TWR Shines Light of Gospel into Latin America
Broadcasts through the most far-reaching Christian radio network in the world are touching lives in Latin American nations such as Colombia, where terrorism, drugs, sexual abuse, political corruption and poverty have prevailed for years.
"The City Lights project brings the light of the gospel to the most spiritually needy areas of Latin America—its burgeoning cities," Cary, N.C.-based Trans World Radio (TWR) stated in its website.
Although TWR has been broadcasting to Latin America for over 40 years now, the ministry says in its mission statement that “there is a need for additional quality programs customized to ‘connect’ biblical teachings, such as those presently aired, to the listeners’ everyday lifestyles.”
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In a traditional sense, the countries in Latin America have been “reached” with the Gospel message for many decades, yet thousands of their people still remain “unchanged” in their lifestyles, the ministry noted.
“Each year millions of children in Latin America and the Caribbean are mistreated, abused and exploited sexually; and 90 million live in conditions of poverty. Approximately two million adults and children are living with HIV/AIDS, and nearly 567 people in the region are being infected with the HIV virus every day. Churches face the additional pressures of disintegrating families–some countries averaging a rate of 5 out of 10 marriages ending in divorce. Compounding this situation is the large number of unwed couples living together.”
To help reverse the spiritual decline of both the present and next generation of Latinos, TWR is “turning on the light” in 50 Latin American cities over the course of the next few years through its City Lights project, which the ministry initiated in 2003.
The project plans to connect churches and individuals throughout the United States with Latin American churches and radio stations to bring God’s principles into thousands of lives.
As part of the project, U.S. churches choose a city – perhaps even a city where they may already have their own missionaries – and sponsor a package of seven TWR programs designed specifically for different groups (children, youth, women, families) within that city. Through TWR, U.S. churches and individuals who sponsor these programs will receive feedback from the cities about the changed lives resulting from the broadcasts. Specific programs in the package can be chosen for sponsorship.
Currently in Colombia, TWR broadcasts five City Lights programs over radio station Nuevo Continente in the nation’s capital city of Bogotá, including two broadcasts for women and two for children. However, the programs reach even beyond Bogotá, as TWR distributes programming to some 15 stations throughout the country. TWR-Colombia’s director says his team has received positive comments about the simplicity with which the Word of God is shared.
In one instance, a Colombian pilot who was kidnapped by guerrilla forces said that one of his captors gave him a New Testament and a transistor radio while in captivity. Longing for a word of encouragement, he tuned the radio and found Radio Continente. After listening for several days, the pilot committed his life to Christ. Within a few months, he gained his freedom and traveled to TWR’s follow-up office to relate his testimony.
Although TWR’s City Lights project is fairly new, the ministry itself has been broadcasting to Latin America from its transmitting station on the Caribbean island of Bonaire since 1964 – ten years after TWR’s first broadcast was aired more than 50 years ago from a 2,500-watt transmitter in Tangier, Morocco, in February 1954.
Today, TWR programs in over 190 languages and dialects are aired from more than 2,700 broadcasting outlets around the globe, including 14 international transmitting sites, satellite, cable, Internet and local AM and FM stations. Every day, TWR’s broadcasts reach millions in over 160 countries.
In Latin America alone, TWR partners with 500 stations producing City Lights programs through partner offices in eight Latin American countries.
