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Messages to SAT-7 reveal the unseen emotional and spiritual battles faced by men across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
Middle Eastern men are raised to stay strong: to shoulder responsibility, to endure, to provide. But in a region marked by economic strain and shifting traditions, that strength often hides silent battles: depression, guilt, isolation, and the quiet fear of failing in faith.1 Behind closed doors, countless men carry the weight of expectation: torn between what society demands and personal reality, wrestling with shame and self-doubt.
Messages sent to SAT-7 show what this looks like in real lives across the MENA. They reveal men reaching out for hope, meaning, and connection, without the judgement society often places on their gender.
“I am at the peak of despair, ashamed of myself and my mistakes,” writes Salama, a man in his 40s from Egypt, who reached out to SAT-7 in a moment of honesty.. “I don’t want to upset God, but it feels beyond my control,” he added.
For Marco, also from Egypt, the struggle is quieter – the heavy weight of sadness and exhaustion: “I have been going through a period of depression for a long time, and since I watched an episode of Quality Time with young people who are all striving every day in their work, studies, and talents, they gave me a huge motivation to keep going and not give up.”
And for Azmi, the fight is both mental and spiritual: “It’s a fiery battle,” he said. “The devil throws terrible words against Christ into my mind, and sometimes I feel like I’m the one saying them. The devil makes me feel like these thoughts are my own – imagine that!”
This honesty exposes the turmoil many men in the region feel unable to voice: the intersection of mental, emotional, and spiritual pain. But not all the messages speak of mental distress. Some reveal the battle of conscience; the longing to live faithfully while feeling trapped by failure.
In Tunisia, Ghasan wrestles with moral failure and self-doubt: “Yes, I want to have a relationship with God, but I still commit sins. How can I be saved?”
And from Egypt, Evan, a young adult, puts it simply: “The thing that steals my inner peace the most is sin. When I fight against a particular sin, I feel weak and enslaved to it.”
For many men, the challenges are not only emotional but also deeply practical. Yet even in the hardest circumstances, they find hope and solace in their faith.
From Iran, Fardad writes: “When I fell ill, my spouse left me and took my children away. It has been about three years now that I have been alone and sick, but despite all these hardships, Jesus Christ has never left me.”
Damoun, another Iranian, shares how “a tumultuous past” led him to faith. “I received a heavy prison sentence for financial misconduct at the company where I worked. Through satellite networks, including SAT‑7 PARS, I became acquainted with Christ the Lord and accepted Him, receiving salvation… Guided by the Holy Spirit, I recovered personally and now have great respect in my family and community.”
Different men, different lives. Yet each describing the same reality: the internal pressure to stay strong, holy, and self-reliant in societies where men are rarely allowed to be vulnerable.
SAT-7 is raising awareness of the struggles men throughout the region face. Through its Gender Equality and Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) project, the network has deepened this focus, creating powerful social media campaigns around men’s struggles.
Other programs, including a special SAT-7 PARS episode of Insiders called “Men’s Silent Pain,” have explored men’s struggles with providing for their families, coping with addiction, and the fear of asking for help.
Beyond the screen, SAT-7’s Viewer Support Teams continue the conversations privately, offering a safe, confidential space for men to share their challenges, find prayer, and rebuild their faith without judgement.
Because across all the messages, all the testimonies, one truth emerges: the greatest challenge for many men is not necessarily faith itself, but silence. Shame and cultural expectations keep them from voicing the pain of depression, doubt, or loneliness, stopping them from reaching out for help.
We’re reminded that strength can take many forms. Sometimes it looks like holding everything together. Sometimes, it looks like finally speaking out.
Names changed, images for representation only
Sources
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