THE BRIEFING – SEPTEMBER 2020
September 2020Parts of the region are seeing welcome signs of peace this month, even as Lebanon struggled to pick itself up from a massive disaster in its capital. August’s explosion at the port in Beirut inflicted unprecedented damage across the Lebanese capital and wrecked its main export and import hub. Over 200 people died, thousands were injured and an estimated 300,000 […]
Cairo’s strange summer
September 2020SAT-7 Egypt journalist Mary Joseph reflects on a summer when Cairo’s bustling streets went abnormally quiet. While many Cairenes flocked to beach resorts, those who stayed behind faced a strange new reality. Four months on since the coronavirus made its official appearance in Egypt, the summer heat still soars, while the relentless virus-related WhatsApp messages have cooled off. Summer, a […]
Sarah’s story: Inspiring young Syrian woman is proof of SAT-7’s impact
September 2020A young Syrian woman who grew up with SAT-7 KIDS is living proof of the channel’s lasting positive impact. Sarah, who devotes her time to serving children, credits the Christian broadcaster with helping her develop her faith and strong values – even as she spent her entire adolescence in a warzone. Everything I do today, I learned from SAT-7 KIDS.” […]
“Syria needs Christians”
Syria desperately needs its Christian community, but they must be active in witness and service wherever they have opportunity. In a one-hour interview for SAT-7, Revd Joseph Kassab, President of the Supreme Council of Evangelical Churches of Syria and Lebanon, appealed to Syrian believers to remain in their homeland as a “sign of hope” despite their falling numbers. Revd Kassab was speaking as Syria, already ravaged by nine years of war, is now battling the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2011 Syria’s estimated Christian population […]
SAT-7 OFFERS VITAL LEARNING WHEN THERE IS NO “BACK TO SCHOOL”
September 2020While UK schools reported some 80 to 100 per cent of pupils returning to the classroom last week1, SAT-7 is prioritising the 15 million children in the Middle East and North Africa who are denied schooling by poverty, displacement or conflict. COVID-19 in the region has pushed even more people into poverty, putting more children at risk of losing out […]
SAT-7 STANDS WITH BEIRUT ON SCREEN AND ON THE STREETS
September 2020As Beirut continues to contend with the aftermath of last month’s explosion, SAT-7 ARABIC and SAT-7 KIDS has come alongside those suffering – both with programmes offering spiritual and mental health support, and with on-the-ground initiatives that make God’s love visible on the streets. “We thank you for your prayers, and we so appreciate them,” says Mirna Adaymi, SAT-7 ARABIC’s […]
“I would like to have the peace and joy that my sister has”
August 2020The SAT-7 PARS viewer support team could not have been prepared for the amount of change that was to stem from one phone call. Talita*, an Iranian woman, had been living with an angry husband and she was beset by extreme stress and anxiety. Her way of dealing with these feelings will be familiar to many of us: ring a […]
Hashtag hits home for teenagers
Vibrant new show Hashtag is reaching the hearts of teenage viewers all over the Persian-speaking world. Beautifully modern visuals and dynamic sounds decorate the programme as viewers are kept glued to the screen from start to the finish. Consisting of many different segments including Bible Heroes, hacks and tricks, DIY and even science experiments, Hashtag is entertaining and educating viewers […]