2026-03-17T17:24:39+00:00

Last updated on: March 17, 2026 at 5:24 pm   By
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WILLS POINT, TX — A vision to launch “Christ-centered healthcare” and help bring transformation to communities across Africa is underway with the construction of a new state-of-the-art hospital, medical university and research center in Rwanda.

GFA World’s latest undertaking aims to equip African doctors, nurses, and researchers to lead a faith-centered healthcare movement in their own communities — a critical need in a continent where millions lack access to both medical care and the Gospel.

Epicenter for Healthcare Training Center in Africa Transforms Care
NEXT GENERATION OF AFRICA HEALTHCARE: GFA World (www.gfa.org) is helping to lay the foundation for a new state-of-the-art hospital, medical university and research center in Rwanda — with its sights set on establishing “Christ-centered healthcare and transforming communities” across the African continent. The hospital is projected to open its doors in June.

June will mark the launch of a landmark medical initiative in East Africa: a 300-bed specialist hospital and medical university designed to serve as a training hub for the entire continent. Watch here.

The aim of the project is to expand beyond Rwanda in the next decade, launching “community transformation projects across the African continent,” an area three times the size of the U.S.

“We’re already seeing community transformation in Rwanda, through the brothers and sisters ministering there now,” said GFA World president Bishop Daniel. “This hospital will be a catalyst for impact, bringing both much-needed medical care as well as the love of Christ to people in need of both.”

A Vision for Continental Transformation

The project includes building a network of local and international partnerships, training thousands of new African medical professionals and missionaries, with African nationals central to the future.

In the next decade, the organization aims to help train 10,000 local African missionaries, help serve 100,000 African communities with programs such as medical camps and clinics in remote areas, and help provide clean drinking water for millions of Africans through its “Jesus Wells” and other innovative water projects.

The organization’s vision began to take shape in 2019 when Rwandan church leaders extended an invitation to begin working in Rwanda, including establishing a hospital to serve the nation. GFA World founder K.P. Yohannan met the challenge, following God’s leading to serve communities across Africa through “Christ-centered healthcare”.

Launchpad for Medical Missions

The new medical hub in Rwanda will be the launchpad for community projects across Africa — creating a sustainable model for faith-based healthcare.

The facility will provide extensive specialist services including cardiology, neurology, and intensive care, and is projected to treat more than 500,000 patients with “world-class medical care” in the first two years.

In the future, the project will also include the construction of a medical university and campus on-site, along with an advanced medical research center that will focus on oncology, transplants, and other specialized sectors.

The hospital is modeled after an established hospital and training center in Asia that has been operating for more than a decade and helps about 2,000 outpatients every day.

“Together, we can lay the foundation for transformational, Christ-centered change across the continent,” Bishop Daniel said.

About GFA World

GFA World (www.gfa.org) is a leading faith-based global mission agency, helping thousands of national missionaries bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Africa and Asia, and sharing the love of God. In a typical year, this includes thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in hundreds of villages and remote communities, and more than 150,000 families provided with the means to break the cycle of poverty through income-generating gifts. More than 40,000 fresh water wells have been drilled since 2007, hundreds of thousands of women are now empowered through literacy training, and Christ-motivated ministry takes place every day throughout 18 nations. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit the Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news.

MEDIA: To arrange an interview, please contact Palmer Holt at 704-662-2569 or [email protected].

2025-12-06T10:10:43+00:00

Last updated on: December 6, 2025 at 10:10 am   By
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WILLS POINT, TX — Church relief teams in Sri Lanka are wading through perilous flood waters to hand-deliver food parcels to families after tropical storms caused devastation across South Asia, claiming more than 1,000 lives.

More heavy rainfall is expected in the coming days as Sri Lanka and other parts of the region are left reeling from the cluster of tropical cyclones, forcing thousands to evacuate.

“Major flood risks and landslide warnings pose a grave danger to communities and churches,” mission agency GFA World (www.gfa.org) reports. “Several of our churches are located within the landslide warning zones, meaning residents must evacuate.”

South Asia Flood Relief: GFA World Partners with Church Teams
CHURCH TEAMS RESPOND TO DEADLY CYCLONES: Texas-based GFA World has launched an emergency appeal as local churches in Sri Lanka respond to urgent needs in the wake of devastating floods and deadly landslides.

