Afghanistan | SAT-7

History

Modern day Afghanistan came into being in 1747, when local Pashtun tribes united to fight for independence from the Persian Empire. The 19th and 20th centuries saw Afghanistan under British rule. Afghanistan fought numerous wars against the British during this time, resulting in the signing of the Rawalpindi Agreement in 1919, which recognised the independence of Afghanistan as a nation.

Afghanistan is an ethnically diverse country of many tribes and ethnic groups, the largest of which are the Pashtuns and the Tajiks. The capital city is Kabul, and the two official languages are Pashto and Dari Persian.

Government

Since the late 1970s, Afghanistan has experienced a continuous state of war, including major occupations in the forms of the 1979 Soviet invasion, a Pakistani military intervention in support of the Taliban in the late 1990s and the October 2001 US-led invasion that overthrew the Taliban government. The rule of interim governments and elections continue to be disrupted by the violence, but the country is led by President Karzai, who was elected democratically in 2001.

Social Issues

Afghanistan’s population is an estimated 29 million. The country has one of the world’s lowest average life expectancies of 45 years.¹ According to the Human Development Index, Afghanistan is the second least developed nation in the world. UNICEF estimates that 80% of females and 50% of males lack access to education centres. The national literacy rate is 34%, although just 10% for females.

SAT-7 Viewership

Data is not available, although in 2011 SAT-7 received over 600 responses from viewers in Afghanistan to its Dari and Farsi language programmes.

Religion

Islam is the state religion and conversion from Islam is illegal. Specific figures for the Christian population in Afghanistan do not exist, as most Christians practise in private to avoid persecution and social pressure. The estimated Christian population ranges from 500-8000, according to various International Church-affiliated humanitarian groups in the area.²

Prayer Points

Pray for a unified Afghan effort towards rebuilding their country.

Pray for increased tolerance towards Christianity within Afghanistan, so that believers may worship openly and freely.

“Dear SAT-7. I accepted Christianity and now I am a disciple of this religion but I have a big problem with my family. They don't agree with my faith and they’ve said that they will never accept me as a member of the family. I am in a really difficult situation and I need your help.” Raziq from Afghanistan

1 CIA World Factbook | 2. MECO

CHANNELS IN AFGHANISTAN

viewer quotes

"May God bless you all. We ask Jesus to extend His hand, as nothing is too difficult for Him. We pray that He would give comfort to victims’ families in Aleppo and all of Syria. And we pray that He would stop this storm."

A Syrian viewer of 'Just for You'

"I'm Maya, 3 and a half years old from Amman, watching your bedtime story every night and can't go to bed before listening to your stories. Mama also watching with me."

From a young child in Jordan

"In a remote village in Afghanistan a Christian worker met an Afghan man who invited him to his house. There he switched on the TV, showed him SAT-7 PARS and said, “This is where I get my food from.” This man also invites his friends to come and watch SAT-7 PARS in this remote village."

A viewer in Afghanistan

"May God bless your work! This was a very sweet episode! May the programme make a big difference in our country, in the name of Jesus!"

A Syrian viewer of 'Just for You'

"Your programmes provide such a wonderful opportunity for me to explain to my children what we believe as Christians in ways they understand. It really is a precious thing to have this channel."

A MOTHER IN TURKEY

"I am from Morocco. I want to serve Jesus with all my heart. Thank you for being the source of encouragement and my spiritual growth. God bless you."

A woman in Morocco

"Five years ago I started seeking for the truth in different religions. I was lost, confused and wanted to reach out to God. I really needed comfort and peace. Thank God I found peace and the truth through the programmes and the songs on my favourite channel SAT-7."

A woman from Saudi Arabia

"I came to know Christ through your programmes. I tried to talk about Jesus to my family but they didn’t want to listen to me. So I turn the TV on during your programmes and, without saying a word, allow your programmes to talk to my family about Jesus Christ. And now they sit and watch the programmes!"

An Iranian woman from Tabriz

"Hello to you dear SAT-7 PARS team. I would like to thank you for all your nice programmes. I came to Christ a few months ago and your teaching programmes helped me to improve in my Christian faith. I am thinking of getting baptised and I would like you to advise me where can I go to get baptised."

A SAT-7 PARS viewer

"Finally, a Syrian programme has come to us! May God bless you and use you to the glory of His name."

A viewer of 'Just for You'

"I am touched by the sermons that I’m watching every Friday. I’m not able to go to church but God has opened a door for me to attend a church service in my house every week! I never thought that one day I would see bold Algerians worshipping the Lord and not afraid to be shown on TV."

An Algerian viewer

"We have a lot of believers in Israel who watch SAT-7 and we want you to pray with us for the salvation of many people in the Holy Land."

A viewer in Israel

"My son loves many of your programmes. I can leave him to watch SAT-7 KIDS without any fear that he will see information, advice or ideas that are not from the heart of God."

A mother of SAT-7 KIDS viewer

"I came across your website by chance. I never knew that Christianity is such a beautiful religion. Your site has helped correct many of the misconceptions and wrong ideas I had about the Christian faith and about Christ. I desperately need to know more about Christianity to be delivered from the aimless and hopeless life I presently live."

A viewer in Morocco