ASIA PACIFIC

On September 28, 2018, a major earthquake happened off the coast of Palu in Indonesia. The quake caused soil liquefaction and a tsunami, resulting in over 4,000 deaths and more than 10,000 people injured. Thousands lost their homes and access to clean running water.

Reach Beyond has a local radio partner in the area. Immediately after the quake, our first priority was to provide a generator for the station, so that they could resume broadcasting throughout the area. After such a difficult tragedy, it was important to continue spreading hope and information. We also provided solar powered radios. We helped the radio partner distribute supplies, including children’s food packets and water.

Reach Beyond UK raised funds specifically to help with the rebuild in the area. As of September 2019, a year later, there have been repairs and improvements to the station, and installation of 10 new clean water pump-wells. Each well supplies water for 10 families, all who did not have clean water flowing since before the earthquake!

Our local radio partner continues to be a great source of information, comfort, healing and hope for the community through this traumatic time.

AUSTRALIA

This past fall, Dale Stagg, CEO of Reach Beyond Australia, was able to take a trip to a remote area of central India, to see first-hand the impact their “Light up a Village” project has had. In about 100 small villages in the region, RB Australia has distributed solar-powered lights and shortwave radios, enabling the Voice of Jesus to spread through the region. Reach Beyond was broadcasting the Gospel in the region through shortwave radio, but without electricity, the villages were both literally and spiritually in the dark.

The Light up a Village project has brought light and hope into the community, and on this trip, Dale was able to visit a village that is now planting a church thanks to these efforts. Dale shared, “It was a privilege to be introduced to the tribal leader. This was the man who set aside land to build the church. This was the man who only a handful of years ago was prepared to sacrifice his daughter to the gods he worshipped to find favor; that was until he was introduced to Jesus.”

“One of the reasons we have seen such an impact in this region,” Dale continued, “is that the pastor who has so courageously continued to reach out to the dozens of small villages is also the ‘voice’ of our shortwave programs to this community. He is familiar to them and speaks the language of the tribal villagers. He is ‘close’ to them, even when for many weeks of the year they might not be able to attend church because their villages have been cut off due to floods.”

The Gospel is being heard in India, and whole villages are being changed. Praise God for these efforts!