Written by TWR Africa
Article originally featured in the October issue of JOY! Magazine
One day, as Anthony Barkhuizen was considering the financial side of ministry, the letter “P” came to mind. Barkhuizen, TWR fund development director in Africa, had been contemplating TWR Africa’s special on-air “Shine” event, which this year will be called “Bless, Share, and Shine”. Separate phases of the event will take place in September, October, and November.
Blessings, prayer, and participation
During “Bless” the TWR Africa team will be focused on being a blessing to listeners. The “Share” week will focus on prayer, with the TWR Africa team praying over listener requests and listeners invited to pray for the ministry. During “Shine”, listeners will have the opportunity to participate financially in the work of TWR.
Opportunities for donations
It was in considering “Shine” that Barkhuizen concluded TWR could do a better job of explaining itself. “So one day I sat down, thought about it, prayed about it, and came up with these five P’s as giving opportunities – the areas donations generally go to,” he said.
Resulting in changed lives
For Barkhuizen, what matters is how all these elements come together to result in changed lives. We know that happens, because people tell us about it. “Your programme has rebuilt my faith during a very dark season,” a Somali listener told us recently. “I am living proof that God answers prayers, and I’m tuning in today with a very grateful heart.”
Keeping hope alive
Another Somali listener reported a breakthrough in his life. “Two months ago, I listened to this programme with a broken heart,” the man said. “Growing up as a refugee, all I wanted was an education, but every college door slammed shut. Then just days ago a breakthrough happened; so many opportunities opened up that I barely knew which blessing to choose! Truly, God’s plans for us are always good. I’m so grateful to this programme for keeping my hope alive.”
Strengthening the faith of listeners
A Christian man in Mali who was feeling empty and distant from God wrote about how Thru the Bible in his Pulaar language helped him: “Everything began to change the day I started listening to the TTB Pulaar programme on the radio. At first, I was simply happy to hear the Word of God in my native language. But very quickly, I understood that it was not just another programme; it was an encounter … As the weeks went by, I felt that my faith was no longer the same. It was strengthened.”
Everyone can be a part of it!
Although money is needed for ministry, Barkhuizen doesn’t set financial goals. “For me, success will be that God was glorified,” he said. “I’ve heard the stories [of changed lives] for the last 24 years. Let’s celebrate them, put the light on them, shine the light of God’s glory … on what God is doing.” He added that everyone can be part of it.
THE FIVE P’S
PROJECTS
Media ministry projects develop new content to unreached people groups in their languages, including to geographically and politically difficult areas of Africa. TWR also has capacity-building projects for hardware and software needs as well as general-needs projects. “When people know specific needs, it helps,” Barkhuizen said.
PROGRAMMES
In more than 80 languages in Africa, TWR has Bible-based content that not only speaks of hope, but also love, forgiveness, and salvation. The programmes bear spiritual fruit. For example, Pastor Richard Ravelomanantsoa, the voice of Thru the Bible in Madagascar, responds along with his wife as often as he can when listeners ask for visits. During three months earlier this year, those resulted in 85 decisions for Christ.
PLATFORMS
TWR broadcasts 24 hours a day, seven days a week on direct-to-home satellite as TWR Pure Talk and via internet radio platforms and apps, including on TWR 360. We also broadcast African heart languages on high-powered shortwave and medium wave in Southern and West Africa and on local FM stations. Transmitters need to be maintained and repaired and are expensive to run. TWR speaks to an emerging generation with digital platforms, such as the TWR Pure Talk website and the recently introduced Pure Talk app. This category also includes general and specific maintenance and appropriate upgrades for software and security.
PEOPLE
Staff from around the world serve with TWR in Africa. Together with the locally sourced staff, they are thankful for the financial support they receive. From very early in the morning to very late at night, staff members ensure that TWR stays on the air. And other people ensure they can do their jobs. “People need to be fed, need shelter – and there need to be people who support the people who support people,” Barkhuizen said.
PRODUCTS
According to Barkhuizen, this refers to the media devices – the radios, SD cards, and mobile Bible players – that let them get content into some countries without being too obvious. He told of one Muslim woman who listens to TWR broadcasts through an earbud under her burqa while listening to her husband’s chatter through her other ear.
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Date published: 01/10/2026
Feature image: Sourced from original article published in the October issue of JOY! Magazine
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