The Texas-based organization has launched an emergency appeal as the death toll in Sri Lanka and across the region continues to climb. In Sri Lanka, an island nation off the Indian subcontinent, more than 360 people have lost their lives, hundreds of homes have been damaged or destroyed, with tens of thousands of people displaced and in temporary shelters. Some areas in the central tea-growing hills have been virtually cut off by flood waters in the wake of Cyclone Ditwah.

Local Christians Are ‘Ready-Made Relief Force’

Local missionaries supported by GFA World and local church volunteers were among the first responders, braving floods to deliver food packages to their neighbors in distress, and helping those forced to abandon their homes.

“This reminds me of what happened in 2004 with the Indian Ocean tsunami when we started our relief work there, when both the physical and spiritual need was so acute,” said the organization’s president, Bishop Daniel Timotheos Yohannan, who frequently visits Sri Lankan church leaders. “Local churches are at the heart of the response, showing Christ’s love to everyone, regardless of their beliefs.”

VIDEO: Click here to watch Bishop Daniel.

In 2004, a massive tsunami claimed the lives of more than 227,000 people across South Asia, including Sri Lanka. Since then, GFA World has responded to many natural disasters, and distributed more than 40 tons of relief supplies to flood victims in Sri Lanka, Nepal and India in a single year.

Amid the current crisis, Bishop Daniel called for prayer “for the people of South Asia as they endure the aftermath of these devastating tropical storms.”

In the coming weeks, local missionaries and congregations supported by GFA World aim to help “as many people as possible,” he said.

Help includes distributing meals, clean drinking water, sanitary items and medicine. Long term efforts will involve helping to restore damaged houses and churches, cleaning wells, and holding a medical camp to treat skin disease, fevers, and epidemics that often follow severe flooding.

“Our goal is to show people everywhere they are not forgotten, and that they are loved and cherished by God,” Bishop Daniel said.

About GFA World

GFA World (www.gfa.org) is a leading faith-based global missions agency, helping thousands of national missionaries bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Africa and Asia, and sharing the love of God. In a typical year, this includes thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in hundreds of villages and remote communities, and more than 150,000 families provided with the means to break the cycle of poverty through income-generating gifts. More than 40,000 fresh water wells have been drilled since 2007, hundreds of thousands of women are now empowered through literacy training, and Christ-motivated ministry takes place every day throughout 18 nations. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit the Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news.

MEDIA: To arrange an interview with GFA World, contact: 413-304-1203, [email protected]

2025-12-03T04:15:08+00:00

Last updated on: December 3, 2025 at 4:15 am   By
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WILLS POINT, TX — GFA World has launched an ambitious campaign to raise funds for 150 “Jesus Wells” by December 31, 2025 through its Giving Tuesday “Jesus Wells” initiative. This goal to provide clean water for 45,000 people in Africa and Asia helps fulfill their mission to bring the love of Christ to communities in need. A donation of just $16 can help provide enough well water for three people, offering physical relief in the name of Jesus.

Giving Tuesday clean water campaign: Fund 150 Jesus Wells Now!
GFA World has already raised enough funds so far to reach approximately 21,000 people with their ‘Jesus Wells’

“These Jesus Wells help transform communities in Christ’s name by providing hope in a tangible way,” said Bishop Daniel, president of GFA World. “This simple act not only fulfills a basic human need but is also a constant reminder that Jesus provides Living Water.”

Each well provides sustainable access to safe water, helping entire communities thrive. Children gain a stronger chance to live past age five since they are no longer as vulnerable to waterborne disease, and communities can save up to 2.6 million miles of walking to find water. As families spend less time searching for water, parents can work, and children can attend school.

Since the program began in 2007, GFA World has installed more than 40,000 wells and has provided clean water to over 39 million people. Built to last up to 20 years and commonly drilled as deep as 200 meters—much deeper than typical wells—these wells deliver water even in the driest seasons. Their easily replaced parts and durable handpumps ensure long-term service as well.

For more information about GFA World’s latest “Jesus Wells” campaign, visit http://www.jesuswells.org.

