Dec. 18, 2009

Sources: HCJB Global, World Development Indicators 2008, Internet World Stats, ResearchandMarkets.com

"Kaboom!"

Many times at Radio Station HCJB's annual sharathon in Quito, Ecuador, program hosts excitedly announced "Kaboom!" when all the station's telephone lines were jammed with donors pledging financial support.

Simultaneously at the Misión Compartida (Sharing the Mission) event in early December, quiet conversations prevailed in another area of the station's campus. Local believers were shaking kingdoms in unseen ways ? through prayer.

Many visitors toured the station while others shared heartaches with those offering hope in a counseling room. Also, local believers arrived at scheduled times to pray for listeners (who had shared via electronic mail, telephone calls and in person), addressing their specific spiritual, emotional and physical needs.

Several program hosts of HCJB 690 AM and 89.3 FM connected with listeners via radio. Additional connections occurred face to face and on the social networking site, Facebook, where Internet users could become "fans" of the Voz de los Andes page. An estimated 13 to 20 percent of Ecuadorians have Internet access.

While the number of Facebook fans still in the hundreds, HCJB Global's Doug Weber said, "It's a start." His research showed that the fan numbers doubled during Misión Compartida and that 63 percent were between the ages of 18 and 34.

There are vast differences in cell phone development throughout Latin America, with Ecuador's mobile penetration higher than the region's average. A text message from Jenny Franco stated, "Christmas is a time to realize that this is the opportune moment to win souls for Christ." Another wrote, "I want to find a church with good doctrine in [the province of] Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas."

The staff in Quito staged a four-day event with the theme, Voz y Manos que Hablan de Jesús (Voice and Hands that Speak of Jesus). In appreciation of the evangelistic and discipleship programs aired by the local stations in Quito and Guayaquil, listeners responded generously.

Preliminary results show that donors' pledges to La Voz de los Andes (Voice of the Andes) in Quito surpassed last year's total by 20 percent. Amounts donated to La Conexión (The Connection) in Guayaquil also topped last year's total and exceeded the station's stated sharathon goal.

"This year more people were telling us that they aren't Christians, but that they listen to the station all the time," said Luis Mora, HCJB-2's station manager in Guayaquil. "This is exciting because it means we are going back to our roots to once again be a missionary radio station."

A listener to the repeater FM frequency in the northern province of Esmeraldas said she especially appreciated the station's music and short devotional programs while hospitalized, according to Anabella Cabezas, media director for the Latin America Region. The message of hope came shortly after doctors had informed the listener that she had leukemia.

Rosa León Cawaskí traveled to Quito from northern Imbabura province to take part in the event. From the greater Quito area, 27-year-old Marco listed Hola Familia (Hello Family) as a favorite program. Carlos Jarrín, 46, listed three favorite programs: A Través de la Biblia (Thru the Bible), Al Oído (Listening) and Oración (Prayer).