AS SURE AS THE SUN RISES...SO IS HIS FAITHFULNESS....

BY BEVERLY OTANGA, AUDIENCE RELATIONS OFFICER, TRANS WORLD RADIO - KENYA

For the Audience Relations Department at Trans World Radio-Kenya, 2007 has been a very fruitful year.

The Lord has proved Himself to be God to us. We have received many letters, e-mails, letters, short message texts and phone calls from our listeners. This is a sign of the impact of the word that is preached in our programmes to the outside world.

We have gone through challenges that we were able to sail through. Newly married couples would come to us, discouraged about their marriages and wanted to come out of them One thing we have realized is that most of the Christian marriages are in problems but we always encourage them to pray. Marriage is God-ordained and not just a simple relationship between a husband and a wife.

This year also saw God provide another computer that has made our work easy.

As a department, I have learnt that God is faithful and true to His word. I have prayed for issues that God has answered and challenges that God has overcome. He is a God who will never leave us or forsake us. Despite the challenges, He has proved Himself to be faithful.

THIS FM JOURNEY...

This was supposed to be almost straight forward....put up a station in Voi and start broadcasting. Easy? Not quite. We have indeed faced challenges as we try to put up our station in Voi. But God is giving us grace for the journey. I guess the Lord allows that which you can take in.

So my request is that you continue to pray for this Fm project and especially the finances part. It is so important to continue to reach people with the gospel of Christ. If you can't go to the field to reach those that are lost, then send those that can through funding the processes. In the end, you too will have gone there and a soul will have been saved.

BREATH OF LIFE...pumzi ya maisha...

BY PAMELA OMWODO,

SIFA FM MANAGER

There have been radio stations in Taita; both local and national, but there has never been a station specifically targeting residents socially, economically, and spiritually in a more direct way than SIFA FM.

Cutting across tribal lines, cultures, economic status and religion SIFA FM is designed to air relevant quality programs that are wholesome to the people of Taita to bring all round development and drawing the listener closer to God hence it being a breath of life.

Pastors, evangelist, and people working in the vineyard of God are eagerly waiting to listen and utilize SIFA FM not only to propagate the gospel but also to partner in the ministry.

So far, God has done so much to the FM and has laid the foundation for it. This can be evidenced through the enthusiasm of the people of Taita who are constantly making follow-up calls and enquire when it will be on air. God has made the ground ready for sowing.

Pastors and other ministers on the other hand have been organizing meetings and calling for a informative talk from SIFA FM team to be updated on the stations programs and the how they can partner with the station in the spreading of the gospel of Christ. The response and anxiety is overwhelming thus verifying the hand of God in ministry through this radio.

The challenges are as great as the impact that SIFA FM is going to have to the lives of the people of Taita. When God’s ministry is expanding, satan also works tirelessly to see to it that His (God’s) mission fails, that is why the setting and starting up of the SIFA FM has not been a smooth sailing but full of huge tides.

From the technical to the production no department has been spared of a shaking of discouragement. So many are the challenges that try to weigh us down but we have not let them put us down because we have a God who is with us, strengthen and encourages us in mysterious ways.

We all have to fight through our challenges because they have to shape us and help us to even trust God more. I count myself favored to work in this ministry and this is why I know that the passion I have for God must reflect in the way I relay the life giving breath to the people of Taita through 107.7 SIFA FM.

The work is great but He who knows how to reward more than earthly parents has greater rewards for those who work diligently and dedication for Him. We have to fight our obstacles to be victorious for Christ.

In 107.7 SIFA FM, Taita people shall receive the TRUTH and the truth shall set them free.

A JOURNEY OF A THOUSAND MILES BEGINS WITH ONE STEP...

AN INTERVIEW WITH DAVID ANG'ANG'O, PROGRAMME MANAGER,

TRANS WORLD RADIO -KENYA

BY BRIDGID AMBOGA

1) Trans World Radio-Kenya has always been on short-wave. How do you intend to cope with the changes from short-wave to live air transmission?

One thing you have to realize is that broadcasting anywhere is always the same. What you do is that you talk to the microphone and your recordings are put into a CD or get on air. The main challenge is that as short- wave, we have been doing very little work. All the work we compile for a whole day is about 3-5 hrs. Now we are faced with 24 hours and what to put in all these hours.

