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Gospel For Asia To Broadcast In Two Official Afghan Languages
By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service
CARROLLTON, TEXAS (ANS) -- On September 11, as people around the world remember those who
died in the terrorist attacks on the United States, Gospel for Asia will begin
broadcasting the Gospel into Afghanistan.
According to the Gospel For Asia website, the programs will be aired daily in the nation's
two official languages, Dari and Pashto. Spoken by 4 million Afghans, Dari (Afghan
Persian) is the language of commerce and higher education. Pashto is used by around half
the nation's population. The programs will initially consist of Scripture reading,
eventually including Gospel teaching messages.
"We believe that God has been preparing the hearts of the Afghan people to receive
the Word of God," said K.P. Yohannan, president of Gospel for Asia.
With only 1,000 to 3,000 believers, Afghanistan is one of the least evangelized countries.
In addition, war has decimated the land and impoverished the Afghan people in many ways.
One in four Afghan women are widows, and there are four million orphans. "The Lord
cares intensely for the people of Afghanistan," continued K.P., "and they so
desperately need the hope and peace of Christ."
The GFA site says: "Meanwhile the interim government is forging ahead with the
delicate process of reconstruction. Recently Afghans celebrated their nation's
independence from Britain for the first time since the Taliban fell. In a symbolic
gesture, President Hamid Karzai released a dove into the air to express the desire for
lasting peace."
"This is a most significant time to begin broadcasting the Gospel to the Afghan
people," noted K.P. Yohannan.
For the past 17 years, Gospel for Asia has produced and aired radio broadcasts using air
time purchased from other radio ministries. These programs have been going out across the
Indian sub-continent in more than 20 Asian languages.
"Now our radio ministry is entering a new era as we launch our own broadcasting
network, GFA Radio Network. Using several powerful transmitters, we will be broadcasting
the Gospel to some of the neediest countries in the Indian sub-continent, the heart of the
10/40 Window," the website says.
It continues: "Through the GFA Radio Network, we are able to transmit programs in
even more languages so that we can reach the most unreached for Christ. Similar to other
radio networks (such as Trans World Radio, Far East Broadcasting Association and HCJB), we
can now give hundreds of other ministries the opportunity to carry on evangelism and
discipleship over the airwaves in Asia.
"Our goal is to broadcast in at least 200 languages as soon as possible. Currently 12
recording studios are being set up across Asia, giving these ministries a place to record
their programs. We are also establishing a broadcasters' training school and providing
instruction on our follow-up systems for our radio coworkers. It is our privilege to
assist them in this way as they learn how to use the medium of radio to win the
lost," it says.
It adds: "We know by experience that radio is one of the most powerful evangelistic
tools available. That is why, under the Lord's direction, we are now launching our own
network. Please pray that God will open many doors and bring multitudes to Himself in the
days ahead."
GFA is currently airing broadcasts in the languages listed in the chart to the left. Press
the chart to link to a full-sized chart. These languages represent hundreds of millions of
people in Asia who do not know the love of Jesus Christ. Please pray that they would
respond to the Lord in faith as they hear the Good News over radio.
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