Brian Reports: Sending Out An S.O.S. To The World

What really defines “cutting edge” communication technology? Blackberry…Blogs… Video Blogs…Text Messaging…My Space…You Tube? To some it might sound like a form of cryptic code or maybe even Mr. Spock speaking Vulcan. To your average American teenager, it is their ‘lingo’, or more importantly, their life. They have classified the current teen generation as the connected generation. They are connected, communicating at all times from anywhere and interfacing with each other. Their “technology” is this ever-changing, rapidly moving fluid “thing” that is hard for us Baby-buster, Gen Xers to fully comprehend. So, we ask our children and they give us the ‘wikipedia googlefied’ explanation that confuses us even more.

In the 3rd or even 2nd world of South America that “cutting edge” comes a little slower. Not much, mind you, but enough to let us catch our breath once in a while. For communications in South America, it is partly about staying on the “cutting edge” of technology, but also staying on the “cultural edge” in understanding who is the audience, where do they live and how do they communicate. World Mission Broadcast is currently known for three areas of broadcast ministries: radio, television and Internet. These are all an integral part of the cultural fabric that makes up our world and has now more than every connected us together. But what happens to those not yet connected? The unreached?

We are called to reach the unreachable; to use any and every means possible to share Jesus Christ. So, staying on the “cultural edge” sometimes takes us back to not so much of the “cutting edge.” You see, in the early 1970’s when we all had longer collars and wider ties a new “cutting edge” technology called a Phonemate Answering Machine offered you the ability to record phone messages on reel-to-reel tape with a machine weighing more than 10 pounds. Then, in the 1983 when a doctor from Japan figured out a way to digitally record those messages, everything changed. Our ties became thinner and looked more like a sock and we left messages after ‘the beep.’

It is that same ‘old’ technology that is on the “cultural edge” in Brazil. Brazil, by many standards, is very “cutting edge” in technology. You can surf the Internet on your laptop from the city of Manaus in the middle of the Amazon and watch the World Cup Soccer tournament on your high definition television, IF you are connected (or reached). But millions are not. So, using ‘old’ technology to stay on the “cultural edge,” the Church of the Nazarene in Brazil began the S.O.S. Answering Machine ministry.

Each day S.O.S. ministry teams throughout Brazil are recording new answering machine messages. However, it is not your typical…“Not here, leave a name and number” kind of message, but a concise message of hope to someone reaching out for help. The telephone numbers are printed on business cards, stickers, flyers, anywhere they can get the number out in front of the public. God has used this antiquated technology to reach out those disconnected (or unreachable) offering hope in the form of Jesus Christ.

Felipe’s life was collapsing all around him. His marriage was at the point of divorce. His work at the office was suffering and he was looking for escape through alcohol and drugs. One morning as he was walking to his bus stop, he found a dirty business card blowing around his foot. He picked up the card and it said, “There’s hope. Call now.” Felipe called the number on the card and hear a short message about peace in the middle of chaos. He left a message where someone could contact him. An S.O.S. counselor called Felipe’s cell phone and was able to share and pray with Felipe. Today, Felipe and his wife have restored their marriage and he and his family are active members of the Church of the Nazarene.

Gabriella was in an abusive relationship with her boyfriend when she saw a small sticker on the wall of a convenient store. It said, “Help is waiting. Call today.” Gabriella called and left an address asking for someone to visit her. A team of S.O.S. counselors visited with Gabriella in her parents’ home. Gabriella heard for the first time in her life about true love and what a real relationship could be like. She prayed to accept Jesus sitting at the kitchen table. Today, she sings in the choir.

Whether they are classified as disconnected or unreached, God calls us to reach them through any means possible. Riding the wave of “cutting edge” technology while staying focused on the “cultural edge” around us is what allows God to work through the ministries of World Mission Broadcast throughout the globe. Thanks for helping us send out an S.O.S. to the world.