The Middle East and North Africa begins the new year dominated by the war in Gaza and an under-reported conflict in Sudan. The Gaza Strip has been devastated by over 100 days of war with Israel. A displaced and starving population has been squeezed into ever smaller pockets of land while fighting between Hamas and Israeli forces intensifies. In Sudan, […]
Middle East Briefing – January 2024
WAR-TORN HOME BECOMES STUDIO FOR CHILDREN’S STORIES
Battered by war, an old family home in Lebanon seemed destined for dereliction. But now, the apartment has been stunningly renovated into a beautiful studio space for sharing children’s stories of redemption and transformation. The story of Hagar, a Kurdish refugee from Syria, was filmed there and broadcast on SAT-7 KIDS last week. Belonging to the grandmother of Marianne Awaraji, […]
Church leaders call for end to conflicts
Church leaders from the Holy Land and Sudan have spoken out about the conflicts in their countries, calling for support for their vulnerable Christian communities. Churches in both places have come under attack, and Christians have been caught up in the violence. Rev. Dr Jack Sara, President of Bethlehem Bible College, told SAT-7 ARABIC’s You Are Not Alone how he […]
RESPONDING TO A YEAR OF CRISES – BROADCASTING PEACE AND JOY TO MILLIONS IN THE MENA
SAT-7 looks back on a year of crises in the Middle East and North Africa, and explores how we have responded to viewers in need of support. From the devastating earthquakes that struck Türkiye and Syria in February through to the present, tragic and ongoing conflict in the Holy Land, SAT-7 has sought to bring peace and joy to viewers […]
Sharing hope and peace amid low-key Christmas celebrations
As churches in the Holy Land and neighbouring Jordan cancel public Christmas celebrations, SAT-7 is standing in solidarity with those suffering in the region with a schedule of Christmas programming that points viewers to the Prince of Peace. Special broadcasts include a church service from Bethlehem, children singing from a Christian school in Ramallah, and stories of faith from Iraq. […]
Worship song spreads hope across the Holy Land
Christians from the Holy Land are sharing a powerful worship song as a prayer for their war-ravaged homeland. It was shown on SAT-7 ARABIC programme Today not Tomorrow as part of a special episode about the conflict in the Holy Land, and it is being played on local radio stations there – giving hope to listeners of different religions. “Bless […]
Helping children find security and peace amid Middle East dangers
It is an extremely difficult and dangerous time to be a child in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). On World Children’s Day (20 November), we consider the challenges they are facing and how SAT-7 is supporting young people and their families with prayer, advice, and the comforting message of God’s unceasing care. The statistics are heartbreaking. One in […]
Middle East Briefing – November 2023
Five weeks since Hamas attacked border communities in Israel with a savagery that shocked the world, Israel has carried out an intense bombardment of the Gaza strip in order to “crush and destroy” Hamas. A massive humanitarian crisis has unfolded in record time as a result. Israel says it is targeting the underground tunnels of Hamas and continues to accuse […]
Missing But Alive: Following a persecuted Saviour
By Aysha, a writer and film-maker from the Middle East, who was forced to leave her home country after she came to faith in Christ. She now lives in the UK, where she works with SAT-7 and other Christian networks on various communications projects. Jesus’ ministry was marked by persecution, culminating darkly in His crucifixion. On the morning of the […]
Churches in the firing line
Footage received by SAT-7 captures a heart-stopping moment when a blast outside a church sends shockwaves of fear through the families gathered inside. It shows how quiet prayers turn to gasps of alarm as the impact of the explosion is felt and heard. It seems that nobody inside the Holy Family Church in Gaza was injured, and the building did […]