Türkiye/Syria (MNN) — Trans World Radio broadcasts continue to reach Türkiye and Syria with lifelines of hope and help after the quakes struck a year ago this month.
Alenka Stephenson with TWR says most of their equipment in the city of Antakya miraculously survived the quakes and they were back on the air within a few weeks.
“Even up to today, throughout the whole year, they were able to air 24/7 Christian programs, Christian music, Bible verses and (able to be) just addressing the needs of people in shock.”
A year later, people in Türkiye are far from recovering. Stephenson says people are searching for answers about God. “This is what we’re trying to do, to address those topics that we see that people are interested in,” she says.
For example, TWR has a special program in Syria that began when the Syrian civil war started.
“This was the program (on which) we were able to include some of the topics for after (the) earthquake and (to) help them deal with with trauma,” Stephenson says.
A listener to Hope for Syria contacted TWR with this message: “I can’t even express how much Hope for Syria has meant to me. It’s like a lifeline in the midst of all the chaos. I found strength in my faith that I never knew existed. Thank you for being that Guiding Light in our darkness.”
Photo of construction works in Hatay Province, Türkiye courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
It’s just one radio program of many that God is using to beam hope to people in desperate circumstances around the world.
In Turkiye, Stephenson says Christians recently went out to distribute practical supplies such as basic foods and also to let people know how they could tune in to TWR programs.
“It’s a huge testimony because Christians were the one who stayed in the long run. A lot of times, humanitarian aid comes very quickly (when something) happens at the beginning, and then it’s easy to kind of fade out,” says Stephenson.
“(They) actually keep coming back and helping out. Regardless of the religious background, they help everybody.”
TWR is in Türkiye to stay, to share the hope of Christ with people who listen and who reach out in response to their programs. Here’s how you can help.
“Our teams need prayer, especially to absorb all the pain that people pour out to them, and they counsel them and they interact with them. So that’s a first one. And of course financially,” Stephenson says.
TWR has special project funds set up for Turkey and Syria, available on their website.
Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Stranger Things via Pexels.