“When you have a program in Dari, it really turns heads,” he says, pointing out that heart languages allow for greater depth of communication than do regional languages. 

Willey says the programming is particularly important in Afghanistan, where girls are strictly banned from secondary or higher education. 

“Really the way that girls or women in the country will be able to access any education is through a madrasa, or a religious center, but of course this is not from a Christian worldview,” Willey says. 

In contrast, SAT-7’s programming is always grounded in a Biblical worldview, one that also celebrates literacy and a broader education. Beyond that, Willey says the content is culturally sensitive.

Photo is a representative stock image courtesy of ArmyAmber via Pixabay.

“SAT-7 is Christian content in the Middle East created by Middle Eastern Christians for the people of the Middle East, so the context is there, the understanding is there,” he says. 

Satellite TV remains ubiquitous in Afghanistan, allowing SAT-7 to cast a wide net in search of an audience. Even as the country makes headlines for internet restrictions, Willey says SAT-7 can work around the shutdowns.

“SAT-7 has other ways that we can deliver the great content, but it just may be digital content via satellite, which is virtually uncensorable,” he says. 

Please pray that this programming would serve as an open door for God’s Word to prick the hearts of women and girls across Afghanistan. Willey says it’s paramount for them to understand the Gospel. 

“But also, what Scripture has to say about their worth.” 

Would you ask the Lord to work in the hearts of Afghan women? Please pray that those viewing SAT-7’s programs would understand the value they have in the eyes of their Maker.

Featured photo courtesy of SAT-7.

An unseen enemy claims more than 700.000 lives every year: suicide. In the Middle East and North Africa, where war, instability, and uncertainty often deepen despair, the struggle is especially heavy.

Walking alongside those who suffer is vital. That’s one of the key focuses for SAT-7 teams working in Persian, Turkish, and Arabic contexts. They provide safe spaces for listeners to understand themselves better and to be encouraged.

Joe Willey from SAT-7 explains, “SAT-7 has programs that will address things — suicide, disability — things that are, at best, really uncomfortable culturally, but often just ignored.”

(Photo courtesy of SAT-7)

In many cultures across the Middle East and North Africa, people facing doubt or fear are often encouraged to turn to Islamic practices. The concept of collective honor can make vulnerability difficult — sharing struggles may be seen as weakness.

Alone with their fears and pressures, some lose hope. This is where the message of Jesus brings healing.

Sometimes, callers reach out to SAT-7’s hotline saying, I just don’t want to live anymore. “They’re listened to first,” says Willey, “but they’re told the understanding of the Gospel and the biblical worldview — that no, there is great hope, and you are made in the image of God, and God loves you.”

For someone standing on the edge — feeling like an outsider in their own culture and ready to give up — a new day begins. It all comes back to this unshakable truth: every man, woman, and child is made in the image of God. Life is His gift, and He has a purpose for each one.

SAT-7 continues to air programs for those facing mental and emotional challenges. Willey adds, “It’s the Christian worldview to say, even though there may be something that is difficult, it’s desperate right now, maybe, there is a disability, there is still great hope in Christ and in God’s plan.”

Pray that as SAT-7’s team creates new programs, they’ll be led by the Holy Spirit to bring healing and hope. Pray also that churches across the Middle East and North Africa will be sensitive to their communities and serve as the hands and feet of Jesus to whoever might need it.

Header photo courtesy of Akhil Nath via Unsplash.

The satellite television ministry to the Middle East and North Africa produces programs and movies in Arabic, Farsi, and Turkish.

Continuously creating content, they aimed to demonstrate that displaced people also have a voice in this matter. They aimed to reach out to refugees so that they could share their stories honestly and give a voice to the voiceless.

“As Christians, we also want to be passionate and have a heart, a soft heart, for those whom God has a soft heart for too, and cares for those who are traveling, who are aliens, who are displaced,” says Joe Willey with SAT-7.

In the footprint of the SAT-7 satellite broadcast, Sudan has had a major humanitarian crisis since 2023.

“We have stories of people who have fled,” says Joe Willey. “They fled on foot, they fled without anything, and tried to get to Egypt in this particular case. And so we are highlighting those stories with compassion and care to show people that the refugees, whether they’re from Sudan or somewhere else, are made in the image of God and should be cared for with the same compassion that we do our friends and our family who are also made in the image of God.”

