Former radio reporter, reports good news and ‘miracle’ in Latvia

by Rob Moll

 On his 11th trip to Latvia, former radio newsman Gregg Anderson went to minister to prisons, and on the way he brought along CDs given to him by WAKW and WFCJ.

Anderson took about 60 CDs to give to Latvian Christian Radio, hoping they could be used.

The radio station was thrilled. In a letter to WAKW, Gunta Ykumsone, music director of Latvian Christian Radio, wrote, “Since the beginning of this year we started to present one new song in our radio each weekday at certain times marking it with a special jingle and on Saturdays we started to play all the five songs one after another with some comments about the songs. But last month we had run short of the new music and we had to decide either to stop this way of presenting the new songs or to go on trusting that God will provide. We decided to continue. . .”

Bill Nance, program director at WFCJ, said, “it’s just something we like to do.” Nance said that when CDs go unused, the station likes to give them to ministries. Nance said it was the second or third time that the station gave about 50 – 60 CDs to Anderson to take to Latvia.

After covering a church bus accident in 1988, Anderson realized that he needed God. Covering the story was only the straw that broke Anderson’s back, but it was the turning point in Anderson’s life causing him to decide to become a Christian.

Since then, Anderson has been ordained and served as a youth pastor and a prison chaplain.

His experience as a prison chaplain is what first brought Anderson to Latvia. In the country, he began preaching in prisons. “Each year we see God opening more doors for us,” Anderson said.

He taught a 12-step program, based on Alcoholics Anonymous, telling inmates about spiritual healing. Anderson said that after hearing him speak a former member of the Russian mafia came to him with tears.

Anderson’s most recent trip was long and complicated, he said.

After the communists left the country, it was in chaos. Most prisons were in shambles, said Anderson. But he was able to help raise money to fix up one prison and provide a classroom for Christians to meet.

His efforts were recognized by the Latvian prison administration and awarded by the Latvian Freedom Administration.

Anderson works at the youth service center in Newport, KY. Though because of his position, Anderson has to remain secular, there is nothing he enjoys more than watching someone come to Jesus.

Anderson said he has covered the Red, the Bengals and the Super Bowl, but nothing matches the joy of reporting the “good news.”