They're Coming... Are You?

They're coming! Some are old... others are young... some are merely children. They're coming from all walks of life... from all socio-economic classes. Some will travel for several hours. Some will be there via internet. Some will listen on their radios. Some 6,000 will physically walk through our gates during the 3-day event. Why are they coming? What do they seek? They want to be part of the Mision Compartida 2011 (the Shared Mission) celebration.

Activities for Children Give Something for Everyone

Each year we open our doors, our phones and our hearts to give our listeners the opportunity to share how God has used radio HCJB in their lives. Many come to meet one of our radio producers whom God used to say "just the right thing, at just the right time". Others come to see the station they have only heard about on their radio. Others come personally to leave their donation with us because it means more to them if they give it in person. Others call in with their pledge and tell us how the station has helped them grow through the previous year.

Live Christian Music on Stage and on the Radio

For 3 days, HCJB hosts this big celebration. Christian musical groups perform live on stage. Tents go up on the grounds, offering  activities for children, opportunities to meet local missionaries, games, etc. The live studio audience is a hallmark of the event. But the story behind the story are the encounters our producers have with their listeners. It's the story of how God is working in individual lives. It is seeing the child that we prayed for on the air. This is the most important "touch" we have with our audience all year.

People Come to the Station to Give Their Donation

It is also impressive to see how people open their pocketbooks and how God pours out His blessing upon us financially. Last year we raised a quarter of a million dollars from our listeners, and the blessing grows every year. Even in these tough economic times we have seen consistent 20% growth in our donations year-over-year. We have a saying in the USA... "Put your money where your mouth is". Well the people of Ecuador certainly seem to be taking that to heart. It is humbling to see so many of our donors come. Some give as little as dollar, but they come anyway. They want to be part of the Shared Mission. That mission is to reach Latin America and the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. They have seen God work in their own lives and they want to share it with others. The station helps them do that by giving 10% of every dollar received to support native Latin Americans who are serving on the mission field, some in very difficult situations.

Doing Radio in Front of a Live Studio Audience

If you want to be a part of this celebration, you can be. Follow us on Facebook or Twitter. We'll be posting photos, videos and even doing some "live streaming" on Facebook during the event. Of course a little knowledge of Spanish will help you know what is going on, but you'll get a feel for the event even if you don't. If you feel moved to be a financial partner with Mision Compartida you can visit our web page. Most of all, you can pray for us. What a privilege it is to serve our Lord and Savior and see Him move through His people.

Thanks,

Doug Weber
HCJB Voz Global

Evangelism Right Out in the Open...

Every year about this time, the staff at radio station HCJB begin to move into high gear. The excitement level raises. Staff members are seen running around the station. Decorations begin to fill the conference rooms. E-mail activity begins to increase.

Quito Day Concert Choir and Orchestra

It's not the Christmas season that does it. It isn't Black Friday or even Cyber Monday. It's a sign that two of HCJB's biggest events of the year are coming. The first of those is a concert called The Quito Day Concerts and it is happening this weekend.

Radio station HCJB has been presenting this annual event since the 1960s. It is a celebration that the city of Quito hosts in honor of their founding by the Spanish in 1534. The leaders of HCJB saw this time as an opportunity to show our host city what we are all about... the gospel message... and what better time to do that than right before Christmas?

Quito Day Concert Orchestra

In recent years we have mixed drama, video, humor and dance into the concerts, which all help to point the concert goers toward our Lord and Savior. The choir consists of some 80 volunteers from the community. A live volunteer orchestra also accompanies the choir. One of those volunteers is our son Daniel. Daniel was invited to play in the orchestra by the conductor of the choir who also happens to be his band teacher at school.

Please remember to pray for all those who will be attending the concerts. Pray that they will see a clear presentation of the gospel and decide to put their faith in Jesus Christ. Pray for Daniel as he plays  his saxophone alongside other volunteers from the National Philharmonic Orchestra. Pray that Daniel will play well and also be able to keep up with his school work this weekend.

Thanks,

Doug & Ruth

The New Media Moves Fast!

Well, it has only been a few weeks since our return from Home Ministry Assignment in the USA last summer. And boy did we hit the ground running. Seems everyone is getting the "new media bug" and my little department and I are getting inundated with requests for help. That is good news... but it also caused my managers to realize that I needed more time to dedicate to new media. So, about a week ago I was relieved of my responsibilities over ALAS (satellite network) and SERVIR (radio agency). I will still be involved with partner relations for both, but I am greatly relieved to be able to concentrate on just new media initiatives.

Web page www.radiohcjb.org

So what kinds of opportunities are coming our way? We currently have four web pages that are in various states of re-design. We act as consultants for other HCJB Global ministries who are launching these pages, giving them suggestions for how to make their pages better, web page navigation tips, ideas on how to present their information, tips on how to make them interactive, etc.

About two weeks ago, I was also asked to take the leadership of a new internet initiative to reach Latin American youth who are on the fringes of the church. These are kids who have grown up in church but have been disheartened by what they have seen and are moving away from the church as an institution. We are still forming the approach that we will use to reach these kids, but this is completely new ground for HCJB Global in Latin America.

