Lebanon (MNN) — Shady Tarzi was a young boy in Syria when the Arab Spring turned his world upside down. By 2012, his family had fled to Lebanon. Overwhelmed by the upheaval, Shady found hope in an unexpected place — watching the SAT-7 KIDS channel. Inspired, he told his sister that one day, he wanted to be on the show.
Years later, God opened the door for that dream to come true. Today, Shady is a host on SAT-7 KIDS, using his platform to encourage children as Lebanon faces new turmoil.
Shady has lived through two conflicts, including the latest Israel-Hezbollah war which has rattled Lebanon. Tensions still continue under a precarious ceasefire. Yet, Shady is using his platform to point Lebanese and refugee children to Jesus.
(Photo courtesy of SAT-7 KIDS)
Joe Willey with SAT-7 explains, “Instead of saying, ‘Wait, God, why me?’ [Shady] is presenting and saying, ‘I understand what you are going through. I have lived through it, and I’m living through it again. And there is no hope like the hope that Christ gives.'”
Shady recently saw the lasting impact of SAT-7 KIDS firsthand when he visited a displacement camp. There, he met two young sisters watching the channel, singing along to worship songs, and reciting the Bible verses from the shows.
“Our situations can change,” says Willey. “In the life of [Shady], it changed drastically and quickly. But he also celebrates that Jesus Christ never changes. So that is something that young people in the Middle East and North Africa are hearing and need to hear.”
Praise God for how He is working in the hearts of children in Lebanon through SAT-7!
Willey emphasizes, “Making God’s love visible to people who are in a difficult time is important and it will matter – and it will matter for eternity.”
Read more of Shady’s story at SAT-7’s website here!
Header photo: Shady Tarzi with two refugee sisters who enjoy watching SAT-7 KIDS. (Photo courtesy of SAT-7 KIDS)
