Is it “Looking back to Lesotho”…OR…“Anticipating what’s ahead for Africa” ???
We sit here on the opening day of Sharathon and I’m given the chance to reflect on last month’s trip to distribute radios in the remote villages of Lesotho. I became very aware that every radio that I was fortunate enough to put into the hands of an impoverished grandmother or a weathered farmer signified so much. Not only did it represent God’s love and the opportunity to hear the Gospel, but also your faithful prayer and financial support of WBFJ. Your gift to keep Christian radio strong in the Triad was multiplied, packaged and sent halfway around the world to people who may never know your name and have likely already forgotten my face. The experience remains humbling even 8 weeks later – having the privilege to represent you in God’s ministry…but then again, I guess that’s what happens every day. WOW – that’s even more humbling!
As exciting as it was to share those radios with hundreds of villagers who cherished their arrival and will hopefully find God’s grace as result, I am just as thrilled at the hundreds more who are anxiously waiting today. And today…we can make a difference for them too. As we pass $200,000 on the way to our Sharathon goal, for every thousand dollars in Faith Promise, the WBFJ family will donate a solar-powered, pre-tuned digital radio to the hungry men, women and children of Lesotho. We know of 400 more village residents currently praying for the Lord’s provision. We hope God uses the WBFJ family to answer those petitions.
As was customary for our distributions, I will clap twice and bow my head with open palms anxiously awaiting God’s gift. And then I will slowly raise my head and with a glance of gratitude look into the eyes of the Giver of all good things. He is the provider of every breath we take, every dollar given to this ministry and every life that is touched.
Thank you!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
UPDATE FROM MASERU
As a postscript to our visit, the remainder of the radios were distributed at a village on Tuesday afternoon (March 10th)...the recipients reportedly broke out in songs of joy and celebration.
Harvest FM is now broadcasting from the better positioned tower on the mountain that overlooks Maseru. This is possible despite the fact that the installation is not totally complete. Once this happens, the station's signal will be much improved. Please pray that the necessary additions will be made soon in order to achieve full signal strength.
It's exciting to see the continuation of the things that began during our stay last week.
MORE PICS FROM LESOTHO
CrossRoad Radio: Lesotho Style
Friday, March 6, 2009
FINAL BLOG FROM LESOTHO!
After lunch, we visited the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital in downtown Maseru. Passing out radios in the wards provided one of the most challenging experiences of the week. Conditions that lacked much of what we have come to expect in Western healthcare, patients of every age and varying grades of illness gave us the opportunity to offer some hope and light in the most dire of circumstances.
Following that visit, we loaded up for our final village distribution (Mahuu Rothe Maseru) about an hour south of Maseru and miles off of any main road. We reached the village shortly before dusk and given the fact that there was no power in the vicinity, we moved quickly to the task of love that led us there. Once again, the people were most grateful for the gifts received. I’m not sure if it was because of the indescribable sunset, the primitive culture, the reception of the village or the fact that it was the final stop of the week, this visit had a special quaintness that reminded our team of the depths of God’s love reaching every man and woman…
Tomorrow (Saturday), we begin the long trek home. Our time in Lesotho has ended, but the Journey has only begun. Thanks for your prayers, your time, your support…and…there’s more to come – check back!
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Friday March 6th
Good morning from Maseru! Yesterday was one of the most incredible days we’ve had in Lesotho. We visited The Sehlabeng Maseru, Teya-teyaneng, and Kolonyama tribes. All three of the visits went incredibly well. The villagers were extremely excited to receive the radios, but were more appreciative that we were willing to come all the way from America to deliver them!
By the time the day was finished we had traveled over 200 miles and delivered nearly 300 radios. God continues to show off in incredible ways. The 6 cases the radios were packed with some pieces of foam to protect them during transit, but the pieces are also used in soundproofing radio studios and wouldn’t you know, the production room here at Harvest FM wasn’t soundproofed…….hmmm….God Is So Good!!! We are planning more deliveries today before packing up and returning home in the morning. Please continue to pray for everyone here at Harvest FM and for Wally and me on our trip home. We can’t wait to see you all!
Darren
An interesting leg of our journey today….following another training session with more of the Harvest FM, we headed out on foot in search of a birthday cake for Jerry (one of the staff members)…After lunch and Darren’s report to the Morning Show, we headed to the mountains outside of Maseru for our first village delivery of radios…About halfway there, we received word that it was raining at the village and the people had gone home. Although disappointing, it gives opportunity for a big day on Thursday with three village deliveries planned. It will be a big and busy day…please keep us in your prayers.
Thanks!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
“The Radios Have Arrived” – It was a celebration at Harvest FM when the delivery truck showed up with 6 big boxes of radios that had finally been cleared from customs just before the end of business on Tuesday. 4 flights of stairs proved no problem when the race to the parking lot meant carrying a box on your own.