One of the videos asked Sudanese displaced people how they felt about being called a refugee.

One woman said, Refugee means being alone. One man said, the word refugee makes a man feel humiliated. You feel a sense of loss. Something inside you is missing.

Joe Willey urges people to think about how they would feel with a label like this.

“Living through everything that perhaps you owned, perhaps you hoped for, perhaps you worked for, is gone because you have to leave, and you have to leave on foot. So it reframed the way I speak about it or consider people.

Sat-7 works to raise awareness. It is the voice for people who have no other options, and it is a Christian voice.

In the region where SAT-7 is working, only four percent are Christian, and they are doing the work of bringing light to the stories of suffering in that area.

Please pray for those in the world who are suffering. Consider how you may respond or react in a similar event, and what your needs would be in that circumstance? 

Most importantly, pray that the people who see the programs will believe in Jesus Christ and that their lives will be transformed. Pray that God will use SAT-7 to soften hearts and bring people to Himself.

Header photo courtesy of SAT-7 on Facebook.

But in the clamor, Christians need to find and hold onto the Kingdom realities. 

“No matter what country — but especially in the Middle East, which seems so different from the West — there are men and women, boys and girls who are made in the image of God,” says Joe Willey with SAT-7.

“I think as long as we look through that lens, we will see people who should hear the gospel. We will see people with compassion and mercy. Because after all, God has given me great mercy.”

SAT-7’s Persian channel (SAT-7 PARS) broadcasts not only for adults but for children as well. 

“One of the heartbreaking things certainly is when adults contact SAT-7, but it truly is when children [do],” Willey says. “We think about children as these young innocents — and in many ways, they are. But if you grew up in conflict, I don’t know what your innocence would look like. It certainly is not the innocence that I grew up in.”

SAT-7 PARS went live on satellite and social media with a special episode of ‘Church4Kids’, which focused on helping young viewers to manage their emotions during times of crisis. (Photo, caption courtesy of SAT-7 via Facebook)

One little girl in Iran named Sarina sent this message to SAT-7’s Persian channel team during the 12-day conflict: 

“I want to ask you to pray for me. Last night, five or six missiles flew right over our heads. Since then, I haven’t been able to sleep at all. I was so scared. We keep reading this verse, ‘I will not die but live and will proclaim what the Lord has done.’ Psalm 118:17.”

In the midst of this heaviness, the viewer support team at SAT-7 PARS receives prayer requests and gives biblical encouragement to children and adults. 

“SAT-7 will receive heartfelt, distraught questions from people who say, ‘Where is God? Why would God let this happen? Is there hope for me? Am I going to die?’” says Willey.

“SAT-7 provides an eternal perspective. [It] provides the gospel to people who are fearful that this is their last day.” 

The conflict with Iran and Israel will likely have another chapter. Please pray for more people across the Middle East to realize the hope found only in Jesus.

“I pray that we can beg God for mercy, beg God that the gospel would continue to reach hearts and change not only countries, but change the world,” says Willey.

Header photo: Children in West Azerbaijan Province, Iran (Representative stock photo courtesy of Amin Alavi via Unsplash)

In countries where mosques dominate the skylines, people still have the freedom to choose what fills their screens. Responding to changing needs, SAT-7 has expanded into a new format to reach more people with the hope of Christ. Now, viewers can even watch The Chosen on the platform!

People across the Middle East and North Africa can now grow in their faith through SAT-7 PLUS. The ministry has gone beyond satellite television, offering a streaming platform accessible on any device — like Netflix, Disney+, or Hulu. But there’s a key difference. Joe Willey from SAT-7 explains:

“What is unique about SAT-7 PLUS is that it is free. And so this is free Christian content across the Middle East and North Africa, and it can be accessed around the world with the SAT-7 PLUS app.”

Man checking his phone (representative photo courtesy of Ragu Raja via Pexels)

Satellite TV is widespread in MENA, but so are smartphones and tablets. The region has nearly the same access to mobile technology as the West. So, it’s the Gospel brought not just to their homes, but even closer — right into their pockets.

