In Bonaire, Adventist Church Inaugurates First Radio Station in the Dutch Caribbean

Church leaders unveil the Radio Atventista Boneiru sign as the inauguration ceremony of the new radio station held at the church’s Bonaire Mission in Kralendijk, May 5, 2018. Photo by Abel Márquez/IAD

May 15, 2018 | Kralendijk, Bonaire | Libna Stevens/IAD

The Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Dutch Caribbean territory inaugurated its first radio station on the island of Bonaire earlier this month with a special ceremony. Church leaders, church members and government officials witnessed the historic event at the brand new site in Kralendijk at the head office of the Bonaire Adventist Mission.

Lieutenant Governor of Bonaire Edison Rijna congratulated the Seventh-day Adventist Church for its contribution to the community on the island.

“The spiritual messages to be transmitted through the Adventist Radio from now on will have a positive influence especially on the Christian community in Bonaire,” said Governor Rijna. “The church is indispensable in the life of many people here in Bonaire.”

With a population of over 19,000 in Bonaire and a church membership of 414, the new radio station will soon run local programming through the air waves 24 hours a day, according to Pastor Shurman Kook, president of the church in the Dutch Caribbean territory, comprised of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao.

IAD President Pastor Israel Leito and Governor Bonaire Edison Rijna cut the ribbon to inaugurate the new radio station as Cami Oetman, AWR vice president looks on, May 5, 2018. Photo by Abel Márquez/IAD

“We believe this is God’s time for His church to proclaim His Word through this radio station,” said Kook.

It’s all about proclaiming Jesus’ last message of salvation, said Pastor Israel Leito, president of the church in Inter-America. “This radio station’s purpose is to communicate Jesus’s love for His people before he comes,” he said.

Local church leaders praised the commitment of church members who donated funds and to Adventist World Radio for donating the newest in broadcasting equipment for the new studio.

Cami Oetman, AWR vice-president for advancement, congratulated church leaders and encouraged the membership to continue “using this tool to proclaim His soon coming to the people in the Dutch Caribbean.”

The church had dreamed about having its own radio station but obtaining a broadcast license costs a fortune and the radio bandwidth is completely full, said Kook.

Church members volunteer during programming of the new church-run radio station in Bonaire. Photo from AWR Facebook

In 2016, church leaders saw an advertisement in the Dutch newspaper, which indicated the possibility of obtaining the commercial license of a radio station in Bonaire that had gone bankrupt. So the church voted to make a low bid and was able to purchase the station, explained Kook.

The local mission office had already been airing a daily one-hour program and moved quickly to build a studio to house Radio Atventista Boneiru 91.1 FM station on the premises of the Office of the Bonaire Mission in Kralendijk.

The radio station is airing in Papiamentu, the main language spoken in Bonaire, and will air for 12-hours daily and repeat its programming in the evening as soon as it receives approval by the Union Control Board, said Kook. The station is also on the internet and is run by pastors and church member volunteers.

The idea is to serve programming in other languages. However, given the demographics of the island, most programs will be in Papiamentu. Music is also played in the four main languages spoken in Bonaire, which also include English, Spanish and Dutch.

Dozens of members gathered on Sabbath, May 5, 2018, as part of the inauguration ceremonies for the new radio station in Bonaire, May 5, 2018. Photo courtesy of Abel Márquez/IAD

The acquisition of the radio station in Bonaire is the first step toward establishing a station on the islands of Aruba and Curacao, said Kook.

“We want to establish a radio network that will cover the entire Dutch Caribbean region and the Papiamentu speaking population wherever they are on the planet because Jesus is coming soon,” Kook said.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Bonaire has 414 church members worshiping in three churches and one small congregation.

To find out more about Radio Atventista Boneiru 91.1 FM, click HERE