Hovan* grew up in a strict religious environment in Iran, but he never believed in God. It was only when his daughter started watching a children’s show on SAT-7 PARS that Hovan became curious about Christianity.
“I grew up learning about religion, but I just couldn’t accept it in my heart,” Hovan remembers. “I wanted to avoid religious events, and every time someone wanted to talk about religion I would debate it with them.” However, everything changed when his six-year-old daughter found a new cartoon programme on TV.
“You know how when little girls find something they want to watch, they won’t let anyone change the channel!” Hovan laughs. “Our daughter started watching a children’s show on SAT-7 PARS. She really loved it, so we saved the channel in our favourites so she could watch it regularly. Then my wife and I started to watch the channel, and we got interested in the programmes.” Hovan and his wife heard about Jesus for the first time as they watched programmes on SAT-7. Soon both Hovan and his wife decided to follow Jesus.
Hovan developed a passionate faith and felt compelled to share it with others. But when the authorities found out he was making Christian videos and films, they confiscated his phone and the projects he had been working on. Realising that he would not be able to worship freely in Iran, Hovan made the difficult decision to move with his family to Turkey.
It’s now been six years since Hovan and his family first heard about Jesus on SAT-7. Their lives have been completely transformed. “The programmes and movies are so helpful to people; we can learn so much from them. I can apply the lessons in my own life and I can teach them to my children too.”
*Name changed and image used for representation purposes only
PRAY
- Thank God for how he transformed Hovan’s family!
- Pray for the SAT-7 PARS production team, that they would be equipped to keep producing life-changing programmes.
- Ask that God would comfort the believers in Iran who cannot worship freely.