Haiti (TWR) — As Hurricane Matthew slices through the Caribbean, TWR’s worldwide staff, partners and supporters are being urged to stay focused on prayer for this region of such active ministry.
(Hurricane Matthew storm track, courtesy NOAA)
The representative of TWR (also known as Trans World Radio) in Cuba, which is directly in the forecast track of the immensely powerful storm, called on his colleagues across the globe to remember the people of his country.
“Please, join with us in praying for it, and check your weather channels, if possible, to keep you posted,” wrote Pastor Alberto Gonzalez. “Our brothers and sisters need our prayers. May God decrease the power of the storm!”
Steve Shantz, TWR ministry vice president for Latin America and the Caribbean, cited several specific ways believers can pray as they think about their brothers and sisters in the Caribbean.
“Pray that listeners receive enough information as to where they can go to ride out storm, such as government facilities,” he said. “Pray also that people get the sense of urgency and evacuate and that no lives be lost because of storm. And that the winds subside quickly and move on through. The longer it hangs around, the more damage it does.”
Bonaire antennas. (Image capture courtesy of TWR)
Also directly in the storm track is Haiti, where TWR has long had a large listener base and a strong broadcast ministry. TWR has close working relationships with Christian broadcasters 4VEH in Cap-Haïtien and Radio Lumiere in the nation’s capital, Port-au-Prince.
News reports indicate that Haiti is especially vulnerable to the potential hurricane strike as it continues a slow recovery from a devastating earthquake in 2010. TWR lent a hand in the aftermath of that quake by collaborating with 4VEH and Radio Lumiere to keep Christian programs on the air and by helping to develop programming providing trauma counseling to survivors.
Shantz pointed out there already had been some good news as Matthew swept through the region. Bonaire, the little island off the coast of Venezuela where TWR maintains a major AM transmitting station, had been spared.
This means not only that programs proclaiming the peace and assurance of Jesus Christ have continued going out to those facing the danger of the storm but also that the $3.8 million boost of the station’s power can proceed as planned.
“Thankfully, TWR is able to transmit information to our listeners in the region on 800 AM during our regular news broadcasts,” Shantz said.
(Photo courtesy of TWR)
The Bonaire Power Up project to double the potential listening audience across much of the Caribbean and Latin America is entering its final phase. Shantz praised the Lord that none of the new guy wires and insulators put on the antennas to handle the higher voltage was affected by the passing storm.
For more about the Bonaire station and the Power Up project, see the video and additional details at twr.org/powerup
