Izhevsk, Udmurtia

country
Russia
city
Moscow
English
letter-date
06/13/1616

In Izhevsk, there is a radio station that broadcasts Christian programs. MBIC, another mission, introduced us to Izhevsk and funded the postage and programs of two packages. We are grateful for this assistance. Word to Russia programs began to air in this region about a year ago. This April we received some disturbing news from Andrey Krasnoperov, director of the Christian outreach. He appealed to us for special help: 

"Dear friends, greetings to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Peace to you. You had asked to describe in some detail the problem I mentioned on the phone. The situation at the present time is threatening as the burocracy of Russia has became more complex and oppressive. These negative developments are now affecting our Christian broadcasts. I suppose it is somehow profitable for someone to squelch the Gospel truth and Christian values. On official government broadcasts of Udmurt republic, information is deliberately distorted. Sometimes we have to defend a biblical point of view on one or another issue. As a result, under the guise of "reorganization" of a quasi-governmental frequency, we have been offered a new contract agreement pertaining to broadcast material on government frequency. One of the elements of the new agreement is the retroactive payment of a previously unidentified debt consisting of 169,000 rubles. We have talked to neighboring cities like Lower Novgorod and the city government of Izhevsk and found that the debt is nothing more but interest charges that came about as a result of poor management of reforms in media policies of the Russian Federation. In other words for mismanagement of funds by "headquarters" of our territory, Moscow is demanding penalties. This had nothing to do with our local operation and in spite of much negotiations, we needed to pay our portion. We have been able to raise 100,000 rubles, but we just do not have the additional 69,000. If we are unable to pay the remaining 69,000 rubles ($2,000 dollars) by May 3rd, we will be taken to court with the probable result of closure of the Christian programming. I want to remind you that our outreach is supported by donations from individuals and organizations such as you. I can assure you that this not a huge sum and does not fully pay for expenses of transmission of our signal. You see, 63 transmitters and 120 amplification stations, which add up to 400 kilovolts, transmit this direct wire signal. I’d like to mention that we couldn’t use advertising. We ask you to pray about this need and help us with a one-time sum of 69,000 rubles, which to us is impossible to raise. My appeal to you is that of a voice crying in the darkness!! Your help will be of untold value, to continue outreach of Christian broadcasting in Udmurt Republic. Remaining in prayer for you! Your brother in Christ, Andrey from Izhevsk."

We were under time constraints and having faith in some individual promises, we sent the needed sum in time for Andrey to pay his debt. Praise God, the Word of God continues to be proclaimed by radio in Udmurtia. Please help us and Andrey to keep it on the air.