TWR Arabic Program Resonates With Middle Eastern Listeners in Midst of Refugee Crisis
At the height of a refugee crisis, the Arabic version of the popular Trans World Radio program Women of Hope is being aired in prime time on a popular FM station in the heart of the Middle East, TWR announced Wednesday.
Starting this month, Laki Raja, which is the Arabic name of Women of Hope, is being broadcast free of charge four times a week by a widely heard station in Lebanon. The broadcasts reach listeners in that country as well as in Syria and Palestine.
"This is a new initiative in TWR's history," reported TWR's Arabic Ministry director, whose name is withheld for security reasons. "With many Syrian and Iraqi refugees in Lebanon, this comes as an amazing opportunity to share the Gospel with the women who have lost their homes, husbands, and sometimes children, too, and who are in desperate need of hearing a message of hope!"
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A better time of year couldn't have been chosen for news of the program launch in Lebanon, according to Marli Spieker, the founder and global director of Project Hannah. Women of Hope is the flagship radio program of Project Hannah, TWR's worldwide women's ministry and prayer movement.
"All our collective prayers and the hard work are paying off in God's perfect timing!" Spieker said. "At this Thanksgiving season, we bow before our God in awe of his faithfulness and grace as he takes our feeble efforts and uses Project Hannah and those of you who have devoted your time, resources and passion to convey his grace and salvation to women in that vast and troubled region."
Response has been encouraging from listeners of the new broadcasts in Lebanon, as well as from audiences of TWR's existing Arabic Internet and broadcast programming via both the Internet and broadcast transmitters located outside the region. On the first day of the new broadcasts, the Arabic Ministry director said, people began using phone calls, WhatsApp text messages and Facebook to interact about the program.
"And more than 90 percent of the followers and correspondents are non-Christian people, both men and women!" Spieker wrote by email. "Praise God! Women are listening to the episode on Facebook and are sharing their comments. Some write private emails to ask theological questions about God and Jesus and to share their sad stories and struggles. The harvest is plentiful!!"
The Laki Raja Facebook page was unveiled in 2012 and after a promotional campaign this past summer saw a surge to more than 25,000 likes. TWR content in Arabic is also available at arabicprograms.org. Readers wanting to learn more about Project Hannah's outreach to this region can visit twr.org/PH_arabic.
