Okay, before I get to today's blog: I rarely pass on any of the “isn’t this cool?” emails I get, but I kind of like this one. Not only for the “I don’t know how this works” factor, but for what you see when you follow the instructions:

Media Associates International (MAI) is a great ministry that equips and encourages talented men and women with a passion for producing Christian literature for their own people. Here’s more about what they do:

Imagine this. . . You go to your local bookstore and begin to browse, but something is wrong. The titles sound odd. You begin to read and the situations described in the books are hard to understand—they're from another country. None of the books are written by local authors, people who know and understand the culture you live in and the issues you face.

That's what happens time after time throughout Asia, Africa, East/Central Europe, and Latin America. In many countries, fewer than 10 percent of Christian materials on the shelves in Christian bookstores are from local writers.

…We advance the Gospel by training Christians to produce literature that nurtures the church and attracts readers to Christ. We believe God uses the written word to transform lives.

Eternal Perspective Ministries has supported MAI, and I recommend you consider supporting it, too. One small way to do so is by placing a quick vote. MAI is participating in a program called “Giving of Life”, which provides fans with an opportunity to vote for a ministry. After the voting ends, the 10 ministries with the most votes will go before a selection committee, which will choose three of them to receive grant awards of $50,000, $20,000, and $10,000. To vote, click this link and you will see the MAI page and a green “VOTE” button. (Voting will end Friday, November 4.)