2) Why was Voi location chosen instead of Nairobi for the FM station?

You have to first get a license from the CCK. Now frequencies range from 80.1-110.0. Getting a frequency here in Kenya has not been easy. This is because all the frequencies have been taken. We were also given options for Nakuru, Thika and some towns but they were all taken. Now we were told that Voi, Lodwar, Garissa, Marsabit and Lamu were not yet taken. These are the outskirts of Nairobi and since Nairobi has a lot of competition and we are spreading the gospel, the locations seem perfect.

3) With bad roads to and from Voi, impassable routes to Vuria Hill, and tight deadlines, which have to be met, how have you been able to face up these challenges?

Setting up an FM is a big undertaking. When you begin, then you realize that you need to work with several people: CCK, Kenya Aviation Authority, Municipal Council of Wundanyi, Municipal Council of Voi and many partners.. We also needed Rigging and Programming. All these has taken us time and money but though it has been a busy time, there is nothing unusual about it. One has to be mentally prepared and deadlines can be a problem .

4) How have you been able to balance your original work as a Programming Manager and the FM’s work?

There are two kinds of work going on. The Normal work that’s is the short wave, KBC, Radio Uganda, BHB productions, etc. The other work involves the FM now. It has not been hard for us in the normal production. All we are doping now is to wait to be asked to prepare special productions for the FM. So far, it’s been easy because all we are asked is on archive CDs, already pre-recorded.

5) What are some of the lessons that you have been able to learn during the preparation of the FM station?

I have seen with my eyes that broadcasting demands sacrifice. You have to be ready to work with an undivided heart. Since it is gospel work, you encourage yourself and say that its preaching work. For example, I can sit down and draw up a plan to bless people with music. Music has a way of blessing people. You may think that the music you are playing is not doing anything but if you hear someone humming it, know that you are reaching out to people. Once I had a programme made in TWR. I had gone to the municipal Market in Nakuru town. Music was playing. Now, there was a drunk man who was singing it. Imagine someone drunk singing to music you had played on air. Some years ago, I was working on a children’s programme. A child came to my house, a std. 6 girl. She sent someone to ask if TWR was the one making the children’s program. She wanted to write to the program. I did not let them know that I was dealing directly with the program. Those are some of the things that I will not forget.

6) What are the future plans of TWR Voi FM?

Ours is to sit and wait and see what can be availed. If we are asked for something, we will readily give it. We are looking forward into this.

7) Any final comments?

The FM station is a very big step for us. We always supply other stations with programmes. What will make it hard for us to do our own programmes? This is indeed a new opportunity. I believe in starting small. This will later head to bigger opportunities and openings.

EBENEZER...this far the Lord has brought us

By Alfred Toboso - Finance and Administration Manager, Trans World Radio -Kenya

Since the conception of the idea of starting an Fm station, we have seen the hand of God working in very many mysterious ways; from obtaining the license up to where we have reached, it is all the work of the Lord.

We have also continued to see God work when we depended on Him. We have a shortage of funds and the expiry date of the license was creeping up on us. But God has continued to intervene. For instance, He provided a partner who allowed us to use their studios for free during our broadcasting.

At times we feel the anxiety of people around us when they say, 'is this Fm a reality?' The anxiety is as a result of the challenges facing us. But with the support and readiness of the people around us, we believe that God has laid a base for the Fm and is going to do much more.

The Fm is indeed going change the lives of the people of Taita. This is because of the simple fact of being a well-known, experienced and respected Radio production house, both locally and internationally for the quality, well packaged programs which are life changing.

Taita land is sparsely populated. Its people are religious and respectful of their traditions. They also have diversity in dialects and culture. This Fm station will effectively serve to talk to people as it also acts as an avenue to broaden the societies’ way of life.

This is a non-profit radio ministry and therefore we experience challenges in terms of raising finances. That is particularly true especially for this FM project, which we hope, will soon be sustainable. But in all we have faith in Jehovah Jireh who is our provider.

We need prayers for strength and wisdom in this battle that is going on, which is
also projected ahead because of Gods work