Missionary on the air waves

By Rev SEIK PITOI

GOD speaks to people in different ways.
For one, the turning point could come after a nasty accident, for another, maybe a relationship break up.
God uses the situations and circumstances of life to speak to us and communicate His love to us through those difficult times. But after all He does, it is up to the individual to embrace the new path, or to keep walking away!
It was in such a situation in 2001, on a hospital bed in Ward 7 at the Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH) that God began to capture the attention of a young woman. She had been taken severely ill and was admitted to the hospital.
There, on her sick bed, she made a pact with God: “Father, if it is your will, let me live and I will serve you with my whole life”. God in His grace touched and healed her.
The young woman is Christian radio personality, Linda Sanana, and this year, she chalks up 16 years of selfless service to God through Christian radio.
Linda is currently the programme director with Wantok Radio Light (WRL) at Gerehu, Port Moresby.
“Had God not heard my faintest cry and plea, I would not be here today,” she said. “The God of all grace heard me. I praise Him for it.”
Linda grew up in a Christian home of Seventh Day Adventist believers. Her father was a career policeman from Musa in Northern while her mother hails from Duramu village in Abau, Central.
In their home, Christian principles were encouraged and adhered to. Being the second of five children, Linda was surrounded by the love of her parents and siblings, and aspired to serve God when she grew up.
Linda’s interest in radio began at a young age.
“I was interested in being a broadcaster at an early age”, she reminisced.
“I would listen to NBC back then, to announcers like Benson ToPatiliu, Cathy Goroa, and Justin Kili. My dad would work night shifts, and my siblings and I would write up our requests and give to dad to deliver to NBC 5-Mile, and we would listen to our requests every night.
“There was that feeling of excitement when you hear you name on radio. I built on that interest to become a broadcaster.”
Linda completed secondary schooling at Gordon Secondary School and then received tertiary qualifications in Multimedia Studies at the Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia.
She worked from 1998 to 2001 with PNGFM (Yumi FM) under the guidance of radio personalities late Justin Kili who was the deputy general manager of PNGFM and Francesca Semoso, her immediate supervisor and program director at that time.
She gained invaluable experience from them. In 2001, Linda went through the bout of illness mentioned earlier. As she recovered, she sent out applications to further her career, praying in her heart that a door would open to serve God. One of the applications she sent was to Wantok Radio Light. After much screening and interviewing, she was recruited.
Linda first heard of Wantok Radio Light at the end of December 2001.
“I was on my way to Irupara, Hula, in Central for the Central Papua Mission Youth Leadership training camp hosted by the Seventh Day Adventist Church.
“On my way I heard the radio in the truck and I learned that it was the new Christian radio station. I was encouraged to apply for work there. After returning from the camp, it was then January 2002, and I lodged my application. God took over and did the rest.”
When the radio began to operate in 2002, Linda was on the staff as the first recruit.
“I was the only staff at that time, a pioneer at Wantok Radio”, she recalled, “and I began as a broadcaster when the radio beganat the First Heritage Building across from Boroko Motors.
“We then moved down to Monian Tower in down town Port Moresby in 2004-2005. I worked with many wonderful people over the years like Andrew Ogil who was the interim managing director at the inception of the station in 2002, then late Pawa Warena who was appointed managing director.
“Also our first missionary to Wantok Radio Light, Stephen Henry from USA, late Cathy Raka and others who joined later like Anne Sapias, Martha Wame and Thelma Ninjipa, to name a few. All have left; I am still here”!
Linda served as a broadcaster from 2002 to 2008. During that time, she attended studies in Australia, and also did further radio training in Singapore in 2006 and 2007.
In 2009, she attended programme director training in Apia, Samoa, as well as training locally.
Upon completion of her studies, she could have left for ‘greener pastures’ but she remembered her vow with God in the hospital to serve Him. She returned to WRL.
Linda’s view of her work was: “This is not a job, but a ministry. I am serving God on radio!”
From 2008 to the present, she serves as programme director and is part of the senior management in the organisation. In that capacity, Linda oversees seven staff members of broadcasters and producers, and she makes sure that all the programmes are updated, and are run smoothly for 24 hours.
She is responsible for international and local programmes and the overall operation of the production and presentation department. Currently, she is airing a new programme called “health nuggets”, which is being received well by the public.
Moreover, in her capacity, she is often sought after by pastors and ministry leaders to telecast their programmes or to interview their special guests when they come in from overseas. Port Moresby pastors and ministers can all attest to the wonderful work done by Wantok Radio Light under the leadership of general manager Billy Yasi and the hard working staff like Linda!
Linda echoes the words of King Solomon in Ecclesiastes 12:1 – “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth.” She is a firm believer that God can use many young people in our nation for His purposes if they will only surrender to Him.
“It is my desire to see young people give their lives totally to God. The devil is doing so much to side-track our young people away from God. But I encourage them all to give God first place in their lives, especially as we see the Lord’s return drawing near.”
For a young woman radio missionary who has dedicated her whole life to doing God’s will, the commitment and dedication she shows is nothing less than a powerful example of what it means to be faithful to the call of God!

• Rev Seik Pitoi is a freelance writer.