{"id":23361,"date":"2026-02-01T14:07:59","date_gmt":"2026-02-01T20:07:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/maiglobal.org\/?p=23361"},"modified":"2026-02-01T14:07:59","modified_gmt":"2026-02-01T20:07:59","slug":"more-than-an-award","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/maiglobal.org\/es\/more-than-an-award\/","title":{"rendered":"More than an Award"},"content":{"rendered":"
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From young authors writing for teens to the mobilization of local writers, MAI\u2019s Robert B. Reekie Global Publisher Award winners share Christian publishing updates from Pakistan, Argentina, Vietnam, Lebanon and Ukraine. <\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Robert B. Reekie Global Publisher Award celebrates more than publishing excellence\u2014it celebrates faithfulness,\u201d says MAI President Heather Pubols. \u201cThese publishers remind us that the most powerful stories are often written and shared locally\u2014at great personal cost, and always with deep faith.\u201d<\/p>\n

Established\u00a0in 2018, past award recipients include\u00a0MIK<\/a>\u00a0publishing house in Pakistan (2018),\u00a0Dar Manhal Al Hayat<\/a>\u00a0publishing house in Lebanon (2021),\u00a0V\u0103n Ph\u1ea9m H\u1ea1t Gi\u1ed1ng (Seed Publications)<\/a>\u00a0in Vietnam\u00a0(2023), Certeza Argentina<\/a>\u00a0(2024) and most recently Ezdra Publishing in Ukraine (2025).<\/p>\n

\"\"A growing community of local Christian authors in Pakistan<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Since 2018, MIK has run training sessions for writers more frequently, and expanded into writer training for elementary and high school students. Today, three MIK trainers lead workshops to further support a growing community of local authors.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis recognition has been incredibly motivating, encouraging us to mobilize local writers in Pakistan,\u201d says\u00a0MIK<\/a>\u00a0general manager Peter Calvin, of the MAI award. As more local authors became equipped, MIK launched\u00a0Kids Club<\/em>\u00a0magazine, which focuses on young emerging writers.<\/p>\n

Local writers also continue to be published in a digest,\u00a0Kirnen,<\/em>\u00a0as well as in books in Urdu. Some novels have been well-received and reprinted several times, including on difficult topics such as pornography addiction and child abuse.<\/p>\n

Nurturing the voices of women in Lebanon<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"\"Since receiving the award in 2021, there have been changes at Dar Manhal Al Hayat<\/a> (DMAH). In 2022, Sawsan Tannoury<\/a> was succeeded as publishing director by Sandra El Hajj Baz.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe award was a catalyst that sharpened our vision for investing intentionally in local voices,\u201d says Sandra. \u201cIt affirmed our calling and helped us in building a publishing ministry that is not only translating global resources into Arabic, but also creating space for local authors to write their own stories.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe serve in a region where the voices of women and young girls are often marginalized\u2014both culturally and within publishing spaces\u2014and we have become increasingly convinced of the importance of nurturing local authors, particularly women.\u201d<\/p>\n

Over the past four years, DMAH has trained three cohorts of twelve women each in narrative and non-fiction writing. This led to the publication of three collaborative books and a\u00a030-day devotional<\/a> that can be ordered online and delivered throughout Lebanon, as well as distributed in many countries throughout the Middle East.<\/p>\n

\"\"Young authors writing for teens in Argentina<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u201cWe received the Robert B. Reekie Award with great joy and gratitude to God and MAI,\u201d says Certeza Argentina\u2019s Beatriz Buono. \u201cLike a harvest for a sowing that, in many moments, was sown with tears. We realized that what is small to the world is visible in the Kingdom and to people with the heart of God.\u201d<\/p>\n

The award was especially encouraging for Certeza\u2019s young team members\u2014including Beatriz\u2019s granddaughter, Flor Ortiz. The team are developing a devotional for teenagers, Tu acceso directo a Dios<\/em> (\u201cYour direct access to God\u201d), with several very young writers participating in the project.<\/p>\n

Certeza continues to publish books by local authors, which Beatriz reports are selling well. These include \u00a1Crece! Sin prisa y sin pausa<\/em> (\u201cGrow! Slowly but surely\u201d) by Daniel Gonz\u00e1lez, Predicaci\u00f3n e inteligencia artificial <\/em>(\u201cPreaching and Artificial Intelligence\u201d) by Wilfredo Weigandt\u00a0and Chau trauma. El coraje de soltar <\/em>(\u201cGoodbye trauma. The courage to let go\u201d) by Beatriz\u2019s daughter, Daniela Ortiz.<\/p>\n

Celebrating ten years of publishing ministry in Vietnam<\/strong><\/h3>\n

It has been two years since V\u0103n Ph\u1ea9m H\u1ea1t Gi\u1ed1ng<\/a>\u00a0(Seed Publishing) in Vietnam received the Robert B. Reekie Global Publisher Award, and publishing director\u00a0Thuy Tran Xuan is now busy planning their ten year anniversary! Workshops, a roundtable and a bookfair in April are in the works.<\/p>\n

She also hopes to release a book by a local writer,\u00a0T\u00f4i th\u1ea5t b\u1ea1i: H\u00e0nh tr\u00ecnh ch\u1eefa l\u00e0nh v\u00e0 tr\u01b0\u1edfng th\u00e0nh c\u1ee7a ng\u01b0\u1eddi tin Ch\u00faa d\u01b0\u1edbi g\u00f3c nh\u00ecn t\u00e2m l\u00fd<\/em>\u00a0(\u201cI failed: a journey of healing and growth for believers from a psychological perspective\u201d), by the end of 2026.<\/p>\n

Collaborating with churches and self-published authors in Ukraine<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Working amidst scheduled blackouts in a war zone, Ezdra Publishing in Ukraine has taken some drastic measures to continue their ministry. They\u2019ve built a solar power station and use their print-on-demand shop to produce books for Christian publishers and self-published authors.<\/p>\n

\u201cUkraine\u2019s churches are working hard to help people in their need. They need literature and we\u2019re here to help,\u201d says Andriy Kravchenko, Ezdra\u2019s CEO. \u201cMy prayer is for Ezdra Publishing to fulfill our mission as Christians of delivering the good news of Jesus to the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ezdra Publishing<\/a>\u00a0has been serving Ukraine\u2019s communities since 1995, and is the\u00a0latest recipient of MAI\u2019s annual Robert B. Reekie Global Publisher Award<\/a>, which recognizes excellence in publishing ministry within regions facing unique challenges.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn some of the world\u2019s most difficult contexts, these publishers continue to proclaim hope, tell truth, and serve the Church,\u201d says Heather. \u201cWe celebrate their resilience and their faithfulness in bringing Christ-centered literature to readers who need it most.\u201d<\/p>\n

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