Where in The World We’ll Be

becky    Uncategorized    

For those of you who don’t study Asian geography for your hobby, we thought it might be helpful to show you where we are going to be.  We are learning a lot about the area ourselves as we prepare for our move. We will be living in Singapore, which is an island, a city, and a country.  It is 100% urban.  To “get out of the city” we have to leave the country because the city is all there is.  From what we understand it’s only about an hour or so to get to the closest areas of Malaysia (by car or train) or Indonesia (by ferry).  A two hour plane ride could take us to a number of countries.  As of right now, most of the work Toffer will be doing will be in Thailand and Indonesia, though that could easily change by the time we get there. He’ll be traveling maybe once a month for a few days at a time or up to 2-3 weeks (longer trips will mean more time home in between–he won’t be gone two weeks at a time several months in a row) to install FM radio stations, do training, and/or do maintenance work.  Toffer wrote more about radio station planting a few weeks back, so scroll down if you want to read about it.  Here’s a map of Asia.  HCJB Global includes 40 countries in the Asia-Pacific region.  Singapore is almost smack dab in the middle of it all.  Singapore is underlined with a line to the island, though the line pretty much covers up the island, so you can just pretend you can see it. It’s small. In addition to the regional office in Singapore, there is also a transmitter site in northwestern Australia that has two shortwave transmitters that sends programming all over the region. 

Mid-July Update

toffer    Uncategorized    

Not a whole lot of particularly interesting news to put out right now.  We are thankful to those that are already supporting the work of HCJB Global and helping us meet those one-time and monthly needs.  Our presentation is now getting the final touches and we will soon be swinging into gear with scheduling meetings.  Obviously we will be doing these in hopes of finding new financial partners, but I’m finding that as I get more and more excited about the work that God has for us as we get into the field, that I want to share that with others.  I think when others catch the vision for how we see God working it fires me up all the more. 

One reason I think it can be hard to grasp the potential impact is how common place a church is in the United States.  Here in Tennessee, I don’t think that I can go much of anywhere without passing at least 1 church on the way.  In the 2.5 mile drive to work, I will pass 5 different churches.  The Nashville area has at least 5 Christian radio stations that I can think of.  But there are parts of the world where people live their entire lives not knowing anything about God, His love, and what was done to keep us from being forever separated from Him.  Radio station plants help proclaim the Gospel to these unreached people.  Shortwave radio helps those in closed areas hear the Good News and grow in their faith when other options just don’t exist.  This is what excites me about being involved with HCJB Global.  

And, while it probably won’t excite anybody reading this (except for Becky), our brochures and prayer cards arrived from the printer today.  We think they turned out quite well.  We’d love to share some of our materials as we meet with you.  All we ask is that our card be placed somewhere you’ll see it on a regular basis.  And when you do see it (and you know you’ll want to take a look at Samuel on a regular basis) remember us the next time you pray.  Our ministry depends on prayer.  Without God’s support and blessing, we toil in vain.

Okay… one last thing.  Thanks to those who have signed up for our email newsletter (which will start up soon) and our Facebook group.  If you are the Facebook type of person, search for our group (The Kings Go to Asia) and join.  We’d love to keep you updated.

So what is support raising?

toffer    Uncategorized    

I’m trying to help explain a few things about our involvement with HCJB Global that might be confusing to some.  One is obviously the area of “support raising.”  This isn’t the exhaustive explanation, but it may help answer at least a few questions.  Basically, support is your financial contributions to HCJB Global that makes it possible for us to do the work we will be doing without also having to maintain a full-time job.  HCJB Global is not part of a church denomination and doesn’t receive its funding from one big source.  Each missionary helps raise support for the mission to help make it possible for him or her to serve.  It’s an invitation to be a part of a ministry team.  You see, even though it may feel like it, you aren’t giving money to us.  Your giving back to God is a form of worship, and it connects you to the work that God is doing in a place you might not be able to go to yourself, but would love to see impacted for Christ.  It’s like the old worn-out phrase that there is no “I” in team.  Just like you may not be able to go serve in Asia building radio stations, but might be able to support someone who can, we can’t go on our own.  For us, we need those financial and prayer teammates that will help.  We know that God will provide for that which is in His plan, so when we ask for you to partner with us, we aren’t saying that without you God’s will won’t be done… but we are saying that we want you to join us in one of the ways that God is working.  We have had the privilege of supporting others in the past, it has connected us much closer to their lives and work.

