In Kyrgyzstan, a woman named Ainura* was frantically searching for hope. She had attempted suicide twice and was now considering a third try. Then she stumbled upon FEBC’s Partner’s radio broadcast.
“We were talking about suicide, how death was not the answer, about living a life before God. When Ainura came across the program, she stopped her suicide attempt. She is now our listener, and we are in contact with her,” broadcaster Zamira* shared.
Sadly, Ainura’s situation isn’t uncommon in the young Kyrgyz Republic. The ex-Soviet nation ranks as the second poorest country in Central Asia in terms of GDP. Men, women, and teenagers are battling hopelessness, depression, drugs and dissatisfaction with life.
Saving Lives
FEBC’s Partner broadcaster opens opportunities for conversations about Jesus by airing programs that address challenges experienced across society and weaving Christian principles into the broadcasts.
Programs about marriage, motherhood, raising a family and more are popular with people of all faiths. “The station shares the image of Christianity as okay, as positive” says Rudi, who helped start the station. These programs bring God’s peace to people who are struggling. They have helped save lives like Ainura’s.
FEBC Australia's Partner operates six radio stations which cover 85% of the landlocked area of Kyrgyzstan.
One listener was a desperate woman and her husband knew little about Jesus. She heard the program and contacted the radio station. Her 13-year-old son committed suicide and his 21-year-old brother also tried to hang himself. He was saved in the nick of time when his mother noticed his attempt.
The broadcasters helped her understand that she was not alone in her challenges at home, and that there was hope. “Without you I wouldn’t be here,” the woman commented. She found peace with Jesus as her Lord and Saviour. Her eldest son has also become a follower of Christ.
Going Beyond, Building Relationships
FEBC’s Partner in Kyrgyzstan goes a step further beyond on-air broadcasts. They stay in contact with listeners who reach out to the station, with in-person visits and counselling. The team has given a radio to the woman listener’s husband. He wears it around his neck and listens to the programs almost all day.
“We work with listeners, build relationships, and help them. One other listener was going through a hard time, we invited him to come for tea, he came, we talked, and he accepted the gospel,” Zamira* shares.
Through the visits, prayer and counselling, listeners learn about the love of Jesus and how He cares for them. Many have placed their trust in Him.
Reaching Far and Wide
God continues to bless the team’s faithful and passionate efforts. The radio programs have become very popular. FEBC’s Partner runs a network of FM stations in
Kyrgyzstan established in 2012, with content fully based on Biblical principles. It has recently been voted in the top 10 radio stations in Osh, the country’s second-largest city with a predominantly Muslim population.
Through six radio stations, 80% of the people in Kyrgyzstan can access the radio programs. With social media and mobile apps, the programs reach even neighbouring countries.
Kyrgyz listeners.
In a land where more than 60%^ of the population live in rural areas, it has been a spiritual lifeline for followers of Christ, who make up a minute percentage of the population. This first generation of believers are also using the radio programs to reach the next generation.
Listener Gulperi’s* testimony sums it up:
“I can’t imagine what my life would be like without your radio station. I turn on the radio at 7 a.m. and the rest of the day is filled with these radio programs.
“These programs have helped me find the right path and make the right decisions. My life has transformed and continues to transform. My husband is not a believer yet, but he listens to these programs all day. We are praying that he will become a believer.
“This radio station gives me great opportunity to reach out to my friends. I ask Zamira to say the name of my friends on air. They hear their names and start listening to the station.
“I live in a small village where everyone else is not a follower of Christ. Your radio station is a key source of spiritual food and growth. It has been my only contact with other Christians. Five years ago, I first heard and now I can’t live without it.”
Ainura’s life has also changed. She is no longer thinking about suicide and is discovering hope and purpose in her first steps towards God.
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