Volume 5 | Number 3
WAVELENGTH
Summer 2016 | woh.org
In This Issue: • Freedom in Christ • Words of Hope for Fishermen • Daily Devotional in Albania • Reaching Kosovo
WORDS
HOPE OF
Good News. No Boundaries.
A WORD FROM THE PRESIDENT Sometimes I am asked how Words of Hope decides to begin a new ministry. There’s not one simple answer to that question, but here’s a story that may give you a sense of how it can happen. Around the year 1988, a group of Words of Hope friends and supporters, led by Dr. Bill Brownson, traveled to Europe to visit ministry partners there. While driving through southern Yugoslavia, they approached the heavily guarded border of Albania, and stopped to look into that country from a safe distance. At the time Albania was the world’s only officially atheistic country, meaning it allowed no public places of worship of any kind—not a single church, mosque, synagogue, or temple. The Words of Hope group prayed that God would provide a way for us to share the gospel in Albania. A few years later God led us to an Albanian refugee in the Netherlands named Andrew Opari, who began to translate Words of Hope messages to be broadcast into Albania from outside the country. Then, with the fall of communism in the early 1990’s, Words of Hope was able to move our ministry base into Albania itself. We found able, committed Christian leaders there with whom to partner: Pastor Albert Dosti, Leda Kumaraku and Radio 7, our own ministry director Erion Prendi. And the ministry there has flourished. So how does it happen? Well, you begin with prayer. You have some committed supporters. Then you meet some like-minded people from the field. Then you go to work. But really, it’s the Lord’s doing all along.
WAVELENGTH Volume 5 | Number 3 WAVELENGTH is published quarterly by Words of Hope to raise awareness of the work being done around the world by our ministry partners.
Written by Megan Nollet. Designed by Claudia Elzinga. All photos are by staff and volunteers of Words of Hope unless otherwise noted. Cover Photo: Madzia71. Copyright 2016 by Words of Hope. Words of Hope 700 Ball Ave NE Grand Rapids, MI 49503 1-616-459-6181 www.woh.org facebook.com/wordsofhope
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I feel so encouraged and happy to listen to the programs on the radio, and listening to Words of Hope programs has been a great blessing for me. Through this program, God's Word speaks life to me.
Lulëzim
Albanian listener
NEWS BRIEFS
SOUTH ASIA T UR K MENI STAN
TAJI K I STAN
RUSSI A
AFGH ANI STAN
CH I NA
PAK I STAN I R AN
NEPAL BH UTAN
BANGL AD ESH
Gulf of Oman
I NDI A
MYANMAR
Bay of
Arabian
Bengal
Sea
Radio Station Expansion in Nepal
New Languages in South Asia
Words of Hope’s Nepali language program, “The Way of the Cross,” is now being aired on 30 stations across the country. This marks a large expansion from our previous eight stations. Now, Nepalis living across the border in India report that even they can hear the programs. The church is growing rapidly in Nepal, but there are few educated pastors to shepherd the churches that are planted, so Words of Hope programs provide supplemental training and teaching for lay leaders. Director Arbin Pokharel explains, “the people who appreciate our message the most are leaders in churches who are learning how to read the Bible, how to preach, how to interpret the Bible, and how to be relevant in our cultural context.9 We want to say thank you to Words of Hope for their support in helping us go wider with our message of the gospel. We hope to see minds formed as well as hearts changed through our message.”
We are excited to announce Words of Hope’s expansion into six new languages in South Asia. This includes three additional languages in SR I L ANK A India, one in Bhutan, one in Bangladesh, and one in Pakistan. The Indian languages are Saraji, Odiya, and Ladakhi. Saraji programs have already been under production for a year, and are currently Indian Ocean available through online streaming, CDs, and flash drives. Our producer is a convert from a Hindu family, and is the only Christian 500 Km in his village. 500 Mi. There are no churches in this people group, so the recorded programs are greatly needed. Serchokpa programs will soon be produced in Bhutan. Space has been rented for a studio, and construction of the studio itself is currently underway. We have also hired a producer and a coordinator in order to begin producing programs for this largely unreached people group, where planting churches and preaching the gospel is illegal. Garo language broadcasts in Bangladesh and Urdu language broadcasts in Pakistan will also begin this year. Please pray with us as that these new broadcasts will bring many to saving faith in Jesus Christ.
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Andaman Sea
Lee DeYoung Elected Vice President of RCA General Synod Synod delegates have elected Words of Hope’s Lee DeYoung to serve as the vice president for General Synod in 2016–17. He is in line to become president the following year. In his acceptance speech, Lee said, “I am humbled, truly humbled. I’m not worthy of this opportunity, this challenge. I covet your prayers.” Lee also took the opportunity to remind the many gathered delegates about the importance of Words of Hope’s international media ministry and partnership with the Reformed Church in America. He urged churches to remember believers serving the Lord in hard places around the world, where many still face persecution for their faith. Lee closed by saying, “We have so many blessings in this denomination. We have history; we have resources. God will continue to bless us if we truly call upon him. I humbly bow before God [in taking on the role of the presidency] and believe if we are truly grounded in him, his Spirit will be with us.”
