The Children's Bible Hour - Radio Broadcasts in South Africa

By Bobby Hile

• What is CBH-SA?

The Children's Bible Hour (CBH) of Southern Africa is the radio ministry of the ABWE affiliated churches in the Durban area of South Africa. The radio program works in conjunction with the Children's Bible Hour in Grand Rapids, Michigan, but is produced locally, having been redesigned to meet the needs and concerns of South African children. The program provides an opportunity for children to serve the Lord.

CBH produces a weekly 30-minute program aimed at children between the ages of 7-12. The program features music from the children's choir, duets, soloists, Bible quizzes, Kid's Talks, and a story narrated by "Uncle Barry" and dramatized by the kids.

CBH-SA also produces a daily 4 1/2 -minute devotional program entitled, "Keys for Kids," based on a daily devotional booklet published by the Children's Bible Hour. It features a short song, Scripture reading and application story told by "Uncle Barry." The booklets are available to listeners in South Africa.

The purpose of CBH-SA is to guide and direct children—and their families—into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and then nurture them along in that relationship. CBH-SA desires to assist the local church in accomplishing its mission of preaching the Good News.

• How did CBH-SA get started?

As a student at Cedarville College, Bobby Hile led puppet teams to Durban for summer missions trips in 1989 and 1990. Before the second trip, he completed a five-week internship at the Children's Bible Hour in Grand Rapids, Michigan. God gave Bobby a great desire to establish some type of radio ministry in Durban.

Bobby and his wife Sara joined ABWE and arrived in Durban in April 1994. Almost right away he reminded the Grand Rapids CBH headquarters about his desire to establish a South African version of CBH and presented the idea to the Durban Field Council and to national pastors. They were keen to try this opportunity.

Bobby contacted Children's Bible Hour in Grand Rapids in April of 1996, and explained what the missionaries and pastors wanted to do in Durban. Within a week the CBH board gave permission to use the "Children's Bible Hour" name and theme songs. They sent the needed scripts and music and gave $2,000 to help CBH-SA get started.

Jim Leightenheimer, professor of broadcasting at Cedarville College, researched equipment and prices needed to set up a small recording studio. He gave a ball park figure of about $15,000. Before all the letters to prospective donors were sent out, the Lord raised up $16,000 for equipment in about a four-week time period. Later the Lord provided a donor who wanted to invest $25,000 a year in CBH-SA for at least three years, until South African financing was generated.

Bobby says: By the end of November 1996 we had the final pieces of equipment and money needed to begin. We held auditions for the children's choir in February of 1997, selecting ten children. We also began to look for a man with a good voice to be the host for the program. The Lord led us to Barry Van Rensberg who works with the youth in one of our ABWE affiliated churches in Durban. The choir practiced for several weeks, while "Uncle Barry" worked on developing his voice and "on-air" personality.

"Keys for Kids" first aired on Monday, August 4 at 2:55 p.m. The program will air six days a week. At this time, there are about 22 Christian stations across Southern Africa that we are pursuing for air-time. We trust God to use this radio ministry to see people saved and brought into our local churches. It is our prayer that children will come to know Christ as Savior and will grow up to become responsible members in their churches.

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