Remaining Steadfast in God’s Passion at Gospel for Asia

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) – Diane shares her thoughts and heart about how she and her husband, Kevin, were called by God to the ministry of behind-the-scenes missionaries. Read how they have kept their vision and passion alive throughout 15 years of service at Gospel for Asia (GFA).

It was around the time of the terrorists’ attack on the World Trade Centers, in 2001, that my husband, Kevin, had already been praying about re-joining the military, thinking that would solve the restless feeling he had. But then we saw a page in Gospel for Asia’s quarterly magazine, advertising the need for staff. When we saw the need at the ministry, Kevin realized the Lord was directing him to help others in a different way.

It was that simple.

Facing the ‘Impossible’

Deep down, Kevin and I thought it would be impossible for us to work at a ministry with our four young children, ages ranging from 2 to 9 years old. But despite this, both of us were in agreement to step out in faith and see what the Lord would do. With the Lord’s guidance, through prayer, we applied for staff and were accepted in 2003.

We were nervous and excited as we set out for Texas as a family. God used our experience,  being stationed in the Philippines with the military for three years, to give us a heart for the world. We had never thought we would be able to share God’s love in Asia by serving in Texas.

Serving Together as a Family

Since we had a family, Kevin and I thought it was very important to lead our kids by example—to be doers of the Word and not just hearers. If we care about others, our children need to see us taking action in our lives to demonstrate that.

The environment at the Gospel for Asia (GFA) office was very open for the whole family to help where they could. Our children were home-schooled, so this allowed them time to come to the office and help with various projects; sometimes that meant working alongside mom or dad.

I only took on jobs that allowed the kids to work with me, since my primary job was at home. Kevin, on the other hand, worked full-time in the office.

An Impactful Pillar

At Gospel for Asia (GFA), we are always reminded to keep prayer a priority above the tasks of our jobs. Prayer is a pillar of the ministry. Gospel for Asia (GFA) was started by prayer and is sustained by prayer.

We were thankful that our children were also included in the Tuesday night and Friday night prayer meetings. Through the years, even more prayer times have been added to keep staff focused and encouraged. It is such a privilege to be surrounded by prayer.

Even though there are a lot of blessings that come with the ministry life, doing full-time ministry is hard work sometimes. We’ve been able to make it through challenges by always remembering to keep focused. The primary way we do this is by spending time with God through personal prayer and reading His Word. Seeking Him to keep our hearts in the right place to receive His direction is a priority in our lives.

We also remind ourselves that what we do here in Texas affects pastors, national missionaries, Sisters of Compassion and various other brothers and sisters and their ministries in Asia. We reflect on how David, in the Old Testament, declared that those who stay behind to work are just as much part of the work as those who are out being the hands and feet of Jesus (1 Samuel 30:22-24).

Why We Do What We Do

In our hearts, Kevin and I know our sacrifice is to stay behind so we can support others who live where the needs are so great. We have learned that part of the ministry work we do here is encouraging others to think beyond their own lives. There are so many who suffer, and we need others to catch this vision in order to help spread the workload.

We press on, remembering what the purpose of the Church is—we are Christ’s hands and feet to the world. The passion for others that the Lord gave to us keeps us going. He has allowed us to do this. Our time on the earth is short, and others will need to continue in God’s work, as long as time allows.

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*Names of people and places may have been changed for privacy and security reasons. Images are Gospel for Asia stock photos used for representation purposes and are not the actual person/location, unless otherwise noted.