Monday, May 14, 2012

Hope Tour 2012: Magnificent Hope Visits a Recording Studio


Magnificent Hope has been on the go! After leaving Colorado, she made her way to Australia, where she was welcomed into the home and heart of author Zillah Williams.


Author Zillah Williams in the recording studio
in Canberra, Australia
When I was at school, I asked my headmistress how to go about getting a career in helping people who were blind. She regarded me seriously for a moment, then said that she admired my “missionary effort.” I was surprised at her response, as I hadn’t thought of it in terms of mission. And yet, years later, here I am helping my husband (who has poor vision) in work he does for two organisations: Christian Blind Mission (CBM), based in Melbourne, Victoria, and 1 RPH (Radio for the Print Handicapped) based here in Canberra.

As I explained to Magnificent Hope, seen here looking in on a recording session, Alan works from home using professional recording equipment. He has readers come to read a variety of articles and books on to tape, which he then transfers to CDs after doing the necessary editing.

Alan at work with Magnificent Hope looking on.
Alan produces three programs for 1 RPH— The Music Room, a program about music, musicians and composers; Something Light which are his selection of items of interest or humor; and Patchwork, which is a program for the Christian segment broadcast on Sunday afternoons.

The definition of “print handicapped” applies to anyone who can’t handle print material such as books and newspapers, so it not only refers to people who are blind or partially sighted, but to those who may have had a stroke, etc.

I told Magnificent Hope that, when she goes home, she can find Radio 1 RPH on the internet and listen to programs being streamed. 

Christian Blind Mission has, in addition to work it does worldwide among vision impaired people, has a lending library of “talking books.” Alan is one of CBM’s field workers who records books for the library. He also records a daily devotional With Love to the World, and a magazine Vineyard which are lent to library clients.

Patricia and Alan preparing for a recording session.
See Magnificent Hope in the background?
Before the recording session I introduced Magnificent Hope to today’s reader, Patricia, pictured here discussing with Alan a point about the material she is recording. Readers like Patricia donate their time to make printed information available to those who are unable to read it for themselves.

My headmistress was unable to suggest a career path that involved working with the blind, but God must have planted the idea in my heart because here I am, many years down the track, doing just that.


About the Author:


Zillah Williams was born in the UK and moved to Australia in her early teens. Her background is in librarianship - she loves libraries and books.

She's  had five novels for young adults published:

The Treasure of Wonders Farm
The Wonders Farm Gang
The Doom Cloud 
The Disappearance of Old Kal 
Yesterday’s Enemy –Tomadachi

Her husband, Alan, produces audio material for their local print handicapped radio station in Canberra where they now live,  and for Christian Blind Mission in Melbourne, Victoria. She helps him as one of his readers.

Visit Zillah's website.




2 comments:

Kathi Macias said...

Zillah, so glad to finally "meet" you online and see your lovely smile. Blessings to you, my friend!

Jean Ann Williams said...

What a wonderful ministry! Good to see your face, Zillah! And that smile.