“You can just download SAT-7 PLUS from your favorite app store, whether that’s Apple, whether that’s Google. Right now, the programming is available in Persian and Arabic,” Willey says.

Another standout feature of the platform is its availability. Users don’t need to log in or create an account, crucial in regions where being a Christian can be dangerous.

“There are places in the world — in the Middle East and North Africa specifically — where it is dangerous to be a Christian,” Willey says. “So we are trying to be mindful of security and ensure that people can safely access SAT-7 PLUS.”

So far, nearly 1.3 million unique users have visited the platform. And they’re not left to navigate their spiritual journey alone. A dedicated team is ready to respond to questions, go deeper with viewers, and pray alongside them.

“SAT-7 doesn’t just broadcast and then leave people to figure things out. We are also there for them on their faith journey,” explains Willey.

Viewers can explore a variety of content, including discipleship programs, films, children’s shows, and more — all pointing to Christ and freely accessible. Joe Willey encourages to support the SAT-7 ministry in prayer:

“Pray that SAT-7 — its producers and leadership — will have discernment to know which programs to create and which to air. Pray that God would move mightily in the hearts of people across the MENA region, so they may come to an understanding and true knowledge of Jesus!”

Header representative photo courtesy of Cedric Fauntleroy via Pexels.

Joe Willey of SAT-7, a satellite TV ministry to the Middle East and North Africa, points out that the Middle East is a composite of countries with varying degrees of conflict and complexity. For many children, that means growing up against a backdrop of trauma. 

“There is such a need for many millions of children in the Middle East and North Africa to deal with the trauma of conflict and warfare,” Willey says. 

SAT-7 programs address this from a Biblical standpoint. 

“Really SAT-7 is bringing hope and comfort,” he says. “And it is the hope of the Gospel; it is the comfort that Jesus Christ is the son of God, not just a prophet as is explained in the faith predominant in the Middle East and North Africa.”

SAT-7 Kids is an Arabic children’s channel that broadcasts content 24/7. 

“There is content to help children that are dealing with the trauma from conflict, from warfare – as well as educational programs to help lift people out of poverty.”

Sudan alone, for example, has approximately 19 million school age children lacking access to formal education. 

“That’s just one example of the need, not only for education but education that is being produced and provided by Christians out of a Biblical ethic and worldview,” Willey says. 

Through a library of educational programs, kids can practice fundamentals in reading, writing, and mathematics. Willey says these are often viewed by parents who may have gaps in their own education. 

“So it is meeting not only children, but it is also meeting adults,” he says. 

Programs are designed to be a discipleship program, but trust is being built even among Muslim communities.

“Although it is Christian content, we have people who are not Christians who watch,” Willey says. 

SAT-7 programming goes beyond proclaiming truth, as presenters help explain it and empathize with listeners experiencing great suffering.

On this International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression, would you pray for children living in the shadow of war and trauma? Please pray for children across the Middle East and North Africa, and pray for the effectiveness of SAT-7 programming to a vulnerable audience. 

“Christ has a heart for children, and I believe that we as believers should care for – as we call them and as Scripture has said – the least of these,” Willey says. 

Above photo: women and children in Iraq, courtesy of Pixabay; featured photo: SAT-7 kids programming, courtesy of SAT-7

“Although Türkiye is a country that we may consider part of the West, we may consider that what freedoms they have may be similar to Europe, but it is not easy to be a Christian in Türkiye,” says Joe Willey of SAT-7.

“My colleague had shared with me that their identification card would say your religion, and it was the predominant religion of the region or ‘other.’ So as a Christian, you are ‘other.’ It’s really not considered, or many do not consider you a true Türk, if you are not of that dominant religion, which is Islam. So SAT-7 has an opportunity to share the gospel, to present the actions of Christians in ways that many people would never consider or never see.”

SAT-7 TÜRK is Christian broadcasting for Türkiye, presented and produced for Turkish people by Turkish people. 

“There is a cultural context, and there’s an understanding of the language that a broadcaster that is in the culture would understand more than, say, programming created even in the language from the United States,” explains Willey.

It is the first and only Christian channel to be allowed to broadcast on the government-regulated satellite Türksat, which has an audience of 50 million in Türkiye, as well as viewers in Europe and Central Asia. Since 2006, SAT-7 TÜRK has been a vital Christian voice in a country where the small minority of believers can find it difficult to share their faith. The channel is astonishingly well-received, with viewers of all backgrounds responding positively since Türksat launch in early 2015.

