Haiti: Student Volunteers in Engineering

Opportunities

Student volunteers (couples or singles) are needed throughout the year and especially during the summer months to assist the networking engineers at the Radio Lumière Network in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Volunteers will help with routine maintenance and corrective maintenance at all of the stations in the network. Specific duties will include working on AM and FM transmitters and antenna systems, repairing studio equipment and 2M communications equipment, and maintaining backup power supplies and generator systems.

Qualifications

Volunteers must have taken an electronics course from a recognized technical school or be working on a degree in electrical/electronic engineering.

Lauguage Requirement

Volunteers must speak English, but a background in Haitian Creole or French is helpful.

Length of Service

Mid-term: 3-12 months

Ministry Description

Radio Lumière (French for “light”) was founded on February 20, 1959, by West Indies Mission (now World Team). As the country’s main Protestant radio station, Radio Lumière is known as the voice of the Protestant church in Haiti and covers much of the country with Christian broadcasting. The Radio Lumière Network has nine stations with the main station, studios, and a television station located in Port-au-Prince.

Quick Facts

• The station airs from 4:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. seven days a week. At any one time, Radio Lumière’s audience varies from several thousand to more than one million listeners.
• The programming is Christian and family oriented with a strong emphasis on  evangelism and Christian training. The network also provides educational  broadcasting, Christian music and entertainment, a complete news service, and a personal announcement program in which Haitians use the station to send  messages to family and friends in rural areas who do not have telephones.
• The radio is a powerful tool for evangelism, often reaching into homes the church  cannot reach. For instance, it is not unusual for a witch doctor to be converted as a result of the radio’s ministry. Radio Lumière also plays an important role in encouraging, training, and discipling Christians as the church in Haiti is growing very rapidly and there are not enough trained pastors to disciple each new convert.