Beirut, Lebanon (Photo courtesy of Sara Calado/Unsplash)

The media we consume is shaped by the world around us. In North Africa and the Middle East, recent years have been difficult. Tragedies — from war-torn streets and earthquake rubble to economic collapse — have filled the news, radio, and TV. That’s where SAT-7 ARABIC steps in to say: the news might be bad, but there is still hope!

The headlines coming out of the region reflect the same pressure felt by SAT-7’s Arabic media ministry. Every day, the team faces at least four major challenges, explains Executive Director Rami Al-Halaseh.

1. The first challenge is offering hope in the midst of crisis.

“We want to function with a crisis response approach where anybody who’s watching SAT-7, anybody who follows SAT-7, will find something that will help them go through the crisis, go through the struggle, the challenge, with at least some hope.”

2. The second challenge: staying clear of political entanglements.

Called to be a voice for the Church and to shed light on injustice, SAT-7 often navigates complex and controversial stories with wisdom. Still, discussing political topics can be difficult. “We’re a Christian satellite station that presents, and, you know, promotes the message of hope, salvation, and, you know, new life in Christ. However, we cannot really disconnect ourselves as people of the land from the ongoing daily challenges,” he adds.

“If this is unjust, what’s happening, we have to say it’s unjust in our biblical way, not in a political way.”

Woman praying in Cairo church (Photo courtesy of Selim Graphy/Pexels)

3. Another challenge is misinformation, like the claim that no Christians remain in places like Palestine or Lebanon.

Some assume that if there are few news reports about Christians in an area, they no longer exist there. But SAT-7 has interviewed believers living through conflict in Gaza and Lebanon.

“Where we were, we were interviewing Christians, you know, falling under the war itself. Same thing in Lebanon, when people were displaced, and where they had to leave their homes. We interviewed all those people, Christians, who live in the south, but they had to leave because of the strikes.”

“The task,” he adds, “is giving them the voice to share the story!”

4. The final challenge — and a constant prayer request — is for the safety and peace of mind of SAT-7’s team as they serve amid war, inflation, and earthquakes.

“We deal first hand with these things because it’s our people. It’s our staff that is in the studio of Lebanon, where, for example, we’re meeting on Zoom, and then suddenly their windows are shaken because of the air strikes.”

Pray for the safety of SAT-7 ARABIC workers — that they would be protected from persecution, war, economic hardship, and more. Pray for their peace of mind as they continue their mission, and for wisdom as they face ongoing crises.

Header photo courtesy of Alex Azabache via Pexels.

Christian leaders in the Middle East are calling on believers to “stand in the gap” as a voice for peace, justice, and reconciliation as the Holy Land is torn apart by conflict.
(Photo, caption courtesy of SAT-7)

One young viewer, who has additional needs and lives with her grandmother in a home for older adults, sent this message in response:

“I’m doing well, but it’s a very frightening situation. I’m constantly praying, and what brings me comfort is knowing that God is with us through it all. Please keep us in your prayers that this war may come to an end and that the suffering and loss of people can stop.”

SAT-7 uses satellite TV and digital media to reach people in the Middle East/North Africa region for Christ. More about that here.

Approximately “97 percent of people in the Middle East in North Africa are not Christians,” SAT-7’s Joe Wiley says.

“We broadcast in the three major languages of the region: Arabic, Farsi, and Turkish. The majority [language] spoken in the Holy Land area is Arabic.”

Soon after the crisis began in early October, SAT-7 asked believers in the Holy Land to lead a regional prayer campaign. “We started asking churches to pray and to be the voice of the Bible,” Wiley says.

“Pastors have been invited from all denominations for a two-minute prayer. These prayers are recorded, and we flood the broadcast.”

Believers from Majority backgrounds tell SAT-7, “We are fasting and praying in our churches,” Wiley says.

“[Believers are praying] the Lord’s hand would move and alter the circumstances so people will see Jesus.”

