Middle East (MNN) — Christians in the Middle East are constantly targets of harassment and persecution, but as people have watched believers faithfully loving even "the least of these" around them, their hearts have often been changed.
SAT-7, Christian satellite television to the Middle East and North Africa, is giving believers the opportunity to put their faith into action–not just to speak to others around them, but to the materially poor because Christ has called His followers to reach out to the widows and orphans. SAT-7 Arabic has embarked on the creation of a new program to mobilize believers across the Middle East.
"We've have been talking for many months about a program, especially launched at Christmas time–" says SAT-7 Arabic Executive Director Rita El Mounayer, "a program putting whatever we say on the screen into practice."
It will have a two-fold purpose: to motivate Christians and to reach needy kids with the Gospel.
The program has a unique way of reaching each initiative. It has a reality show format, where El Mounayer spends a day with a child who has lost one or both parents, who has cancer, who has a handicap, or who is just materially poor. She talks to the child about his dreams and experiences a day in his life. Some of the child's dreams will come true for him on the show. El Mounayer will also explain the Gospel to the child and make it clear that all he receives from the show is a gift from God.
An example of one episode that has already been shot is a day in the life of Alex. Alex is a young boy who lives with his grandmother because his mother is in the hospital after having a stroke that paralyzed her. Alex has no money to go to school, so he wanders the streets and tries to do odd jobs for people. On the show, he talks with El Mounayer about his dreams to see his mother again, to own his computer, and to eat a hamburger.
El Mounayer brings Alex to a restaurant to get a burger, and in the meantime, the rest of the SAT-7 staff have brought Alex's mother to meet him there. The team is able to get Alex the right to see his mother every weekend. When Alex gets home from a day of shopping for new clothes, eating a burger, reuniting with his mother, and talking with El Mounayer about the love of God, a computer is waiting for him.
Being a part of this show has changed Alex's life and encouraged him with the truth of Jesus Christ. When it airs, El Mounayer hopes that it also brings Christians to that point of realizing that they can help the children around them as well. El Mounayer says the series will encourage believers to donate to various ministries, or to simply take a child out for a burger while explaining Christ's love for them.
"I have a passion for children because I believe they're the future of the Arab world," says El Mounayer. "They're going to change the society. They're going to witness to their siblings and to their friends and to their family about the love of God."
As believers are mobilized for Christ, kids will undoubtedly catch the fire of Christ in their hearts. Pray that they would grow into strong believers. Pray also that as others witness the actions of the believers around them, they would be curious about Christ and come to know him in time as well.
