Faith on fire – in Beirut and the Bekaa
January 2018I first met Abou Younes* when he came along to the Life Center Beirut looking for help with food. His journey to Beirut had begun with a harrowing escape from Daesh/Islamic State and involved selling the last of his possessions to pay a smuggler to take his large family across the Syrian border into Lebanon. They just had the […]
All are welcome to learn
December 2017On a recent trip to Lebanon, Katerina Parpa, a member of SAT-7’s international Communications team, visited a learning centre that uses SAT-7 ACADEMY’s educational programmes to help refugee children thrive. Here she reflects on the experience and the heart-warming moments she shared with the Syrian and Iraqi children. “Merhaba!” (“Hello!”) said a little Syrian girl dressed in a red hoody. […]
Sexual harassment on the streets of Egypt
December 2017The recent allegations of sexual harassment over decades lodged against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein and the domino effect on other public figures has sent ripples worldwide. The #metoo hashtag on social media united not only female victims but also many male supporters. My experience in Egypt, however, is that sexual harassment isn’t limited to the workspace but is loud […]
Bethlehem students: Spreading Christ’s fragrance
September 2017Every academic year at Bethlehem Bible College, we look forward to welcoming new hard-working students who carry big dreams in their hearts! Bethlehem is a small town, true, but it has big dreams: dreams that awaken dormant souls and fly higher than any walls. Once I had a big dream to serve God with all I had. In His faithfulness […]
A world changer aged 12
August 2017There are only a few people that have the “it” factor. “It” being a characteristic that destines one for great things; sometimes as big as changing the world! To me, 12-year old Mahala* is one of those people. I first saw Mahala confidently marching to the podium of my church in Beirut. With perfect poise, she gave a 10-minute sermon […]
LIVING AS A TARGET FOR TERRORISTS
July 2017A lack of parking spots used to be one of the only concerns on the busy crowded streets of Cairo. Mary, our reporter/blogger from Egypt, shares a new and very different perspective. There was a new routine on Palm Sunday this year. On a day when many families in Egypt usually go to church together to celebrate, families were separating: […]
Breaking the cycle of “an eye for an eye”
July 2017As the Middle East Christian community faces increasing attacks, SAT-7 Founder and International CEO, Dr Terence Ascott, grapples with a question that is asked more and more often – how should believers respond to violence? The recent brutal gun attacks and suicide bombings in Egypt have left many of our brothers and sisters there grieving, despairing, angry, and feeling vulnerable. SAT-7 plays a unique role in […]
Writing headlines in Cairo
March 2017I wanted to be a physician… then I wanted to be a physiotherapist… then a pharmacist… Instead, I became a journalist. It’s a career that – despite its pressures and dangers – is still attractive to young graduate girls and women in my home country of Egypt. But I’ll come back to that in a minute. To work or not […]