We had already received first letters from several countries and understood that the
new radio program had been gradually winning us new listeners. Similarly, “Semeinoje
Radio” [the Russian-language program] had also grown itself. Anton and Sveta had been
joined full-time by Tatjana Yavmen, who even before, as a volunteer, had already been
in charge of a remarkable share of the radio work. We have been likening her to Ilmar,
who, while as quiet and reserved as her on the outside, is very faithful and exceedingly
talented in producing children’s programs in particular.
However, the beginning of the year also brought cause for concern. A sudden fit of pain in Mare, followed by a diagnosis of a large lump of tumor and a prospect of inevitable surgery, took away joy and peace from both our home and the radio staff. Nobody knew for how long Mare had to stay away; how many programs needed to be produced in advance; and how would other workers be able to substitute for her in tasks that could not be produced in advance. And on top of that, worry about the approaching surgery. In human terms, all that burden would have been very heavy or even entirely unbearable, but God had mercy and made everything right again. The surgery succeeded, and in just one week Mare was back home. A few more weeks, and her voice was again heard on the air. Praise God, He hears prayers, answers, and gives peace inside. Many thanks also to all our friends who carried us before Him in their intercessions and extended to us human help and comfort.
In spring, a new project started to take shape in Tartu Family Radio’s mission work.
Two years of transmitter mast building and the builder’s outreach had also borne fruit
among the local people and laid the foundations for a Bible study group in Kavastu. The
group, which initially was made up of children alone, grew into a regularly meeting cell
church. Moreover, the then mast builders did not remain indifferent to the residents of
Kavastu and the surrounding villages. All of them left behind friends and acquaintances.
From that sprang the idea of establishing a prayer house in Kavastu. Already last year,
we had a nighttime walk in Kavastu together with the mast builders Jim and Conny Hulse
and Tom King, investigating by torchlight where that sanctuary might stand. Our eyes
fell on an old yellow wooden house beside the dairy, and suddenly it was clear to
everyone that here’s the place where it must be. None of us “dreamers” had any idea of
whether and how realistic the plan might be; however, the seed was planted and now we
only had to wait and see when it would germinate. We didn’t have to wait long. It
appeared that the yellow house was owned by the neighboring township of Mäksa, and after
some explanations the township’s council was ready to sell the building at a low cost.
In May, the sales contract was executed, and Tartu Family Radio had assumed a new
responsibility. It was shortly followed by the delivery of the first sketches of the
would-be church building, drawn by the artistic hand of Tom Carrels, a hard-working
helper of “Towers for Jesus”. The tasteful elegance of the sketches was amazing for
many, so well did it catch the architectural style of the old manor complex, merging
the church building fully into its surroundings. After a while, truckloads of dressed
stones started to arrive at the yard of the former collective farm headquarters, which
are currently quite dismal-looking. Tiit Veeber, a long-time helper of the Family Radio,
started collecting material for the walls. It is exactly dressed stone that had been the
primary building material for the old Kavastu manor complex. Unfortunately, the stones
are produced at no plant and sold at no shop, thus they have to be hunted out amid the
rubble of houses scrapped for demolition. Furthermore, there is plenty of paperwork to
be done, since it is also necessary to privatize the land around the house. Only then
can we proceed with drawing the plans. For the Lord, however, nothing is impossible,
and likewise for those who have faith in Him. It is that faith that makes the Kavastu
Bible study group come together, along with their leaders Margus and Tiina Kask of
Salem Baptist Church in Tartu, into this as yet old but clean-washed and warm-heated
“own home” to keep on sharing, listening to and studying the Word of God.
The golden fall with its fresh winds also arrived in the daily life of Tartu Family Radio.
Several new undertakings were initiated; the mission field expanded even further; and new
programs were launched. For quite some time already, the scarcity of information with
Christian content had been perceived as a problem, and something had to be done in this
regard. This gave rise to cooperation between Tartu Family Radio and the Christian
Internet portal “Kompass” [Compass], which brought on our full-time staff news producer
Erle Iher, who had already tried herself as anchorwoman of our morning program.
We concluded contracts with information agencies, and Tartu Family Radio is now airing
the program “Kompassi uudised” [Compass News] almost hourly. Now anyone who is interested
has the opportunity to keep abreast of the doings of Christians in Estonia and elsewhere
over both the radio and the Internet. Interestingly, a day before the first Estonian-language
newscast went on air we learned that “Semeinoje Radio” was ready to broadcast a similar news program. Thus, the first Christian newscast was heard
simultaneously on both channels. This confirmed once more that what we do is not of ourselves
but from above. Assistance from volunteers increased as well. New serials were created, such
as “Teod” [Actions], produced by students of Tartu Theological Academy. The live interactive
“Jututuba” [Chat room] moderated by Rudolf Osman targets young people on Sunday evenings.
Live programs were also introduced at “Semeinoje Radio”, and the very first broadcast attracted
a call from quite a faraway place – Ukraine. Wherever something is done for God’s Kingdom,
however, the enemy is also there and takes action. Likewise, Tartu Family Radio came under a
number satanic attacks, either built on human greed or malice leading to unfounded accusations
and libel in the press, or in the form of serious technical problems with the AM-transmitter.
All these ordeals were to break us psychologically and knock out that high pulpit for
proclaiming the good news. However, they have been unsuccessful. At times we have indeed felt
like Peter when water gave way under his feet, but like him, we also grasped at the Lord.
Furthermore, we are strengthened by the knowledge that every day He has control over us and
sends his angels to shield us. How else is it possible to explain the coincidence on one
occasion that even though the signal had been off the air for half an hour, the time it takes
to drive from Tartu to Kavastu, the first flames burst out of the short-circuited fuse box
the very moment we arrived at the scene. Just a few minutes more, and it would have been
too late.
