“Nora…. hey, Nora! Is that you? Oh, I’m so excited! You don’t know me, but I know you. You’re one of my favourite presenters on SAT-7 TÜRK!”
Bahar* is a really devoted viewer of SAT-7 TÜRK. She watches all the programmes and knows the names of all the presenters, camera operators, directors, and lighting crew. Her favourite presenter is Nora Yazırlıoğlu, host of the children’s show Mini City and the relationships programme Parents are Asking.
Bahar lives in Mersin, a port city on the south-east coast of Türkiye. One day she was out for her daily walk and glanced across at a local church. Whom should she see at the door but Nora! She was there with her daughter, Roda, and her husband, Can, who also works at SAT-7 TÜRK, to film a programme in the church.
Though they had never met in person before, Bahar regularly spends a lot of time watching Nora on satellite television, and she loves and respects her. Staff at SAT-7 TÜRK may not know who all their viewers are, but the viewers certainly know them. And sometimes it feels as though all of them live and walk together every day.
Bahar called out Nora’s name with a warmth that is usually reserved for close friends. Nora was initially surprised, but when Bahar told her how she loves all the SAT-7 TÜRK programmes and watches her and all the other presenters, she realised that God had arranged their meeting.
Türkiye is a huge country. Its Christian community is small and diverse. There are relatively few churches and many believers are isolated. It can be difficult for Christians to meet and spend time getting to know one another. In this context it was astonishing that Bahar and Nora’s paths crossed at all.
“Vital”
“The channel has become such a vital part of my life that I can’t get myself to turn the TV off even when I go out of the house,” Bahar said to Nora and Can, who were deeply moved by her words and invited her to record a message to camera.
Many other viewers express their gratitude to SAT-7 TÜRK for what it does in their lives, what they learn from it, and how it supports them. And when they actually meet the channel staff, their joy overflows in their faces and words. Their heartfelt responses remind the whole channel team – those off-screen as well as those on-screen – of the value of their ministry. They encourage them to keep designing and producing programmes, from Bible teaching to news, and from children’s programmes to films and women’s shows.
Pastor Cem Erçin, the presenter of Essence of the Gospel on the channel, shared his excitement in a video at hearing from viewers across Türkiye. He mentioned a man in a tiny village near Samsun on the Black Sea who watches every morning. “It’s not easy to reach these places,” he said. “I find it very encouraging and exciting. Viewers who are not Christians but are sympathetic towards it are also watching, he adds, and finding the picture they are given of God very attractive.
Please join us in giving thanks for the impact of SAT-7 TÜRK and in praying that the channel will continue to be loved by its dedicated viewers.
* Name changed for security purposes.
Reaching the far corners
Pastor Cem Erçin explains his excitement at hearing from viewers across Türkiye.