Christmas--people know it as a traditional festival, as a shopping holiday, as winter solstice or even as the annual occasion for card posting. For Feba programme producers in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, this is a special time of the year when they add the true meaning of Christmas to their programme topics and discussions.

In Africa (Zimbabwe)
Feba Zimbabwe will have audience relations staff online throughout the holiday so they can keep in touch with their listeners. They have three special programmes: Christmas Time has three 15-minute episodes exploring the different views on Christmas; Christmas Carols is a 30-minute programme talking about the origins of Christmas in between carols; the regular weekly 30-minute Sunday Morning Service programme (with an additional programme on Christmas Day) will focus on Christmas in the Scriptures.

In Asia (India)
Walk the Talk is a programme that focuses on the high-class, non-Christian community in Karnataka, and it is aired on medium wave in partnership with All India Radio. This Christmas the Kannada production team is producing two programmes based on the actual meaning of Christmas through drama and songs. The content of these dramas emphasizes that Christ did not come to establish a religion but a relationship. A remarkable point here is that most of these people have always known Christmas as a festival, but not Christ as Saviour.

The Tamil language block on short wave this December will include programmes that historically support that Christ was born of a virgin, died for people's sins and was resurrected. Through these programmes the producers also hope to bring out the message that salvation is a gift from God to all people. These will be produced using relevant sketches and insights and through songs and messages. The listeners who write back will be given a small tract or a booklet on further information on the topic.

In the Middle East
The programme suppliers for the Arabic morning block have developed a special Christmas programme for 24-25 December that will present the meaning of Christmas.

A special Reality Church Series was recorded recently for the Yemeni Arabic evening block, creating a warm church atmosphere on radio for those who cannot attend a local church. They used this opportunity to produce two programmes for Christmas. On 24 December they will tell the Christmas Story and on 25 December they will talk about why it was important for Christ to come as a baby. Thank God for this new programme development and that they can get together periodically to continue the series.