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.