For almost two decades, we have had the privilege of working with Ben, a Kenyan technician and station installer for a German ministry called DIGUNA. Five years ago, he installed the equipment for a new radio station in northwestern Kenya outside the Kakuma refugee camp. This station was established “with a purpose of sharing the love of Christ to the refugees and the local host community of Turkana.” He recalls that he and his friends paused under a tree asking God to grant success for the radio ministry.
Ben shared how the Lord answered in an unexpected way. After hearing the Bible teaching programs, a young man came to the studio and asked, “Can I accept this Jesus you are talking about?” Carl, the program producer, had the pleasure of leading him to Christ. One Sunday morning the man showed up at the gate with his family members for a radio church service. Since there was no church building, they sat under a tree. This was the same tree Ben had prayed under asking God to grant the radio ministry success.
Ben writes, “Men, women and children would continue to sit under this tree for Bible study and would eventually have a church service. After one year ‘the church under a tree’ had over 70 members, most have come to Christ through the radio programs.” BHB Kakuma broadcasts in Swahili and Juba Arabic and focuses their programming on the refugees and the surrounding Turkana community.
This station is part of an expansion of the Biblia Husema Broadcasting (BHB) network of eight FM stations begun in 1953 by missionaries of the African Inland Mission. They are penetrating areas of Kenya that have largely been unreached with the gospel. SonSet Solutions has had the privilege of helping advise and provide equipment for these stations.
By Barbara Anderson, August 2023