In September 2009 I was in Tacna, Perú for a training session with our partner station Radio El Buen Sembrador (The Good Sower). One of the participants was Kenny Lazo, a dynamic Christian communicator from Arequipa Visión en Arequipa, Perú. This past May, Kenny and two colleagues traveled 3.5 days in bus to come to Quito for our annual conference with affiliates of our Spanish satellite network, ALAS-HCJB. It was great to see Kenny again and share more ideas on how we can do a better job of communicating Christ by radio and other media. After the conference, Kenny shared the following comments about his participation in our training conferences:

"Thank you for the events in which we’ve had the privilege of participating. I feel well equipped, challenged and encouraged to serve in a more efficient manner, breaking down paradigms, filling myself with new ideas, and, moreover, the ability to establish new contacts with various people around the world. Thank you and congratulations to everyone on the team at Radio HCJB for helping us do better radio."

Kenny, thank you for letting us be a part of your formation as a Christian broadcaster. And thank you dear friends for making this happen through your support of HCJB Global Voice's radio training ministry. More people who need Jesus will hear of Him because Kenny and others have been given the tools to do better radio ministry. To God be the glory!

More on radio training in Africa

Emmanuel Ekpeh-Addrey was one of the very talented radio producers with us during the radio training in Accra, Ghana. After I got back from Africa, Emmanuel sent me the following message.

"APPRECIATION and GRATEFULNESS are the two words that I woke-up with this morning. The fact that you are so down to earth amazes me. Your simplicity blows my mind.

Like our Lord Jesus Christ came down from heaven to show us the way, you came to 'show' us the way in radio communication. Your all inclusive style of teaching is superb. I'm a better communicator now than before thanks to your impact made possible by the Holy Spirit."

What an incredible privilege to have shared the training experience with people like Emmanuel. Please pray for him and the others that took part in the training. They are all great communicators of a great God! May the Holy Spirit use them to impact the lives of their listeners.

Radio training in Sub-Saharan Africa

I am currently in Accra, the capital of Ghana in Western Africa. This is my first time to this continent, so it will be a great learning experience.

Together with Joseph Kebbie (with me in the photo), we will be conducting the first region-wide radio training for HCJB Global's SubSaharan Africa Region. Joseph is the training coordinator for the region and is also very involved in the radio planting aspect too.

We have folks joining us from Freetown, Sierra Leone and many different parts of Ghana: Tamale (north central), Bolgatanga (on the northern border with Burkina), Asin-Fosu, Assamankisi and of course the capital, Accra.

Praise God for this opportunity to share our experiences in radio training in Latin America with our ministry colleagues here in Western Africa. I am also very thankful for the partnership that this region shares with the media ministry of Theovision International.

Joseph and I welcome your prayers!

César Trejo

Today, let me introduce you to César Trejo who lives on the island of Muisne in northwest Ecuador. I first met César in 2000 when I went with an evangelistic team to do ministry in Muisne and immediately noticed that he had amblyopia, or a lazy eye.

Several years later, a group of prayer warriors at Chinese Grace Bible Church in Sacramento, CA (my home church!) provided the money for César to have much needed surgery because of the amblyopia. This picture of César was taken a couple of years ago, but you can tell that the surgery was a success. Thank you, Lord!

Now almost 15 years old, César has outgrown his glasses and is in need of new pair. The recommended frame which is totally flexible (rather important for an active 15-year-old!) and lenses comes to $225. If you would like to donate to help César get his new glasses, please let me know. He and his family will be most appreciative, I know.

God's answering our prayers!

In my February 1 blog I told you about "Vertical Limit", the new youth group at church. I told you about Samuel Zarria, my co-leader, and the fact that most of the youth that come are his classmates. I also asked you to pray for sensitivity to the needs of the group.

Thanks a lot for praying! God is moving and constantly opening doors for Sam and I to minister to his classmates and family. Two weeks ago we had the opportunity to clearly present the Plan of Salvation to four of his friends. None made a decision, but the seed is planted. Please keep praying!

Four are having some pretty serious relational problems with their parents and three of them have sought out help from Sam. Tomorrow he and I will meet with one of their mothers who is seeking advice. God's Holy Spirit is moving because you prayed. Thanks a bunch. Please keep praying.

The photo: In November, Samuel was one of the actors in a new radio series of short-format programs in Spanish being produced by Hope for the Heart Ministries. Here's a photo of him in the studio during the recording. Pretty cool, huh?

Nube Vogan - Waves of Hope Radio

Nube Vogan and her husband are missionaries with OMS - One Mission Society and serve with Waves of Hope Radio in Loja, Ecuador. Nube came to Quito for a 2-week internship as part of our personalized training core. Here are her thoughts after completing her time with us:

"I thank God for the giving me the blessing of being at HCJB for two weeks for the internship in radio news. I enjoy learning, seeing and collecting all of the information that can serve us in Waves of Hope Radio. This way we will improve professionally without putting to one side, not even for a moment, the passion for showing our listeners the love and power of God. I’m very thankful to HCJB for opening up this form of training which is a great blessing for me.

I will go back to Loja with a challenge: to be more professional every day, not forsaking my passion to talk about God’s love and to continue preparing myself at every opportunity. Recently I have come to understand what a privilege it is to serve God by way of radio, the responsibility for the way I do so and for each word that I speak."

Please pray for the Vogans in their ministry through Waves of Hope Radio.

Pantasma - Nicaragua

In February 2007, we did a radio training seminar for the staff and volunteers of about 7 small radio stations in northern Nicaragua. Armando Zerón, who at the time was a producer at the Evangelical Voice of Honduras, was the other trainer with me. We met, trained and slept at what is now a retreat center run by the provincial government. However, it formerly an operational center by the opposition government during the civil war days in Nicaragua!