SAT-7 KIDS FEEDS YOUNG SOULS IN ALGERIA
Many Christian children in Algeria will not be in church this Easter – because they have no church to attend. But as their families face pressure, young believers need spiritual nourishment. Now, they can find it on A Verse and a Story, a SAT-7 KIDS show created in their own dialect and tailor-made to touch their hearts.
As we remember Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice and celebrate His resurrection, many Algerian believers are walking a path of sacrifice to follow Him.
Facing opposition and pressure from their communities, new believers may lose family members and friends. “Many believers are hiding their faith because they are afraid of being shunned,” says local SAT-7 Producer Salah Kessai.
LIVING UNDER PRESSURE
Christian activities are also restricted by law, making it difficult for believers to share their faith with others. To make matters worse, a recent government crackdown has seen several churches shuttered, some of them permanently.
Now, with their country convulsed by months of political turmoil, Christians face an uncertain wait to see how their situation will be affected.
ISOLATED AND UNSUPPORTED
These pressures affect every member of a Christian family – including the youngest. In challenging times, Christian children need loving support and spiritual nourishment to grow in their faith.
But many families of believers are isolated, with no church to attend at all.
Even when children are part of a church community, there is often no children’s ministry or activities especially for them, because the Church in Algeria is mainly first-generation. As specially-designed children’s activities can be rare outside the church, too, children are at risk of feeling neglected.
ESPECIALLY FOR CHILDREN
Stepping into this resource gap is the new SAT-7 KIDS program A Verse and a Story.
With its fun activities, songs, and stories, the program feels like a high-quality children’s ministry session delivered right into viewers’ homes. And crucially for children in Algeria and other North African countries, youngsters will know immediately that A Verse and a Story is especially for them.
Produced on the ground by Salah and his wife Samia, the show is written in easy Algerian dialect and partly presented by children themselves. It aims to help children find hope in Jesus, learn that they are precious in God’s eyes, and feel empowered to live out their faith.
A HAVEN FOR ALL
The calm, loving atmosphere of A Verse and a Story makes it an oasis for viewers seeking peace. In this way, it appeals to viewers from other backgrounds, as well as to those from Christian families, and even to adults.
Each episode presents a different Bible story, with the first season, which is currently airing, introducing children to figures including Joseph, Abraham, and Jeremiah. The show’s topics are chosen in consultation with local churches.
“The program will be a ‘great meal’ for children,” writes Samia. A Verse and a Story is just that – crucial spiritual nourishment at a time when it is greatly needed, but otherwise scarce.