When the earthquake struck one year ago in Haiti, Rafael Mendez, the technical expert for the Catholic radio station "Radio Soleil" acted immediately. At the time he happened to be in the Dominican Republic, and was thus able to bring in some essential equipment from there to Haiti and so patch up the damaged radio station. Thanks to his quick thinking and with the help of a generator and inverter provided by the Vatican nunciature, „Radio Soleil“ was able to continue broadcasting a message of hope. Thanks to emergency aid of over €4500 given by French benefactors of ACN, the station was able to get hold of additional essential equipment. While waiting for the station to be rebuilt, they were able to continue broadcasting from an old minibus, parked up next to a diocesan centre for retired priests.
The 38 staff of the station also suffered heavy losses. Two of their colleagues were buried alive and all of them have lost their homes. All they have left is their hope in a better future. „Radio Soleil“ is the most important Catholic radio station in Haiti, and in recent years it was almost able to fund itself, with the help of local resources. But now the director of the station, Father Jean Desinord, has turned to ACN for emergency help to cover the running costs of the station, including the salaries of its 23 staff, administrative costs, petrol and batteries for the two generators. Once again ACN's French benefactors have come to the aid of the station with donations totalling over €69,000 altogether. It has permitted the funding of a production studio, with computers, plus an Internet site and a series of seminars.
"Radio Soleil" is part of a network of 12 radio stations in Haiti, spread throughout the country, which are able to exchange their programmes and broadcasts with one another. In this way they are able to reach a very wide audience.
"Stations like Radio Soleil are very important for the Church", says Father Jean. "For example, a parish priest at Sunday Mass can probably reach a maximum of around 500 people, but with radio we are speaking to thousands." Radio Soleil broadcasts daily, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Every day, Holy Mass is broadcast, and the Angelus and Rosary are also prayed.
Faith comes from hearing. In fact ACN has been supporting the media, including TV and radio stations and the printed media, ever since the early 1960s. "Radio is becoming increasingly important, since we are striving to reach people in the midst of their daily lives and to convey Christian values and speak to them about how we can build up a new country, rooted in Christian values", adds Father Jean.
Indeed, we are hoping that "Radio Soleil" can indeed help to bring a little sunshine into the hearts of the people of Haiti.
Info: http://wheregodweeps.org
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