Tell how someone you know in your country was spiritually transformed by the written word. Vestine Umubyeyi of Kenya responded with this submission to the LittWorld 2012 writing contest:

Mama Mzigo’s former job was to carry people’s loads to earn a living. Hence her name Mama Mzigo, which means “Mother Loads” (or the mother who carries loads for people). She tells how her nickname, along with her spiritual status, was changed to be “Mother Church,” thanks to a church that was built near her home.

In her childhood Mama Mzigo was abused by her four stepmothers. She had an early marriage when she was only twelve and found herself with three of her husband’s concubines. Although she became a widow with six children to raise by herself, the heaviest burden she carried was her nickname Mama Mzigo. She felt compelled to respond to it because she needed money to raise her children. She had no other choice.

One day her children, who had been attending a church newly built near their home, came singing an English song that stirred her: “I’m no longer the same, I’m no longer the same; He has changed my name and given me a new name, I’m no longer the same.”

Mama Mzigo could understand the meaning of the song but she wondered in her heart, “Who is that who can change someone’s name and behavior?” She was curious to know this person and this led her to go to the church.

That day the preacher preached in the Gospel of Luke 10:20 where Jesus was urging his disciples to rejoice because their names were written in heaven. The preacher went on to show how the Lord had changed Simon Peter and Paul’s names and lives. She longed also to see the Lord change her and her name. Her prayer was answered. Due to her zeal to work for the Lord, she was appointed deacon in the church and people started calling her Mama Kanisa, which means “Mother Church.”

Learn how you can submit articles and win cash in the LittWorld 2012 writing contest, “Blogging for Global Impact.”

This article was originally submitted in French. The English translation is by Benjamin Kisoni.

Photo above courtesy africa

You’ll be inspired by this dream for Christian publishing in Uganda by Rekisa, submitted to the LittWorld writing competition:

Over the years, as my heart and hand have been released to write, I have come to love the craft and to appreciate those who inspired and encouraged me to dare express and share from my heart. Sadly, appreciation and support for creative writing in Uganda has diminished, even the tradition of teaching and discussing the word of God at home and in school.  While baring the secrets and dreams of your soul can positively impact lives, sharing personal knowledge of the extreme love of God towards us all, and how He watches over each one, has the power to liberate and transform.

If we are to draw people into the Kingdom of God, Christian publishing must become more relevant, and purposefully seek to influence a critical mass of children and teens (Proverbs 22:6) around the country. Christian publishing must also become more innovative, popular and accessible, complimenting other mediums of education, evangelism, discipleship and mentoring.

In becoming more strategic, Christian publishing should diversify and publish books, comics, magazines, and games that target the age bracket 2 – 17; these should be accessible over the Internet, and also compliment study and play kits including puzzles, toys, stickers and computer games. Publications should teach the love, grace, principals, promises and power of God, to help children and teens anchor their lives on biblical values and truths.

In my dream, Christian publishers belong to a formal fraternity committed to help identify and stimulate writing talent and creativity through writer clubs and seminars; they encourage regular submission of the work of local writers to national and international writer competitions, submit publications to the national  education curriculum, subsidise work by young writers, and support writing in the local language.

Learn how you can submit articles and win cash in the LittWorld 2012 writing contest, “Blogging for Global Impact.”

Learn how comics are a popular genre and effective tool for sharing the Gospel in this video interview of award-winning French artist/author Didier Millotte by MAI President John Maust. Didier will be a featured speaker at LittWorld 2012 in Nairobi, Kenya.

Utibe-Abasi Inyang Ekpe of Nigeria responded to the writing prompt, “What is your dream for Christian publishing in your country?” with this submission to the LittWorld 2012 writing contest:

In my country, there are many beautiful Christian materials but I can’t say if they are actually “published” in the actual sense of the word since they are hardly ever distributed. I belief the sole aim of publishing is to get the material out to the public. It is easy though, to get ones hands on the books written by general overseers of renowned ministries in Nigeria; but apart from theirs, you will come across beautiful works of Nigerian Christian authors mostly by accident.

