http://woh.org/ en josh.leo@woh.org Copyright 2010 2010-05-27 http://woh.org/post/the-cathedral-tree1/ http://woh.org/post/the-cathedral-tree1/#When:18:01:54Z Words of Hope’s Vice-President of International Broadcasting Lee DeYoung is meeting this month with program producers in Uganda, Kenya and Sudan. Last Sunday he worshipped in the town of Rumbek in Southern Sudan. He had the privilege of worshiping with more than 2000 believers under Rumbek ECS’ “Cathedral Tree”. Each week people gather under this tree instead of inside of a church building. This picture captures just a few of the worshipers present. God’s people find a way to worship together, wherever they are! God's people find a way to worship together, wherever they are! 2010-05-27T18:01:54Z http://woh.org/post/radio-in-east-africa/ http://woh.org/post/radio-in-east-africa/#When:14:30:32Z Most people in the West don't understand how important radio is for people all around the world, especially in East Africa 2010-04-26T14:30:32Z http://woh.org/post/radio-for-womens-health-in-uganda/ http://woh.org/post/radio-for-womens-health-in-uganda/#When:17:04:28Z In Uganda, 6000 women die every year in pregnancy and childbirth, reports Words of Hope Luo producer Susan Olwa. It is this fact that inspires her radio programming. Along with Bible study, her programs broadcast life-saving health information. When asked why it is important for the church to be involved in this kind of work, Olwa explained, “If the Bible and the church are going to be relevant to the community we live in, we need holistic coverage. Because women are dying, and people are mourning children’s suffering…It’s not easy to live without a mother.” Olwa’s programming centers on women’s health, an area often neglected in poor communities. She recounted one story to illustrate this need. After listening to one of Susan’s programs in the Luo language, a new father called her soon after the birth of his second baby. Their first baby had died because his wife was unable to give enough milk. And now, mother and baby were struggling with the same problem. He worried that they might lose this baby too. Olwa gave them simple, practical advice – among other things, to relax and drink lots of water. Soon, the father called back with great thanks – his wife and the baby were doing well. This simple advice had prevented a second tragedy. Olwa focuses on sharing health information with the whole community, so that everyone can work together to protect vulnerable women and children. Olwa does Bible study too, and these work together with the other topics, to bring a whole life gospel. Response to the programs has been excellent. Olwa follows up directly with the many listeners who call with questions and comments, speaking to women’s groups and running seminars with community leaders. Additional funding would allow her to expand this follow up effort, reaching more people with the good news of Jesus Christ – good news with an impact on all areas of her listeners’ lives. In Uganda, 6000 women die every year in pregnancy and childbirth. WOH Programmer Susan Olwa seeks to address these problems with her programs in the Luo language. 2010-04-05T17:04:28Z http://woh.org/post/health-and-hope-for-a-dogri-family/ http://woh.org/post/health-and-hope-for-a-dogri-family/#When:14:41:58Z Dogri is spoken by several million people in the southern half of the northernmost Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. This remote, mountainous area is primarily Hindu, and many places have been completely closed to the gospel. Radio plays an important role in reaching these isolated villages. Words of Hope’s Dogri programs are particularly popular, especially “Preme Kanne” (With Love). Sunjay Kumar and his family live in a remote village called Balare. Sunjay is a poor landless farmer. Their village is 25 kilometers away from the nearest road, and 30 kilometers from the nearest medical facility. This became a grave concern when Sunjay’s daughter, Sheetal, became sick with a fever. When she didn’t recover, the family took her to a doctor. There, they learned that she had two holes in her heart, curable only by an expensive surgery. Unable to afford the surgery, the family returned home defeated. But soon, they found new hope over the radio. While looking for another radio program, Sunjay accidentally tuned in to “Preme Kanne.” Soon, he was listening regularly. On the program, he heard the presenter talk about Jesus as the son of God, the great physician. In their desperation to see their daughter cured of her ailment, Sunjay and his wife started praying to Jesus. They also called Sadiq Masih, Words of Hope’s Dogri producer. After hearing about their situation, he offered to pray for Sheetal, and connected them with a local pastor who prayed for her too, and began discipling the family. By now, the little girl’s condition was improving. The parents took her back to the doctor and were told that her heart was completely normal, with no holes in it. On hearing this, the father literally jumped for joy shouting praises to the Lord and thanking Him profusely. He put his trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and so did his family. They shared their testimony with those all around and many of their relatives and neighbors have since trusted in the Lord. The new believers and Sunjay’s family have formed a listening group with help from some wind-up radios provided by the Dogri producer. Now, they hope to start a church in their village. Praise God! By accidentally tuning to a WOH radio broadcast, the life of this family was drastically changed. 