Amazon Region (MNN) ― A widespread radio partnership has emerged as 'The Ticuna Project'. The Ticuna are an isolated, nomadic people living along the Amazon in Brazil, Colombia, and Peru.
HCJB Global's Kevin Mayer says their team designed the radios. "They are a fixed-tuned, solar powered radio that we've developed here at the HCJB global technologies center. Basically, our idea with these is to distribute some ot different partners around the world, like trans world radio, to give them a tool they can use to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ."
Once they're out of customs, Trans World Radio's Jim Munger says they'll be in charge of distribution and programming. The goal of this project? "Evangelism of people, who are otherwise inaccessible, and then, building up the church. There are churches among the Ticuna people, but because it's a nomadic group, in the jungle, there are a lot of isolated communities. Radio is an ideal medium for reaching these people with the Gospel."
According to TWR, in Brazil's 70-plus Ticuna villages, the people have access to both a writing system and education in their language, as provided by the country's National Foundation for Indians (FUNAI). The New Testament has also been translated into Ticuna, according to the American Bible Society Library.
That led TWR to move forward with getting the Gospel into an audible form for them. It's been a year now since the first Ticuna-language radio program went on the air, followed by a Portuguese block produced by TWR-Brazil. Daily radio transmissions have a large coverage area, reaching the majority of the Ticuna villages of Brazil, Colombia and Peru.
Two-thirds of the puzzle was complete. The only part missing was the funding. That's where American radio stations came in. Carolina Christian Radio, WWIL, and Tacoa Falls Radio Network, WRAF and affiliates, went on the air and raised funds for the radios. As soon as they're out of customs, the distribution will begin.
TWR reports that the Ticunas are reaching their people through 15 minutes of programming every day, which is recorded by their own trained program producer. They're praying for a recording studio and have a great vision to reach their people by way of their own local radio station.
Click here if you can help TWR with this project, or click here if you want to help HCJB Global.