Download a prayer guide from SAT-7 here.

“Brothers and sisters in Christ are embedded in this conflict, and they are praying that people will see Jesus,” Wiley says.

“That incredible prayer challenges me; how much do I truly trust God [daily]?”

Header and story images courtesy of SAT-7.

Medical supplies are also running low. One British doctor still trapped in Khartoum was shot, and is treating himself with leftover antibiotics and makeshift pillowcase bandages.

Over 450 people have been killed and at least 4,072 wounded since fighting broke out between the Sudanese army and Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The two warring parties agreed to a 72-hour ceasefire to open a humanitarian corridor for evacuations. But that agreement ends tonight at midnight, and recent skirmishes have already broken the ceasefire in certain areas of Khartoum.

Joe Willey with SAT-7 says for Sudanese people trapped and trying to get information, smartphones only help so much. “In Sudan, unlike the US, only 28% of people in the country at least statistically have internet access. But satellite television is really popular.”

(Photo courtesy of SAT-7 Arabic)

Satellite communication is critical in times like this. That’s where SAT-7 ARABIC’s television channel comes in with Gospel hope across the Middle East and North Africa.

“SAT-7 ARABIC is broadcast via satellite as well as social media,” Willey says. “So it is a really powerful tool to be able to share God’s love and make His love visible with the people of Sudan.”

Willey asks, “First and foremost, pray that the violence would stop…as well as asking for prayer for those who have lost loved ones and also that Sudan can be united because that nation itself is struggling to have democratic rule.”

“Please pray for the protection of Christians. Even though it’s a very small number, there is persecution and we’re praying that they would be protected, as well as any businesses that are operated by Christians and any churches or fellowships that meet regularly.”

Learn more about SAT-7 ARABIC’s ministry.

Header image of Sudan flag, courtesy of David Peterson/Pixabay.

MENA young people

Many in the Middle East and North Africa are ostracized for religious reasons.

The SAT-7 Arabic program New Light connects with Christian young adults in the MENA region. Joe Willey with SAT-7 USA says, “Now, it’s a region where 97 percent of people are non-Christians. So just by default, you are the main minority by being a Christian. It can breed feelings of being alone, being marginalized, and truly being different.”

The show held a special program about loneliness and isolation. The presenters talked about the Holy Spirit and God’s desire for a relationship with all people.

New Light helps viewers think critically about life, all framed by the love of Jesus. Topics include failure, media, and identity. Willey says, “I guess you could say it’s a show about how Christians handle life.”

In the U.S., Christianity remains the dominant religion. But sometimes, Christian communities don’t treat young people well either. Willey says, “I think it would be wonderful to have a mainstream program for young people in the U.S. that explains life from a biblical perspective.”

“I believe it would show the difference between God’s word and as scripture says, ‘empty philosophy.’”

Pray young viewers across the MENA region will be open to hearing about the love of Jesus.

Header photo courtesy of SAT-7 USA. 

COVID-19 continues to be a problem, especially without hygiene supplies available. But remote work or learning can be difficult as well since many people don’t have electricity for the internet most of the day.

Joe Willey with SAT-7 USA says the SAT-7 Lebanon office has a generator but has to conserve fuel. Many of the staff work from home to keep programs like SAT-7 KIDS, SAT-7 ARABIC, and SAT-7 ACADEMY on the air. “There have been special programs, with prayer times and testimonies that have focused on the Lebanon crisis. And SAT-7 continues to offer personal follow-up with those who contact our audience relations team. That is a unique way that SAT-7 can help and reach out to people who you really need hope.”

Many people have reached out, saying they found hope in Jesus through SAT-7 programming. Read some of the replies here.

How to pray

Willey asks listeners to pray that God will work in amazing ways. “Not just in Beirut, not just for the SAT-7 studios, but for the nation and people that are within its borders. We are praying that there would be hope and peace for those who are struggling through job losses or loss of just daily needs. They face what I think I could truly characterize as a very dark discouragement.”

