CAMENA Newsletter - Spring 2024

In Central Asia, God graciously empowers TWR teams to spread the message of God's love and hope found in Jesus Christ through various platforms – including radio, online, Telegram, Instagram, TikTok, and MP3 players. Our programs proclaim the gospel and provide solace and strength to persecuted Christians who cannot openly attend church services and often gather secretly. Through your support and prayers, along with divine assistance, we can keep the doors of the gospel open to those we serve. Our goal is to reach every listener with the Word of God.

Rejoicing in Tajik Testimonies

In Tajikistan, only religious activities within state-owned and state-controlled institutions are permitted. Persecution has intensified significantly in recent years. Tajik Christians bear the brunt of the persecution. Protestants are constantly under suspicion, while Russian Orthodox Churches face no government scrutiny to avoid conflict with Russia. Tajik-made churches or groups cannot register, and religious activities for those under 18 are strictly forbidden.

Despite persecution, there are testimonies that show there is also rejoicing. Those who have heard the gospel cannot contain their excitement in sharing the joy of their new faith with others. One listener shared how finding the Source of Life Telegram channel changed their life:

“I had peace in my heart. I feel that Jesus is knocking on my heart, and I want to love the Lord with all my heart. I have recommended this channel to all my friends. I want them to have an opportunity to enjoy the Word of God.”

Like the woman in the parable in Luke 15 who found her lost coin and could not wait to tell all her friends and neighbors, new Tajik believers cannot suppress their love for Christ and want everyone to know the hope and peace that can be found in Jesus so they can rejoice together.

A young adult listener shared:

"In 2020, I accepted Jesus Christ into my life as my Savior. It was during the pandemic when many people were sick and stayed at home. All my life, I grew up in a M family. My parents always raised me to be a religious person. Since I was a child, [I followed our religion], but I never felt the presence of God. I started reading philosophers and still couldn’t find answers to my questions. I met a friend on Instagram and found out he was a Christian. I started asking him a lot of questions, and he answered them; then he gave me the New Testament Gospels, and I started reading them. After a while I was given a radio with a flash drive with recorded Christian programs. I started listening to these programs and realized that God is loving, forgiving, and merciful. I realized that he loves me. For the first time in my life, I felt loved by God. I realized that I am not a slave but a child of God. He is my Heavenly Father. Now, I have been a follower of Jesus Christ for three years. I am very grateful to my friend who gave me the Gospels, and of course, I thank the man who gave me a radio, which helped me know Jesus Christ even more. My parents are not yet reconciled with the Lord, but I continue to pray for them. I also gave them a radio to listen to these programs. I hope they will accept Jesus soon!"

We ask that the Lord give TWR and our teams serving the Tajiks favor as we develop our media ministry. Please pray for protection and success as we create and air these Christian programs in a nation that is so closed to evangelism.

Exciting Opportunities in Israel

TWR is pursuing two new ministry projects in Israel: a 24-hour online radio ministry and Women of Hope programs for Russian speakers living in Israel. Our desire is to reestablish ministries in Israel, initially focusing on the large Russian-speaking community.

Israel is a nation of rich ethnic and religious diversity. Approximately 75% of the population is Jewish, while Arabs constitute more than 20%, according to Britannica. Israel is also home to Druze, Circassians, and other minority groups, adding to its intricate cultural mosaic.

After the fall of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, close to a million Russian-speaking Jews returned to Israel, profoundly impacting Israeli society. TWR already has a significant amount of existing content in the Russian language and has formed a ministry partnership with an organization in Israel. So, it’s a logical next step to begin an outreach to Russian speakers in Israel, with plans to expand to other audiences in the near future.

The recent escalation of the Israel-Gaza war has made ministry in the region even more vital as individuals grapple with the psychological, economic, and destabilizing impacts of war. TWR wants to establish a meaningful presence within the country, addressing Russian speakers' specific needs and concerns from a Christian perspective.

24-hour Online Radio for Russian Speakers in Israel

Creating a foundation of trust is a necessary first step in reaching the Russian-speaking community in Israel with the message of Jesus. A large number of Russian speakers living in Israel don’t identify with any religion. Many have adopted secular worldviews, while others identify as agnostic or atheist. Their backgrounds and values reflect the complexity of Russia's history and the diverse cultural landscape of Israel.

A 24-hour digital media stream service will be a starting point for those curious and wanting to know more. It will give them a safe space to learn about God and ask questions. The recent escalation in the Israel-Gaza conflict has had a traumatic impact on many lives, and people are asking difficult questions. Many don’t know where to turn.

TWR wants to help Russian speakers in Israel between the ages of 25-50 take the first steps toward faith in Christ. Because the digital radio stream takes a pre-evangelistic approach, around 80% of the content will consist of cultural news, music, and other topic-related themes that are ethical but not overtly Christian. The other 20% of the content will address relevant topics from a Christian perspective. Topic examples are depression, finding meaning in life, financial stress, marriage, and children. The team hopes to attract a faithful audience and gain a reputation for sharing balanced, moral content so that listeners are ready to absorb the information when biblical themes are presented.

