsunami devastation that inundated coastlines, killing more than 260,000 people and leaving more than 1 million homeless.
HCJB (Heralding Christ Jesus’ Blessings) World Radio, which airs the gospel in more than 120 languages and dialects through ministries in more than 100 countries, is working with a local partner to put two stations on the air after receiving permission from local officials. The two stations will help disseminate important information to survivors while sharing the gospel message. They are in addition to five others that were being planned for Indonesia this year.
"I don't have an exact on-air date, but they were given three weeks to go on the air, and I expect they will be broadcasting within two weeks," said John Brewer, director of HCJB World Radio's Southeast Asia sub-region. However, HCJB did report that equipment is being shipped this week from the HCJB World Radio Engineering Center in Elkhart, Ind.
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In addition, HCJB reports that local people are already in place to run the stations after the ministry recently held three radio-training courses for its local partner in Indonesia—each with 15 to 20 students. "The main language on these stations will be Indonesian," Brewer added. The stations will feature programming contextualized for a predominantly Muslim audience, including music, educational information, and news and public service announcements.
"Airtime will be available to assist the government with communicating relief information to the people," Brewer said. "The disaster resulted in a lack of communication and the need to restore these services, including radio broadcasts. I think this situation has opened the door to allow us to help set up these two Christian radio stations in Muslim areas that might not have allowed us under normal circumstances."
Meanwhile, in the town of Kununurra in Western Australia, "The Voice of the Great Southland," HCJB World Radio-Australia's local short-wave station, continues broadcasting programs across the region to encourage survivors.
"We carried special programming in the early days after the tsunami, and we continue to broadcast information and news," said Asia Pacific Director Dennis Adams. "We will do more as we assess the ongoing need."
HCJB reports that mission leaders continue to assess the situation, looking for ways to best help the people.
"In each sub-region affected we may need to go into those areas and meet with pastors and church leaders to get a better understanding of how we can assist them practically as well as in the ongoing task of evangelism," Adams said. "Our compassion is strong for the people of God, and we do want to do all we can to encourage them as they rebuild their lives and their ministries.”
“I believe these are days of unprecedented opportunity, and we need the wisdom of God to know how best to respond."