Ask God to strengthen SAT-7 employees trying to keep programs on the air. Pray their needs would be provided for, and that they would feel God’s presence always.

Header photo courtesy of SAT-7. 

Easter under pandemic restrictions

Middle Eastern Christians celebrated a second Easter under pandemic conditions, and SAT-7 aired shows to encourage and guide viewers through Holy Week. Joe Willey says, “Jesus is our Sacrifice, Jesus is our Hope is a series that began airing on SAT-7 ARABIC during Holy Week and ran through Western Easter. This series, it takes the viewer from the Old Testament through to Revelation. So you might say it’s, it’s an overview of Christianity.”

SAT-7 also produced a program in Farsi for Easter. It’s called The Way of the Cross. Willey says, “This series explores really the heart of the Christian faith. It’s an explanation of why Jesus needed to go to the cross. The program’s presenter, I think, says it in a wonderful way. ‘Christianity without the cross is like a forest without trees. If there is no crucifixion, there is no Christianity. Our redemption, our freedom, our forgiveness, it’s paid at the cross.’”

Pray Middle Eastern Christians will look to the cross, and show this hope to their neighbors.

The header photo comes courtesy of SAT-7 USA.

Joe Willey with SAT-7 USA says, “It weighs heavily on believers. There’s also the economic instability and also the political uncertainty that many face every day.”

That’s why SAT-7 ARABIC – a satellite broadcast ministry to the Middle East and North Africa – recently hosted an event called Nehemiah’s Project. It was a three-day online conference for the Evangelical Church in Eygpt to gather in worship and prayer.

SAT-7 ARABIC (Photo courtesy of SAT-7)

“They prayed for numerous things,” Willey says. “[They prayed] for healing and safety from the COVID[-19] pandemic. They prayed for economic stability in the Middle East and North Africa. They also prayed for God’s protection for believers and their families.”

29,000 people watched Nehemiah’s Project live on Facebook. Egyptian Christian leaders also led the community in prayer.

Willey asks believers around the world to remember their Egyptian brothers and sisters.

“Certainly, pray for an end to the pandemic. But please pray that God will use such a terrible situation to bring people to Himself, and that the growing Church in the region would really show the hope that is only found in Jesus Christ.”

Click here to learn more about SAT-7’s Gospel media ministry!

Header photo courtesy of SAT-7.

The people of Lebanon have been forcefully protesting the government corruption that put the country into an economic spiral and enabled the deadly Beirut explosion last week. Many see this move as a way to protect Lebanon’s ruling elite against the fury of the people. This weekend, police and military were already observed using excessive force against protestors.

Unrest in Lebanon

Lebanese cleaning up the streets of Beirut after the explosion. (Photo courtesy of SAT-7 USA on Facebook)

Rex Rogers, president of SAT-7 North America, says the country sits in a precarious place after the explosion. “The social unrest has been quite significant or severe at times . . . There are people whose tensions are on edge, and they blame the government for long-standing corruption.”

This corruption led to the explosion in the port of Beirut, one of the largest non-nuclear explosions on record.

But Rogers says the corruption already had the country in a terrible state before the explosion, as economic troubles left many people in danger of starvation. “There’s been record of people literally robbing stores and apologizing to the owners saying, ‘I’m not usually a thief. I don’t like what I’m doing. But my children are hungry, and I have to do this.’”

Lebanon’s freedom

Lebanon, Rogers says, has been known as a country with a lot of freedom. “It’s never been a militarily significant or powerful country throughout its history, but it has been and is now a very important country in terms of religious liberty.”

Pray that Lebanon’s military will not oppress the people and that those who are corrupt in the government will lose their power. Most of all, pray that in this time of uncertainty and unrest, many people would be drawn to the everlasting rule of Jesus Christ.

You can also support SAT-7 as they broadcast hope into this dire situation.