“There has been such great effort given to try to make available how Christians are not only the same and not only have the same problems, but how a biblical worldview and Scripture changes the way we react and the way we live our lives, even in the midst of those problems,” says Willey. “With SAT-7 TÜRK programming, it shows the people of Türkiye, who may not really have much contact with Christians, that Christians care and that Christians are truly kind.”

SAT-7 also uses social media and video on demand to distribute their programming, but their uses of satellite broadcasting is an especially powerful way to share the gospel, according to Willey: “Satellite dishes are ubiquitous in the Middle East and North Africa, and it is a really powerful way that traditionally SAT-7 has reached people because it is virtually uncensorable. All you need is a dish, and you can receive the broadcasts that are broadcast by satellite. It is one of the easiest to access and most frequently used ways that people are broadcasting and receiving information and, specifically in the case of SAT-7, the gospel in the Middle East and North Africa.”

As their impact continues to grow, Willey asks for prayers for the strength of their team and the strength of their presenters, as well as for the strength of God to be at work in a country that has such historic Christian roots: “Most people in Türkiye are unaware of the history of Christianity within their borders.”

Header photo/image courtesy of SAT-7.

Beirut, Lebanon (Photo courtesy of Sara Calado/Unsplash)

The media we consume is shaped by the world around us. In North Africa and the Middle East, recent years have been difficult. Tragedies — from war-torn streets and earthquake rubble to economic collapse — have filled the news, radio, and TV. That’s where SAT-7 ARABIC steps in to say: the news might be bad, but there is still hope!

The headlines coming out of the region reflect the same pressure felt by SAT-7’s Arabic media ministry. Every day, the team faces at least four major challenges, explains Executive Director Rami Al-Halaseh.

1. The first challenge is offering hope in the midst of crisis.

“We want to function with a crisis response approach where anybody who’s watching SAT-7, anybody who follows SAT-7, will find something that will help them go through the crisis, go through the struggle, the challenge, with at least some hope.”

2. The second challenge: staying clear of political entanglements.

Called to be a voice for the Church and to shed light on injustice, SAT-7 often navigates complex and controversial stories with wisdom. Still, discussing political topics can be difficult. “We’re a Christian satellite station that presents, and, you know, promotes the message of hope, salvation, and, you know, new life in Christ. However, we cannot really disconnect ourselves as people of the land from the ongoing daily challenges,” he adds.

“If this is unjust, what’s happening, we have to say it’s unjust in our biblical way, not in a political way.”

Woman praying in Cairo church (Photo courtesy of Selim Graphy/Pexels)

3. Another challenge is misinformation, like the claim that no Christians remain in places like Palestine or Lebanon.

Some assume that if there are few news reports about Christians in an area, they no longer exist there. But SAT-7 has interviewed believers living through conflict in Gaza and Lebanon.

“Where we were, we were interviewing Christians, you know, falling under the war itself. Same thing in Lebanon, when people were displaced, and where they had to leave their homes. We interviewed all those people, Christians, who live in the south, but they had to leave because of the strikes.”

“The task,” he adds, “is giving them the voice to share the story!”

4. The final challenge — and a constant prayer request — is for the safety and peace of mind of SAT-7’s team as they serve amid war, inflation, and earthquakes.

“We deal first hand with these things because it’s our people. It’s our staff that is in the studio of Lebanon, where, for example, we’re meeting on Zoom, and then suddenly their windows are shaken because of the air strikes.”

Pray for the safety of SAT-7 ARABIC workers — that they would be protected from persecution, war, economic hardship, and more. Pray for their peace of mind as they continue their mission, and for wisdom as they face ongoing crises.

Header photo courtesy of Alex Azabache via Pexels.

This diplomatic development comes more than a month after sectarian violence broke out in Syria, challenging the transitional government’s position on religious freedom. Last week, Syria’s interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, extended the initial 30-day investigation of that massacre to three months from now.

