Curt and Marla Bender serve the Lord through HCJB World Radio . They currently live in Elkhart, IN with their children Emily and Cole. Curt works to install radio transmitters around the world to enable the spread of Christian radio and the gospel to areas that would not otherwise be open for the gospel.
Prayer Requests (September 2005):
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1. Pray for the funds to keep this network of Christian stations in Burkina Faso on the air. |
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2. Pray for Emily at Moody Bible Institute and Cole at Liberty University that they would learn much and continue to grow in their relationship with the Lord. |
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3. Pray for Marla as she seeks God's direction for her life now that our "nest" is empty. |
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4. Praise God that the radio planting department of the HCJB World Radio Engineering Center has assisted radio ministries in 38 countries during the past year. |
Updates from their recent Newsletter (September 2005)
Etienne was reared in an animist home in the predominantly Muslim country of Burkina Faso, West Africa. Because of the Muslim influence, Etienne's parents thought it best that he become a Muslim and even gave him a Muslim name -- Moses. (Muslims, like Christians and Jews, also revere Moses.) But through the faithful testimony of a high school classmate, Etienne gave his life to serve Jesus instead.
As Moses led his people out of bondage in Egypt, so this modern-day Moses is a part of a team that is leading the people of Burkina Faso out of spiritual bondage and into the freedom that only Christ can bring.
Today Etienne is the radio technician for seven Christian radio stations in Burkina Faso that are beaming the gospel in over 20 languages to a potential listening audience of five million people. These stations were started through the cooperative efforts of HCJB World Radio, Francophone Ministries for Christ, Youth for Christ Burkina, and Radio Evangile Developpement (R.E.D.), a fellowship of believers from the evangelical churches of Burkina Faso. Our engineering center provided the transmitters and antennas and assisted with some of the installations. An eighth station will be installed sometime this year. On a recent visit to the engineering center, Etienne expressed his appreciation on behalf of R.E.D. by saying, "Our relationship with you is one of love."
Recently a survey was taken in the capital city to determine who might be listening to the station there. The results were encouraging! Thirty-seven percent of the listeners surveyed are Muslim. Another station reports that a Muslim man traveled 35 kilometers by bicycle to deliver this encouragement: "...continue what you are doing because your work is a great blessing to many...press on and never give up because we all know that this is from the Son of God."
The day-to-day operations of the station are funded by donors in Burkina Faso, yet the average yearly income there is only $240. More than once, Etienne has sacrificed his own pay so that a station might be able to stay on the air. We are humbled by his sacrifice and by yours also, as you faithfully support our work here. We all play a part in setting the captives free. "If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed." (John 8:36)
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Curt and Marla Bender (Cole and Emily) |
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