A Special Prayer Service in Kirkuk
On January 30th, Christians met for a special prayer service at the Church of the Sacred Heart of the Chaldeans in Kirkuk, Iraq. They prayed that peace and unity would prevail in the country, not just for Christians but for everyone. With hands lifted up, they also prayed that Iraq would be a symbol of unified brotherhood and safety. These concerns come amidst an increasing number of violent attacks in the country, a struggling economy with high poverty unemployment rates and an upcoming National Conference in which political leaders will seek resolutions to some of the nation’s conflicts.
Archbishop Louis Sako of the Chaldeans in Kirkuk and Suleimania commented on the day’s prayer service. He said “Everyone must make concessions for the sake of the unity and peace of the country and its overriding interests. Today, we gather for prayer for the sake of the unity of Christians, but we say that Christians are a part of the Iraqi people and its unity reflects positively on the totality of things.” He encouraged neighboring countries to lend a helping hand, at the same time assuring them that Iraq does not need interference in its affairs to overcome its problems.
The pastor of St. Joseph’s Church in Kirkuk, Pastor Ayad Touma, also added perspective to the day’s events. He stressed the importance of the prayer service, saying “We want for entities and parties and political leaders to think first—what are the activities that are important to and serve Iraqis?—and to agree on this foundation.” He also encouraged them to do what is best for everyone and not just one party or another. The overall tone of both the Pastor and Archbishop’s comments expressed a desire for an Iraq that includes the wellbeing of all people living there.
In comparison to the rest of the region, Iraq is especially connected to SAT-7 KIDS programming. Recent survey research reveals that Iraq had the largest kids’ viewership of SAT-7 KIDS programming during 2011. In a country of about 30 million people, a total of 4,126,047 children under the age of 15 watched SAT-7 KIDS. This is even more than Egypt, which has over double the population of Iraq. One viewer in Iraq shares her connection with SAT-7 ARABIC: “SAT-7, you are a candle that God sent to every person and especially youth. Thank you very much for the great efforts you exert for your channel to be fruitful. Your sweet fragrance is filling the whole world.” These words convey the very encouragement SAT-7 hopes to foster by serving viewers in Iraq and developing relationships with them.
As the Christians in Iraq pray for their country, SAT-7 prays for their peace and safety. Their prayer service is a symbol of hope for the future because it envisions an Iraq in which people come together for the good of the community.
Written by Melissa Brown
Kirkuk, Iraq
On January 30th, Christians met for a special prayer service at the Church of the Sacred Heart of the Chaldeans in Kirkuk, Iraq. They prayed that peace and unity would prevail in the country, not just for Christians but for everyone. With hands lifted up, they also prayed that Iraq would be a symbol of unified brotherhood and safety. These concerns come amidst an increasing number of violent attacks in the country, a struggling economy with high poverty unemployment rates and an upcoming National Conference in which political leaders will seek resolutions to some of the nation’s conflicts.
Archbishop Louis Sako of the Chaldeans in Kirkuk and Suleimania commented on the day’s prayer service. He said “Everyone must make concessions for the sake of the unity and peace of the country and its overriding interests. Today, we gather for prayer for the sake of the unity of Christians, but we say that Christians are a part of the Iraqi people and its unity reflects positively on the totality of things.” He encouraged neighboring countries to lend a helping hand, at the same time assuring them that Iraq does not need interference in its affairs to overcome its problems.
The pastor of St. Joseph’s Church in Kirkuk, Pastor Ayad Touma, also added perspective to the day’s events. He stressed the importance of the prayer service, saying “We want for entities and parties and political leaders to think first—what are the activities that are important to and serve Iraqis?—and to agree on this foundation.” He also encouraged them to do what is best for everyone and not just one party or another. The overall tone of both the Pastor and Archbishop’s comments expressed a desire for an Iraq that includes the wellbeing of all people living there.
In comparison to the rest of the region, Iraq is especially connected to SAT-7 KIDS programming. Recent survey research reveals that Iraq had the largest kids’ viewership of SAT-7 KIDS programming during 2011. In a country of about 30 million people, a total of 4,126,047 children under the age of 15 watched SAT-7 KIDS. This is even more than Egypt, which has over double the population of Iraq. One viewer in Iraq shares her connection with SAT-7 ARABIC: “SAT-7, you are a candle that God sent to every person and especially youth. Thank you very much for the great efforts you exert for your channel to be fruitful. Your sweet fragrance is filling the whole world.” These words convey the very encouragement SAT-7 hopes to foster by serving viewers in Iraq and developing relationships with them.
As the Christians in Iraq pray for their country, SAT-7 prays for their peace and safety. Their prayer service is a symbol of hope for the future because it envisions an Iraq in which people come together for the good of the community.
Written by Melissa Brown
Kirkuk, Iraq
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