Lee DeYoung, Vice President for International Ministry at Words of Hope.
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Empowered by Christian testimonies aired on the radio, one Albanian woman gains the courage to break free from a system of abuse. USED TO SUFFERING Rona grew up in a violent home. Domestic abuse is a pervasive problem in Albania, with nearly 60% of women having experienced at least one instance of familial abuse in their lifetime. From a young age, Rona believed that her only chance for escape and happiness was to marry and get away from her family. She married early, full of hopes for a brighter future. Sadly, however, Rona’s husband proved to be abusive as well. Several years into their marriage, Rona’s husband converted to Islam, a belief system in which he quickly grew more and more fanatic. He became a local Muslim leader, and abandoned Rona and their son for another woman. Helpless and alone, Rona carried her son back to her parents’ home. There
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they were harassed by her mentally ill older brother, who also lived there. Every day, he beat Rona, threatened her, and demeaned her and her son.
from Albanian Christians. Words of Hope has worked to produce 365 of these Albanian listener testimonies for a radio program called “My Truth.”
STUCK
POWERFUL STORIES
In these moments, Rona says, she felt utterly alone. She was in pain, both physical and emotional. She couldn’t understand why everyone beat her, and she sheltered her son in a constant state of fear.
Leda Kumaraku, the founder of Words of Hope’s partner radio station in Albania, explains why these listener testimonies are so important for the country today.
In the quiet of their little room, Rona comforted herself by listening to the radio. The voices on the radio did not yell at her, and they often lulled her son to sleep. It was during this time that Rona first discovered Words of Hope radio programs on Albania’s Radio 7. The programs she was most drawn to were simple, first-person testimonies
Due to the harsh rules of an atheistic communist government, “there was not a Christian presence in Albania until the 1990s,” she shares. Now, “Christianity is considered an imported religion. We want to show through these programs that this is the faith of Albanians, and it is our choice, to live for God this way.” Leda continues: “This is not just the faith of Americans who came and told us what we should believe. Albanians
number for contacting the station, and called to ask for prayers and advice. She told her story to our Albanian partners, and they urged her to move with her son to a place of safety. are a people who have experienced the Word of God, and the power and change of the Holy Spirit in their lives.” Rona now experienced that power and change within herself. “Each radio story I listened to gave me strength for a new day,” she says. Because of her abusive situation, she had often thought about committing suicide. She simply didn’t want to live anymore. She had her son to take care of, however, and she resolved to stay strong to protect him. As she continued listening to the radio programs, she was amazed to learn about the many ways that God had taken care of his people, even in present day Albania. She heard other women like herself testify about how God had rescued them and given them new life. She saw how Christians, even in the midst of difficult life situations, were able to have hope in the saving power of Jesus Christ, not just for the life to come, but even during their current troubles.
A WAY OUT Because of what she had heard on the radio, Rona decided to give her life to Jesus, and every day she grew a little bit stronger. As her faith deepened, she felt herself growing physically stronger as well, and emotionally more independent from her family. One day, she looked up the radio station on Facebook. She found a phone
With the encouragement of producers at the radio station, Rona and her son traveled on their own to the capital city of Albania, where the main Radio 7 offices are located. Rona trusted that God would be able to take care of her there if she took this step of faith, just as he had taken care of the women whose stories she had heard on the Words of Hope programs. In the capital city, Rona was able to find a job in order to support herself and her son. Radio 7 connected her with the Christian counseling branch of the ministry, and she is beginning to experience spiritual healing after her many years of abuse. If not for the gift of radio provided by Words of Hope supporters, Leda explains, “this precious woman would have never been found in her lonely place full of fear. She would never have been encouraged that people like her found hope in the Lord. But now she has seen how God works in people’s lives, and that drew her to the Lord. It’s a joy when I think of her.”
"Each radio story
gave me strength
I listened to
for a new
day."
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Words of Hope for Fishermen Niko is a fisherman from a small town in northern Albania. He is married, and has five little children who depend on him. In order to provide for his family, Niko must go out fishing in a little boat every night. He often grows tired and depressed. Fishing in cramped conditions for hours at a time can be hard and boring work. We met Niko one day while visiting the region to distribute promotional materials about our Christian radio programs. Niko was interested when he heard that the radio station was called “The Positive Voice of the City.” “How can anyone be positive in this economy, when everyone wants to leave this country and immigrate?” he asked. We explained more about the programs, and left Niko with a solar-powered fix-tuned radio. This radio is set to play only the Christian programs aired by our partner radio station, Radio 7. We challenged Niko to listen, saying: “You spend all night out in the dark, and you need something to keep you awake. Listen to the radio. Very soon you will learn that our
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slogan, ‘The Positive Voice of the City,’ is true.” Niko promised that he would listen to some programs, and then call the station to to let us know his opinion. Three days later, Niko called and asked for more solar radios so that he could give one to his wife and other relatives. Niko had been listening to the programs himself while out on the lake at night, waiting for his nets to fill with fish. The programs provided an opportunity for him to discuss the topics he was hearing about with other fishermen. After only a few more days of listening, Niko opened his heart to the Lord Jesus. He asked for additional radios, so that he could distribute them as gifts to the rest of the fishermen. Niko stays in touch with our Albanian partners, calling almost daily to ask follow-up questions from the programs he has recently heard. “Please pray for a new church to begin in this area,” urge our radio station partners. “The radio programs are preparing the hearts of the people. They need hope.”
