Christians Take Part in Prayer-Walk Across Morocco
By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent
ASSIST NEWS SERVICE
April 16, 2001
NICOSIA, CYPRUS (ANS) — Terry Ascott, Chief Executive Officer of the SAT-7 broadcasting organization has just returned from Morocco, where some of the SAT-7 team took part in “a wonderful week of prayer” for the country, seeking God’s blessing on the King, government and people of that important country.
“Over 300 people took part in nationwide prayer walks, which culminated in a Palm Sunday worship service in Marrakech, led by British singer-songwriter Graham Kendrick and Steve Hawthorne,” said Ascott. (Steve Hawthorne is the director of WayMakers, and co-author of “Prayerwalking: Praying On Site With Insight” with Graham Kendrick).
The event, entitled “Seeking God: A call for Blessing Morocco,” was sponsored by St. John’s Anglican Church in Casablanca, he said.
“Do continue the prayer for this country, with its many needs. Pray also for those returning from the event to their home countries — that they will take with them a contagious and lasting commitment to the Moroccan people!”
Ascott said there will be a special report on this event in “Naafitha,” the Christian news program broadcast on SAT-7.
“Some of you will know about our Project 104 — a 104-part drama series that SAT-7 is producing together with our partner, Life Agape (Campus Crusade for Christ),” Ascott said.”SAT-7’s Lebanon office is working on the first 52-part series (for Seekers) and Life Agape on the second 52 parts (for Discipleship). A defined curriculum of theological, apologetic and lifestyle issues is being woven into each series. We would like your prayers for the important scriptwriting phase of the work now in progress,” said Ascott.
“The main scriptwriter for the Seeker series was recently involved in a car accident where a policeman was killed…and found himself in prison for almost a week. He was only released after he paid ‘blood money’ to the immediate family of the policeman, totaling to something like US$30,000,” Ascott said.
“The writer later testified to our producer that the whole experience had been one of great significance to him and he believed that God had taken him through this to better prepare him for the writing of this series. From our perspective, it could also have been a spiritual attack against this important project, which God then turned around and used in the life of our scriptwriter, to better equip him for the task ahead of him! Pray for this man, and for Uncle Mounir in Egypt who is heading up the writing for the also very important Discipleship series,” Ascott said.
Ascott shared several items for prayer, including some answers to the prayers of those who support his ministry.
He said: “Our March SAT-7 Management and Board meetings in Lebanon, and the Arabic Media Convention, all went very well and there was a real spirit of consensus and unity on all key issues.
“We have also seen answers to prayer in the area of satellite contracts. Those for the analogue service on Eutelsat W2 have been renewed, and the contracts for the digital service are about to be signed. As those of you receiving our printed newsletter, UPLINK, will be aware, we have been obliged to take the digital channel on a 24-hour/7-day-per-week (24/7) basis or lose it altogether,” Ascott said.
He added: “We were not really ready to take this step for a couple more years, both from a programming and a financial point of view. But God has given us this opportunity, and we rejoice in it.”
He said the new 24-hour lease starts in mid-May 2001.
“Please remember the issues mentioned above, and pray also for the multiple broadcast of the Jesus Film over this Easter week, in some eight languages, and for special consultations that will take place at the end of April in Europe and the Middle East respectively, to discuss the potential of Christian satellite broadcasts in Farsi and Turkish. Pray that God will guide and envision those who should be a part of such ministries,” said Ascott.
Ascott also asked for prayer for the SAT-7 North American staff and supporters who will take part in a “vision trip” to Egypt and Lebanon, April 18-27.
SOME RECENTLY RECEIVED VIEWER COMMENTS
Ascott released a number of comments recently received from SAT-7 viewers.
One woman in Denmark wrote: “We await eagerly the SAT-7 broadcasts to begin and you cannot imagine our joy when we watch your programs! We love you all! Could you send a picture of the SAT-7 staff?”
“Your programs have changed my understanding of many issues of life…I love your readings from the Bible and the many Christian songs. SAT-7 is my favorite channel,” said one 19-year-old woman, who cannot read, in a phone call from Morocco.
A viewer in Holland wrote: “My family and I are very happy and grateful to SAT-7 staff, who are doing their best to unite all believers and to strengthen their Christian faith,” while a man in Algeria commented: “I greatly appreciate SAT-7’s effort to broadcast the Word of God. Your programs are very relevant to daily life and it is so nice to now see them every evening.”