“Nothing prevents us from celebrating because joy is in our hearts,” shares a female SAT-7 TÜRK viewer, as restrictions in Turkey grow tighter and many churches remain closed for Christmas. With renewed focus on the birth of Jesus Christ, SAT-7 TÜRK helps viewers prepare for a “different” Christmas.

With families anticipating an isolated Christmas at the end of a difficult year, SAT-7 Audience Relations staff have prepared a series of virtual “gifts” to encourage and support viewers across the Arabic-speaking world at this time when they need to feel the love of Emmanuel, God with us.

SAT-7 will provide a new platform for Christians in Tunisia who are “passionate and eager” to share their faith with their society. As the country prepares to mark the tenth anniversary of the start of its “Jasmine Revolution” on 17 December, SAT-7 ARABIC announces its first two new programs produced by Christians in Tunisia.

As Christians wait with anticipation to celebrate the birth of the Light of the world, the SAT-7 KIDS program Family of Jesus teaches children how to be like their Saviour – a light amid darkness, preparing the way for His kingdom in their own small world.

Mary Joseph, SAT-7 Egypt Communications Officer, describes how Christians in Egypt prepare for Christmas every year, sharing her reflections of losing two relatives in a church bombing in Cairo, and how this affected her family’s perspective and approach towards the Christmas gatherings and festivities.

Bright shining lights, delicious food, colourfully wrapped presents, highly decorated trees, and a jolly man dressed in red – these descriptions will make most of us think of Christmas. However, in Turkey these celebrations represent New Year’s Day. SAT-7 TÜRK is helping end confusion by sharing the true message of Christmas in Turkey.

Following last year’s Christmas Stories episodes filmed on the rooftop of the SAT-7 Egypt Studios, this year SAT-7 ARABIC is broadcasting a second Christmas Stories special coming to us from Jordan. This Christmas special broadcast is focused on the needs of refugees residing in Jordan emphasizing the efforts of churches of various denominations reaching out to help them.

In Cairo this New Year’s Eve, so many believers gathered to begin 2019 in an atmosphere of praise and prayer that the 4,000-capacity Kasr el Dobara Evangelical Church (KDEC) had to expand into the street.