2010-03-22T14:41:58Z http://woh.org/post/holistic-radio-ministry-video/ http://woh.org/post/holistic-radio-ministry-video/#When:15:03:02Z WOH staff in Uganda and Sudan create a variety of programs that address the spiritual and physical needs of the people in their communities. This video discusses the driving ideas behind “holistic radio ministry.” WOH broadcasts a variety of Christ-Centered programming that addresses the needs of the whole person, body and soul. 2010-02-02T15:03:02Z http://woh.org/post/pray-for-the-church-in-iran1/ http://woh.org/post/pray-for-the-church-in-iran1/#When:15:49:45Z Iran is in the news again, with more turmoil following the death of Ayatollah Montazeri (an opposition cleric) and problems over the ongoing nuclear questions. What doesn’t make the news is the continuing harassment and persecution of Christians. Last week police raided a meeting of about 70 Christians at a restaurant in a city outside the capital. These new believers had gathered for Christmas worship, since they have no opportunity to celebrate Christ’s birth together at home or in a church building. The police confiscated every Bible and hymnbook, videotaped all the participants, and arrested the leaders. Please pray those who are still in custody, and undergoing daily interrogation to learn more about the identity of Christians in that place. Hundreds of believers have left Iran since the presidential election last summer. Pray for our friends and colleagues working to preach the gospel to those in Iran 2009-12-23T15:49:45Z http://woh.org/post/a-christmas-letter-from-woh-president-david-bast/ http://woh.org/post/a-christmas-letter-from-woh-president-david-bast/#When:18:38:33Z Dear Friend, The Christmas Gospel is ever new, and always thrilling. It is our unspeakable privilege at Words of Hope to publish and proclaim this message throughout the world to those who need it most. Last month I traveled to Africa with a small team from our ministry for the dedication of the new offices and studios of Words of Hope Uganda. It was a wonderful event. This beautiful building – christened the “Words of Hope Communication House” – was made possible by the generous gifts of friends of our ministry. It is already being used effectively by our Ugandan partners to make a variety of radio programs in five different languages that are being broadcast on a network of stations throughout Uganda and beyond. The building stands on the campus of Uganda Christian University in Mukono. The university shared in the construction costs, and will use the second story for its department of mass communications. Uganda is a land of contrasts. It is known as “The Pearl of Africa” – a land of lush, green beauty and fertile fields. It’s also a place of poverty and want, with displaced person camps and shantytown slums filled with refugees from Congo and Sudan. Ugandan Christians practice their faith with wonderful joy and exuberance. The church is alive and growing in Uganda; but so is Islam. And there is great spiritual darkness in the land. While I was there I read a story in the newspaper about two men who had been arrested for trying to sell their own children to witch doctors for use as human sacrifices. Somehow, the power of the demonic seems closer to the surface in Uganda. But the power of the gospel is greater still. I think of the wonderful people who are serving the Lord and building the church through Words of Hope Uganda. There’s Susan Olwa, a volunteer from the city of Lira in the north, who makes radio programs in the Luo language that help improve the preand post-natal health of mothers. Or Immanuel, a member of the staff, who helps make popular gospel programs in the Bari language (Words of Hope dominates the Bari market!) Or Bishop Stephen Kaziimba, Chairman of the Words of Hope Uganda Management Committee. His very poor diocese extends across a wide area, but Words of Hope enables him to speak to his people every Sunday morning by radio, bringing them encouragement from the Word of God. Or Titus Baraka, Words of Hope Uganda’s director, and one of Christ’s choice servants. We have accomplished a lot in just three short years in Uganda. But much more needs to be done. We have been asked for more help: For a new radio outreach in the city of Mbale in the east, a stronghold of both witchcraft and Islam. For training pastors and other workers. Stephen Kaziimba is responsible for 500 churches, and asks our assistance in providing training for his clergy. For more programs in a variety of languages and formats for the growing work throughout Uganda. For ministry in southern Sudan, where new opportunities are ripe for the taking, but where the window may soon close because of political threats. For follow-up with listeners and the discipling of believers: training for Christian counselors, and the production of devotional literature in Uganda. Here’s where you come in. We want to do more for the cause of Christ in Uganda, but we are at the limit of our resources. Would you consider a special year-end offering to help us help them? What better way to celebrate the Savior’s birth than to enable still more people hear, in their own heart language, the Good News that Jesus has come to be Immanuel: “God with us.” May the peace and joy of Christmas be yours, ~David Bast Click here to download David Bast’s Christmas Letter as a printable PDF In our continuing focus on our ministry in Uganda, David Bast shares a bit about his recent trip to visit with our Ugandan brothers and sisters. 