Phil Edwards, Vision Christian Media’s CEO, shared a story about a gift he received from his godparents in 1969, at the time of his birth. The gift was a Bible from the British and Foreign Bible Society.
‘I remember reading it as a young child, and as I opened it up, I found something I have no actual recollection of, but it’s really special,’ said Phil. ‘It’s this little card that says. “I now commit myself completely to Jesus Christ, my Saviour, and will follow Him as Lord in the fellowship of his church.” It’s signed by me in very childlike handwriting in November of 1978 when I was nine years old.’
Phil shared another heritage story about some faithful people who had a key role in the development of Vision when the ministry began 35 years ago.
Max and Gwen Poulier were a very faithful couple who were a big part of Vision’s history. In 1999, they volunteered to host the very first Vision FM station at their house in the country town of Beaudesert. They didn’t really know what this new organisation was trying to do or how it would grow, but they stepped out in faith.
The Vision team installed a one-watt of broadcast power on FM.
‘It was pretty humbling beginnings, and it was a great partnership in those early days that would then be replicated throughout the years with many others all around Australia,’ said Phil.
Another very faithful lady who helped Vision in those early years was Faith McNicol, who lived in the Queensland town of Kingaroy. Faith had heard about Vision’s dream to establish Christian radio across Australia. At the time, she had inherited $35,000 as part of her late husband’s estate. When she found out how much money would be required to establish a Vision station in Kingaroy to buy a license, install the equipment and get it running, she didn’t hesitate to donate the $35,000 despite her friends trying to talk her out of it and her church being opposed to the idea.
Faith wasn’t to be swayed, and her faithfulness meant Vision was able to get that licence on the air. Ian Worby, Vision’s CEO at that time, said he went to visit her one day and discovered that she’d cut out photos of all of the team from the newsletters and things that we’d published and had them sitting on her mantelpiece, and she would pray for us daily. How amazing is that!
These are the sorts of stories that make Vision’s ministry so worthwhile. Together with Vision, you can shine your light for God and help more people across Australia look to God daily.
Would you like to be a part of Vision’s ministry? Click the link to find out how you can help Vision impact people’s lives by looking to God daily.
Image from Jorge Salvador Unsplash
