Mission Aviation Fellowship flights have enabled the assessment of a storm-damaged radio tower and its eventual return to broadcasting Good News to the people of southern Chad.
As pilot Joost Gerritsen was flying back to N’Djamena from Sahr, MAF received a call from The Evangelical Alliance Mission (TEAM), one of its long-term mission partners serving in Tchaguine. Overnight, a powerful storm had caused significant damage to their radio tower, which they use to broadcast the gospel.
The mission staff requested urgent assistance to assess the extent of the damage. Specifically, they hoped MAF could help by capturing aerial footage using a drone, something not typically carried onboard.
“But that day,” Joost said, “we had a drone with us because a Dutch film crew happened to bring one. It was one of those moments you just know wasn’t a coincidence.”
Joost diverted the aircraft to Tchaguine, a detour that took only six minutes. Upon landing, the film crew launched the drone and managed to record clear footage of the damaged structure.
The tower broadcasts in four languages – Kwong, which is the local language, Fulani, which is spoken by a community of nomads which has settled in the area, and both French and Arabic – the languages of wider communication in this very multilingual society.
TEAM’s Mark Vanderkooi spoke of the strategic significance of these transmissions.
“We built the FM radio because a very large part of the population is illiterate and this enables that part of the population of hear the Word of God, even though they cannot read it,” he said.
Mark and his wife Diane have worked with the Kwong people in the village of Tchaguine since 1991. They have a variety of ministries, including Bible translation, theological education, a health clinic, a grade school, granary, a malnourished children program, and the FM radio station that has served the community for 20 years.
Tchaguine is completely cut off from the outside world for four or five months of every year due to the rains and flooding.
When the required spare parts finally arrived in Chad, MAF transported Mark and the parts to Tchaguine.
A team of four men from four different missions came together to repair the tower, and five days later the radio station resumed broadcasting after almost five months of silence.
Mark emphasised the significance of this radio to the community.
“We were repeatedly asked by the population when the radio would be repaired, which was a nice reminder that people of the community really do like the radio and rely on it.”
Mark praised MAF’s long-standing role in enabling their work since they arrived in Chad in the 1990s.
“It would not be an exaggeration to say that we might not have ever accomplished as much as we have without the services provided by MAF,” he said.
“Tchaguine is completely cut off from the outside world for four or five months of every year due to the rains and flooding. MAF is our only way in and out during that time of year,” he added.
Looking back on what was accomplished, Joost reflected on the role of MAF beyond transportation.
“MAF is not just a transport company helping you to get from A to B, but a partner,” Joost said.
“By trying to support the mission of our partners and listening to their needs we were able to show we do more than just flying.”
Besides the radio station, Mark said that they are in the final stages of printing the Kwong New Testament which they have been working on since 1995.
“We are very hopeful for the impact this will have on the development and maturity of the Kwong Christian community.”