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Giving Jesus a Chance

The Dominican Republic shares space with Haiti on the island of Hispaniola, where Christopher Columbus first touched land in the New World. The country was colonized by Spain, while neighboring Haiti was colonized by France. There are AWR affiliate radio stations in both of these countries, which air programs in Spanish, French, and Creole (the local vernacular in Haiti).

Radio Amanecer Internacional (“amanecer” is “dawn” or “daybreak” in Spanish) started as a local AM station. They also own a license for a shortwave station, but it ceased to operate when the transmitter tube broke down some years ago. Plans are currently in place to re-start broadcasts on shortwave in a joint project with AWR.

Around 2005, AWR offered to donate to the Dominican Union the satellite uplink equipment that had been used in Costa Rica before that operation was closed in 2004. After installing the equipment, Radio Amanecer acquired several FM licenses. By now, it has become a formidable network of half a dozen stations, covering almost all of the country.

Roberto Infante Marcelino and his wife live in the capital city of Santo Domingo. Like a typical family, they had their children and raised them to the best of their abilities. However, over time, the couple began to experience difficulties in their relationship. Unfortunately, this is a common problem in so many families.

Although they tried hard to live in harmony, things were just not working out. They drifted apart more and more, and all possibility of salvaging their marriage seemed lost. They both decided it was time to call it quits, so they visited the office of an attorney and instructed him to prepare divorce papers.

During this time, Juana discovered Radio Amanecer by “accident” on her local radio dial. Among the many Christian stations in the city, she found this one to be different. Maybe there was hope for her and her husband.

Juana grew more and more interested in the messages she was hearing, especially a segment called “Restauremos la Familia” (“Let Us Restore the Family”). This is exactly what she and Roberto needed most: to restore their relationship. One day, she told Roberto about this program and invited him to listen to it with her. He accepted.

After some time, they both came to the conclusion that they needed help, so they called the station and asked for a family counselor to visit their home. As they discussed their personal issues, they discovered that any lasting relationship between them could only endure through a total commitment to God; they need God in their lives, desperately.

When the attorney came to their home with the draft of the divorce papers, they told him they were going to give Jesus a chance to change their lives, and that they would not be signing the papers as planned … for the time being.

As the Holy Spirit worked on their hearts, Juana and Roberto discovered more and more of God’s love for them and accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. They both surrendered their hearts to Him and decided to give their marriage a second chance. Shortly thereafter, they were baptized into the fellowship of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Today, Roberto says that was the best thing that ever happened to him: “I have a peace that only God can give; my home was restored.”

Even more than saving their earthly home, however, both Roberto and Juana now look forward with anxious anticipation to their eternal home in heaven, where they will join with so many others who are being touched by the radio ministry of Radio Amanecer Internacional.