Women of Hope Shares Good News with Russian Speakers in Israel

Of the 1.2 million Russian-speaking Jews living in Israel, many of them are women who face challenges such as domestic violence and abuse, social isolation, and discrimination. Women of Hope can offer them compassion, encouragement, and hope in Christ.

The TWR Women of Hope ministry seeks to bring the hope of Jesus to women around the world and across generations. The focus lies on educating, encouraging, and equipping women to learn, pray, listen, grow, and give through media and small group interaction. In a 30-minute weekly program format, the Women of Hope audio series both attracts and challenges listeners in a friend-to-friend style.

Engaging with a digital audience through social media and follow-up is key. This allows the team to communicate personally with the women and provide more in-depth information. Besides digital communication, project development and in-person follow-up are essential to relationship building, with the possibility of visiting and meeting offline.

Women of Hope complements the digital side of the ministry with a foundation of prayer and mutual encouragement. This means organizing small groups and a prayer network where the women commit to pray for and with each other. This is a significant way for women to encourage each other in difficult life circumstances and grow together in their faith.

Lifting the Veil of Darkness in Türkiye

Spanning Europe and Asia, Türkiye (formerly known as Turkey) has long been a crossroads of civilization. As such, the Turkish way of life is marked by a unique blend of cultural influences.

Most Turks live in Türkiye itself, with a diaspora spread across 67 other countries. TWR, together with its ministry friends, has a solid presence in Türkiye and can adapt media content in response to prevailing circumstances. In times of natural disasters, for example, more gospel-centered programs dealing with trauma and emotional healing are aired.

In Türkiye, radio is a popular media format and the most effective media format for sharing the gospel. It easily reaches listeners in their own homes, where they may be free from outside pressures to conform to Islamic traditions. Poverty is also prevalent, with ongoing issues of unemployment making it difficult for people to afford expensive technology. Radios typically come at a more affordable price compared with most other media devices.

“Radio softens the heart of the listener,” a ministry friend of TWR said. “We need it to consistently dispel the lies people believe about Christianity and the church. Turkish culture is hard spiritual ground, and radio is a 24/7 outlet to pour out the love and hope of Jesus that the world desperately needs. Social media is effective at connecting with people, and we will use it to point them to the radio broadcasts.”

However, radio is just one of many media formats TWR uses to share Christ with Turkish people. TWR360, a versatile app and online platform with biblical content in 140-plus languages, is widely popular among Turkish audiences.

Additionally, video has been an effective media format for Men of Courage episodes in the Turkish language, especially for the talk-show-style segments. Topic experts are invited to appear on the show, and questions are posed to the audience during these discussions. One of the program’s listeners wrote, “There are no other men’s programs like Men of Courage available. ... The men in our [Bible-study] group are very happy about this program, and they await every new episode. If they miss a program, they go and listen to the podcast.”

Through digital media, TWR and its ministry friends build connections with Turks worldwide. Christian teaching that is aired on the radio is also available for digital streaming, giving Turks all over the globe access to solid biblical teaching.

The region of Northern Cyprus is home to Turkish Cypriots, who are of Turkish ethnicity and share cultural and linguistic ties with Türkiye. The region, shaped by its prevalent Islamic influence, has remained relatively unexplored by gospel outreach. Recognizing the power of radio to transcend geographical, political, and religious boundaries, TWR cooperates with ministry friends to share hope through the airwaves.

TWR’s Muslim ministry coordinator in Europe, wrote, “In the area of Northern Cyprus, the women are often vulnerable, especially the many young women coming to the island from all around the Muslim world. Human trafficking and various kinds of trauma are a big challenge for many. We want to get in contact with these women, help them heal, and give them hope and new life through the transforming power of the gospel.”

To that end, TWR Women of Hope launched Bridge of Hope Online in 2023, a platform offering Turkish-speaking women a safe space to discuss difficult topics. Much of the content focuses on trauma counseling and anti-trafficking.

Please come alongside us in prayer, asking for a spiritual breakthrough among the Turkish people. Pray that the small percentage of Turkish Christians around the world will have the courage to boldly proclaim the gospel.

Listener Response

Yusuf* said, “I am a driver who distributes for a company in Istanbul. Since my whole day is spent in traffic, I spend time listening to the radio. This is how I found your Thru the Bible programs. I grew up in a conservative family. At first, what I listened to was a bit surprising. Then I thought that the missionaries were deceiving us. I thought that you could not harm me because I trusted my own mind and knowledge. That's how I started listening. Then I became addicted, and every day I was waiting impatiently for the time of your program. I was sad that I could not listen to it on weekends. One day, while I was stopped in traffic listening to your program, a voice inside me said, “Why are you resisting? You know the truth.” This was a power I could no longer resist. Sobbing in the stopped traffic, I accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. I cannot describe the joy that filled me at that moment. Suddenly I realized that a great burden had been lifted from me and that I was saved and free. I have been a believer for six months, and neither my wife nor my friends know. I am very happy and full of peace. Every day something changes in me. My friends and my wife are aware, but I don't have the courage to tell them yet. Please pray for me.”

* A pseudonym used for security reasons