In my previous newsletter, I mentioned 5 FM radio stations in France ready to put Foi et Vie Réformées on the air. Within a few weeks, this number has become 13. In Normandy as well as in Brittany, in Mulhouse and in Nîmes (two cities situated respectively in the East and the South of France), in La Reunion island (Indian Ocean), these young Christian radio stations are eager to receive and broadcast our programmes, regardless of their own denominational flavor. I am still expecting other positive answers.
This important break through brings me much joy, since my country of birth seemed thus far to be an unreachable target for the Proclamation of the Gospel of life. But God opens doors which otherwise seem to be closed. At Foi et Vie Réformées we can only praise Him for these new opportunities: He does not send us on the field of His harvest without showing us the way and opening it for us.
As you easily will understand such a break through brings along much more administrative work… Assessing the needs, dispatching the right material to the right place, spending time on the phone to maintain communication channels open, requires more time and energy, while our office functions with only two people: myself and Elise, my part time secretary. Sometimes it feels as if we are not going to make it, especially as I am the only one around to speak, write and understand French! We are nevertheless thankful for ad hoc help coming from Christian brothers and sisters living nearby.
In the meantime, in order to comply with everyone’s technical demands, we are busy upgrading our equipment so as to send our audio-material in various CD formats (and not just under the form of audio-tapes). This transformation not only requires the upgrading op our computer facilities, but will also ask us to spend more time with the handling of all this audio-material (duplicating, storing, dispatching by mail etc.) Evidently costs will rise accordingly.
But it goes before all about the Word of God. Please, pray that hearts will be touched and that more and more people will bow before the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ. Pray also for renewed physical and spiritual strength to carry out the mission; pray for more help at our office. Pray that our French Bibles fund may grow, so as to enable us to send copies of God’s Word to hundreds of people in Africa (even students of Bible Colleges!) who do not have their personal copy of the Holy Scripture.
The number of our African correspondents is increasing. They write by way of letters, but also, more and more, through the e-mail. One of them, pastor Andrianjafy from Madagascar, writes the following in his letter dated 12 February 2001:
“…My friend, I live in Bevoay, a small district with 6 congregations. I am starting my pastoral ministry here. Pray for me. I also want to continue corresponding with you and I need your broadcast programmes. I also pray that you will direct the mission of Foi et Vie Réformées towards Madagascar, because we need it here.”
May the Lord of the mission bless this pastor and these 6 congregations, as well as many other young churches in Africa: they are urgently in need of your prayers and support. We thank you for the interest which you have thus far displayed towards the work of Foi et Vie Réformées. It is a privilege to have you as our partners in this effort to communicate the Word of God around the globe.
In His name
Eric Kayayan