Pastor Jose Alderete and Pastor Yunes had been soul winning in the slums of Tres Marías, Famaillâ, Argentina, for several weeks. The utter hopelessness of this barrio (rife with delinquency, drugs, and alcohol) was shocking, but nothing rocked the embattled neighborhood to its core like the string of youth suicides and traffic deaths that occurred in a three-week span. SUDDEN DEATH seemed to lurk in every house.
Jose was devastated. After viewing the fresh graves of so many teens, he left the cemetery in tears. At the gate, he cried out in tears: God, it is impossible to contact so many people in one neighborhood! Before I reach the next block to testify, someone has already died! What can I do?
At that precise moment, Jose heard one word in his mind—RADIO! He was flabbergasted! God, how do I do this if I have no means and no knowledge? It is impossible!
Nevertheless, at God’s direction, Jose approached his church. They balked in disbelief. His poor congregation had no money. They knew this dream was utterly ridiculous.
Still, Jose persisted. When he heard that a station in a neighboring town was for sale, he approached the owner. “How much money do you have?” the owner questioned.
“We do not have any money,” Jose replied, “but I have been praying for a radio station where I can preach the Word of God. I will give you a small down payment and pay the rest in monthly installments.”
“You are crazy!” the man mocked. “Do you know how many people want to buy this equipment from me?”
“You will not be able to sell this equipment to anyone else if God intends it for us,” Jose answered. “Here is my phone number; call me.”
Jose began to pray. Twenty days later, the station owner called in tears. He asked for prayer because his marriage was falling apart. Then he said, “The radio equipment is yours! God wants it to be like this!”
When Jose arrived at the church with the equipment, his members were speechless! IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE—but God . . .!
For 15 years, Jose has faithfully proclaimed the Gospel at his church and over radio station Vida 100.5 FM without pay. Most of his church members were reached through the radio station. Because of the recent economic crisis in Argentina, many church members have lost their jobs. The women in the church have been selling empanadas in the market to pay the church’s bills. The radio station has been dark (turned off) for lack of electricity. CRI’s Spanish network, La Luz Latina, has recently added Vida FM (Famaillâ, Argentina) to our growing network.
We Need Your Help! New equipment will expand the coverage area of Vida FM 20 times, from 25,000 people to 500,000 people. The equipment will cost $10,000, and the monthly station expense will be $1,000. Please consider a monthly gift or a one-time donation to help support this station. Write checks payable to Christian Radio International, and designate your gift to Vida FM.
BURUNDI, Bujumbura
Missionary Gregg Schoof
“We finally have the official document to operate a radio station in the former capital, Bujumbura, which is a city of one million people. Pastor Rama, a faithful man of God who has assisted me for the last 12 years, will oversee the station. I immediately need $8,000 for the tower, which I will personally erect piece by piece. Then I will build a studio and install the equipment ($50,000). The radio station must be on the air by December, or we will lose the license. Please help me with this historic project. Please send your gifts to Christian Radio International, and designate your gift to Burundi.
SIERRA LEONE, Mayomba Junction
Missionary Aaron McCullough
“We have been granted the first FM Christian radio-station license for Sierra Leone’s second-largest city of 1.25 million. Eight acres have been purchased, and a 40-foot by 70-foot Quonset hut, which will house the church, radio station, and a future airplane hangar, has been shipped. A team of men from the U.S. will construct the foundation in October 2023 ($10,000 needed). Five more tower sites have been strategically planned to allow future repeaters to cover the rest of this remote country and also provide significant coverage for the neighboring countries of Burkina Faso and Guinea. National Pastor Nestor Vomboi, who speaks five languages and has started five churches in Sierra Leone, will oversee the station, which will broadcast in three languages—Mende, Krio, and English.”
IRAQ, Baghdad
Iraqi Network Grows to Five Stations
After many months of struggling and two governmental leadership changes, the final papers to erect a tower in Al Hillah, which is ancient Babylon, are official signed! We will soon be broadcasting to 5 million people in the two holiest cities for the Shiite Muslim religion, Al Najaf and Kerbala, and to 14 million yearly visitors.
KURDISTAN, Irbil
CRI has installed a transmitter in Irbil, the capital of Kurdistan, and has begun broadcasting in Arabic to the Kurds of Northeast Iraq. In time, we will expand to include programs in Kurdish.
George Zarris
Christian Radio International
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- Missionary Aaron McCullough and Pastor Nestor Vomboi have obtained the first Christian FM radio station license for the second-largest city in Sierra Leone.
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- Pastor Rama and Missionary Gregg Schoof have obtained the proper licenses to build a radio station in Burundi.
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- Ishtaar Gate in Ancient Babylon
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- Pastor Jose Alderete broadcasting for Vida 100.5 FM in Famailla, Argentina