8 features Radio man with a real world vision IMAGINE being able to into his spare time. His involvement speed of light,” said Douglas. “For talk about Christianity in started in the 1950s when he record- millions of people, Feba may be the 60 different languages to ed radio interviews at the only way that they hear about Christ. Farnborough Air Show for a friend Many write and say that they are six or seven million regu- who was working for a Christian secret believers. Some may have lis- lar listeners. radio station in the Philippines. tened to the radio station for years When Douglas Malton helped to FEBA – Far East Broadcasting before making a profession of faith. start Britain’s first missionary radio Associates – was initially a support We build relationships with many station 34 years ago, he had a real organisation for the Manila radio sta- listeners when they write.” vision. But even he had no idea that tion. But that station’s signals were Until 1986, Feba Radio was Feba Radio would become so huge. not being received well enough in effectively run from Douglas and his The 75-year-old, who worships India, and it was looking for a new wife Jean’s large, Edwardian house at All Saints’ Church in East Meon, transmitting base. In 1967 it was in Woking. Douglas’s work meant was one of the prime movers behind announced that an international air- that he travelled extensively in any Radio pioneer Douglas Malton in East Meon the broadcasting phenomenon, and port would be built in the Seychelles, case, so – whether at home or abroad remained chairman of Feba then a British crown colony. It – he was able to work on Feba busi- Radio until 1996. He is now seemed unlikely that the Manila sta- ness in the evenings. He was vice- life president of the organi- tion, an American organisation, chairman of Tear Fund for several sation. would be allowed to operate a radio years and travelled on their behalf. For 33 years Feba Radio station there, but the British-based The couple moved to East Meon broadcast from the FEBA might stand a chance. in 1993, where Douglas is steward- Seychelles in the middle of Studios, offices, a transmitter and ship officer at All Saints’ Church the Indian Ocean to staff houses were built, and Feba and served on both PCC and deanery Christians and others in Radio started broadcasting in May synod. Their daughter, Joanna, also Africa, the Middle East, 1970 to India. The following year, caught the broadcasting bug – she central Asia and the Indian regular broadcasts to the Middle East produced the two editions of Songs sub-continent – a potential were started, and by 1974 an antenna of Praise recorded in Portsmouth audience of billions. Its pro- array on an offshore coral reef meant Cathedral last October. grammes are now made in it could expand its reach. “We’ve seen God at work so production centres from It broadcasts a mixture of educa- many times,” said Douglas. “I Cyprus to Sri Lanka. tional, magazine-type programmes remember when we were in the mid- “You do see many to balance presentations of the dle of building the new aerials on the things that go beyond your gospel message. National Christians coral reefs, and when we met one own vision and say ‘I didn’t produce the programmes that are Friday night we needed £2,250 to realise that my God was broadcast to their own countries, retain our Seychelles work force. The treasurer said we had £250, but still needed £2,000. “We prayed that night, and the next morning a friend rang and said my faith that he had been moved to auction a picture and to give half the proceeds As part of our series on lives changed by faith, to Feba Radio and half to Tear Fund. we meet Douglas Malton, one of the founders of the He’d raised £4,000, and the cheque Christian broadcasting organisation Feba Radio for £2,000 was with Feba by the Monday morning! that big!’,” he said. “We because they speak the language, “I remember another time when started out with just £400 in share the culture of listeners and we were desperate for equipment, the bank. We had nothing in appreciate local traditions. The Americans had a satellite track- terms of money, materials Programmes might include testi- ing station in the Seychelles and and personnel. The bedrock monies, worship, world and local needed to improve their aerial sys- of our faith was that, if God news, and discussion about health or tem. It didn’t come within their spec- was in this, he would pro- agriculture. One programme in ification, so it had to come down. vide. And he did provide. Swahili was aimed at women who Years later, they had a ‘scrap sale’ of People came to us with just had been sexually abused and lacked submersible cables, masts and feeder the right specialist expert- self-esteem: it aimed to convince gantries – exactly the kind of thing ise; funds arrived in knife- them of their worth in God’s eyes. we wanted! It was 1,000 miles from edge situations.” Radio is, of course, an ideal anywhere in the Indian Ocean - at a Douglas worked as the medium for those who can’t read. scrap prices! It felt as though the chairman and managing But the broadcasters also receive Lord was preparing the way and we director of a ceramic engi- around 10,000 letters a week from were just walking in his footsteps!” neering firm until his retire- those who are able to write. Find out more at: ment in 1992, so his passion “We see it as being able to give www.feba.org.uk or on 01903 for radio ministry was fitted people the message of life at the 237281.