The header image shows the aftermath of the deadly explosion in Beirut. (Photo courtesy of SAT-7 USA on Facebook)

Recently, You Are Not Alone addressed the problem of domestic violence in the Middle East. Joe Willey, Marketing and Communications Manager of SAT-7 USA, says, “Reports of abuse in the Middle East in North Africa (MENA) have surged during the pandemic. This specific caller, Fadia, spoke from Lebanon. In fact, she was on a Lebanese street to avoid being overheard at home.”

Fadia* was beaten daily by her husband, and so were her children. And the laws in Lebanon will not protect Fadia them. Her family knows about the abuse, but they cannot help.

SAT-7 brings the hope of the Gospel to those struggling with domestic abuse. (Photo courtesy of SAT-7 on Facebook)

Thankfully, SAT-7 was able to connect Fadia with a local organization that can get her out of the situation. Willey says, “SAT-7 not only shares the Gospel and biblical guidance but also provides practical resources to help those in need. It is an opportunity that we relish to be the hands and feet of Jesus.”

SAT-7’s work in MENA

As the COVID-19 pandemic started spreading around the world and into the Middle East, SAT-7 created the program You Are Not Alone to connect with people in the MENA region.

Willey says, “The program’s purpose is to provide biblically-based spiritual encouragement to viewers struggling with loneliness, anxiety, and grief caused by the pandemic.” Read more about the program here. This program, along with many other SAT-7 programs, gives a platform to people that society would otherwise ignore.

Willey encourages Christians to pray for the work that SAT-7 is doing in the MENA region. “Pray that these programs will be effective in reaching people who either are continually struggling or have struggled in the past, specifically with domestic abuse. Pray that SAT-7 will be an agent in helping break down the social stigma that keeps victims trapped.”

Most of all, pray that through this compassionate work, many would see who Jesus is and be drawn to Him.

*Name changed for security purposes

The header image is courtesy of SAT-7 on Facebook.

COVID-19 lockdowns have left a trail of hardship across the Middle East and North Africa. Refugees, domestic abuse victims, and other vulnerable groups now have economic troubles to deal with on top of their everyday battles.

That’s why SAT-7 ARABIC has created the new program You are Not Alone as part of its response to COVID-19. Joe Willey says, “The viewers of these programs have faced a loss of their income, their family and home stability because of the pandemic. Some have actually fled from their homes due to war. And they have had to deal with a pandemic in refugee camps.”

A map showing all of the countries with access to SAT-7. (Photo courtesy of SAT7 on Facebook)

The pre-recorded program is designed to connect with viewers during the lockdown. Willey says, “You are Not Alone was created to bring spiritual encouragement to viewers who are struggling with loneliness, anxiety, and grief caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. It broadcasts a 25-minute episode three times weekly. You are Not Alone shares important news regarding the pandemic and stories that help viewers feel connected.” Willey says the program also features psychological advice for how to stay physically and emotionally healthy during the pandemic.

Who the program helps

The program has helped many people. One father, a refugee from Syria, describes himself as “200 percent” worried about his children, both for their education and their health. He has no work, and the only thing the family can do to social distance is to never leave their tent.

Pray The Gospel will be available to all in MENA through SAT7 programming. (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

Another man, a taxi driver from Lebanon, has two sick children to care for, and she shared her story with You are Not Alone. Read about more people who the show has connected with here.

Willey says, “Pray that God will use SAT7 and SAT7 ARABIC to make the Gospel available to everyone in the Middle East and North Africa. That is the primary goal. And we want to support the growing Church in that region as well. That’s during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Pray also that God will protect the vulnerable people in MENA as the pandemic continues and economic uncertainty follows. The lockdowns have caused a lot of despair; pray that the love and power of Jesus will cut through it.

Psychologist Rima Najm Bajani on the show “You are Not Alone.” (Photo courtesy of SAT7 on Facebook)