Special Projects:

 

 

Christ to Francophone Africa ... by Radio

 

 

At the time Stanley greeted David Livingstone with those words of understatement, ‘Dr Livingstone, I presume’, Africa was painstakingly evangelized by men on foot.

 

Since those pioneering days radio evolved to become a highly effective and reliable medium of taking the Gospel to the four corners of the earth.

 

F.E.B.A. Radio’s motto ‘Broadcasting Hope’ is indicative of our mandate to speak God’s life-giving Word into countless lives through our radio broadcasts to Africa in the French language medium.

 

Francophone Africa: Desperate for Hope

 

‘God has given me a burden for these people living in countries that have gone through devastating periods of war. Experiencing such atrocities has made people aware of their need for redemption love of God. They are often open to the the programmes we produce cover critical such as ‘Where to find Life’, says our French co-ordinator, Dr Emmanuel Tshilenga, who, together with his wife Elizabeth sit down to record their weekly evangelical radio programmes. Realizing the critical need for good leadership models, Dr Tshilenga also developed an ongoing series of programmes designed to equip emerging leaders and so establish sound, Biblebased leadership models for Africa. So influential and inspirational are these programmes that a number of government ministers from various countries in Francophone Africa tune in to listen; eagerly recording the programmes on cassette for later use.

 

 

Why Radio? Do people still listen to radio?

 

In Africa radio continues to be the chosen medium for mass communication. It is traditional for villagers to gather around the fire every night and listen to wise old people. F.E.B.A. Radio uses this same approach through listeners’ clubs in getting people to listen to the wisdom of God through radio. From the DRC a listener writes:

 

“I am so grateful for the teaching which you give in your programme, it is such a blessing to me. We have nobody to teach us God’s Word…”

 

Picture F Veldman

 

 

 

Life saving radio: Rescuing abuse victims

 

Despite being very ‘westernized’ in most aspects, there persists an old tradition within certain African people-groups which involves ‘giving a girl-child’ in forced marriage to appease the ‘avenging spirit’ of a murder victim. When Merriam was eight years old, she was beaten, raped and forced to marry a man more than three times her age. She became a mother at nine and at ten she tried to commit suicide.

 

Challenged by the very real and desperate need to address family matters, woman’s issues and child sexual abuse victims, Elizabeth Tshilenga started airing a new program entitled La femme et la vie’ (Woman and Life) aimed specifically at sharing God’s love with women in search of healing and hope. Elizabeth answers every listeners’ letter personally with further advice and counseling.

 

 

Combining radio with Church Planting

 

Not relying on his broadcasts alone, Dr Tshilenga makes good use of his passion for the Church to train church planters, the leaders of the community. His successful combination of church planting and radio work led to the establishment of highly effective listeners’ clubs in villages throughout Francophone Central and West Africa.

 

Photo: Dr Tshilenga with his radio club co-ordinator in Kinshasa, D.R.C.

Picture F Veldman

 

 

Applied Christianity: ‘Let me tell you a story’

 

People who cannot read or write find it simplest to learn through stories. So F.E.B.A. is using biblical storytelling to reach many of Africa’s non-literate majority. Programmes include evangelism, discipleship, leadership and marriage enrichment. Dramatised Bible stories relating to those topics are used to great effect, as is evident from this recent example, shared by Dr. Tshilenga:

 

 

Dr Emmanuel & Mrs Elizabeth Tshilenga, producers of F.E.B.A. Radio’s weekly Christian radio programmes for Francophone Africa.

Picture F Veldman

‘We praise God for a letter received from a woman in Chad who tragically lost her only son and was so stricken by her loss that she lost all hope in God and refused to pray. A caring friend invited her to listen to F.E.B.A. Radio’s programmes which on that particular day aired the dramatized Bible story of how God made a way for Ruth to overcome her loss and face the future with Hope.’ The listener writes: ‘...thank you F.E.B.A. Radio, my heart was so broken and my faith in God shattered but your programme really lifted me up and showed me that God will make a way for me to go on. God bless you!’

 

 

F.E.B.A. enables you to reach Francophone Africa … by radio

 

We are lighting the way for many people who otherwise would not meet Jesus Christ.

We long to see much more achieved.

We want to see an end to the child abuse that still goes on and

we are convinced that your prayers can and will make a difference.

So, we invite you to pray as the Spirit leads you and

contribute to the work of F.E.B.A. in Africa,

as we work together to bring Jesus Christ to Africa by radio.

 

 

F.E.B.A. Radio South Africa

is a non-profit Company, registered under

Section 21 of the Companies Act

 

Registration Number 97/05938/08 

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