What is 79 meters tall, red and white, and speaks only the Dinka language?
Rising high above the flat terrain, the tower of Weer Bei 99.9 FM can be seen for miles, and can be heard for many miles more. Each morning and evening, in homes throughout this region, thousands tune in to hear what this red and white giant has to say.

Weer Bei means “redemption” in the Dinka language. The radio station was founded by Cush4Christ in 2009 in partnership with the organization Every Village (formerly Aid Sudan). Initially under the persevering leadership of Scott Brinkerhoff, and more recently my own, Weer Bei has grown from its humble beginnings (two presenters, three hours each day) to become the most listened-to radio station in this region, with five presenters and soon-to-be five hours of daily broadcasting. We even have a motorbike, which can almost transport the whole crew.

One of the hallmarks of the radio station from the start has been a focus on presenting the gospel of Jesus Christ with clarity and power. I have several times heard people say something to this effect: “Before Weer Bei came we did not really know the gospel; but now we know.” In a society that has largely accepted “Christianity” in a general way, there has been a woeful lack of clarity or focus on the very central gospel message of Christianity—Christ’s atoning work on the cross our behalf, and the necessity of faith in Him and His work, not our own religious or moral accomplishments.

This gospel focus has been part of Weer Bei’s commitment to faithful, systematic exposition of God’s Word. In an overwhelmingly illiterate culture, the radio broadcasts provide many people with their most significant exposure to the Scriptures. In the last four years Weer Bei has broadcast verse-by-verse preaching through Luke, John, Acts, eight New Testament epistles, and various Old Testament passages. Broadcasts also include daily devotions, Old Testament storytelling, topical Bible studies, doctrinal teaching, and more.

One of the things that makes this work particularly rewarding is knowing the impact Weer Bei is having across this region. There is a genuine hunger among many for the Word of God, and the fact that the radio station teaches the Bible is often cited as one of the reasons for its popularity. In fact, a nearby secular station even has begun to broadcast Bible preaching in order to attract more listeners. I have heard people comment that in visiting some local churches they have noticed the preachers sometimes sounding like Karlo Majok, the primary Bible teacher on Weer Bei.

Another reason for the popularity of the station is that we broadcast exclusively in the Dinka language. There is very little programming produced in the Dinka language, which has forced us to produce almost all of the content for Weer Bei at the station. Even our library of 500 songs (including many psalms), has been recorded by us, either in the studio at the radio station, or during visits by our staff to churches and communities. It is one of my fondest joys to hear the distant sound of singing, steadily approaching, and know that a nearby (or not-so-nearby) group of singers has come to record their newest songs of praise.

In addition to Bible teaching and songs, Weer Bei includes a variety of other content in daily morning and evening broadcasts—national and local news, interviews with community members and local officials, health teaching, personal testimonies, community announcements, and more. We have also become the go-to place for announcing lost things like keys, bags, cows, and even people. Lost people announcements are quite common—often children who have become lost (or run away), or people with mental infirmities.

In the past year, Weer Bei has incorporated more live programs into its broadcasts. At the start, Weer Bei broadcast almost exclusively prerecorded content. In 2013 we moved to two evenings per week hosted live by a presenter in the studio, and in 2014 we are beginning three live evening programs as well as a live Saturday morning children’s program.

Our live programs give our presenters an opportunity to speak about a particular issue or to teach from the Bible in a way that is direct and engaging. They then usually take phone calls from listeners who are always eager to add their opinions (or sometimes just greet their friends across the state). As anyone knows who has spent much time listening to talk radio in the States, “please turn off your radio” is a common refrain.

As we do more live programs, Weer Bei is more and more speaking to practical and personal issues of life and culture—polygamy, divorce, raising children, dancing, singing, drinking, witchcraft, gossip, work, rest, entertainment, and so on. Bringing the Word of God to bear on these issues, in particular the powerful message of the gospel of Jesus Christ along with its practical applications, is a daily task for the radio staff. This is important at a time when the Dinka Christian community must sort out what it means to be a faithful Christian Dinka in modern Africa.

What aspects of Dinka culture are in line with God’s revelation, and should be retained? What things must be changed? What parts of “modern” culture—literacy, science, technology, books, clothing, music—should be embraced, rejected, or incorporated with discretion? Only the divine authority, life-giving power, and penetrating insight of the Word of God is up for such a task (whether here in South Sudan, or in North America), and time and time again we return to that source of life and wisdom.

Another significant development of the past year, and one that will be an important part of the coming years, is progress toward full local financial sustainability for the station. This means not just finding and harnessing local sources of financial support, but developing the staff and organizational structure that can manage that support year after year. As comparatively poor and undeveloped as this region is, there are enough resources here to support the station, especially given its popularity and influence. Local advertising, corporate advertising (at this point only cell phone networks), small fees for local announcements, programming support for aid/development organizations working in this region, and direct listener contributions all can contribute to a strong, sustainable local radio station.

Our greatest challenge is training the local staff to have the competence to continue to manage that support, and to develop a long-term system for managing both income and expenses. Our ultimate goal is that the Weer Bei staff and ministry will continue to be perfected long after we are gone.

As Weer Bei FM matures into a grown-up, respectable radio station, perhaps what will be most important is not money or competence or audience engagement, but maintaining the childlike “foolish” faith in our Savior Jesus, the joyful and unashamed proclamation of His gospel, and the humble submission to His Word. If we continue to build on that Rock, these 79 meters of steel will weather any storm.

—James Brinkerhoff has been serving as a not-so-short short-term missionary with the Cush4Christ team since 2011. A Global Mission feature appears semiannually in the Witness.