2009-12-11T18:38:33Z http://woh.org/post/an-albanian-listeners-story/ http://woh.org/post/an-albanian-listeners-story/#When:20:54:39Z Words of Hope’s primary Albanian partner Radio 7 regularly interacts with many listeners who express appreciation for our daily broadcasts in their language. A listener named Fari Breshani recently wrote a letter which was intriguing on two counts. First, he lives in a remote village in Skrapar county which seemed far beyond Radio 7’s coverage area. Second, Fari stated in his letter that he had never met another Christian and had become a believer in Jesus by listening to Radio 7’s Bible teaching programs. His letter specifically mentioned the teaching of Pastor Albert Dosti who voices Words of Hope’s daily Albanian broadcasts. Since there are no churches anywhere in the region where Fari lives, Radio 7 invited him to visit the station’s studios outside Tirana. He soon did so. During that visit Radio 7 learned that the reason Fari is able to hear Radio 7’s FM broadcasts was due to the lofty altitude of his home village (high atop a mountain). What was even more remarkable was the depth of Fari’s commitment and mature grasp of Christian principles—particularly since he had never met another believer or attended any church! During the meeting he surprisingly asked, “As a believer in Jesus I would like to start tithing but do not know how to do that. To whom should I give my tithe?” Since he had never before met any fellow believers and knew of no churches in his area, Fari could not understand how Biblical tithing is supposed to work! To whom could he present his gifts to God? Radio 7 has since connected him with the pastor of the nearest congregation near his mountain home. His story is another encouragement to the fruitfulness of gospel broadcasts for evangelizing and discipling. Praise God! WOH radio broadcasts introduced Fari Breshani to Christ and other Christians. 2009-12-02T20:54:39Z http://woh.org/post/a-letter-from-turkey-for-thanksgiving/ http://woh.org/post/a-letter-from-turkey-for-thanksgiving/#When:19:52:48Z Do you know more about the bird or the country? As you lift your carving knife to begin the traditional feasts featuring America’s favorite holiday bird, remember to pray for Turkey (the place not the bird). It’s true that the bird is named after the country. By the early 14th century the people occupying Anatolia (or Asia Minor) were mainly the Seljuk Turks (later called Ottoman Turks). The land they inhabited was named after them and was first referenced as “Turkey” in 1369. Later a peculiar tasty bird was found in the towns of Anatolia and began to be exported to England. It was known as “that bird from Turkey”. When the settlers arrived in the “new world” (later called “America”), upon seeing a similar bird, they said “look, it’s that bird from Turkey”. It wasn’t the same bird but the name stuck, so the bird we know and love is still called “turkey” today. And the country of Turkey today? It’s full of wonderful people, a mixed bag of ethnic Turks (about 85% of the population) a smattering of Kurds, Armenians, Greeks, Jews, Europeans and others who were assimilated into Turkish culture over the centuries of Ottoman rule ending with the formation of the modern Republic of Turkey in 1923. Today Turkey remains the largest unreached nation in the world with 99% of the 70 million people being Muslim. Will you pray with us? Pray that the word of the Lord would continually go forward through Words of Hope radio and TV, our conversations with neighbors or strangers on the bus, and through the way we live the life of hope here. Pray especially that many people would respond to His loving call as we present our Dogus Bayrami (Christmas) program in just a few weeks at church! January 17 we will be starting a new Turkish language worship service at the International Church in Ankara. We all felt the time was right to begin this as part of a new outreach emphasis in our neighborhood. Pray that the organizing would be full of unity and grace and all the details would be covered. Pray that our coal, blanket and winter coat distribution among the refugees and the poor would be a tangible witness of God’s love for those in desperate need here. May His love draw them near! A SURPRISING REQUEST: Aliza Adelman died last month. We didn’t know her before we heard the news, but wish we had. I got a call from a Turkish man who was a friend of a friend. The man explained that his grandmother had died and the family