June 25, 2010

Source: HCJB Global (written by Jean Muehlfelt)

Have you ever broken out in songs of joy and celebration when receiving a free gift?

This was the scene in four remote villages of Lesotho, a tiny nation surrounded by South Africa, last year when staff members from WBFJ Radio in Winston-Salem, N.C., purchased and distributed SonSet^® radios from the HCJB Global Technology Center in Elkhart, Ind.

They had expected to distribute 600 of the solar-powered, fixed-tuned radios in prisons, hospitals and remote villages. Their first distribution came during a live Christian radio station broadcast at the corner of a park in Maseru, the capital of Lesotho. To the surprise of the African radio station staff, the first recipients were about 40 prostitutes.

WBFJ's Wally Decker wrote in his web blog, "After a brief explanation and a prayer of dedication, we handed out the fixed-tuned radios to these young ladies. They knew each other, leaned on each other for support, and encouraged each other to take the radio and listen to it. No sermons, no speeches, no signatures, no strings attached. It was clear to these girls tonight that the love they never see can be seen in Jesus. It was an exciting time that allowed God's love to be experienced firsthand."

Earlier this month an additional 411 radios were processed at the center and are expected to be shipped to Lesotho in July.

This time the blessing of involvement was of a different kind as volunteers from Cedar Road Missionary Church in Osceola, Ind., came to the center to test and package the SonSet^® radios heading to Lesotho.

After several hours of testing radios, one of the volunteers from the church, Linda Curtis, said, "I feel like we have a direct connection to those in other countries who will use these radios."

Another volunteer, Dee Wiseman, added, "This is my first time to help, and I feel like I am really helping those in other countries who receive these radios."

At the end of the day of testing, the church volunteers gathered together in a circle and prayed for the safe shipment of the sets to Lesotho. They prayed for the African radio station that the radios are tuned to, and for open and receptive hearts of the Africans who will receive the radios.