Heralds of Hope

Since Adla* married Thabiti*, the quarrelling hasn't stopped. It got so bad that Adla gave up and left home to rent a place in town. It's not as if she didn't try everything - she listened to TWR, and although she appreciated the gospel message, it didn't fix her marriage. She even consulted a witchdoctor, who told her there was no hope because her in-laws never liked her. So Adla left.

“This duality is a typical problem in Africa,” TWR Kenya's Bernice Gatere explained,

"As is the case in the entire coastal region of East Africa, belief in witchcraft and the supernatural reign supreme. Teachers of the gospel in churches and via radio have an uphill task drawing people from traditions to the gospel. Many are not convinced that Christ is the answer and will 'mix' Christianity and traditions. The result is that they attend church and at the same time consult witchdoctors when faced with marital problems and sickness."

A worldview is a difficult thing to change - it is deep and entrenched in one’s life and upbringing. Therefore, the clear Biblical worldview must be presented in contrast to the traditional worldview to show people what needs to change in their core belief system.

Back to Adla. Sitting in her little apartment, she decided to give TWR another chance. She tuned into Heralds of Hope, a programme aired by TWR Kenya FM, 60 km away. While listening, the pastor preached a message of forgiveness.

For the first time, Adla considered forgiving her husband. For the first time, she realised that she had a hard, unforgiving heart. So, she decided to call her husband and ask for his forgiveness. His response? He asked for forgiveness too, and their marriage was restored.

The simple message of forgiveness is at the core of a Biblical worldview: "but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8 ESV).

*Names changed for security reasons.