wanted to give her a “Christian”; funeral. We learned that Aliza came from Germany and married a Turkish man over 60 years ago and had lived in Ankara ever since. The story grew more surprising when the grandson said his grandma was also a follower of Isa (Jesus) and the family wanted to honor her request to have a funeral in a Protestant church. I was honored to conduct a beautiful memorial service for this Christian woman I’d never met. Several of Aliza’s, Muslim family members came to the front of the church to recount memories of her life, her kindness, patience, long suffering and goodness. It began to sound like a list from the Galatians 5 passage as the family noticed in Aliza’s life all the fruit that comes from a life filled with the Holy Spirit. It left me sad that I’d never met this woman. I would have asked her to tell me more of her story, why she came to Turkey (her name sounds Jewish), how she met the Lord, what it was like to live as the only believer in a Muslim family. As I thought of her story I became so thankful for the many “out there” belonging to the large number of “uncounted believers” in Turkey. The official number of evangelical Protestant believers has been hovering around 3,000 for several years. Yet there are indications that the number who accept Jesus and follow The Way is actually quite a bit higher. Many don’t openly call themselves “Christian” for fear of losing their social and economic connections and being cast out of normal life here. Join me in praying for people like Aliza who are living lives of faith among their sphere of influence in quiet, gentle, Holy Spirit filled ways. May their impact on this society be great! *name changed “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16 THE BREAK-IN: We were having an unusually warm autumn. It was Sunday afternoon and we all headed out of the house. (Name Witheld) went to the Pazar to shop for the week’s fresh produce and my son and I went for a walk in the forest. In the thirty minutes between when we left and (Name Witheld) returned home, our home was broken into and ransacked. Several things were missing and it was a huge mess! The police came; it took hours to clean up. Several of our neighbors came to say “gec mis olsun”; (a Turkish phrase of condolence literally meaning “let it pass”) and offer help. One even brought a huge bag of apples from her family garden, because food always helps! Hours were spent after the break-in with neighbors coming to our door, asking questions and wanting to talk about the incident. I’ve been praying for ways to get to know my neighbors more but never dreamed it would happen this way! It was a unique way of sharing our hardship and showing how we can react with peace and with thanksgiving that not more was taken, that we weren’t home to encounter the thieves and because our things really belong to God, not us. It was the perfect opportunity to be joyful and thankful and in this way fulfill the will of God for us! So often we wonder, “What is God’s will for my life?”. While many of the details remain unclear from day to day, much is certain. A life filled with thanksgiving is His will. We give thanks for you today, our partners in ministry, not only because it’s the will of God, but because it gives us joy! Now to Him is able to do exceedingly more than we can ask or think… ~Your friends in Turkey WOH Turkish broadcaster writes about ministry in the country that the Thanksgiving bird is named after. 2009-11-24T19:52:48Z http://woh.org/post/a-completely-redesigned-words-of-hope-website/ http://woh.org/post/a-completely-redesigned-words-of-hope-website/#When:15:02:00Z First, we must emphasize, this is more than a mere makeover. The entire site was restructured to allow visitors to explore the breadth of who we are, yet pinpoint any desired detail, quickly and intuitively. It’s a goal we think we’ve achieved. Please browse the site and judge for yourself. We trust that this new site will be easier to navigate, more engaging, and better equipped to help you learn about, support, and pray for our many ministries! We’ll leave it to you to discover the may facets of our new site, however, it’s important to briefly mention the three main paths that diverge from the home page. The Voice takes you to the regions around the world where, through radio and other media, Words of Hope helps amplify dedicated and brave Christian voices—people with a passion for sharing the Good News, many at their peril. The Word offers our daily online devotional and “Bible in a Year” program: two distinct interactive avenues for going deeper into the Word of God. Our Resources presents a substantial collection of news and materials designed to keep you in touch with the people and ongoing work of Words of Hope. Thank you to Elevator Up for spearheading this considerable undertaking. And thank you all: faithful Words of Hope supporters, regular woh.org visitors, and newcomers alike. We look forward to your feedback as we launch this latest media initiative to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ all around the world. We are thrilled to announce the launch of our completely redesigned Words of Hope website! 