As part of The Tide’s vision to reach people with the hope and the saving grace of Jesus Christ, The Tide distributes radios in communities throughout India and Nigeria. This year, in Nigeria alone, The Tide ministry partners have provided 64 radios to different people in village communities. Those who receive the radios live in very highly populated areas where Christianity is not the most prominent religion. Those with the radios share with others in their village and form community listening groups. Through The Tide’s heart language radio broadcasts, these people in very rural communities can now hear the gospel of Jesus in their own language.
As part of The Tide accountability measures, indigenous partner ministries are required to submit regular reports on their activities and the use of project funds. These reports include many different testimonies and stories of lives that have been changed as God speaks to listeners and touches their hearts through The Tide heart language radio programs. One example of a life that was dramatically changed is the following account of a listener in Nigeria who was contemplating committing suicide until, through The Tide Anaang language radio program, he found hope and new life in Christ!
For over four years Adam* had been battling with depression every day of his life. He lived in a remote village of Nigeria where he struggled to survive. The unemployment rate is very high in the region where Adam lives and there are very few job opportunities. In this environment, Adam had lost all hope and had reached the point where he felt overwhelmed by extreme poverty, hunger, poor living conditions. He tried to continue on with his life, but none of his efforts seemed to bear fruit and finally, the weight of his problems became too much to bear and he began to seriously consider putting an end to all of his pain by taking his own life. It’s not hard to imagine how someone facing the situations that Adam faced every day could feel completely alone and hopeless. Adam’s heart language is Anaang, and in January 2012 as part of The Tide Vision 2015, we began airing the gospel through a weekly Anaang language radio program called Iko Awasi. Fortunately, Adam just happened to hear the Iko Awasi broadcast the first week it was aired. The speaker began his talk with a prayer which included prayers for those who may be suffering from depression and then spoke of a true reason to live. For the first time in years, Adam felt like there may be hope for him; so at the end of the program, he contacted the speaker. Two days later, the speaker and a team leader traveled to his home. The two leaders counseled Adam and prayed over him. Praise God that today the severe depression that Adam was struggling with is now gone! Adam is now leading a life full of hope and joy and is grateful to God for placing The Tide’s program in his path to offer him hope so that he did not kill himself. In his own words;
“Depression is now gone. Life is sweet. Thanks to God for not killing myself. Thank you.”
Before leaving, the ministry representatives gave Adam his own radio so that he may continue hearing messages from God’s Word, and also gave him discipleship literature written in his language. The Tide rejoices with the angels over this new life and is grateful for generous donors who not only make it possible to proclaim the Gospel through heart language radio programs but also provide funds to purchase radios for those who cannot afford their own.
This account illustrates how effective the work of The Tide is in touching hearts in a very real way. Through ‘Radios for Nigeria’ and ‘Radios for India’ you can help put a radio in the hands of people who have never heard about the hope and love of Jesus Christ. Through sponsoring any one of The Tide heart language radio broadcasts that are produced in studios in India and Africa, you can make it possible for people to listen to and understand the gospel in their own language so that they too can experience hope and new life in Christ.
The radios that are provided through The Tide ‘Radios for India’ and ‘Radios for Nigeria’ projects are given to people in very densely populated areas that have little or no access to radios. These areas are ravaged by poverty and have either had very little or no information about Jesus Christ, or are still very heavily influenced by other religions and paganism.
Both India and Nigeria are located in the 10/40 window which is a rectangular area across North Africa, the Middle East and Asia approximately between 10 degrees north and 40 degrees north latitude. The 10/40 window is home to the majority of the world’s poor and the majority of the world’s un-evangelized countries. This area may also be called “The Resistant Belt” because it contains the majority of the world’s Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists. All of these factors make these areas a priority to The Tide’s ministry to take the good news of Jesus Christ to the least-reached people of the world.
*Names changed for the safety of the individuals*