(January 21, 2011 - by Harold Goerzen) The Luis Palau Association announced in mid-December that HCJB Global is one of two recipients to be recognized with the organization's 2010 Partnership Award.

"We gave out two partnership awards in 2010," explains David Jones, vice president of corporate affairs at the Luis Palau Association. "One went to HCJB Global for our 50-year history of working together and for our collaboration on Continente 2010; and the other went to TWR International for more than four decades of working together and collaboration in broadcasting the Love Kampala Festival with Andrew Palau across Africa."

Continente 2010 was a weeklong event that incorporated live broadcasts on television and radio each weekday evening during Easter Holy Week, March 29-April 4.

The live call-in format for Luis Palau Responde (Night Talk) employed call screeners in 26 countries. The programs aired across Latin America via the Enlace television network and Radio Station HCJB. This was a joint project involving the Luis Palau Association, Enlace and HCJB Global.

With more than 5,350 television and radio partners rebroadcasting the Enlace program, event organizers estimated that the broadcasts reached tens of millions of people every evening.

"What a chore figuring out who would get to actually talk to Luis on live TV and radio," Jones said. "By the end of the week, Luis had counseled callers from Argentina, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and even the U.S."

Palau added that callers had "deep-seated, difficult issues they were facing from divorce and sexual addiction or assault to depression, suicide and even murder. I shared the truth of the love and forgiveness found in Jesus Christ that is available to everyone. Many made first-time commitments to Jesus Christ right there with me on the phone. Only God knows how many more who were watching or listening also gave their lives to Christ!"

HCJB Global President Wayne Pederson said he is thankful for this special recognition, reflecting the mission's ongoing commitment to serve with partners around the world.

"In his late teens Luis Palau rededicated his life to Jesus while listening to Billy Graham late at night on Radio Station HCJB via shortwave in Argentina," Pederson related. "Years later, HCJB Global was able to help this powerful young evangelist use television for the first time to connect with viewers. We've enjoyed this wonderful, growing relationship with Luis and his team. He is now one of our greatest encouragers, and we're grateful for this thoughtful recognition from the Luis Palau Association."

Palau first started counseling people on live television in 1965 when he was invited by HCJB TV (an outreach later discontinued) in Quito, Ecuador, to take calls from spiritual seekers and questioning skeptics.

Sources: HCJB Global, Luis Palau Association