Pray for the Roma

As you know, I've been working on a short film highlighting TWR's ministry to the Roma people in Central & Eastern Europe since early February. The film was well-received at the Annual Partners' Conference last Friday night, so I'm pleased with how it's turned out. Expect to see it online around the first of May.

But this isn't about me; it's about the Roma.

I've had the privilege of meeting many Roma here in Slovakia and in Bulgaria, and my heart goes out to this people group. People hate them. They've been persecuted and oppressed for centuries and, sadly, violence against them has only been increasing during the last two decades. This article from Sunday's NY Times brought tears to my eyes. Pray for these people.

• That every Roma person would come to know and experience the love of Jesus Christ, and that they would grow in their faith and their love for one another.
• For the pastors in the Roma communities, that God would encourage them and give them strength to be examples to their congregations and their villages.
• For TWR and its Partners, that they would receive all the necessary funding to continue and increase their work among the Roma people.
• For Roma families, particularly the women, as they raise the next generation.
• That those who have radios will start new listener groups and churches, and that, from among them, God will raise up godly leaders.
• That the hearts of minds of those who hold prejudices against the Roma would be changed through Christ's love.

A Roma woman I met in Slovakia shared these words with me:

"I am a Roma, and my desire is that people open their hearts for God, that they don't live just their own lives, but they open it up for the Lord, because He is the good God who paid for us. I want everyone to hear His Gospel because He is the hope. My wish for them is that they forgive one another—that's when God is revealed. I would like to encourage them that there's someone who loves them. Although this world is malicious towards us, the Roma people, I want to say that God is the hope. Love one another."

Amen.

Radios for Roma

Last summer, TWR's Partners in several Eastern Europe countries handed out Galcom solar radios to Roma communities. The Roma people are an oral society, which means their communication is done with little reading and writing. They are so discriminated against that few children are allowed into schools and unemployment is very high. They have little trust. They are told they are unworthy and unloved. Many governments have tried to ban Roma customs and languages while attempted to assimilate them entirely.

Initially, they just handed out solar radios with information about TWR programming. Prejudice against the Roma as thieves and crooks were so strong that many got in trouble for owning the radios, since no one would believe they are a gift. When TWR handed them out again, they handed out radios tuned exclusively to TWR's programs.

Imagine hearing in their uncommon, native tongue that there is a God who loves them, who thinks they are everything, who wants to offer them hope. These programs are powerful. We hope to raise more awareness through one of the Epic Stories Mike is directing. Pray for them during the editing stages.

Moise Marin, a missionary of TWR Romania (white shirt), helped hand out the radios to the Roma communities in Romania. He sent us this report last week:

"Last summer, I distributed a number of solar radios in a village, and one person started a ministry among the people who received those radios there. Now, after a few months, there is a small church. From another Roma church, the people who received teh radios told me that they need to listen more to learn about God because the program is too short. I am thankful to God that there are two churches that were planted in two small villages after the radios were received and TWR's programs were listened to."
Visit radiosfortheworld.com and click on "Eastern Europe" to learn more about the radios and how you can gift a radio to a Roma family or community.

Epic Stories

Mike and I will be in Greece from Tuesday to Saturday working on another film for the Epic Stories series. These eight films were produced by the TWR Europe PR department back in 2006. Actually, the creation of these films is how I heard about TWR in the first place, as David's production company and Amy's photography were large parts of the mad skills behind these initial films. My internship followed only months later.

Speaking from experience, the Epic Stories are a really powerful tool to raise awareness and education about TWR's global ministry. Each film is 8-12 minutes long and describes a particular area of TWR's work in a particular area and why it is such a vital ministry.

Our favorite Epic Story to use in fundraising was the film covering Ala's Diary, an internet program in the Middle East reaching youth. More than half of the Middle East's population is under the age of 25, and they are all deciding who they want to be and how they want to live. Anyone, not just Christians, can see how extremely significant this next generation will be in deciding the world's next steps. TWR is there, telling them about Jesus in a peer-to-peer ministry.

Just to name a few other areas covered by the films:

• A nomad from North Africa begging for more oral programming, as his people are miles and miles from the nearest church and are unable to read a Bible.
  
• On a radio meant to be used for communist propaganda, a Ukranian pastor and producer first heard about Jesus through TWR's programs reaching past the Iron Curtain.
• A woman in Albania uses her shop to promote TWR's Project Hannah program for women to encourage her sisters that are so often oppressed and hopeless.

We'll be traveling to Greece to answer a question we get so often: Why Radio? Greece's FM radio programs are also aired on the internet, and TWR's hour of programming is the most-listened to, by far. (It's true. I've seen the statistical print-out!) In a recent survey of developed countries, it was revealed that radio is one of the most trusted and used sources of information. (Politicians were at the bottom of the last--some things are truly global!) Greece is simply an excellent example of how truly relevent and powerful radio is today, even in a 'developed' country.

We are also filming an Epic Story about the plight of the Roma people in Eastern Europe, a group of people that make up the largest minority group in Europe. Formerly (and incorrectly) referred to as 'gypsies,' this oral society of people is very segregated, thought to be liars and thieves, and refused education and employment. TWR is creating programs for them in their unique native tongue, which varies country-to-country. They are also handing out solar radios so they can hear our programs.

Meeting for upcoming Roma Epic Story

We have a big meeting tomorrow to plan for an upcoming Epic Story about TWR's ministry to the Roma people in Central and Eastern Europe. Mike will basically be producing the film (and another upcoming one--in Greece! more on that later...) and the PR team is getting together tomorrow to work on the script and plan out the filming. A few technicians will also be there to be a major help.

The Roma have a long history of oppression and segregation globally, but particularly in Central and Eastern Europe. They are often stereotyped as illiterate liars and thieves. The diminutive term for their group is 'gypsies.' Voice of the Roma is just one example of a TWR program that is reaching this people group in their unique and native tongue for Christ. They also distribute radios that can only be used to listen to TWR programming, and TWR recieves many listener letters of thanks from those who can write.

There have been a few mishaps in preparation to film an Epic Story for the Roma people and one covering TWR in Greece. Our videographer was unable to travel at the last minute. Mike was unable to attend a key planning meeting in Vienna today because he has the flu or food poisoning or something awful like that. Our photographer thinks she is getting a fever. Production is on a tight schedule and we are praying that we remember God is in control.

Please pray for our health. Mike was very very sick all night and has been awake for maybe an hour this entire day. Please pray for the rest of our team's health and that tomorrow's meeting will be productive.

Meanwhile, I have attempted my first coffee cake, compliments of a recipe from Mike's Aunt Patti. I don't have high hopes, as I'm not sure I used actual brown sugar and there were about half-a-dozen mathematical conversions I did in my head while measuring with metric ingredients and tools...