Tour WMC-AP
V3N2, June 2006
Labor Pains: the Path to Progress
by: Doug Flemming, Asia Pacific Regional Communications Coordinator and Director of WMC-AP
Just this morning I received a text from a good friend whose wife is expecting their first baby any day:
"Pls pray for my wife. Her bp s 2 hi. She will undergo cesarean delivery!"
This is both a concern and a relief for them. The wife is actually overdue and has been feeling very uncomfortable with back pains, heaviness, heartburn, sleepless nights, and all the other “fun” stuff that goes along with pregnancy. So her labor pains and recovery pains from the C-section will all be worth it once they have that precious baby finally delivered. Our friend’s situation reminds me of our similar experiences with each of our four children. Although my wife never had to undergo a cesarean operation, her labor pains and deliveries were quite difficult. But now, seeing our children (ages 9 to 13) growing and maturing… all those pains are but a distant memory… and were all well worth it (I’m pretty sure my wife would agree). And as I think back to our eldest son’s birth, 13 years ago, I’m also reminded that God helped us give birth to this ministry during that same year, 1993. Along the way, we have experienced the “labor pains” of ministry. When we arrived in Manila, Philippines there was nothing but a shell of a small building. With the help of some World Mission Broadcast donors, some Work & Witness teams, and the quality work of our APNTS crew, we gave birth to the Fairbanks Media Center. Over these past years we have seen God raise up writers, announcers, producers, leaders to create radio programs, videos and TV shows. Some of our students and staff have “grown up” and moved on to other ministries that God had prepared them for. Then as our ministry expanded we conceived the plans for a new regional communications center. We labored to raise funds for the construction from grants and private donors. We agonized at times during the looooooooong building process. We experienced set backs and disappointments. But then in November 2004, God helped us birth our new communication facilities. And since then, even as an infant facility, we’ve been amazed to see how God has brought new partnerships and projects to life. So, as I stand back from all of this, like a proud parent, I humbly recognize all that God has accomplished through our communications team. All the uncertainty, pain, sacrifice, and frustration have been worth it all. And as my family and I contemplate the next step for us, as we move to Singapore in July with the Asia-Pacific Regional Office, we are both saddened to leave our WMC-AP family in Manila, but also excited to see what new spiritual children God will help us birth around the region. We know God is faithful to complete His work in us. Whatever happens, it’ll all be worth the labor pains.
On Air
stories from World Mission Broadcast
New Faith In The Airwaves
by: NZone Staff
Remi (not her real name) is the youngest of three children. Both her parents died when she was young and so the job of raising her fell to her oldest sister. Their family traditions, thought patterns, and way of life are very tightly wrapped around their M… faith. But, when God touches a person’s life, it can be a life changing event.
Through hearing the broadcast of the NZone Radio program, Remi came to know Jesus Christ as her personal Savior. That night that she first heard the broadcast, she listened as the announcer told of how God loved the whole world and everyone in it, including those who were listening to the program right then. Immediately Remi felt the emptiness in her heart and life and she somehow knew that it could only be filled by Jesus. Remi carefully wrote down the cell phone number that was given at the end of the program. That night she sent her first of many text messages to the NZone counselor. She wanted someone to disciple her and explain how she could become a follower of Christ. Remi wrote that she was constantly afraid that her family would find out about her decision to follow Christ. But one night she had a dream where she found herself walking on a deserted road, she heard a whisper assuring her: “Don’t be afraid, I am with you. Keep on walking.”
Remi continued to live in her sister’s home where it is not possible to openly express her faith. Remi desired to meet with her Nzone contact someplace where she could talk freely as well as ask many questions about things she wanted to understand more clearly, however Remi is closely monitored by her overly protective sister. After a number of text messages though, it was worked out that Remi and the Nzone counselor would meet. Several days later, Remi told her sister that she was going to visit a friend and the counselor picked her up on motorcycle and brought her to church. On the way home she said, “Today, I felt great joy to be able to attend church, and I felt such a peace in this Christian place of worship.”
Whenever Remi read her Bible at home, she had to be in her room to hide it from her sister & brother-in-law. In the end, it was a leaky roof that found her out. Her brother-in-law was up on the roof to fix some leaking roof tiles. Remi had fallen asleep while reading her Bible in secret and left her Bible open on her chest. Her brother-in-law could see through the open roof tiles and spotted Remi and the Bible. He climbed down and marched into Remi’s room, grabbed the Bible and scolded Remi severely saying, “This is unclean for you to even touch the Bible!” The next day, the extended family met to arrange for a “cleansing ceremony” since they felt that Remi was contaminated. They called various area religious leaders in and they prayed for forgiveness for Remi’s “sin.” Later Remi texted, “While they were praying for me I felt their emptiness and had no peace in my heart.”
As of now, Remi is still living with her sister and just trying to hide her Christian activities as much as possible. Please pray with us that God will guide and give Remi strength to follow His will in her new life.
Melanesia Field Appoints New Communications Coordinator!
Melanesia-South Pacific Field Strategy Coordinator, Rev. James Johnson, recently named Jeff Myers to the position of Field Communications Coordinator (FCC). Jeff replaces Brian Bett who had served in that role for the past eight years. Mr. Myers is no stranger, however, to communications ministries in Melanesia. Since his arrival in PNG, June 2001, Jeff has proven to be a valuable asset to these ministries and has helped develop and train a team of skilled broadcasters who are now producing a variety of quality programs.
In his official assignment as FCC, Jeff will continue working along side the existing Melanesian staff to provide leadership and to coordinate the ministries of World Mission Broadcast and World Mission Literature for Melanesia.
