Jam-packed, Overflowing: NRB#15

Back in February, Storly and I had a quick, jam-packed, overflowing visit with thousands of fellow Christian communicators at National Religious Broadcasters annual Convention in Nashville, Tennessee. And it was fabulous! It was my fifth Convention, and it's become one of the highlights of the year.

Why? Because it's a great reminder, a great encouragement and a great time to get better equipped and connected, to strive for excellence in our craft - of communicating the good news of Jesus through media - so that many people will hear the clear and compelling message, and will respond.

It's exciting to meet others in the same 'business', and to hear how God is using different ministries in so many powerful ways.

With the switch of the convention to four weekdays (instead of part-weekend), and our kids needing to be in school, we were really glad that Storly's mom could come from New York and stay with the girls so we could be away for one night, and one whole day (till 2 a.m. the next day!) at the convention.

Though there's a ton of opportunities to go to training seminars and general sessions, our focus at NRB has become meeting with people and ministries we are already, or are working towards collaborating with in some way, whether it's in programming, in promoting 4VEH among potential supporters, in documenting the impact of 4VEH's ministry, in training, in getting resources, equipment, tools to make the ministry more effective. Despite the tight schedule, we crammed in a bunch of meetings, over coffee, lunch, dinner, in between conference sessions and visits to the large exhibition hall.

Always on a tight budget, I don't usually go for any extras, but really loved the women's breakfast event. It was an honor to hear Meriam Ibrahim speak (she was sentenced to death in Sudan for being a Christian, gave birth in prison in shackles, was finally released). She asked us to pray for so many like her around the world who are being persecuted. Inspiring & challenging.

Also loved hearing Janet Parshall (host of weekday program on Moody Radio, In the Market with Janet Parshall, that I listen to a lot) speak about prayer.

We always look out for our friends at Faith Radio, based in Montgomery, Alabama, who in addition to their own local audiences, are partnering with us to bless English-speaking and English-learning listeners in Cap-Haitien through their broadcasts via 4VEH.  Here's us with Billy Irvin, Director of Ministry Relations at Faith Radio, and yes, he is more than a foot taller than me!

And below is the Faith Radio team in action at their booth - always a busy place. Bob Crittenden at the mic, interviewing Joni Eareckson Tada, Wiley Boswell, the engineer (in blue) and Billy.

Then a planning meeting with Ron Harris, president of MEDIAlliance International, who links Christian broadcasters in the United States with those in various places around the world (like us in Haiti) to grow the impact of Christian broadcasting and the Gospel of Christ. We first met Ron a few years ago, and I had the pleasure of hosting him and our good friend Tim Whitehead of Galcom International (who make our solar radios) on an evangelism & radio distribution visit to Haiti in 2011. Ron is helping us at 4VEH host a media training seminar this summer.

And below, taking pictures of people taking pictures of people taking pictures of people taking pictures. Crazy things happens when communicators get together. 

Fantastic to see the good folks at Galcom and MegaVoice (below), doing amazing things with solar, radio and audio technologies so that ministries like us can use reliable, effective tools to deliver the Gospel to people.

We first met Dianne Becker, an award-winning documentary producer, when she came to Haiti accompanied by the fabulous Sharon Mishler, to film for Radio 4VEH. I was in the morning-sickness stages of early pregnancy with Esther, and so didn't get to go out with Dianne :( 

Dianne produced this video for Radio 4VEH, and we're talking with her about documenting the impact of 4VEH ministry again. 

We also picked her brains on a few other things in the visual world, but more on that later.

Storly in the exhibition hall

Then we got to meet another redhead (always a blessing!). Barb Dowling and I have worked together before, but we've never actually met. Barb works with Faith FM in Kitchener, Ontario, and went on a Resounding Hope solar radios trip to Haiti, and shared some great stories on Faith FM on her return. When our family visited the team at Faith FM, Barb was away. So, it was great to meet in person, and to work on plans to share the Resounding Hope initiative again with the Faith FM audience.

And no photos, but we had a great meeting with ministry partners at TWR (Trans World Radio). Always good to share our 'how God moved us to the US' story, how He connected us with TWR (Storly is the Creole producer of TWR's Thru the Bible radio series) and to share needs, plans and dreams for the future at 4VEH.

One of the biggest impressions we've had over the years at NRB is that we go with this list of needs, burdens, things beyond our knowledge/understanding/training/reach, things we need help on, that we're struggling with, and as we talk with people, we hear "we can help you with that". That's the real beauty of gathering thousands of Christian communicators into the same space for a few days, the "we're together in this mission". Powerful stuff.

And on a final note, Storly didn't believe there's a sofa in the ladies restrooms at Gaylord Opryland Convention Center. But there is!

Award-Winning: Proud to be a Part!

Somehow I have not shared these photos with you yet...unless you've seen them on any of our (mine, Storly's or Radio 4VEH's) Facebook pages.  

The NRB (National Religious Broadcasters) annual convention in Nashville, Tennessee, (22-25 Feb) is a big deal in the calendar of anyone in Christian radio who's able to attend. For us 'little fish' from a radio station in Haiti to the biggest of big fish in Christian media, it's a time of coming together, uniting, worshiping together, learning from each other, sharing the joys and the challenges of working as communicators in different fields and places around the world. 

