21 November 2002

Dear friends

Exactly fourteen years ago, I arrived in South Africa as a new immigrant, having left my country of birth and culture, France.  I had left with the idea that I probably would never go back to live permanently there.  However, God’s ways are different than a man’s ways since He brought me back to France: today, even though I do not live on French ground, I am present in France through the broadcast ministry of Reformed Faith and Life:  the messages produced and recorded here in South Africa run on thirteen FM stations in France, allowing me to speak of the wonders of the Triune God to my fellow citizens, using the language which we have in common.  

Indeed the possibilities offered by radio broadcasts as a media for the proclamation of God’s Word emphasize the universality of this message, as well as the universality of His Kingdom.  In an era when globalization tends to enforce a uniform secular  culture stressing mankind’s achievements for the sake of self-glorification, the same means  used  for this ungodly purpose can be used to proclaim Christ’s cosmic rule, bringing together men and women of different countries and different cultures in a fellowship than transcends human barriers.  The mail which I receive on a weekly basis amply proves the point.  From Haïti to Ivory Coast, listeners write to express their interest in Reformed Faith and Life’s programmes.  Here follow some excerpts of the very last letters I have received from Ivory Coast::

 “With this letter I would like to let you know that I appreciate your programmes, which I regularly hear on the radio.  I am a Christian, visually handicapped, I am a guidance counsellor.  I would like to obtain from you any document that could help strengthening my faith, in particular the text of the message dealing with the attitude of Christians towards alcohol”.

 “I am an evangelist in a Christian community, I would like to broaden my Biblical and theological knowledge.  I regularly listen to your broadcasts on Radio Fréquence-Vie [Abidjan, Ivory-Coast] “

“May God bless you for all the work you are doing, especially for your remarkable Biblical messages which do me an enormous good.  In the light of the relevance and quality of your messages, I decided to write to you in order to ask your help  [in terms of Christian documentation and literature].”

Africa and France are not the only fields where Reformed Faith and Life wants to plant  the seed of the Word or waters a seed which others have planted.  My recent visit to Canada (Ontario) allowed to me to discuss with our local committee and  supporting churches possibilities of extending our radio broadcasts towards the French-speaking province of Canada, Quebec: about ten million people live there, whether highly secularized, or entangled in Roman Catholic superstitions.  Our Lord  once said that God wants to be worshipped in spirit and in truth.  Therefore it is our  duty to proclaim Who He is not according to man’s made fantasies, but according to His Word of truth, inspired by His Spirit.

Other projects await proper funding whether to begin, or even to be able to continue.  Recently, Reformed Faith and Life started entrusting the financial responsibility of some local broadcasts to congregations (individual or grouped), which feel in such way directly involved - both materially and spiritually - in the mission work done in Cameroon, or in the Indian Ocean or elsewhere.  Will your congregation commit  itself to take responsibility for one weekly programme on the national radio of the Congo-Brazzaville (R8000 per year)? Will it – in assocation with other congregations – take charge of the various broadcasts we have in Kinshasa, the neighbouring capital of the other Congo (the DRC)?  The costs involve an estimated R20000 per year.  Are you interested to hear about other projects?  We will translate in Afrikaans the letters received  from the station taken care of by your congregation, and forward them to you.  In that way you will share in the joy of knowing that your contribution helps bringing the Gospel to people who otherwise would not be able to hear it.

We thank you in the Lord for your continued support in the mission which we share together.

In His name

Rev. Eric Kayayan