By John D. Maust, MAI President
Sometimes God surprises us by doing something we did not imagine. Has such a thing happened recently in MAI’s work? A friend wanted to know.
One country came immediately to mind. Several years ago, we began doing some behind-the-scenes writer training in a closed nation of Southeast Asia. Some gifted and committed writers began to emerge, and we thought it would be helpful for several to attend LittWorld in 2015 in nearby Singapore. We hoped to provide scholarships for two or three. But, generous donors seemed to emerge out of nowhere, and we were able to provide full conference scholarships for eight.
During LittWorld these eight emerging writers bonded in their friendship and shared passion for the ministry of the written word. One said afterwards, “We now see that writing is a way to serve the Lord. Before it had been a task we were assigned to do. Now it is a vision we are excited about. We are now so inspired to serve the Lord through writing!
“We’d never really seen the potential that writing has for reaching so many people in places where we ourselves cannot physically go due to time and other restrictions. The written word is powerful. And what a humbling privilege that we might become the authors of these written words.”
Following LittWorld, the writers organized a “writing for children” workshop, led by two MAI facilitators they met at the conference. They also received graphic design training from a speaker they met at LittWorld 2015. Today they are forming a fledgling publishing ministry. MAI will accompany them on their publishing journey, and we are eager to see what other surprises the Lord has in store for the writers group and Christian publishing in their country.