We quickly began working to get the radios into sunlight in order that they might be charged prior to distribution. Needless to say, the Harvest FM staff was elated, knowing that each radio represented a potential changed life through their ministry.
We would have never guessed that the first distribution of radios would be to the prostitutes of Maseru. After dinner, we joined with many of the staff of Harvest FM, board members, a local pastor and friends of the ministry at the corner of the park where these girls frequented. The radio station provided live coverage of the event and a local newspaper showed up to cover it as well. After a brief explanation and a prayer of dedication, we handed out almost 40 radios to these young ladies. No sermons, no speeches, no signatures, no strings attached. It was clear to these girls tonight that the love that they never see can be seen in Jesus. It was an exciting time that allowed God’s love to be experienced first hand, unconditionally.
Prisons and Villages….that’s where we expected to make our distribution…Interesting!
The life-changing message of the Gospel will speak into the lives of these young ladies currently in bondage to the prison of prostitution. While this was not the village setting one might anticipate, these girls knew each other, leaned on each other for support and each encouraged the other to take the radio and to listen. Let’s pray that the village of the redeemed will treat them as well.
It’s hard to walk away knowing that the gateway to the spoken truth held in their hands would soon be darkened by the worst of man’s nature. But that’s the way it is in life, in speaking, in radio…we’re faithful to sow and occasionally water, trusting God to reap the harvest. We don’t know these girls names, but their faces will be eternally etched in our memory. Our prayer is to see each face again in eternity. Would you join us in this? Thank You!
My day today started by waking from a great 7 hours of sleep….and a case of homesick. I thanked God for the sleep, and asked him to help me with the homesickness. The rest of the day was amazing. It started when a few of the staff members at Harvest FM took Wally & me to the governmental site where the people of Lesotho go to get their passport. Let me explain that here in Lesotho, everyone must have a passport, to work, earn a living and basically, survive! Now for those of you who have a passport, you this takes about 15 minutes to fill out the form and you mail in you money and in less than 6 weeks you have it. But that is far from reality here in Lesotho, in fact, most people will wait for over a year and in some cases up to 3 years. Plus, they won’t get it in the mail, they must wait outside the building for their name to be called. Since they have no idea what day it might be, they must stand in the heat Everyday. Most of us think that waiting in line behind 3 people at Walmart is unthinkable! Now there is a way around this to speed up the process…..it’s by paying over twice the normal amount, which these people don’t have. I was blown away at what these people must endure on a day to day basis to survive. After we got back to the station, I was honored to work with the members who conducted the interview and helped them learn to edit it and prepare it to go on the air tomorrow. Now as I look back at the day, I realize that when I take my eyes off of me and my fears, God can show me just how much I have been Blessed with and find a new appreciation of it. As I get ready for bed, I will say a prayer for the hundreds of men and women I saw today and pray that tomorrow will be their day! Won’t you join me?
Darren
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Darren training the Harvest FM Staff in Production. 
Moyeye on the air in the studios of Harvest FM 
the view of Maseru from Harvest FM 
the road into Maseru from the airportMonday, March 2, 2009
MONDAY MARCH 2nd
First pics coming soon from “The Journey”… we made it to Maseru, Lesotho and have begun working with the staff at Harvest FM…We are hoping to get the pre-tuned radios out of Customs by tomorrow (Tuesday) morning…There is chance that Harvest FM will be able to relocate their transmitter to a better tower site this week while we are here…Please pray for them on both of these issues…More details coming!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Preparation of the Radios at HCJB Technology Center in Elkhart, Indiana
CCFm's logo being applied to radio
Radios getting packed
590 radios programmed and ready to go
So they say we are going to Africa…on Saturday February 28th Darren and Wally will board a plane headed to Lesotho, South Africa (via Detroit, Amsterdam and Johannesburg). We will be spending a week with the team at Harvest FM in Lesotho. Our hope is to encourage their staff and provide any training or assistance that can be accomplished during our short stay. Also part of the trip will include the distribution of 600 pre-tuned, solar radios that WBFJ purchased as part of a partnership with HCJB Global and our listeners during the 2008 Sharathon. We will be handing these out in the villages, prisons, rest homes, etc.
During this time, we greatly covet your prayers for our safety, our health, our families and that God will greatly use this time of cooperative ministry to His glory.
WELCOME
Welcome to the blog of Wally and Darren as they travel to Lesotho Africa to help deliver radios with HCJB Global.
HARVEST FM - LESOTHO web site: http://www.kingofkings.org.za/RAN/lesotho.htm
Check back often for updates, pictures and more.
DEPARTURE DATE: February 28th
RETURN DATE: March 8th