But I dream of a better publishing future… I see Nigeria having Christian publishing houses of the highest standards, controlled by Holy Spirit filled personnel, and they will publish only works that are rightly founded on the Word, filled with Holy Spirit inspired messages targeted at addressing the issues and needs of the Nigerian Church. I want to be able to pick up a book by a Nigerian author, look at the spine for the name and logo of the publishers and say to myself, this will be a great book to read…these guys publish the very best.

Publishers with a standard of holiness will encourage authors of the same standard and the Christian books released into the Nigerian system will encourage a deeper and more rewarding relationship with God rather than focusing on achieving success that is measured by the world standard. I see a country where everyone will have or be encouraged to have a clearly defined stand; “for Christ” or “not for Christ” and no more will it be that what is wrong on Sunday in the Church, isn’t all that bad on Monday in the office. But every book or article that is worth reading, every message that is worth listening to will be that which will encourage righteousness and holiness.

Learn how you can submit articles and win cash in the LittWorld 2012 writing contest, “Blogging for Global Impact.”

“Tell how someone you know in your country was spiritually transformed by the written word.” Margaret Siri Ngwa of Cameroon responded with this submission to the LittWorld 2012 writing contest:

When Siri saw the writing prompt, she repeated it slowly, “Someone I know in my country who was spiritually transformed by the written word,” then she dashed into her room, grabbed a notebook and a pen but wrote nothing. Instead she sat at the foot of the bed with both hands supporting her head; she took a long walk down the once spooky, sad and lonely memory runway.

After a laborious soul search, she saw Siri back in the days curled up in a foetal position, shattered and sobbing with uncontrollable grief, her little girl had died of malaria. She had refused to forget. Then she became sad, frightened and withdrawn.  The written word became an escape. She listened to and searched the word in the Bible.

Suddenly she stumbled onto 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Isaiah 41:10. Romans 8:28. Her mind became clearer and it dawned on her that the son of the almighty God -Jesus Christ also died. She learnt how to pray.

Reading the word was the beginning of inner healing and inspiration. It is so powerful in the way it changes old into new.

The new and better Siri has captured the written word wherever it is lodged -MAI online literature, songs, tracks, Christian and inspirational books.

It has humbled the once withdrawn and depressed young housewife into an empowered right thinking person with an insatiable desire for the written word.

When Siri travels, she always has an excess luggage of Christian literature. Currently, she is a debut Christian writer with a dream to use her writing and the right words to empower and heal people like her from hurt and distress.

Learn how you can submit articles and win cash in the LittWorld 2012 writing contest, “Blogging for Global Impact.”

Esme James of Sierre Leone submitted this article in response to the writing prompt, “Tell how someone you know in your country was spiritually transformed by the written word.”

Lafayette Roberts left school at fifteen, after only two years in high school. No one could make him go back. He wanted to become a soldier, to fight in the rebel war. It took two years of doing odd jobs around the barracks before he was conscripted. It took another year to get to the war front.

“Once there I did all the things that young soldiers do: some good, some bad.” Five years later, wounded, he was discharged. Except for forms he had had to fill, he had not read anything for nearly ten years.

He left for Ivory Coast where he stayed with an aunt who made him go to school – and to church. There, he found what he had been searching for. In time, he became a committed, born-again Christian. Wanting to learn more about Christ, he enrolled in a month-long Bible school where he discovered the joy of reading the Bible and other Christian literature.

Because the French language posed a challenge, he left for Ghana. There his voracious appetite for the Bible and Christian literature was satisfied. He borrowed books and read avidly. Then he found work in a Christian bookshop!

“In my spare time, I read every book that I could and bought some at discount prices to build my personal library. The hidden things are in books, and I was enlightened. I read about great Christian reformers and learnt about leadership, counseling, preaching, teaching, relationships and being an intercessor. Reading takes you into new experiences.”

A fast reader, Lafayette spends most his money on Christian books. He has a prodigious memory, seldom forgetting what he reads. His discussions are interspersed with biblical quotations or references to something he has read. “Christian literature can change Sierra Leone, if only people are willing to read.”

Learn how you can submit articles and win cash in the LittWorld 2012 writing contest, “Blogging for Global Impact.”