So, in our case, you might be asking what in practicality financial support looks like.  Basically, right now we are raising support to cover two things: one-time outgoing expenses and long-term work.  Outgoing expenses include everything that has a cost associated with our preparation and move to Singapore.  For example, we had plane tickets that we needed for training and development that we got back from a few weeks ago.  We will have moving expenses, a shorter vision trip to Singapore, and several weeks of pre-move training that all have a cost.  Those that give a one-time gift will help with all that.

Monthly support is on-going and helps with the month-to-month living expenses associated with us working with HCJB Global.  Not only is the cost of living in Singapore rather high, but there are many costs that many don’t think about.  When people look at the level of support we are raising they may think,”I don’t make nearly that much myself.” That’s true, we make far less than that.  However, we also have health insurance from my job where I pay only a small portion of the actual cost, my employer pays the rest.  When you are raising support for HCJB Global to cover the costs of working with them, we end up raising both parts.  Believe me, I’m not upset about it.  I’m glad that the mission wants its missionaries to be cared for.  But it does help explain how things get as high as they do.  Those that commit to helping us monthly help keep us serving without needing to take additional timeout of our work to ask for financial support.  At $8800 a month, it is a lot.  We are confident that God will lead us to supporters that can help with $50, $100, or more on a monthly basis.  We are also sure that He is even now working in the hearts of certain people that would be foundational supporters and are able and willing to support us with $300, $500, or even more a month.  This is going to be a faith stretch for us, but we know that God is faithful.

And did I mention that you can do a little of both?  For now, while we are still in the U.S. and raising support, those who commit to a monthly pledge and start giving now help us with our monthly goals, but also anything that comes in while we are still preparing to leave is counted in our outgoing expenses as well!

For those who have already committed to pray and financially support the work of HCJB Global and our work with them… a very, very sincere thanks.  It means a lot to receive such early encouragment.  If you would like to be involved, there are links to your left, or see our mail newsletter if you receive it (send a message if you would like to be included).   Also, we are hoping to get an opportunity to meet with many of you in order to explain more about HCJB Global and what are involvement in Asia looks like.  We have a passion for the region, we’d love to share it with you.

I Want to Go, but I Don’t Want to Leave

becky    Uncategorized    

Every day I realize that we are one day closer to leaving. We do not have a leave date. We do not have anywhere close to the support needed to leave.  And yet, I find myself thinking about what it will be like to leave almost everyday.  I am very excited about going to Singapore. I’m very excited about what God has for us in Asia and how He will use us in His work to bring people to Himself.  I’m very excited about the work that is going on in Asia-Pacific and all the people who are coming to Christ through the work there.  And because of all that, I really want to go.  I want to go to take the Gospel to the hurt, broken, lost people of Asia.  Yet I don’t want to leave.  I don’t want to leave my friends, my family, my home (even if it is a rented townhouse).  I especially don’t want to leave our church, which is full of our friends, has become a family to us, and always feels like home. 

We came back from Discovery in April knowing that we were going to accept the offer made to us to be missionaries with HCJB Global.  Ever since then every single time I go to church, especially for services, I think about the fact that one day not too far from now will be the last time we got to service there. Sure, we’ll be back on furlough and go to our church then, but it won’t be the same.  And yes, God will provide a great church for us in Singapore that will hopefully become like our church, but that doesn’t make it any easier to leave our church. 

So here I am, knowing that God has called us and knowing that I really do want to go and also feeling like I don’t want to leave knowing that when we come back, everything will have changed.  

Pictures!

becky    Uncategorized    

Our family at the Garden of the Gods city park in Colorado Springs, CO.

