[HCDX] Partner Launches Shortwave Station in Central African Republic

["Alokesh" <alokeshgupta@xxxxxxxxx>]

Partner Launches Shortwave Station in Central African Republic

Six years of planning and praying culminated on Thursday, March 1, as 
Integrated Community Development International (ICDI) in Boali, Central 
African Republic, officially began broadcasting the gospel via shortwave 
with help from HCJB Global Voice.
This is the country's first privately owned shortwave station, making 
Christian broadcasts available to most of the country's 3.5 million people.
"Our partner, Jim Hocking, and the staff of ICDI have prayed and worked to 
see this vision of nationwide Christian radio," said Curt Bender, manager of 
radio planting and development at the HCJB Global Technology Center in 
Elkhart, IN. He led a team that installed the equipment.
In a clear example of the voice and hands of Jesus at work, Bender shared, 
"This is a country that has been devastated by war and HIV/AIDS. The folks 
at ICDI plan to use the radio broadcasts to help disseminate community 
health information and to spread the gospel. The needs are immense, but this 
station is a significant step in helping a people who need so much."
The station, broadcasting at 6030 kHz, airs eight hours daily with 
programming in French and three African languages, Sango, Aka and Fulfuldé. 
"This low-power shortwave radio station will enable the staff at ICDI to 
deliver community health information and the gospel daily to remote villages 
inaccessible by vehicle," Bender added.
Bender, together with engineers Dan Anderson, Don Hastings and Jeremy 
Maller, installed the 1,000-watt shortwave transmitter at ICDI, a ministry 
founded by Hocking 3½ years ago.
Anderson said response to the new broadcasts was almost immediate. "Within 
hours of going on the air the station received cell phone calls from 10 
towns across the country even though no formal announcement had been made. 
Reports came from as far away as 300 miles! Pray that many will come to 
trust Christ and that the churches in the country will be built up through 
the ministry of this station. We thank God for the privilege of having a 
part in starting this ministry."
A week earlier (Thursday, Feb. 22), the mayor of Boali spoke during a 
"commissioning ceremony" to thank all the people who helped make the station 
a reality. "Her comments were aired to the nation over the radio during an 
initial one-hour test broadcast," Bender said.
The TB1000 shortwave transmitter, while portable and compact like a FM 
transmitter, "can send the signal much farther than FM transmitters." The 
antenna, designed at the technology center by Hastings and Maller, covers an 
area almost the size of a football field when fully assembled.
The team also set up two satellite dishes for access to the Internet. This 
allows ICDI and other mission organizations in the country to have "reliable 
e-mail and Internet access," Bender explained.
Hocking first got involved with HCJB Global Voice six years ago when he was 
with Grace Brethren International Missions. At that time engineers helped 
the mission set up an FM station in the capital city of Bangui.
"I felt like we needed broadcasts that would reach further," said Hocking. 
It was a year after founding ICDI that he began serious discussions with 
HCJB Global Voice regarding a shortwave station to complement the ministry's 
community development work.
ICDI has been involved in various community health projects across Central 
African Republic such as well-drilling to provide drinking water in remote 
villages, orphan care and micro-enterprise development.
"The radio station is as an effective way to disseminate community health 
information and spread the gospel," Hocking explained. "Poor roads make 
traveling to many villages difficult or dangerous. For these reasons, radio 
has become the logical tool to reach the inaccessible people of the 
 country."
He expressed his appreciation to the staff at the HCJB Global Technology 
Center on Monday, March 5. "There would not be a shortwave station on the 
air today in the Central African Republic if not for the help of HCJB 
Global," Hocking said. "We are already having fantastic results with people 
calling from across the country."

Source: HCJB Global

-----------------------------------------
Alokesh Gupta
New Delhi

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