Thelma Howell and Gaylene McFarland still like to describe themselves as simple, ordinary housewives. Some may say that label does not do them justice, though.
Howell, 59, and McFarland, 68, operate WQIN-FM 102.9, a 100-watt, 24-hour Christian radio station located in a 10-by-14-foot corner room on the upper floor of what once was Cedarwood School at the northeast edge of Quincy, Illinois.
Both say they felt the calling to undertake such an operation, and have no regrets almost five years later.
"If you're willing to work for God, He'll bring the people to you and provide the knowledge," McFarland said. "He's keeping His word." The station has been on the air for almost two years.
WQIN is affiliated with 3ABN—Three Angels Broadcasting Network—based in West Frankfort, Illinois.
The focus of WQIN and 3ABN is to present programming which will reach people "right where they are hurting," offering programming that deals with subjects such as divorce recovery, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, cooking and health, quitting smoking, weight loss, children and family issues, organic gardening, natural home remedies, gospel music, and a variety of inspirational themes from the Bible for both children and adults.
"The idea behind this station is to help people have better lives," said Howell, who is president of the station. "We go by the Bible. If it's not in the Bible, we don't go for it."
Howell and McFarland said programming is aimed at both spiritual and physical health, and its traditional gospel music includes such old-time songs as "How Great Thou Art." "We do not play Christian rock," Howell said.
McFarland, who is a vegetarian, said, "We stress natural healing, exercise, and eating live foods—not dead ones."
The station is non-denominational, although Howell and McFarland are Seventh-day Adventists and the Illinois Conference of Seventh-day Adventists assisted the women financially to get the station running. The Cedarwood school building formerly housed a local Seventh-day Adventist student body until it closed in 2000.
"We just ran out of kids," Howell said.
WQIN relies on donations from underwriters to cover most of its costs. Its not-for-profit status does not permit advertising.
"No one gets paid a penny," Howell said. "We operate solely from contributions of the public."
The station's 100 watts reaches a radius of 3–20 miles. On a good day, Howell said, the station can be heard in West Quincy, Palmyra, and even Hannibal, Missouri.
There are others who assist in the operation of the station, all on a volunteer basis, according to Howell.
There are plenty of lengthy days in this labor of love, some stretching as long as 14 hours since the station went on the air Dec. 21, 2002.
"For just being housewives, this was all new," Howell said.
Neither would trade their experiences over the past few years.
"I think we have made great strides," McFarland said.
"God doesn't call the qualified," she said. "He qualifies the called."
Steve Eighinger, staff writer, Quincy Herald-Whig, December 2, 2004. Used with permission.