About GFA World

GFA World (www.gfa.org) is a leading faith-based global missions agency, helping thousands of national missionaries bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Africa and Asia, and sharing the love of God. In a typical year, this includes thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in hundreds of villages and remote communities, and more than 150,000 families provided with the means to break the cycle of poverty through income-generating gifts. More than 40,000 fresh water wells have been drilled since 2007, hundreds of thousands of women are now empowered through literacy training, and Christ-motivated ministry takes place every day throughout 18 nations. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit the Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news.

MEDIA: To arrange an interview with GFA World, contact: 413-304-1203, [email protected]

2026-03-17T17:26:32+00:00

Last updated on: March 17, 2026 at 5:26 pm   By
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WILLS POINT, TX — A Texas-based missions agency helping thousands of widows in crisis across Asia and Africa is spotlighting their agonizing plight to mark International Widows Day, June 23.

“Millions of widows live in societies where they’re considered a curse, shunned, abused, and abandoned,” said Bishop Daniel Timotheos Yohannan, president of GFA World. “They’re often blamed or neglected for their husband’s death, regardless of the circumstances.”

Widows Island

Missions agency GFA World is spotlighting the desperate plight of widows around the world to mark International Widows Day, June 23.
HOPE FOR SUFFERING WIDOWS: Missions agency GFA World (www.gfa.org) is spotlighting the desperate plight of widows around the globe to mark International Widows Day, June 23.

The ministry supports specially trained national — or local — missionaries called Sisters of the Cross, including those who serve “forgotten” widows on an isolated island.

Many of the widows living there lost their husbands in the perilous fishing waters that surround the island. Alone and cut off from the mainland, they struggled to survive — but the Sisters have forged deep friendships with them, living among them, and showing them “the love of God.”

With GFA World’s support, they’ve provided food, shelter, and farm animals that help generate income. The impact has been life-transforming — creating mother-daughter type bonds between the older widows and the younger missionaries.

It’s a model for the organization’s widow ministry in other parts of the world where millions of widows are overlooked — even despised.

Greatest Tragedy

Across Africa and Asia, many older widows are forced to scavenge or beg to survive, while younger widows may be forced into prostitution or exploited for slave labor.

Stigma, shame and despair can drive many to suicide, the mission organization says.

Globally, it’s estimated there are more than 258 million widows, and that 38 million of them live in extreme poverty. The annual International Widows Day aims to put their plight front and center.

Shocking mistreatment of widows includes:

  • In Nigeria, widows were locked in a room with their husbands’ corpses and forced to shave their own heads — a ritual of shame­
  • In Afghanistan, outcast widows had to establish their own “colony” on a hillside above a cemetery, cut off from mainstream life
  • In sub-Saharan Africa, widows can be forced to take part in abusive “cleansing” rituals, including having sex with relatives of their dead husband­­
  • Across Africa and Asia, widows often lose everything after their husband dies, including their home and possessions

“As tragic as their situation is, the greatest tragedy is that millions of widows worldwide have never heard that God loves them,” Bishop Daniel said. “We’re dedicated to giving widows hope today and hope for eternity.”

GFA World is one of many faith-based organizations helping the most vulnerable widows in Africa and Asia. The organization provides food, income-generating farm animals such as cows and goats, medical care, literacy classes, and vocational training.

More information is available at http://www.gfa.org/widows.

About GFA World (formerly Gospel for Asia)

GFA World is a leading faith-based global mission agency, helping thousands of national missionaries bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Africa and Asia, and sharing the love of God. In a typical year, this includes thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in hundreds of villages and remote communities, and more than 150,000 families provided with the means to break the cycle of poverty through income-generating gifts. More than 40,000 fresh water wells have been drilled since 2007, hundreds of thousands of women are now empowered through literacy training, and Christ-motivated ministry takes place every day throughout 18 nations. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit the Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news.

2025-11-11T19:23:06+00:00

Last updated on: November 11, 2025 at 7:23 pm   By
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WILLS POINT, TX — After 45 years of groundbreaking ministry in Asia that includes sending out thousands of national missionaries, a U.S.-based mission organization is expanding in Africa. Texas-based GFA World (www.gfa.org) — formerly known as Gospel for Asia — is moving into a new frontier, with the launch of a new missions base in Liberia in addition to projects already underway in Rwanda.

