One Million Households!

There are times when we work, work and work some more and see very little fruit. There are other times when things seem to be busting out all over! Well, after a long time of really wondering, things are suddenly going nuts with our Arabic multi-media ministry.

I was just recently in Europe and had the chance to hear first-hand what is happening in North Africa and the Middle East. We have been working diligently for many years in broadcast ministry, constantly evaluating, tweaking and researching. Just a couple of years ago, we wondered if it was really worth all the work.

Well now we know! We have new, unbiased figures from a secular media research firm that shows over one million households are tuning in to HCJB Global programming every week in this part of the world! That's mind-blowing, just amazing. Imagine a household - grandparents, children, Moms, Dads. Praise God with us that God is using our ministry in a small way to help impact these households in the Arab world.

In awe of how God is working ...Curt

Check out this link for more info:
http://www.hcjb.org/news/announcements/programs_touch_hearts_reaching_north_africa/middle_east.html

Cole Currents Summer 2008 Update

We received a note recently, congratulating us on our 16th anniversary with HCJB Global. It’s hard to believe that 16 years ago we packed a U-Haul trailer and our Mercury Marquis (Big Blue!) and headed south from Michigan to
south Texas for Spanish language school. A year later, in 1993, we were in Ecuador!

We’ve changed since this picture, our first prayer card from 1991. Karen and I are just a wee bit older (and sometimes we feel it!), but our excitement for missionary service hasn’t waned. In fact, we’re looking to a future that centers on global partnerships that help local believers use the tools of health care and media in their own ministries.

Of course, our kids have changed too. Bryan and Brandon will be college juniors this fall and Carissa is a 2nd grade school teacher in Denver. Bryan and Carissa are serving cross-culturally this summer. Bryan is in Quito as a team leader with Youth World and Carissa is in Sierra Leone, West Africa, mentoring teachers there still struggling after years of civil war. Brandon is even a missionary in his summer job, as many of the restaurant staff where he works are Latinos and Brandon is one of the few who speaks Spanish! He will also shadow a doctor as part of his studies in July.

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Seasons of Radio Planting

Welcome to our blog!

Yes, it's official. The Coles now have a blog and we're calling it "Cole Currents." We want to use this to keep you up to date on us, and let you know what is going on in our world.

As missionaries with HCJB Global, we deeply desire to make our lives of service to Christ. At present that means a commitment to partnership with our brothers and sisters around the world, helping them do ministry in their local context.

Thanks for checking out our blog. Let us know what you think.

Cole Courier Winter 2008

It’s always fascinating to me to see how people celebrate local holidays in different parts of the world. While in India this November, I happened to be there during the annual Duwali festival, which is the festival of lights. There are colorful lights everywhere, booming fireworks all night long, and it is really loud! This is also a time of gift giving and good will in Indian culture.
It was exciting for me to see the gifts that God has given our ministry in India as well. We have Indian staff near Delhi doing an outstanding job of partnering with groups around northern India. I even got to help dedicate a new radio production studio. Much of that work focuses on radio programs in different Indian languages, and also includes the installation of small radio studios in different parts of the country.

Check out the India pictures Curt took here on our blog!