As new Taliban rules ban Afghan women from making their voices heard in public, a Christian Afghan...
For SAT-7, what happens off-screen is just as important as what happens on screen. A core part of our ministry to viewers across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is a commitment to supporting them in their lives and faith through dedicated teams that offer prayer, advice, and counseling.
Each of our satellite TV channels has a Viewer Support Team made up of Persian, Turkish, or Arab believers, who is ready to receive our viewers’ comments, concerns, questions, prayer requests, and testimonies. There are a variety of ways to contact our teams, including phone calls during live programs, comments on our social media pages, and direct messages through apps like Instagram, WhatsApp, and Telegram.
In 2023 alone, our teams took part in 103,345 conversations with viewers in the MENA, and their offers of counseling sessions or teaching resources were accepted 8,604 times.
Our Viewer Support Team staff, who is either based in or from the MENA, understands the difficulties of life in the region and is able to empathize with viewers and offer culturally-sensitive advice. Everything is also done to the highest standards of safeguarding and security; guidelines are in place to encourage healthy communication and help deal with complex or urgent needs.
People from Iran and Afghanistan are facing severe challenges, including oppressive regimes, faltering economies, the mistreatment of women, and the persecution of Christians and other minorities. The Viewer Support Team receives many messages relating to these issues, as well as comments and questions about relationships, health, work, and faith.
It is extremely difficult to be a Christian in these countries, and many believers are isolated and unable to access church and Christian resources. SAT-7 PARS’ Viewer Support Team are therefore an essential lifeline to Christian contacts who can offer biblical wisdom and resources alongside a listening ear and friendship.
Our Persian team loves to share Bible verses and encouragements to strengthen the faith of viewers. For those new to the faith, these vital early interactions can act as a springboard to a lifelong journey of discipleship.
Bahar, a lady from Iran, has noticed a real difference in her life since she began conversing with SAT-7 PARS’ Viewer Support Team. “I give thanks for you and the messages you send, which bring me so much blessing and peace,” she said. “These help to open my eyes to the reality of how things are and to see them clearly, to draw closer to God and attend with more care to the things I do. I am drawing so much peace from this and I’m sensing God’s presence closer than before.”
SAT-7 TÜRK’s Viewer Support Team is sensitive to the many misconceptions about Christianity in Türkiye. The team often receives calls and messages from seekers or believers who want to know more about Jesus, the Bible, and how faith impacts daily life. The team also receives numerous messages from viewers requesting prayer for themselves and their families, particularly in relation to health and well-being.
Adil, a man from Türkiye, was a non-Christian who contacted our Viewer Support Team out of a desire to know more about following Jesus. SAT‑7 TÜRK’s Viewer Support Team helped him find a local church, and he started attending. “The pastor was very good to me. My life has completely changed,” Adil told us later. “My life is now all about Jesus Christ, and the Bible is my guide. I have lived all these years in vain, and I only want to serve God for the rest of my life. Thank you very much for your help.”
The Arabic-speaking world, stretching from Morocco in the west to the Gulf states in the east, is so vast and varied that SAT-7 ARABIC’s Viewer Support Team needs to be ready for anything. Wars, natural disasters, and deteriorating economic and political conditions often impel viewers to contact us, while some need help with more personal matters, like mental health struggles and family relationships.
Sonya, a teenage girl from Egypt, contacted our Arabic Viewer Support Team, distraught because of her relationship with her parents. “I lock myself up in my room to avoid their harsh words,” she said. “I pray to God, but I feel He does not want to hear from me, nor does He want me! I have lost all self-confidence.”
The Viewer Support Team welcomed Sonya and assured her that God loves her and wants to hear from her. After discussing what it means to have a relationship with God, Sonya wanted to pray with us and went on to commit herself to following Jesus. She joined SAT‑7 ARABIC’s Daily Bread social media discipleship group to help strengthen her faith. “I’m grateful for you and for your love,” Sonya said. “I thank God for leading me to you.”
SAT-7 ARABIC’s support network stretches beyond SAT-7 itself. Strong connections and partnerships with local NGOs and therapists mean that viewers who contact us with serious and complex issues can be referred for specialist help. This holistic approach runs throughout all our Viewer Support Teams and ensures that every viewer can go on a journey of healing and redemption, no matter what they are going through.
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In 2023, at least 82% of your gift went directly to fund programs building up women, children, and families across the Middle East. Functional expenses (all entities).