Toffer and Samuel at the Garden of the Gods city park in Colorado Springs, CO. 

Becky and Samuel at the Garden of the God city park in Colorado Springs, CO. 

Our family at the Glen Eyrie castle in Colorado Springs, Co.  The castle is on
property owned by The Navigators, who also have their headquarters in
Colorado Springs.

Geek in training–Samuel is very fond of playing with buttons, knobs, dials, etc.  

Samuel Applies for a Passport

becky    Uncategorized    

Yesterday Samuel did something few babies his age do–he applied for his passport.  Well, we actually applied for it for him, but you get the idea.  He did have to sit to get his photo taken and we’re thankful that God gave us a patient and kind woman at the post office who just kept taking pictures until she got the right one. She even printed off several different options, chose the best one for his passport, then gave us the extras. Thank God for digital cameras and nice post office employees!  His passports, even his first one, will tell the story of part of his life. Not many kids grow up that way.  We certainly did not. Samuel has traveled to eight states plus Washington, D.C., and will be adding new countries soon with Singapore when we head over for a trip, hopefully in August.  He will certainly have some interesting stories to tell even if they’re all just about the weird food he’s eaten throughout his life.     

What is Radio Station Planting?

toffer    Uncategorized     fix, HCJB, planting, power, radio, solar, Sonset, station, tune

I should probably explain at least briefly what radio station planting is.  Despite the imagery, it does not involve digging a massive hole, burying a transmitter, watering until the tower sprouts, and then harvesting radios toward the end of summer.  It does, however, involve a few of the same ideas.  In some of the unreached areas of the world churches and other Christian organizations have discovered that Christian radio can play a powerful role as they reach people in their communities.   HCJB Global can assist these people by providing the equipment and training necessary to help start a radio station in their location.   Sometimes the equipment will be paid for by churches here in the United States.  HCJB Global can bring in all the necessary equipment in just a few suitcases and can be on the air within days of getting to the site.  This is part of the work that I hope to be involved in when we move.  In-depth training in radio station operation and production is provided with the Radio School of Mission.  And even though we help get everything started, HCJB Global doesn’t own any of the radio stations it helps to plant… they are part of the local ministry that is operating them.

One question that sometimes gets asked is, “if you help plant these Christian radio stations in locations that are not economically well off, does anybody even own a radio in order to listen to the station?”  That’s a very valid point.  One of the cool things about HCJB Global that drew me in was that they will find a way to get something done, even if they have to build it themselves.  Random case in point: the shortwave radio site in Ecuador needs constant reliable power that they were not able to get.  The solution: they built their own hydroelectric plant (economically sound, environmentally friendly, and even helps provide power to the electrical grid).  HCJB Global developed a radio receiver that suited the conditions where they would be used.   The SonSet radio is (in my opinion) really cool.  First, it’s solar powered.  You don’t have to worry about people finding a place to plug into or paying to purchase batteries.  Leave it out in the sun and it will charge on its own.  It’s also pre-programmed for the Christian radio station in the area it is being sent to (the people that program them don’t even have to open the radio).  If there is more than one station that needs to be programmed there is button for the user to cycle through the options.  This means you don’t have to worry about a person forgetting where on the dial to find the station.  The carry strap doubles as the antenna.  It is designed to withstand some water and dirt, and though I haven’t tested it myself, I’m told that it can withstand some wieght.  I’ve got a sample one that I can show you if you are interested, just let me know since I don’t carry it with me at all times.  As a demo it was programmed for some of the Christian stations in the Nashville, TN area.  The SonSet radios are designed to be relatively inexpensive, and this is also an area that churches here in the US like to help support.  They are then distributed to people in communities around the world that need them.  In many parts of the world radio isn’t used in the personal way we often think of.  A large family or a group of families may all meet together to listen to the radio.  It reminds me of when American radio was in it’s infancy.  You didn’t plug your headphones to it so nobody else could hear… you all gathered in the living room to listen together.

I could go on and on but I intended for this to be a short article.