How a Radio Can Open a Door for a Missionary

Lost children, hurricanes, earthquakes and tsunamis get a lot of attention, and there is a team of volunteers that band together to help rescue people in these calamities. These volunteers are great people and willing to help others but they could use some help themselves. I have an opportunity to rub shoulders with these people through volunteer work with the Civil Air Patrol as a chaplain and also as a HAM radio operator.

I was invited to become the chaplain in charge of the Civil Air Patrol in Puerto Rico recently and am following up on that open door to see what opportunities that position might give us in reaching our community for Christ. My main job would be to give devotionals to teenagers interested in flying, preparing for a future with the Air Force or engaging in SAR (Search and Rescue).

I also was able to pass an exam by the FCC to qualify for a General Class amateur radio licence. With my license, WP4NVR, I can participate in search and rescue, and emergency relief. I could also be seen as a person of value by the leaders of the community we are trying to reach.

Do we need to do these things to build a church here in Puerto Rico? No. We can keep visiting door to door, and we will continue to do that. But many people are not on the other side of those doors. They are off somewhere doing activities. If we could participate in those community activities we would meet people we would never have met during our regular visitation.

Will we do it? I am willing to walk through these doors. I do need the equipment though.

I hope to get a good portable radio like the Yaesu FT-857D Amateur Radio Transceiver so I can set up a portable radio station during emergency drills and get to know the men and women of the emergency response group in our area. The radio runs for around just under a  thousand, but with a good power supply, portable antenna system, etc., it will be more like $1,500.

There are many opportunities and ways to reach people. I would like to try this one. If you agree and could help us do it, please lend us a hand. We have the preparation and the will to do this. Please help us with the means to make it happen.