Facebook page for "HCJB La Voz De Los Andes"

We are still involved in Facebook initiatives. Last week we tested a live video stream that we were able to add as a tab on one of our Facebook pages. I even did a "remote" shoot of the "Open House for the Bible" event HCJB hosted last Friday and Saturday. We hope to eventually connect the live video from my iPhone to the stream that our fans can see on the Facebook page.

Then just this week, another missionary stopped by to "chat".  Together we shared our respective dreams to start producing video content for the use on the internet. Although he will do most of the video production, this effort falls squarely under new media because we will use the internet for distribution.

So you can be praying for my team and I as we try to keep all of these balls in the air. Currently I have three half-time people working with me on new media. Pray that we can prioritize our efforts well and get the most out of each opportunity for God's glory...

Thanks,

Doug

Together Again... but not really...

Well it is good to be back with Ruth and the boys in Ecuador. We decided late in our Home Ministry Assignment (HMA) that it might be a good idea for me (Doug) to stay an extra couple of weeks in the USA in order to help our second daughter, Becca, make the transition into university life. That was good, but it meant that Ruth and I added 2 more weeks of physical separation to our HMA. That made a total of 6 out of our 12 weeks of HMA.... not something we wish to repeat in the future.

Both of our girls are now in the USA studying and seem to be doing well after their first week of classes. It feels strange to be in Ecuador without them and we are very mindful of the fact that we are not really together again as a family. We did get a few days on either end of our HMA when we were all together, and that was a sweet time for us.

But it is back to our ministries again... Ruth started meeting with her students one-on-one again last week. She has the same students that she had last year so they are able to jump back into their routine quickly. Seeing the students advance from year to year is very encouraging. She kind of overdid it a few weeks ago, and was flat on her back for a few days with severe back pain. The doctors concluded it was a muscle spasm and not structural. The pain is finally lessening and she is able to move around normally again.

Doug dives into his responsibilities again too. There are lots of New Media projects that have been on hold while we have been gone. The ALAS satellite network continues to work through an evaluation process that will serve as a basis for a new outreach focus. And the SERVIR radio agency continues to seek new partners. Our most exciting project in SERVIR is a 2-minute Portuguese version of Hope for the Heart. We have never done a Portuguese production before, so we are excited to work on this new project.

Well, that is about it for this week. Thanks for being part of our team...

Doug

A Good Rest?

We always get asked after our Home Ministry Assignment (HMA) if we had a good rest. If you ask most missionaries, they will tell you that HMA is not a time for rest... It is usually more stressful than living in your country of ministry because of the disruption and constant visiting that HMA requires. Personally, I get a lot more rest sitting on a beach in Ecuador with good friends. So how would I characterize our HMA?

"Crazy" is the first word that comes to mind. It was a crazy summer for many reasons, including Ruth and I spending 6 of our 12 weeks in different places. For 4 of those, we were in different continents. We also drove from Indiana, to California, and back again, which is crazy any time. Finally, Ruth was studying for much of the summer, taking the second level of classwork toward her certification as an educational therapist.

"Ministry" is the second word that comes to mind. I had the opportunity to speak or teach in the Spanish service and/or Sunday school classes at Church of the Open Door (COD) all summer long. Ruth participated in the Spanish Women's Bible Study. We spoke at a missions dinner at COD along with several other missionaries. Daniel and I played basketball with the high school boys on Mondays and the men on Tuesdays, and Daniel played indoor soccer on Thurs nights with the Spanish ministry, all of which were outreach ministries to the community. Daniel had the opportunity to translate for a High school outreach trip to Mexico. While there, he was asked to play piano for the high school worship team and for the Idrafoje (I'D RAther FOllow JEsus) camp for 3rd thru 5th graders. What a privilege to be able to minister to those who support us day in and day out, month in and month out!

"Social" is the last word that comes to mind. Even with the craziness we did get to see many people. We were able to see people in both Indiana and California. We hosted a supporter desert in Indiana. We met many new people at COD. We met with many supporters in California, Colorado and Kansas. We spent several days at the Grand Canyon with Ruth's family and we returned to Indiana in time for a family reunion on Doug's side of the family. We also got to spend some great time with other missionary families from COD.

So was our HMA restful? No... Was it a good HMA? Yes... It was a time to remember all of the great people who stand with us in ministry. It was a time to thank many of them personally. It was a time to share with new acquaintances about what God is doing in Latin America. It was a time to give back to many of those who give to us every day, month, year. So thanks... Thanks for standing with us. Thanks for praying for us. Thanks for supporting our ministry. Thanks for being part of the team...

Doug & Ruth

(If you want to be part of the team, write to us...)

The ALAS Satellite Radio Ministry

As promised, I want to talk a little bit today about what the ALAS Satellite network is, and maybe what it isn't. First of all, it is not a satellite network that you can listen to directly on your car radio. The ALAS network depends on local radio stations to broadcast our programs. This is unlike the satellite networks in the USA and Europe where listeners can buy a satellite radio receiver and listen directly to the network. We currently have just over 100 affiliate radio stations who use our programs as a regular part of their broadcast day.

