“I am listening to the Gaweylon programme regularly each day,” says Sonam from a Tibetan camp in south India. “Thank you for the literature you have sent me. Your health tracts and CDs are very helpful. Thank you for this valuable service for our community.”

We’ve all read plenty of news about the chaos in the Middle East. Thankfully Feba’s radio producers are presenting lots of news and interesting stories to encourage their listeners. Feba’s William Mateer also caught up with a former Feba Middle East programme producer at a women’s conference in Ireland.

Flood waters hit the Sindh province, fire extinguished at Feba Pakistan and listeners encouraged at annual conference… just a few stories from our ministry to listeners in Pakistan.

Radio is making a difference in very practical ways in many villages throughout Nepal. Thanks to you who participated in the save a life, send a radio campaign that finished in December. Because of the money raised through send a radio, the teams at Aafno FM in Dadeldhura and Okhaldunga, Nepal, have been distributing hundreds of radios as part of their radio ministry throughout 2011.

Feba India with a local partner recently launched a new radio initiative to an “unreachable” tribal area in southern India. Way of Light is a 15 minute programme on short wave produced exclusively for the Koya, a tribe who are about 80% of the tribal population living in the Dandakaranya forests.

“Now seems a good time to do as the old hymn says – ‘Count your blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done,’ says Mike Procter, one of the founders of Spotlight (Specialised English) programme, who has officially retired from ministry with Feba and HCJB Global this spring. “I thought that I’d give a potted history of our time with Feba. Some readers have prayed for us, some supported us financially, and many have stayed with us throughout.”

Who says that “strategic planning” has to be painful? Travelling to the UK from their regions around Africa, Asia and the Middle East, the 6 visiting International Ministry Team (IMT) staff members joined with UK-based teammates at this Monday through Sunday conference. They started at the Feba UK office with a morning of prayer for each region, and then headed out to the retreat centre in the countryside.

“Recently I’ve received many phone calls from listeners who want their voices heard through our broadcast. They feel that we can take their side against the regime," says Souheil, Feba’s Yemeni programme producer. "I explained to them that we're not a political radio; however, we understand their feelings, know how much pain and injustice they are going through and sympathise with their needs. I tell them I agree with them that change is becoming necessary, but it has to happen without violence or bloodshed. I also tell them that I pray with them for Yemen.”

“We are so grateful for those who are praying for us. Will you continue?” says Keiko Yoshizaki, FEBC-Japan field director. “Please pray that God continues to grant me the right words to share with my people during this scary time. Beyond the devastation from the earthquake and tsunami, we are really concerned about atomic power stations.”

In light of recent events, young people in Egypt are actively looking for a better way of life. Feba's young internet radio producers there are online talking with many of them. Messages of hope are pouring into the Radio Voice website’s message board