And this year's Convention was even more special for these reasons: 

• we got another award (did I mention that already!?)
• we grew some deeper connections with ministry partners 
• we had good company for all or part of the Convention - Witny Telfort (4VEH operations manager, on his first visit to the USA, an eye-opening experience in many ways, including how cold it was), John & Karine McLaughlin (John's been head of 4VEH advisory board for a long time), and Dave & Marilyn Shaferly (former OMS Haiti field director & 4VEH station manager)

It was my 4th Convention, Storly's 3rd, but Marilyn first went to NRB before either Storly or I were born! So us Radio 4VEH-ers are not newbies at NRB. 

An appropriate reminder as the award presented to Radio 4VEH this year was a Milestone Award, recognizing more than 50 years of faithful service in Christian broadcasting. 4VEH celebrates 64 years in ministry in June. And there should be many, many more hands holding the award for all the people who've served at Radio 4VEH over the years. 

Storly, with NRB President Dr. Jerry Johnson (l) and NRB Chairman Rich Bott (r)

4VEH delegation with NRB President Dr. Jerry Johnson (l) and NRB Chairman Rich Bott (r).
4VEH delegation: Dave & Marilyn Shaferly, me, Storly, Witny Telfort, Karine and John McLaughlin.
(Photo courtesy of the National Religious Broadcasters)

Recipients of the NRB 2014 Milestone Awards:
Guidelines International Ministries
LIFE Outreach International Association of Churches
Radio 4VEH, The Evangelistic Voice of Haiti
Jerry Rose, Total Living Network
Teen Challenge International USA

I was poised, ready to take photos of Storly going up onto the stage to receive
the award. But then I heard the announcement "Radio 4VEH, presented to
Storly & Kate Michel" and realized I needed to go up there too!

It was a wonderful dinner event to end the Convention. 

With our ministry partner Rev. Tim Whitehead, Exec Director of
Galcom International, the fabulous people who make the solar radios
we use in Haiti. 

Ministry partner Ron Harris obviously saying something funny. Ron's doing
great stuff through MEDIAlliance International in training, mentoring and
encouraging people working in Christian media around the world,
 including us. 

John McLaughlin & Storly, proud. 

Storly & Marilyn, who served in Haiti (at 4VEH) for much of the time recognized
by this long service award. 

It's fantastic to be working together in this ministry! 

Witny, 4VEH operations manager. 

Praise the Lord! 

Women of Hope

We had the pleasure of meeting with Marli Spieker, executive director of Project Hannah, a ministry of Trans World Radio, that  is reaching out with compassion and hope to suffering women across the globe living in spiritual darkness. Radio 4VEH already produces and broadcasts the Creole version of a Project Hannah program, Women of Hope, but we'd never met Marli before. 

Her passion & her vision for using radio programs, prayer & raising awareness of the plight of women around the world is contagious. And we want to see a greater impact to bring to women suffering in Haiti. Plans are coming together! 

We enjoyed hearing Mark Burnett & Roma Downey talk about their
to-be-released Son of God movie, which we also got to watch at a pre-screening.
Definitely worth seeing. 

Were blessed to hear Michael W. Smith perform. I'd had some contact with him
via his agent, inviting him to perform at 4VEH's 60th Anniversary back in 2010.
He was interested, but schedule didn't work out. Appreciated his songs live!

Joni Earreckson Tada performed her song "Alone Yet Not Alone"
from the movie by the same name. 

At the exposition, Storly & John enjoyed playing with tech toys like headphones.

...while I enjoyed hanging out and being interviewed by Billy Irvin (l) of Faith Radio (Montgomery, AL),
along with Tom Blackstone, Exec director of Galcom USA.
We talked about using solar radios in Haiti, and in prison ministry in the USA.
(We partner with Faith to broadcast their radio programming in Cap-Haitien
for English speakers and learners). 

And I enjoyed talking again with Janet Parshall,
host of "In the Market with Janet Parshall" on Moody Radio.  A great lady!

One final thing. 

Because Mum came to visit and look after the girls while Storly and I were at the Convention (thanks Mum!), we got to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary in style. And yes, with thousands of fellow Christian broadcasters.

When I posted this lovely photo on Facebook, lots of people commented how I matched the flowers. Just in case you're thinking it was planned in advance, and we're having some romantic dinner or something, I need to tell you this: I crashed a meeting that Storly & Witny were having to say, ooh, nice flowers, quick, let's get our picture taken.

That's us, grabbing sweet moments on the fly. 

As we head into Good Friday tomorrow, and then Resurrection Sunday, we hope you'll grab some sweet moments with our Saviour. We wish you and yours a very Happy Easter. 

P.S. 

This time 4 years ago, I was preparing to take the 1st short-term missions team from our church CCC to Haiti to serve with Radio 4VEH in sharing the Gospel and giving out solar radios. Melissa Gross was on that 1st team. Next week, I lead our 8th team to do the same, but WHAT A BONUS, we get to visit with Melissa & Steve (& kiddos) who are now missionaries serving as teachers at the OMS school since August. How cool is that!!