Blog: Marianne reflects on new role as audience support lead

I believe people in the Middle East and North Africa today are in desperate need of hope – of a Saviour. We need to seize the opportunity to fill that void, to counter their fear and worry, by giving them the message of hope and truth. SAT-7 does this through our sound, Bible-based content, and also through our sincere and faithful follow-up.

Even as a Presenter on various SAT-7 programs, I have always been passionate about following up with viewers and felt a sense of responsibility for them. I feel compelled to pray for them, to make sure to reply to their questions, and to share with them my own personal life experiences, to show how Jesus can change all sorrows into victories and help us through life’s struggles.

So, becoming the Audience Relations (AR) Manager for SAT-7’s Arabic Channels has been a true blessing from God. I am so grateful to be in the position to build engaging relationships with our viewers and connect them to hope, and to Christ’s love, which they so desperately yearn for.

There are so many needs that I would like to help address through our AR work. Every day we receive many messages from viewers asking for advice, and in need of counselling. We also receive an enormous amount of theological questions, mostly from non-Christians who want to know more about Jesus. We also receive messages from couples struggling in their marriages due to the lockdown, and financial and emotional stress.

Children are also among the most vulnerable during this time, and many in the Middle East and North Africa are suffering from emotional and psychological problems due to the current unstable circumstances and events that have marked their lives this year. They need the love of Christ and His peace in their hearts from a young age, so they will not struggle with bigger problems in their adulthood.

After taking stock of SAT-7’s Arabic platforms, I determined the importance of increasing live, real-time interaction with viewers, particularly on social media, where people can ask and receive direct answers. My dream is to “level-up” our engagement on social media by creating campaigns and inviting experts to address our viewers’ varied needs. We need the help of professionals, including church leaders and theologians, child psychologists, and family counsellors who can go live on social media and engage with viewers, answering their questions and offering support and encouragement.

I pray that God will provide the resources for us to further boost our audience engagement and provide more of the right support for our viewers, so they can feel seen and personally encouraged, and so that they can voice out loud the heaviness on their hearts. Please pray for special wisdom for me as I train, empower and guide my team, and for God to open the right doors to equip us as a team and enable us to partner with organisations in the Arab World. May He lead us as we guide people on a journey – one of allowing Christ into their hearts to heal their pain, growing into strong disciples, and becoming able to serve their communities themselves.

Marianne Awaraji – SAT-7 Arabic Channels Audience Relations Manager and Presenter

Marianne Awaraji Daou is from Beirut Lebanon. She has been a presenter for SAT-7 KIDS and SAT-7 ARABIC since 2001. She received her Master’s in Translation and has worked as an elementary school teacher and a freelance translator, while at the same time presenting and producing a variety of programs for SAT-7. She is married to SAT-7 Presenter, Producer and Director Rawad Daou and they have a son named Noah. Marianne’s passions are ministering to children and youth, and counselling married couples to live a healthy, fruitful marriage with strong godly foundations.