“The Taliban have completely taken over everything and our hope is cut off,” says Tahmsab* a viewer in Afghanistan, speaking to the SAT-7 PARS Audience Relations team. Through programs and the Audience Relations teams, SAT-7 PARS continues to hold out an unbreakable hope to viewers in Afghanistan.
The situation in Afghanistan is going from bad to worse. Women and girls are being prevented from working and going to school, the economy is failing, the health system is collapsing, and 95 percent of families in Afghanistan are hit by hunger.
Voices from Afghanistan
Before the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021, SAT-7 PARS was receiving an increased number of interactions from people in Afghanistan, sharing their messages of fear, worry and despair and asking SAT-7 to continue to be a voice for all the people of Afghanistan. Since the take-over, there has been an anticipated reduced number of viewers being in direct contact after the takeover, but there are still viewers taking the risk to be in touch to share what is happening in their lives and to ask for prayer support.
“Pray for us Afghan Christians, stuck in the grip of evil, to get to safe places as soon as possible. Every day, our homeland becomes increasingly dire,” shares Raham.
Shahin, another male viewer, says: “In Afghanistan, under the Taliban regime, the situation is bad enough for ordinary citizens – it is so much worse for Christians whose lives are in danger every minute of every day.”
In addition to being a Christian, Shahin is also a government employee, and the search for a safe place has put him and his family under enormous strain. “Pray for me – I am not in a safe place. I am wandering without a home, and my son and my wife are unsafe. In the space of one month, my family and I have moved across several provinces to escape capture by the Taliban. I have since had to be separated from my family and I am now on my own in one province, while my family are in another.”
Most recently, Maneli, a female viewer, wrote: “I am very grateful that you are speaking with us and are giving us hope. We still have access to the internet and satellite, but we don’t know how long this will continue. We will keep connected with you for as long as we can. Thank you again for listening to what I had to say. I hope that one day we will be free and able to make decisions for our own lives.”
A Beacon of Hope
The human response to such dire circumstances is limited, but by sharing the message of the Gospel and listening to people’s struggles, SAT-7 PARS offers viewers hope.
“The only solution for the people of Afghanistan and all of us is to look and depend on the Lord, the living God who is almighty and full of mercy and grace”, shares Afghan Pastor and Presenter Shoaib Ebadi. Pastor Ebadi presents the live program Secret of Life, a series created by partner Pamir Productions and broadcast on SAT-7 PARS.
Pastor Ebadi continues to speak into viewers’ lives in Afghanistan, encouraging them to hold on to their faith. “The only way is to turn to the Word of God, that His Word might guide us and
illuminate our way and save us from the darkness in which we are drowning. The only person that can save us is Jesus Christ. He showed us the love, grace, and forgiveness of God, and we see the presence of God when He occupies the first position and is the priority in our lives.”
Please pray…
- Give thanks that viewers are still able to contact SAT-7 PARS and watch programs via satellite, which cannot be blocked or censored.
- Please pray that viewers like Shahin, Raham, Maneli, and other viewers will find refuge in Christ and that God will bring them and their families to safety.
- Pray for SAT-7 PARS staff as they continue to support viewers hold out hope for Afghanistan.