Easter 2013

Dear Friend,

As we anticipate the end of winter and the rebirth of life that comes with spring, isn’t it exciting to

rejoice in the amazing eternal hope that Easter brings? In John 11: 25-26 it says,“I am the resurrection

and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes

in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” At TWR, our answer is, “Yes, we believe this!” I know you

share with us in celebrating this wonderful Easter truth.

In Canada, many of us celebrate Easter with a Sunday church service, a nice dinner with family, and

other special traditions. In China, Easter symbolizes the conclusion of winter and the magnificent

rebirth of spring. Eggs, baby chicks and rabbits are the foundation of Chinese Easter tradition, depicting

life and birth.

In Iran, Easter is not easily celebrated. Last year, while Christians around the world were celebrating

Resurrection Sunday, a dozen Iranian believers were defending themselves before a judge after being

arrested for practising their faith. This Easter, many Iranian believers will again be facing arrest, trials,

and the threat of persecution.

In Africa, believers gather Sunday morning to celebrate, in some regions all night until 3 AM when it’s

announced that Christ has risen, hymns are sung with joy, and everyone wears their best clothes. A

special meal of boiled or roasted rice with the extravagant addition of meat or chicken is enjoyed, and

believers share their faith with friends and neighbours. Regardless of the circumstances and locations,

Easter declares “hope” to the world, and that’s what TWR is all about – speaking hope to the world.

It’s difficult to show you a picture of what our ministry does, the impact we have on listeners. I

struggle to convey how vital the programs we produce and fund are to those who hide under the covers

at night with a radio pressed to their ears. What dollar value do I place on a life saved, on the joy of the

wife whose husband heard the Gospel and stopped beating her, for the mother desperate to teach her

children of eternity in a place where it’s forbidden to speak of Christ? How do I show you that? That is

what TWR is about, this is our mission field.

(next page)

We send the Gospel into the places missionaries can’t go, we equip and build up church leaders who

lack the resources for proper training, and we encourage the downtrodden and offer hope one program

at a time.

As President, I have the opportunity to read listener response letters and see first-hand the incredible

impact TWR Canada has on those who hear our programs. It’s difficult not to be discouraged by the stories

of trying circumstances from abandonment, persecution, and loneliness, but these letters and listener

responses are filled with hope.

Listeners reach out because they want to know more about the Gospel, to deepen their faith, and to

encourage us to keep going. That still amazes me. That we who have so much are made richer by the

simple and sincere words of many who the world says have no value. We can’t pluck each one from the

poverty, injustice, or hardship they’re enduring—but we can offer them the hope that will keep them

eternally.

This Easter, consider helping us reach more people for Christ through radio. One of the regions needing

our ongoing help is Africa. Africa remains the world's poorest and most underdeveloped continent largely

due to corruption and military conflict. It’s estimated more than 1,000 languages are spoken in Africa

making it also one of the most multilingual regions on earth.

Africa is a difficult place to do ministry — but radio reaches places missionaries can’t.

TWR Canada supports life-transforming ministry work throughout Africa including sending skilled

missionaries, building and maintaining transmitter sites and radio stations, providing leadership training

resources, and translating and producing Gospel programs broadcasting the hope of the risen Christ in

dozens of languages to tens of millions of listeners.

We are committed to standing alongside the people of Africa for as long as it takes to reach every

man, woman, and child with the Good News of Jesus Christ.

A one-time or monthly gift to TWR ensures ongoing, consistent support for this vital work. This

Easter, you can provide the hope of the risen Christ into the guarded, remote, and hidden places across

Africa and around the world.

Thank you. We are humbled by your faithfulness and generosity and we are dedicated to be effective

stewards of each gift.

He is risen!

Ray Alary President, TWR Canada

P.S. I’ve included a fact sheet about our Africa projects to give you more information so that you can prayerfully consider your support of this exciting work. Please visit our website to make your life-changing gift today. Thank you!

Speaking Hope to Africa

Thank you for considering TWR as a recipient of your generosity this Easter. We can’t do the work without you. Here’s what your gift given this month will help support in 2013:

Training Resources The Church in Africa is growing, and so is the need for educated pastors and lay leaders. Pastors need formal training but lack opportunity and finances. The Tools for Wise Leadership program meets this need. Your gift will provide desperately needed training.

Hope for Burundi Burundi is deeply scarred by oppression, ethnic divisions, food shortages, and civil conflict. People need hope and to see the value of life. TWR delivers the Good News For All and Jesus Is The Answer programs so that listeners can hear about the peace and hope available only through Jesus Christ. Your gift will help produce and broadcast these life-changing radio programs.

Encouragement in Mozambique Mozambique has struggled with a 20 year civil war resulting in over 900,000 deaths and another 5 million displaced people. Your gift will help speak hope to the largely unreached Lomwe and Makhuwa people of Mozambique with the Words of Hope broadcasts.

