Metro Voice News Celebrating Faith, Family & Community
Underground Christians in Afghanistan and Iran are turning to the latest technology to beat isolation and loneliness. Metro Voice News reports that PARS, a media ministry based in the Middle East, uses satellite television, live streaming and social media platforms to broadcast faith-based and educational programs in Farsi and Dari across those nations and the Persian-speaking world.
“Thousands of isolated Christians across Iran and Afghanistan dare not meet openly with other believers or reveal their faith publicly,” Executive Director Panayiotis Keenan said. “To do so could mean imprisonment, torture and death.”
The satellite service reaches isolated believers in their homes, phones and digital devices with programs that are difficult to censor. According to Open Doors, Iranians and Afghans stream programs in real time and are able to connect with local program presenters on social media and live chat.
Living under an iron-fist regime, growing numbers of Iran’s youth are exploring Christianity on their devices and having conversations online about Jesus and the Bible. Recent reports from Metro Voice News indicate that Afghan Christians risk everything, including their lives, to meet together virtually on their phones for online church right under the noses of the Taliban regime. “The young people are desperate for change, and they’re more open to the Christian faith than ever before,” he said.
Meanwhile, Christian teens in Afghanistan are being equipped to bring godly leadership to their nation. Each month, several young people take part in the Daniel school leadership course, Christianity Today reports, sponsored by the Mercy Projects ministry. As part of their training their students are equipped to become Bible camp counsellors.
During their most recent Christmas camp, those attending had such a spiritual hunger that they continued to worship God late into the night.
“There was one evening on our camp when the children didn’t want their program to end,” youth coordinator Yana Glushko said. “Thanks to this time together in worship, they are filled and feel protected, safe and also receive hope from God.”
Learn more about Mercy Projects at www.mercyprojects.org and PARS at www.sat7usa.org.
–Dwight Widaman | Metro Voice
