Liberia Conference close to establishing radio station
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A UMNS photo by Kathy L. Gilbert Bishop John Innis says "It will be great news to hear the radio station has begun."
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Bishop
John Innis, Liberia Annual (regional) Conference, is looking forward to
being the first broadcaster on United Methodist radio in this war-torn
country. Communication infrastructure in Liberia was severely damaged by
the 14 year civil war that ended in 2003. The radio station, currently
under construction, has been a vision of the Liberian conference for
over two years and has received funding from the Illinois Great Rivers
Annual (regional) Conference, Memorial United Methodist Church in White
Plains, N.Y., and Church of the Resurrection in Leawood. A UMNS photo by
Kathy L. Gilbert. Photo #06650. Accompanies UMNS story #344. 6/09/06. |
June 9, 2006
By Kathy L. Gilbert*
MONROVIA, Liberia (UMNS) — Bishop John Innis is looking forward
to being the first broadcaster on United Methodist radio in this
war-torn country because he has good news to share.
“Our church is a very wonderful church, well loved, well
respected in this country,” he said. “What we engage in always gains
spiritual popularity. It will be great news to hear the radio station
has begun.”
The Liberia Annual Conference has been dreaming of a radio
station for the last two years. Funding for a community radio station in
Liberia will make that dream come true soon.
Contributors to the radio station include the Illinois Great
Rivers Annual (regional) Conference, Memorial United Methodist Church in
White Plains, N.Y., and Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kan.,
said Elizabeth Hunter, executive director of the United Methodist
Communications Foundation.
The foundation is helping raise funds to establish conference
communication centers in Africa. It supports United Methodist
Communications in its mission to tell the stories of the church and its
people.
Liberian church leaders met with a team from United Methodist
Communications in 2005 to talk about their needs. The meeting was part
of the Central Conference Communications Initiative, approved by the
2004 General Conference to develop communications structures in the
denomination’s conferences outside the United States.
Working in partnership with central conference church leaders,
United Methodist Communications is helping those areas not only meet
their own needs but also the needs of the larger church “for hearing,
embracing and sharing life-transforming stories,” said Barbara Nissen,
Communications Resourcing Team director at the agency.
Recovering from war
“Communication needs have been hampered by war,” said the Rev.
Konah Parker, communications director for the Liberia Conference.
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A UMNS photo by Kathy L. Gilbert "For a long time, Liberia lost contact with the outside world," Konah Parker says.
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"For
a long time, Liberia lost contact with the outside world," Liberia
Annual Conference communications director, Konah Parker says.
Communication infrastructure in Liberia was severely damaged by the 14
year civil war that ended in 2003. A radio station, currently under
construction, has been a vision of the Liberian conference for over two
years and has received funding from the Illinois Great Rivers Annual
(regional) Conference, Memorial United Methodist Church in White Plains,
N.Y., and Church of the Resurrection in Leawood. A UMNS photo by Kathy
L. Gilbert. Photo #06651. Accompanies UMNS story #344. 6/09/06.
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A 14-year civil war ended in 2003, leaving the infrastructure
wrecked with no electricity, water or sewage. Many churches, parsonages,
schools and medical facilities remain destroyed or severely damaged.
Parker reported that the Liberia telecommunications system was badly
damaged, bringing a complete halt to line telephone service.
The Liberia Broadcasting System, the ELWA Radio and all other radio stations were also looted and destroyed during the war.
“For a long time, Liberia lost contact with the outside world,” he said.
He noted however that cell phone companies and radio stations are starting to come back.
“Liberia needs nationwide radio coverage,” he said. “Most of the stations do not cover Liberia’s 43,000 square miles.”
The United Methodist Church in Liberia wants to serve everyone
and help change the mindset of violence, especially in the youth, Innis
said.
Building a station
The conference has begun to construct a station. Isaiah Mbuga, a
radio expert from Uganda, was invited to be part of the meeting to
assess and advice the conference on establishing their own station.
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A UMNS photo by Kathy L. Gilbert Isaiah Mbuga (left) advises Tafadzwa Mudambanuki on establishing a radio station for the Liberia Annual Conference.
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Isaiah
Mbuga (left) advises Tafadzwa Mudambanuki, a staff member of the
Communications Resourcing Team at United Methodist Communications, on
establishing a radio station for the Liberia Annual Conference. Mbuga, a
radio expert from Uganda, attended a meeting with Liberian church
leaders and a team from UMCom to talk about communication needs and
challenges in the Central Conferences. A radio station has been a vision
of the Liberian conference for over two yearsand is currently under
construction. A UMNS photo by Kathy L. Gilbert. Photo #06652.
Accompanies UMNS story #344. 6/09/06.
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“I have been though war — am privileged to be from war — I come
to you with an understanding of what you are going through,” Mbuga said.
“Some of the things I will share are meant to make you think hard.”
Mbuga emphasized the need to do research on audience needs and
trends and decide exactly what the church wants to accomplish with a
radio station.
“The transmitter you have is very small, but it can do well,” he
said. “Use what you have, use high gain antenna, get a receiver and add
another transmitter — (signals) will go up to the end of the country.”
He suggested some additional work for the studio, including soundproofing.
“Programming is the lifeblood of a radio station, and you have
several issues,” he said. “You can use radio to teach children
informally. Let radio be a forum for young people.”
Radio has played a key part in the life of Liberia, Parker said. “It is our mission to spread the gospel.”
*Gilbert is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in Nashville, Tenn.
News media contact: Kathy L. Gilbert, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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