GFA Radio Expands with 11 New Language Broadcasts

About 6 million more people are hearing the Gospel in their native language because GFA Radio has added broadcasts in 11 new languages. The new broadcasts began in late October.

"God has been gracious in answering our prayers to bring native speakers of these languages into service with Gospel for Asia," commented GFA president and founder K.P. Yohannan. "Radio is a powerful tool that can reach into homes in remote mountain villages, the marketplace in a bustling city or even into a makeshift tent."

GFA Radio is now sharing the Gospel via broadcasts in 103 languages in 10 countries. The new language radio broadcasts include:

Gurung: There are more than 500,000 Gurung people in the central region of Nepal. They represent about 2 percent of the country's population and adhere to the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism, with some Hindu influence.

Khandesi: More than 1.6 million people in Gujarat and Maharashtra speak the Khandesi language. Most of them practice Hinduism.

Ladakhi: This is the predominant language for more than 100,000 people in Tibet and portions of China. The Ladakh people are Buddhists and Muslims.

Bantawa: More than 400,000 Indian and Nepalese people speak Bantawa. Ninety percent of them are Hindu. Illiteracy is a major problem among the Bantawa, so radio will provide a much-needed way for them to hear the Gospel.

Lungeli Magar: About 150,000 Magars live in Nepal where they reside in the Himalayan Mountains. Magars worship nature and practice the Bon religion. Others are Hindu and Buddhist.

Rongmei: The Rongmei population in northwest India is more than 100,000 strong. There is a small Christian population in this area.

Netakani: More than 200,000 people in eastern India speak Netakani. Most of the people are Hindu, but there are quite a few Buddhists as well.

Reang: This is one of the 21 tribes in India's Tripura state. They worship many gods and goddesses. There are about 200,000 people who speak Reang.

Rengma: About 100,000 people in the northeast Indian states of Manipur, Nagaland and Assam speak the Rengma language. There are some Christians in this area, but the majority of the people have never heard the Gospel.

Vadari: More than 1.9 million people in Central and South India speak Vadari. The majority of the Vadari people are Hindu or are involved in worship of nature.

Varli: About 600,000 people who live in the western Indian state of Maharashtra speak this language. They practice nature worship with a strong Hindu influence.

The GFA missionaries producing these new radio programs are all native speakers and are excited about the opportunities they have to use radio to share the Gospel with millions of people who have likely never heard it.