Photo credit: Yarygin
Daily Devotional in Albania Many Words of Hope supporters are familiar with the Words of Hope Daily Devotional. The pocket-sized booklet has become a family Bible study staple in many Christian homes. In the country of Albania, however, no such daily devotional resource even existed until recently. That’s because under communist rule, Albania was declared an atheistic state, and religion became illegal.
Now, the Words of Hope Daily Devotional in Albanian is reaching even further. A mobile app has been developed in response to the growing number of smartphone users in Albania. This app allows us to reach many previously unreached individuals inside the country. It is also expanding our availability for Albanians living in many different parts of the world. The app provides users with a daily Bible verse, a daily devotional, a Bible reading plan for the year, and the complete Albanian Bible. It also provides an avenue for direct interaction with Words of Hope’s partners in Albania. People often send prayer requests or ask clarifying questions regarding the biblical truths they are learning.
Today, Words of Hope is able to send devotionals to Albania, where they are translated, repackaged, and printed for distribution. The Words of Hope Daily Devotional, or Fjalët e Shpresës, is the only devotional booklet that is currently available in the Albanian language. The devotionals have proved very popular, and we often receive more requests for them from Albanian churches than we can supply.
Most recently, Albanians are even beginning to share devotions from the app on other social platforms like Facebook and Twitter. And popularity seems to be spreading. To date, 3500 Albanians have downloaded the app. Pray with us that even more people will be reached!
One reader wrote in to say: “At our church, we are truly blessed to receive the daily devotional booklet from Words of Hope. We thank God that he has provided for the publishing and distribution of these materials, which help us to walk with and know the Lord.” The production of this important resource is possible because of the generous donor support that is helping Christians in Albania to grow in the faith. While North American households are often very familiar with the tradition of family devotions, Albanians are only just beginning the process of incorporating Scripture into family routines.
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Reaching Kosovo Words of Hope is also involved in radio ministry outreach in Albania’s neighboring country of Kosovo. Kosovo is a very hard place to do ministry, and despite its proximity to Albania, the struggles there are very different.
For this reason, radio outreach in Kosovo requires a different strategy. Some of our most popular programs in the country are general interest stories for people learning to speak English. Many of these programs are about current events, health, or history, but some of the programs tell stories from the Bible as well. As people begin listening to these programs, we find they also stay to listen to more explicitly Christian content and music. Over time, they even begin to think differently about Christianity.
Producing a program at Radio 7 - Kosovo. Kosovo is a partially recognized state lying to the north of Albania. It declared its independence from the country of Serbia in 2008, but has yet to be fully recognized as its own country. Serbia still claims Kosovo as a province, even though all other neighboring countries honor Kosovo’s independence. The population of Kosovo is 88% Albanian, with as little as 7% Serbian. Most Albanians in the region identify as Muslim, while most Serbs adhere to Christianity. Because of the long years of fighting and hatred that have existed between Albanians and Serbs, Albanians living in Kosovo are far less open to hearing the gospel of Christ, which they view as a Serb religion.
BUILDING THE CHURCH Words of Hope Albania is working to publish a book of 15-minute sermons. These sermons will be based on our radio teaching programs, and they are inductive in nature. Inductive Bible study focuses directly on Bible passages. The passages are read and understood in context, and then applied to daily life. Most preaching and teaching in Albania today is topical, beginning with a question such as, “What does the Bible say about money?” Passages are then drawn from throughout the
The majority of Kosovars will never enter a church. Few churches even exist in the country, and fear and prejudice keep many away. “We simply want to make Christ available to them,” explains the radio station owner. “Many won’t enter a church because they think it might be a cursed place, so we want to bring them church through this ministry. We just want to show them who Jesus is.” Over the past three years we have also been working to develop strong relationships with the small local churches in Kosovo. These contacts are important for follow-up and outreach. The number of believers in Kosovo is still small, but since the radio broadcasts have begun, people are becoming more open to hearing the good news.
KOSOVO
ALBANIA
Bible to provide answers to the question. While important, topical studies are more likely to pull verses out of their Biblical context to serve the topic at hand. Inductive Bible study provides a more reliably Scripture-based approach, and we are excited to resource Albanian churches and fellowship groups with this these sermons. In many areas of Albania, no church building or official meeting place exists. Believers simply gather together in homes to encourage one another. Sometimes as few as two or three come together from a village. Words of Hope’s book of sermons will provide these small Christian groups with solid theology in easy to understand terms, so that young and old believers alike can benefit from the teaching.