Exciting days in South Africa

I am spending my last few hours in Africa at the Johannesburg airport before the long trip home later tonight. I was just in the first Africa by Radio Continental Convention has been an amazing time.

I am reenergized for the future media ministry in Africa and have seen again how important and strategic radio remains on this continent. I heard many stories about churches being planted by radio in very difficult places and how radio is being used for reconciliation in many war torn countries. The director of our partner station in the capital of Sierra Leone, Free Town, told how the radio station was strategic during the “truth in reconciliation” process after the brutal civil war there. He told me about a phone call one evening in which a woman called the station to ask for prayer because she desperately wanted to forgive the child soldiers who had killed her parents. As she was sharing this live on-air, another call came in. The caller said he was one of the young men that had attacked the woman’s village and may have even been one of her parent’s killers! Then he asked her for forgiveness, and although it was very emotional, she was able to grant him forgiveness.

God is at work here and there are many, many opportunities for new local radio stations. Within the next year, we plan to help with at least 5 new stations in Ghana alone, as well as develop primary health care in some of those stations. Please continue to pray for Karen and me as we support our team, which is based in Accra, Ghana.

While I was gone, Karen was able to spend 10 days with her parents in Florida. She was able to care for her father, who continues to get weaker from Parkinson’s disease. Her time there was a huge encouragement to her parents.

Thanks again for your prayers for us.

Curt

P.S. South Africa is getting all spruced up for the World Cup (soccer) next summer. The airport in Johannesburg is beautiful and new soccer venues are being built or expanded. It’s the first time the World Cup has ever been in Africa. And next fall the Lausanne World Conference on Evangelism is in Cape Town, so people here are very excited. Check out this phenomenal picture of Cape Town with the new soccer stadium lower left.

Curt & Karen on the move ...

Curt leaves on Monday afternoon for 2 weeks in Africa. He will be in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Nairobi. He is looking forward to participating in the first “Africa by Radio” Convention, especially because so many of our media partners will be there. Curt is also excited to be teaching a managerial course on Nehemiah’s Project Management.

During this time Karen will be in Florida to take care of her father, Dr. John Slater, who is battling Parkinson’s disease. Please pray for strength for Karen.

Pray also for a partner station in Guinea, W. Africa called Radio Familia. They are apparently seen with much favor by the government, including the new President, and they have been granted a low power short wave radio broadcast license. They plan to target the unreached Fula-Jalon people group, which is 99.9% Muslim, and has been very resistant to evangelical witness. Of the total approximately 10 million population of Guinea, about 4 million are Fula-Jalon. Obviously a very strategic people group and project!

The target date now is to be on air next Spring or Summer 2010. Guinea is one of the least reached countries overall in W. Africa and this project now becomes a very high priority for HCJB Global. May God continue to open doors, and may the government continue to help in the process. Ultimately, may God’s name be proclaimed to the Fula-Jalon because of this radio effort.

Grateful for your prayers,

Curt & Karen