The Middle Eastern media ministry SAT-7 is providing a lifeline for isolated Christians in Afghanistan as the resurgent Taliban go door-to-door, executing believers who refuse to renounce their faith.
“We’re hearing from reliable sources that the Taliban demand people’s phones, and if they find a downloaded Bible on your device, they will kill you immediately,” said Rex Rogers, president of SAT-7 North America. “It’s incredibly dangerous right now for Afghans to have anything Christian on their phones. The Taliban have spies and informants everywhere.”
Chaotic American troop withdrawals by the Biden administration from Afghanistan have left a vacuum, allowing the Taliban to seize control of vast areas — with little or no resistance — much more rapidly than political and military leaders anticipated.
READ: How SAT-7 reached out to Beirut
“Because it’s so dangerous to seek the company of other Christians, many Afghan believers are totally alone, with not even one other Christian with whom to talk,” Rogers said. “Our local director told me, most dare not attend a house church. They’re alone, fearful and looking to us. We’re their last resort’.”
SAT-7 PARS live satellite television broadcasts in Farsi — understood by most people in Afghanistan — and the local Dari language can reach homes across the entire country uncensored, delivering the only source of hope for thousands of isolated Afghan Christians living in terror.
The channel’s social media and live-chat platforms have experienced a huge surge in the number of Afghans posting messages and calling the ministry’s viewer counseling line, desperate for encouragement and hope. The channel expects a 50 percent increase in contacts this year.
Many women who’ve become Christians through the media ministry — including those who’ve battled depression and even attempted suicide — are offering insight, information and encouragement on-air to other women who are terrified of the Taliban and its oppressive ideology.
Launched in 1996, SAT-7, with international headquarters in Cyprus, broadcasts Christian and educational satellite television programs to more than 25 million people in the Middle East and North Africa. Its mission is to make the gospel available to everyone and support the church in its life, work and witness for Jesus Christ. SAT-7 broadcasts 24/7 in Arabic, Farsi (Persian) and Turkish, using multiple satellite channels and online services.
–Alan Goforth | Metro Voice