The Final Cut
by: Ervz Tia, Video Production; WMC-AP
Audio On Location: Elements of On-site Quality Audio Recording
Microphones
This is the most important element to consider for your recording package. Your mic will determine the quality of the sound recorded Only a professional mic (3-pin XLR) can provide high-quality audio
Consumer level mics are designed for a very basic audio/video use. While they are lower in price their audio quality is generally low. They usualy use a mini-jack connector.
The newest technology for field recording is a USB mic. These mics are built to address the growing demand for professional digital recording & podcasting. There are professional USB mic options which include built-in pre-amp and digital converter. I think this will be your best option as it eliminates the need for a seperate pre-amp.
Pre-amps
A device that gives power to the microphone before it enters the recording device/stage. A professional recording is usually done using a dedicated pre-amp. A pre-amp is usually a small box with XLR connects which connects to your computer through USB or Firewire.
Your laptop also has a built-in pre-amp allowing easy recording when you plug in a mic to the mini mic jack. This is designed for basic use and provides lower quality audio.
Software (DAW-DigitalAudioWorkstation)
Audacity is a well-known FREE program for audio recording. It is available online for download. Using Audacity you can trim, mix, and master your recorded audio for use in your production. While there are many paid professional applications available Audacity should meet most needs. It’s also important to remember that the recording software can only capture whatever quality audio you send, so a good mic and pre-amp is essential.
Audio File Formats
WAV and AIFF are uncompressed audio formats which will recreate your original audio recorded. When used at 44Khz and 16 bit settings it produces prestine quality audio. Uncompressed audio files are approximately 10 Mb per minute of audio.
MP3 is the most common audio file for internet and portable player use. This is a compressed format so the file size is very small compared to WAV or AIFF. Sample rates of 128 kbps and higher can create CD quality audio.
With the right combination of hardware, software, and file format you can enjoy professional quality audio even on a budget.
Printed Matter
stories from World Mission Literature
Empty Shelves?
by: Geneva Silvernail
Shelves stand empty—patiently waiting for books that someone needs and wants to read. Patiently waiting for all kinds of books—books for Bible studies, books for discipleship training, books for pastoral counseling, books for church leadership, and books for sermon helps. But there are no books. The shelves are empty. Where are the books for the empty shelves?
In the middle of a small mountain of books in the Philippines, stands Sam Tabuena—unpacking, sorting, stacking, and repacking. Now and then, he stops to scan the pages of a book and may even read a paragraph or so, but the warm room soon reminds him to work rapidly to get the job finished. Boxes full of books line the room. Books impatient and wanting to leave—wanting to find a new home, wanting to fill an empty shelf. Books impatient and ready to go—wanting to find someone who likes to read, wanting to find someone who desires new understanding and help in ministry.
Sam hums as he works. He smiles to himself thinking of the joy that the reader will soon have. He is thinking of the empty shelves across the region that will soon be filled—shelves in Bible colleges, shelves in district centers, and shelves in the homes and offices of district superintendents and pastors.
With the help of Stephane Tibi, the books were sent free of charge to the Philippines. This year again the Books in Mission resources are available just for the asking. Across the Asia-Pacific region, literature coordinators will be choosing books for free delivery to their fields. Some will give them as gifts to pastors and students. Some will use them for translating. All will be glad that Books in Mission is filling empty shelves.
Write Dr. Geneva Silvernail, the regional literature coordinator, for a list of books for your review (gsilvernail@apronaz.org).
Campus Connection
News from the Fairbanks School of Communications
New program at KNU Answers the Challenge in the Mediated World
by: Kwon, Dong Hwan “Bill”, Professor of Communications; APNTS
“X-speed,” 100MB speed DSL: This is an advertisement of newly developed Internet connection which provides more than 20 times faster than the 8MB DSL connection I use here in Korea. Considering the low price of 26 US dollars, this service is by far the most advanced IT infrastructure in the Asia-Pacific region, maybe in the world.
High speed Internet connection, digital, mobile, and visual media have changed Korea more than we could imagine. Satellite, CATV, net casting, pod casting, DMB (Digital Mobile Broadcasting), and LCD monitors posted nearly everywhere have rapidly expanded media and advertisement markets. The rapid convergence of ICT technology will only increase more and more in Korea. These are some of “the means” that God can use “to communicate Christ by all means possible.”
This rapidly changing Korean context is the market and target of the developing Mass Communication program at Korea Nazarene University (KNU). The goal of the program is, “to educate Korean young Christians to become media experts fulfilling the Great Commission.” The Mass Communication program will provide media experts to work in Christian and secular media institutions, and support Churches by providing media personnel and services.
To realize this dream, KNU is consulting and working closely with Christian media experts from CTS (Christian Television System), CBS (Christian Broadcasting System), and FEBC (Far Eastern Broadcasting Company). This is also a pioneering bridge between WMC-AP and KNU. Supporting media equipment for a media center at KNU, the program can provide other facilities and personnel for the services that the Church needs. This center can be the “Korea office” for WMC-AP producing local news for WMVM, and media services for Korean District and other Asia Pacific areas.
Yet this ambitious program will not begin by dreaming of a bright future. The huge investment for a high quality media center, highly competitive education and job markets in Korea make it difficult to decide if it is worth pursuing the idea. Giving birth to great dreams is always painful. Fulfilling the Great Commission in this mediated world is not always easy but often painful. Yet if we do not prepare now, we may lose a great opportunity in the future.
The WAVELINK is the official newsletter of World Mission Communications Asia-Pacific (WMC-AP) and published by WMC-AP, an organization of the Church of the Nazarene. For much more content visit our website at www.wmc-ap.org
Executive Editor: Doug Flemming
Managing Editor: Jay Mijares
Graphics: Daniel Pape
Layout: Daniel Pape
