Trinidad Project

In 2004 listeners to WPEL, WPGM and WBGM generously gave more than $21,000 to equip a brand new Christian FM radio station in San Julian, Bolivia (pictured on the left). In 2006 three engineers (including our chief engineer, one of our board members and his wife, and a third engineer from the area) traveled to Bolivia to help install the equipment. The station, operated by the Bolivian affiliate of Trans World Radio, Radio Trans Mundial (RTM) Bolivia, is now broadcasting 18 hours a day.

RTM Bolivia has a vision for a network of 20 Christian FM stations covering various communities in Eastern Bolivia. The San Julian station is the second station in the network. The first, the flagship station of the network, is in Pilon (pictured on the right). RTM Bolivia has selected the city of Trinidad, capital of the province of Beni, for the third station in the network. Trinidad is predominantly an agricultural region in northeastern Bolivia about 342 miles from Santa Cruz and 370 miles from the capital city of La Paz.

The area has seen a migration of people from the highlands of Bolivia as well as an influx of Mennonites. As part of the migration, many Quechua and Guarani natives have moved into the area. A city of 120,000 people, Trinidad is considered the center of education, especially high school training, for those living in the country’s outlying areas. The population of the surrounding region has soared to 380,000.

           Trinidad is the gateway to the large Amazon plains of Bolivia and has the largest concentration of people in the Bolivian Amazon interior. Trinidad is one of the few places in the Beni province that has electricity 24 hours a day, a necessity for a local radio station.

                RTM Bolivia produces programming in several different languages, including a Quechua program called “Encounters.” The Pilon and San Julian stations also carry the Spanish versions of many US programs including Turning Point (David Jeremiah), Grace to You (John MacArthur) and Thru the Bible (J. Vernon McGee.)

The total cost of building and equipping the new station is $73,500. We are inviting WPEL, WPGM and WBGM listeners to help purchase the equipment, which will cost $32,500. The Bolivians are responsible for the land ($15,000), the antenna tower ($21,000) and the building ($5,000.) Your gift toward this project may be mailed to the station you hear or you may DONATE ON-LINE. We will send you a tax deductible gift for your receipt and forward 100% of the amount you designate to Trans World Radio to purchase the equipment for the Trinidad station.