By Frank Gray

CLOSE TO THE LISTENER

Autobiographic Experiences

A compelling account of the author’s experiences in radio broadcasting in Asia. The story begins in Laos during the tension filled days of the Vietnam (1969-75) and continues to the Philippines and much of Asia, largely through the Far East Broadcasting Company (FEBC). The 1990s were years of enormous change on many fronts – not least in international broadcasting. The political landscape of the world was changing dramatically…

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Frank Gray

Life really began for Frank after he left home in UK in 1969 for the small war-torn country of Laos. He had been recruited by Voluntary Service Overseas to work at Lao National Radio. As an only child he was anxious to spread his wings and discover the wider world. He had just completed his studies in Engineering Science at the University of Exeter. After two years he returned home before leaving again for Laos to run a recording studio for C&MA. During this time he met his wife and lifelong partner Hennie who arrived there from the Netherlands in 1973.

Following post-graduate studies in Communications at Wheaton College he spent two years setting up the Hmong Alliance Church in North America before joining Far East Broadcasting Company in California in 1979. In 1982 they moved to Manila, Philippines and spent nine years there during days of much political unrest. While based there Frank travelled extensively throughout East and Southeast Asia providing training and project development.

Their return as family to UK in 1991 proved very timely as it coincided with the opening up of the former Soviet Union where new opportunities for Christian radio were emerging. Further challenges lay ahead with the South Asia Tsunami which posed opportunities for radio to be used constructively in disaster response and recovery.

Published Booklets

Published Books

Other Books

Radio Programming Roles (1996)

Co-authored with Ross James this book served as a training manual for FEBC over many years (84pp)

Radio In Mission (1986)

A short book, published by the Lausanne Commttee as part of its Occasional Papers series, that made a case for the use of radio in the mission of the church. It reflects the findings of a consultation held in Cambridge in 1985 (26pp)

On the Shoulders of the Past (2018)

A prequel to ‘Close to the Listener” that describes in four illustrated chapters my family background leading up to my 1969 departure to the Far East (72pp).

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‘Where in the world is Laos? ‘ I asked myself. As soon as I arrived home I got out my atlas. ‘Wow, it is even beyond India!’  Little did I know then the major part that Southeast Asia was to play in my life….

– close to the listener

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frankgray47@gmail.com