TWR Canada’s Ministry to Africa From modest beginnings in 1974 in Swaziland, TWR now broadcasts in over 65 languages and dialects to more than 40 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The Africa Regional Office is located in Johannesburg, South Africa, with program production from nine TWR national offices as well as many other Christian partners. With the recent addition of the Benin station in West Africa, TWR is speaking hope through Bible storytelling, Bible studies, women’s and children’s programs, praise music, training in leadership and addressing health issues such as HIV/AIDS. TWR Canada’s current focus within Africa is on the following ministries:

In Mozambique, the 20 year civil war made it impossible for missionaries to bring the Gospel to many people groups, but radio recognizes no barriers and can reach into remote locations. TWR Canada supports projects that reach two largely unreached Islamic people groups: the 2.8 million Lomwe-speaking people of western Mozambique and the 4 million Makhuwa people of northern Mozambique

The daily broadcast, Molumo Olipelela or Words of Hope brings the Gospel to the Makhuwa people with the goal of proclaiming Jesus Christ, building the church, and encouraging Christians in the life of discipleship. Believers are also forming churches. The new Christians of one village recently transformed a mosque into a church, and even some government officials have expressed appreciation of the program.

For the Lomwe people, TWR Canada helps create the daily Words of Hope Lomwe broadcast Weherya Mwa Yesu. The goal is to reach unbelievers with the Gospel, to teach and encourage Christians in their walk with the Lord with a message of hope, and provide encouragement amidst struggle. Over 300 churches have been started through the broadcasts.

TWR Canada also has ministry in Burundi, a country deeply scarred by oppression, drought, ethnic divisions, food shortages, lack of medical care, and conflict. The country continues to struggle after 40 years of civil war resulted in more than 200,000 deaths. There is a deep need and yearning for healing and restoration. The people need to hear of the peace and hope that can only come through Jesus Christ. TWR Canada helps produce and broadcast two programs in KiRundi, the peoples' "heart" language, which reaches the entire country.

Good News for All: This one-hour broadcast provides biblical teaching to reach non-believers, and encourages, teaches and guides believers scattered across the country due to the civil war.

Jesus is the Answer: Many of Burundi's youth only know conflict, violence, and poverty. They face a bleak future with only 50% of children attending school. This 30-minute radio program deals with issues relevant to young people and shares how Jesus can meet them in their need. In addition, Jesus is the Answer addresses the topic of HIV/AIDS, a disease causing great suffering in Burundi.

Throughout Southern, Central and East Africa, TWR Canada is also investing in critically needed leadership training programs. The Christian church in Africa is growing, and young pastors and lay church leaders need a sound understanding of biblical leadership principles in order to be effective. Without training, these young leaders are wrongly influenced by tribal cultural values. As congregations grow and attract the educated and professional classes, these pastors need formal biblical training but often lack the opportunity and finances to do so. In order to meet the leadership vacuum, TWR produces a 15-minute weekly radio program called Tools for Wise Leadership (based on the leadership skills of Jesus Christ) for over 100 million potential listeners in 10 countries across Southern, Central and East Africa.

TWR Canada also remains committed to the Project Hannah ministry in Africa. Project Hannah offers compassion, encouragement and hope to hurting women through prayer, awareness, mercy ministries, and radio programming.

Prayer: Rooted in prayer and fasting, Project Hannah has become a global prayer movement, with more than 40,000 intercessors in over 120 countries. A monthly prayer calendar, distributed in over 70 languages, provides requests and information about specific countries or areas of focus for concentrated prayer.

Awareness: Each monthly prayer calendar educates intercessors on the plight of women across the globe through an awareness article. Project Hannah also promotes awareness of women’s issues by speaking at churches, women’s groups, conferences and other events.

Mercy Ministries: Project Hannah ministry teams in Africa are answering God’s call by caring for the suffering through visitation, counsel, Bible studies and various practical ways. These teams show the love of God in tangible ways every day.

Radio Programming: Radio can reach women where they are, no matter their social status, culture or location. That’s why Project Hannah chose a radio broadcast to proclaim the hope of Jesus Christ. The friend-to-friend style of the Women of Hope program is simple and attractive, yet challenging. The broadcasts share practical advice and Biblical teaching, letting listeners know they are understood and loved—especially by God. First aired in 1998, Women of Hope is broadcast today in more than 60 languages from hundreds of AM, FM and shortwave radio stations.

In Africa, TWR Canada translates, produces and airs the Women of Hope broadcasts in Angola (Portuguese, Umbundu), Mozambique (Portuguese, Makhuwa), and West Africa (French, Bambara).

Thank you for your interest in Speaking Hope to the World through Trans World Radio Canada.

TWR Canada PO Box 25324 London ON N6C 6B1 Tel: 888.672.6510 Email: info@twrcanada.org www.twrcanada.org