Middle East University students used digital media, storytelling, and design to explore and share the love of Jesus through the first-ever Redefine creative contest, held in collaboration with Hope Channel MENA and Middle East University amid the challenges of war in Lebanon.
War broke out in Lebanon just weeks after Hope Channel MENA announced Redefine, a first-of-its-kind creative contest developed in collaboration with MEU. The initiative invited students to explore how the love of God is understood—and often misunderstood—in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and to express that message through digital media in three categories: marketing campaign, video, and art/illustration.
“We didn’t know if anyone would submit anything during such difficult times,” said Moises Cordova, Hope Channel MENA manager, “but students responded.”
At the April 1 Awards Night, Jean Jack Kareh, Hope Channel MENA Director, told students, “With all that is happening around us, the fact that you’re here shows that you are all winners. The best way to share God’s love is with your own voice and from your own story, and that is what I’ve seen in all of these projects.”
Kareh emphasized that the project challenged participants to ask a deeper question: what does Jesus mean to me? In a world where everything is being redefined—our identity, purpose, the meaning of life, and love itself—he noted the importance of knowing that Jesus is more than a historical figure or someone found only in the Bible or in churches. “He’s here, among us… the purpose of our lives. And we pray that through our work, Jesus will become everyone’s purpose.”
MEU President Dr. Carlos Biaggi also expressed his gratitude to students for finding time amid demanding schedules and difficult circumstances to “come up with something new and different to show the love of Jesus.”
Contest submissions were evaluated by a panel of media and academic professionals, including Eduardo Bovo (Engagement Manager), Bassam Abdalla (MEU Marketing lecturer), Steve Creitz (Assistant Professor of Art and Design), Yair Hernandez (Creative Director), Helen De Freitas (Content Coordinator), and Samily Carvalho (Marketing Coordinator). Entries were judged on creativity and originality, alignment with the message, technical quality, and overall communication effectiveness, using a percentage system to determine the winners.
First place went to a team of four students—Helena Abdallah, Bael Elia, Serla Ohannessian, and Anthony Telessemian—who collaborated on a marketing campaign proposal.
“We weren’t sure about doing it at first, with exams, the stress of war, and being generally busy,” they said, “but we recognized it as an opportunity to share our work while helping people grow in their relationship with God.”
Their marketing campaign proposal outlined a six-part escape room series involving four different characters struggling with specific problems. Using symbolism, they outlined a journey from darkness into light through a deeper connection with God.
The team was guided by the belief that life isn’t all about struggles. “We shouldn't stay in darkness like there’s no solution,” they shared. “We go through this war and dark times–we can’t stay in darkness… there is someone beside us… protecting us… listening to us.”
Speaking about their creative process, the team celebrated their decision to not use AI in the initial brainstorming and planning process. “It was challenging,” they confessed, “but we were surprised by what we could actually do and it certainly helped us think more creatively.”
Second place was awarded to Sabrina Karam for a poster weaving together familiar and unfamiliar words to convey a powerful message: God’s love is like a book written in a language not yet learned. Through layered text, sign language, and symbolic lettering, she illustrated that “to understand God’s love, we must first learn His language.”
Darius Laflouf earned third place with an Instagram video demonstrating God’s love by people practically helping others in the ups and downs of everyday encounters. Other participants received award certificates for projects including social media and visual art pieces centered on biblical themes and media concepts aimed at reaching underserved language groups in the region.
Acknowledging how vulnerable it can feel to share creative work for public evaluation, MENA Union Treasurer Mark Haddad commended the students for their efforts and framed the contest within the broader mission of the church. He highlighted the challenge of sharing the gospel across 19 countries and more than 600 million people, where Adventists are a small minority. He added that Hope Channel and creative ministries play an important role in reaching audiences who don’t know who Jesus is or who have misconceptions about him.
The Redefine Contest Awards Night showcased creativity and collaboration. Yair Hernandez, Creative Director, who worked behind the scenes to ensure a polished experience, noted that modeling the use of available resources to pursue excellence provides strong support for students as they develop their skills and professionalism.
The Contest showcased more than student creativity; it raised awareness of media ministry as a meaningful space for mission. Through the collaboration between Middle East University and the Middle East and North Africa Union, students were invited to explore how digital media, design, and storytelling can share hope across the region.
As part of the prizes, winners were also given opportunities to collaborate with Hope Channel MENA, develop their ideas, and put them into practice in a real ministry context. In this way, Redefine became a bridge for future talents who may feel called to serve God through creativity, excellence, and purpose.