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SAT-7 is one of the organisations we support at St. George's Using satellite TV and with programmes made by Middle Eastern
Christians in Arabic, Farsi and Turkish, SAT-7 knows how to meet the needs of the Christian in the region appropriately and
accessibly, through its network of SAT-7 channels. To
operate in this way, SA
T-7 receives support from, and partners with, other Christians and
organisations from around the world.
Here is a story from Iraq:
Dr. Haby spends his free time making copies
of SAT -7 programmes to give out to people who don't have a satellite
dish. "I record them on the computer and produce them on to
video-COs because the video-CD service is very common here in our
country," he says. "We want everyone to watch the programmes
that can really make a difference in their lives. It made the difference
in our lives and we want this difference to become a reality in
everybody's life."
Under--Saddam Hussein anyone caught with a
satellite dish could be sent to prison for six months. During that time
some Iraqi Christians were so desperate for Christian material they
would have friends in neighbouring countries make copies of SAT-7
programmes off the air. Then they would smuggle those tapes into Iraq to
be distributed. Today Iraqis can purchase satellite dishes and many are
for sale on the streets.
Since the recent war, Iraqi Christians have
some new freedoms, but those freedoms come at a significant cost.
Churches have been bombed, church leaders are singled out for attack,
and thousands of Christians have fled Iraq for more secure countries.
For those who remain, satellite TV provides a key resource. A church
leader in Kirkuk said, "There are many needs in Iraq for Christian
materials. To help with evangelism and to provide basic resources about
our faith. Most of the Muslims don't know what we believe. They don't
know our beliefs. They heard from others that the Christians don't
believe in one God, that we have three Gods. And when we want to give
them something of our faith, we cannot find it. So having a Christian TV
channel is very good."
More information is available at www.sat7trust.org
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