Haiti (MNN) — Christian radio can now be heard in more places than ever before. The Radio Lumiere station in LaJeune, Haiti, can now be heard as far away as Port-au-Prince.
Until HCJB Global workers were able to come to LaJeune, the station had been in such disrepair that they were often unable to go on the air. Sometimes they would be off the air for months.
After the radio frequency engineer and tower rigger were able to do several repairs, the signal is stronger and can be heard in a "greater area of Haiti than ever before." They installed a new 1,000-watt transmitter and set-up the original one from 1969 as a back-up. They repaired and tuned the diesel generator, their main source of power; plumbed, maintained, and re-tensioned the radio tower; and tuned the signal.
Most importantly, HCJB Global workers trained the radio technician and network engineer from Radio Lumiere how to do similar maintenance and repairs.
"It's our prayer that with the broadcasting of the Gospel throughout Haiti, lives will be changed, resulting in greater peace and security in the country," said Curt Bender, manager of radio planting and development at the HCJB Global Technology Center. In several rural areas, the radio station is the only one available in either French or Creole.
Though needs were assessed during a trip to Haiti in 2005 and supplies shipped, political unrest delayed the repairs. Further funding would supply new paint for the rusting radio tower and later, some new studio equipment to improve broadcast quality.
