Radio Hope transmits the Gospel and quality Christian programming to see lives transformed and help believers grow in their relationship with the Lord. Radio Hope provides opportunities for the local church to partner together for the extension of God's Kingdom in southern Ecuador and beyond. It is a joint ministry of SIM, HCJB, WMPL (World Mission Prayer League), CBI (Conservative Baptists) and IMB (Southern Baptists). This project has set up a studio, purchased equipment and employed and trained staff to run the station.
Radio Hope was originally limited to broadcasting on low-power AM, scarcely covering the city of Loja. With no more FM licences available, the team in Ecuador and friends around the world prayed that the owner of Radio Fantasia (FM licence) would decide to sell his station to the evangelical ministry. The sale went through, and broadcasting began on 15 January 2004.
Now Radio Hope is able to reach a much larger area while at the same time drastically reducing electricity costs. As forwarding stations are added in the future, the programmes will become accessible throughout Loja province, a region of Ecuador that has heard so little about Jesus' gospel of love and forgiveness.
Since June 2004, theological instruction has been offered on Radio Hope through the co-operation of HCJB in Quito, a local theological seminary, and SIM. The radio-based studies will offer an academic title to those who complete the courses.
In August 2006, Radio Hope celebrated five years of broadcasting. They continue to expand their programming and influence and are hoping to establish two repeater stations so that the signal will reach the whole Loja province.
By 2011, they plan that the team of announcers and board members for Radio Hope will all be Ecuadorian nationals.