Photo of shadowed Syrian flag is a representative stock photo (Courtesy of Abdalhady Mansour via Pexels)

But will more time lead to justice or religious freedom? Joe Willey serves with SAT-7, a satellite TV ministry to the Middle East and North Africa. He says that across the MENA region, people’s human rights, especially those of Christians, are not always honored.

That may mean a more helpful response to Syria’s instability is to help its people, especially its Christians, endure. 

“So when we look at a country like Syria or others in the Middle East and North Africa, we really think about Christians, because there may be — if not outright persecution — it just may be that there are what we call ‘isolated believers,’” says Willey.

Through SAT-7’s gospel-centered satellite TV and digital avenues, Christians with no connections to other believers have a chance to be discipled and interact with other Christians. Willey says the technology SAT-7 uses is “virtually uncensorable” — meaning hope can’t be silenced. 

“Christians are only 4% of the population in the Middle East and North Africa,” he says. “That means that there are other religions — and it’s not just Islam, but there are other religions, or even atheism — that Christians have to deal with.”

Whether Christians are viewed as minorities, as people without rights, or as people from a separate, inconsequential religion, the result is often still the same:

“Many people… are not really allowed to freely proclaim their faith. That does not mean they do not have faith. It means that their faith is not able to be communicated to everyone, one at large, like we may do in the U.S.,” says Willey.

(Photo courtesy of SAT-7 USA via Facebook)

But far from “hiding their light under a bushel,” so to speak, Willey says he’s noticed something interesting among these persecuted believers. “That is where God sovereignly has placed them, and they’re going to serve Him no matter if they’re the only one. That is so encouraging, as another Christian, to say, ‘These people are not Christians because it is easy. They are Christians because it is true.’”

Please pray! Pray that Syria’s government will truly uphold religious freedom. Ask God to open the way for believers in Syria (as well as other nations under persecution) to be able to share His love.

Pray also for SAT-7’s gospel ministry, meant as a resource not a replacement for the church. Pray their work truly does strengthen the church in the MENA in its range of needs.

Learn more about SAT-7 here.

Header photo: On Thursday, April 10, diplomatic relations were established between the Republic of Korea and the Syrian Arab Republic with the signing of the Joint Communiqué by Cho Tae-yul, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, and Asaad al-Shaibani, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Syrian Arab Republic, in Damascus. (Photo courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs (South Korea) – https://www.mofa.go.kr/eng/brd/m_5674/view.do?seq=321125, South Korea-Gov, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=163426738 via Wikimedia Commons.)

“I’m from Morocco, and I’m 19 years old. Though many people surround me, I have no one to talk to. I am so grateful to the Lord for your help and advice.”

(Photo courtesy of Vitaly Gariev via Pexels)

This heartfelt message came from a listener of “What’s Up”, a SAT-7 program designed to connect with young people across the Middle East and North Africa. Formerly known as “Catalyst”, the updated show targets viewers aged 18 to 24, encouraging honest conversations, emotional depth, and mutual support — especially for those often misunderstood by their families or communities.

Through episodes that explore fear, pain, regret, and confusion, “What’s Up” program creates a safe space where youth can reflect and grow. Joe Willey of SAT-7 explains: “Scripture is not just for a particular day or for a particular time period. Scripture encompasses our entire experience, and we can go to God with pain, with suffering. We see this in the imprecatory Psalms. We see this throughout Scripture.”

Many teens in the region are surrounded by conflict, crisis, and loss. “What’s Up” gives them a platform to be heard — and to hear the hope of Christ.

“SAT-7 is saying, ‘No, you do matter. You are made in the image of God, and we want to give you an opportunity to voice your concerns, and also then be able to share from a biblical perspective God’s view on difficulty, God’s view on suffering,’” says Willey.

One powerful episode, “Is God present in the midst of painful trials?”, looks directly at grief and hardship, helping young viewers process suffering in light of Scripture.

“I pray that God would change the hearts of teens, because it really would change the culture of the Middle East and North Africa to have young people who said, ‘I’ve heard about Christ and I’ve heard about Him as the Son of God, not just as a prophet and I believe what He says is true,’” adds Willey.

Pray that more young people across the Middle East and North Africa will discover this SAT-7 program and be empowered by it to speak out. For the One who gifted us with the power to speak is the very One who longs to hear our voices.

Header photo courtesy of Ashkan Sadeghi via Unsplash.