A newly designed, state-of-the-art Hope Channel studio opened its doors in Ban Muak Lek, Thailand, on August 9, 2019.
The new TV network headquarters is located within the Seventh-day Adventist Asia-Pacific International University (APIU) campus. Church leaders said they hope the establishment of Hope Channel Southeast Asia opens opportunities for reaching out to millions of people through the airwaves, in a region comprising eleven culturally diverse countries.
The US$1.7 million, 40-by-80-foot (12-by-24-meter), two-story facility includes four brand-new stages. The goal is to produce new programs on Adventist lifestyle and beliefs, leaders said. The new facilities also boast a control room, two audio rooms, rooms for content creation, pre-production, production, and post-production offices.
Leaders from the Hope Channel Network, led by Hope Channel International president Derek Morris and vice president Joe Sloan, attended the ceremony, extending their prayers and well wishes as the network starts broadcasting across Southeast Asia.
In his keynote message, Morris highlighted all the goals of the global network that God has permitted to be achieved through different Hope Channel networks around the world.
“What impressed me the most is the testimony of one miracle after another. God provided, sometimes finances, other times people with different skills to accomplish this wonderful media center,” Morris said. “[It has been] said that there are 220 million people in Southeast Asia, and that 85 percent of them doesn’t know anything about Jesus. Hope Channel Southeast Asia, which plans to broadcast in eight different languages, will be an important witness in this part of the world,” he added.
Morris encouraged the production team and volunteers who will spearhead the productions in Southeast Asia as they face significant challenges ahead of them. He stressed the value of pressing on and moving forward to fulfill God’s mission.
“Always remember that this isn’t just a job; this is a holy mission,” Morris said, referring specifically to the volunteers who will support the work of the Adventist TV network. “What God wants to do in us and through us is supernatural, but if our heart is open, we will see God working in miraculous ways.”
Leaders and guests from various institutions within the region were also present during the inauguration, including Southern Asia-Pacific Division (SSD) treasurer Max Langi, SSD media coordinator Nelson Paulo, Southeast Asia church region (SAUM) president Somchai Chuenjit, and others.
Hope Channel Southeast Asia is Hope Channel’s 45th TV network around the world. The network director, Richard Berson, stressed what is expected of the studio as it ventures to reach various people groups within its area of coverage.
“Southeast Asia is a culturally deep territory. Languages are different and religions too. With these new programs, we hope to be used as tools by God to transform the hearts of people in this region,” Berson emphasized.
Berson added that they were blessed to have the support of a team of Thai workers.
“We know God sent them to accelerate the project completion and share our beliefs with them,” Berson said. “We also firmly believe God granted the gift of tongues to workers who only spoke Thai and to our electrical and mechanical coordinator who only spoke Portuguese, so that the work could be done efficiently and in harmony.”
The original version of this story was posted on the Southern Asia-Pacific Division news site.