2009-10-23T15:02:00Z http://woh.org/post/words-of-hope-adds-television-to-its-media-mix-in-turkey/ http://woh.org/post/words-of-hope-adds-television-to-its-media-mix-in-turkey/#When:16:50:24Z Since 2002, Words of Hope has been supporting Christian radio broadcasts in Turkey. Now, thanks to satellite television, the people of Turkey can SEE as well as hear the teaching of the gospel. The program, Umut Dolu Sozler (“Words Filled with Hope”), is aired 3 to 4 times per week on TURK7, a Turkish Christian satellite television channel of SAT7 (an international Christian TV network headquartered in England broadcasting to the Arabic, Turkish and Persian people in the Middle East). Each program is 12-15 minutes long and can be viewed at: www.turk7.com A television version of the Evli ve Mutlu (“Married and Happy”) program is also slated to begin the fall of 2009. The program features a Turkish couple, a husband and a wife team of Christian counselors, talking about marriage and family from a Christian perspective. The radio versions of both programs can be heard via the internet at: www.radioshema.com We are excited to see the increasing fruit of this expanding mission in Turkey, and ask for your prayers as it falls upon the hearts of millions of Turks each week. Words of Hope has been supporting Christian radio broadcasts in Turkey. Now, thanks to satellite television, the people of Turkey can SEE as well as hear the teaching of the gospel. 2009-10-16T16:50:24Z http://woh.org/post/radio-feedback-can-sound-wonderful/ http://woh.org/post/radio-feedback-can-sound-wonderful/#When:16:50:03Z Radio is certainly one of the most effective means for presenting the Good News to the remotest and/or hostile corners of the Earth. Once broadcast, a Christian radio message can transform the most challenging area from forbidding to forgiven. Now, thanks to our research arm, the Media Research Institute (MRI), we can paint clearer statistical “pictures” of the people we seek to evangelize in our key target areas. Take our results from Niger, for instance. In 2008, the MRI conducted a major field study to evaluate the impact of Words of Hope’s broadcasting partnership with the Evangelical Church of the Republic of Niger (EERN). Preliminary research results indicate that radio is by far the most important means of mass communication. 94.6% of households have a radio. By contrast, just 58% have a television, and only 3.9% have a computer. Listening to radio is the favorite way for people to learn new information. And listeners prefer local FM stations more than any other kind of station. For Niger, radio is the best way to reach the most people. The Words of Hope programs are reaching a significant audience. 63.7% of respondents had heard the Hausa program, “New Life for All.” Of these, 73.5% thought the program was “good” or “excellent.” This is an encouraging result for a program that is still quite new (launched in 2006). About 30% had heard the Words of Hope French program. This lower percentage is not surprising, given that French is mainly spoken by highly educated people-the target audience for this program. Of those who have heard it, over 70% thought it was “good” or “excellent.” MRI’s Dr. Robert Fortner is returning to share the research findings with the broadcast team and EERN. Together, they will evaluate the programs and the work of the church, using this important “feedback” to reach more people more fruitfully. Radio is certainly one of the most effective means for presenting the Good News to the remotest and/or hostile corners of the Earth. 2009-10-16T16:50:03Z http://woh.org/post/in-nepal-salvation-is-in-the-air/ http://woh.org/post/in-nepal-salvation-is-in-the-air/#When:16:48:03Z On February 1, 2009, despite a deepening global recession, Words of Hope launched a new radio outreach to the Himalayan nation of Nepal. “Journey of the Cross” is an indigenously produced 30-minute broadcast in the Nepali language. The programs air twice each week via a network of FM stations based in Nepal’s capital city of Kathmandu. Bordered by India to its south and Tibet to its north, Nepal stretches 500 kilometers east to west and contains eight of the world’s ten highest mountains. With its rugged terrain and geographical isolation, Nepal was never controlled by colonial powers. Official corruption and subsistence poverty were factors in provoking a violent Maoist insurgency from 1996 until 2008. With the emergence last August of a Maoist-led coalition government, peace and stability have finally taken hold as democracy displaced Nepal’s corrupt monarchy. Christianity was officially prohibited until 1960. By 1990, Nepalese believers gained limited religious freedoms. Since then, the church in Nepal has ranked among the fastest-growing in the world. The number of believers has rapidly grown from 29 in 1959 to an estimated 500,000 today (out of a population of 27 million). Words of Hope’s newly launched Nepali broadcasts seek to strengthen young congregations through discipleship, leadership development, and evangelistic outreach. Please pray for these continued efforts! Despite a deepening global recession, Words of Hope launched a new radio outreach to the Himalayan nation of Nepal. 2009-10-16T16:48:03Z