So who are these local radio stations anyway? Well they are mostly little Christian stations that are run by small churches or small groups of believers who have a heart to reach their communities for Christ and see radio as a strategic tool in accomplishing that goal. They are scattered all over Latin America, the USA and even Spain. Some are in very remote, mountain villages where internet technology cannot reach them. Oh, we have a few affiliates who are large stations located in some of the largest cities of Central and South America, but that is the exception, not the rule.

These stations have a problem though. They don't have a lot of money. Oh they have lots of vision, but lack the resources to realize that vision. It's expensive to produce quality radio programs and either they don't have believers who are trained in radio to help them, or they can't afford to hire the talent they need to effectively reach their community. That's where we come in. We provide a 24 hour satellite feed that these stations can use whenever they wish throughout the day or night. Many will play the ALAS network all night long or even all weekend long. That helps them focus the limited resources that they have on their local "prime time" audiences.

HCJB Global does a lot to promote Christian radio around the world. We help believers start their own stations through Radio Planting. We help them prepare their staff by providing Radio Training so that the talent they do have can maximize their impact. Then we also help them by providing quality Christian programming that makes them sound professional all day long until they have the resources to do that themselves.

Doug

To Him Who Has, More Will Be Given

Do you remember that verse from the parable of the talents? I do. And just when I thought that I was going to get to concentrate on new media projects again, I was given more things to do. :-) Oh I am still in charge of New Media. In fact, things are beginning to really take off on some of our new media initiatives and we are starting some new projects as well. We now have over 7,000 people who follow our local radio Facebook page (Facebook.com/HCJBLaVozDeLosAndes). Another 4,500 people follow our Guayaquil radio station (Facebook.com/HCJB2). In all, I am overseeing something like 8 Facebook pages, all aimed at different audiences.

However, about 3 weeks ago I was also asked to oversee 2 other ministries, ALAS and SERVIR. ALAS is our satellite radio network that began in 1994. We use it to feed over 100 radio outlets around Latin America, the USA and Spain. Many of our affiliates are small stations who can't afford to produce their own programming. So we help them out by providing a radio stream that they can jump into and out of as needed. Many of them use our network to play all night long or most of the weekend. By sending them quality programs, they also sound better on the air then they would otherwise.

The other ministry is call SERVIR. Servir is a Spanish word which means "service". It is actually a play on words in Spanish because SERVIR really is sort of an acronym for International Radio Services (SERVicios International de Radio). SERVIR works with partners who want to produce radio programs for Latin America and distribute them throughout the region. Some of our current partners include, The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, FamilyLife Today, Mission Network News, Hope for the Heart, and "Let My People Think" with Ravi Zacharias. We do translations in Spanish and Quichua at the moment although we have partners who are interested in us helping them do programs into Portugese and German as well.

I will share a little more about each of these ministries in upcoming posts. Suffice it say right now that I am feeling pretty overwhelmed with the new responsibilities as I try to get up to speed on what each are is doing and then move it forward. I am really enjoying the challenge though. We have great teams in each of these areas who are carrying most of the work and I am having a ball pointing them in the right directions and giving each team a little push now and then to keep them going.

Doug

Misión Compartida 2010

The very next weekend after the Extreme Response Christmas party and the Quito Day concerts, we jumped right into the annual fundraiser/share-a-thon/open house for our two local radio stations. Radio HCJB in Quito ran their share-a-thon from Friday thru Sunday while HCJB-2 in Guayaquil ran theirs from Thurs thru Sunday.

Here in Quito we open the doors to the radio station while at the same time inviting them to give to the station. And they do come. This year we estimate that 5,700 people passed through our gates. They come to see their favorite producer. They come to leave their donation. They come to express their appreciation for the ministry our producers have had in their lives. This is a time of sharing together.

Listeners can pledge their donation by calling us or they can come to the station and leave their donation with us. Then they can enter our "live studio" to see how radio is made from behind the scenes. Much of our music is also performed "live" during the event. Many listeners will come to see their favorite musical group in person. This year we invited the group "Blest" from the USA as well as several local groups from Ecuador.

The children can be dropped off in the "Children's tent" where a local church volunteers to entertain them with face painting, coloring, games and presentations where clowns teach the kids about Jesus. We also have inflatable trampolines for the kids when the presentations are not going on.

Misión Compartida is about connection. It is about connecting with our listeners. It is about our listeners connecting with us. It is about financial support for the station. It is about sharing in the mission of reaching Ecuador and the world with the good news about Jesus Christ. This year our listeners pledged over $215,000 for the station. Unbelievable? History shows that here in Quito, our listeners will likely give more than they have pledged. This is a testimony to the work our producers do on the air. Our listeners give out of gratitude for the ministry they receive every day over the airwaves. That is why we are so excited about the ministry of HCJB in Latin America. Thanks for being a part of that ministry through your prayers and support of our family in so many ways.

Doug & Ruth