“Africa is bursting with possibilities,” said Bishop Daniel Timotheos Yohannan, the organization’s new president. “Roughly 40 percent of the population of Liberia, for example, is under the age of 15.”

GFA World Extends Missionary Movement to Liberia, West Africa
NEW WAVE OF HOPE ACROSS AFRICA: Texas-based GFA World (www.gfa.org) has launched a new mission base in Liberia, in addition to the construction of a large-scale multi-specialty hospital and training complex in Kigali, Rwanda — a “springboard” for ministry across Africa.

Across Africa, it is estimated at least 32 million children of primary age, mostly girls, do not attend school because their families cannot afford the fees. GFA World’s child sponsorship program seeks to change that, and actively partners with communities.

The organization is also launching projects and missionary training in Liberia.

Training and equipping nationals — or locals — to do missionary work is nothing new to GFA World. In the 1980s, its founder, K.P. Yohannan, launched what was described as a “revolution in world missions,” sending thousands of trained national missionaries on foot and bicycles to “share the love of God” in communities across Asia, bringing hope and healing to places where there was no previous exposure to the Gospel.

‘Never Met a Christian’

Many people in isolated villages have never heard the Gospel message — or even met a Christian — while millions live and die without ever hearing the name of Jesus Christ, the missions organization says.

“National missionaries know the local customs, languages, and beliefs, and don’t face travel or visa restrictions that cross-cultural workers have,” said Timotheos Yohannan, adding that local missionaries “can easily connect with their own people.”

Meanwhile, the organization’s ministry base in Kigali, Rwanda, continues to expand. With one of the highest-density populations in Africa, there is only one doctor for every 8,300 people. The organization is constructing a large-scale multi-specialty hospital and medical training complex that is modelled on its state-of-the-art facility in Asia that helps nearly 2,000 patients every day and trains hundreds of medical students.

The Rwanda-based hospital complex will train medical professionals from across Africa, as well as help set up a network of permanent health clinics.

Plans are underway for new projects in Liberia, mirroring the work in Rwanda — including educational opportunities for children, clean water projects known as “Jesus Wells,” and medical camps where the most at risk families can get free healthcare.

“One-third of the world’s communities are still waiting to experience Christ’s love for the first time,” said Timotheos Yohannan. “No one should die without knowing the love of Christ.”

About GFA World (formerly Gospel for Asia)

GFA World is a leading faith-based global mission agency, helping thousands of national missionaries bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Africa and Asia, and sharing the love of God. In a typical year, this includes thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in hundreds of villages and remote communities, and helping more than 150,000 families break the cycle of poverty through income-generating gifts. More than 40,000 freshwater wells have been drilled since 2007, hundreds of thousands of women are now empowered through literacy training, and Christ-motivated ministry takes place every day throughout 18 nations. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit the Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news.

For more details and to arrange an interview, contact: Gregg Wooding @ 972-567-7660 or [email protected]

2024-11-04T15:50:26+00:00

Last updated on: November 4, 2024 at 3:50 pm   By
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WILLS POINT, TX — At Prestonwood Baptist Church in Dallas on October 18, GFA World (www.gfa.org) led a special “Celebration of Life” service for its founder and leader, K.P. Yohannan, who passed tragically in May of this year. The service had over 250 attendees, including prominent Christian leaders and pastors such as Jack Graham, Francis Chan, Hank Hanegraaff, Johnnie Moore, David Mains, Frank Sontag, and Troy Miller.

As a pioneer of one of the largest mission movements in history, many leaders, friends, and family members reminded those in attendance of K.P. Yohannan’s impact across tens of thousands of communities in nearly 20 countries, thanks to his unwavering dedication to sharing the Gospel. During the service, attendees shared fond memories and reflections on K.P.’s legacy of humility, deep faith, and his genuine care for the hurting and those without Christ in this world.

“Metropolitan was a gift to all of us,” said Pastor Jack Graham. While recalling words to describe K.P., Graham said he considered him a revolutionary, visionary, man of God, passionate evangelist, spiritual leader, and a humble servant of Christ.

Francis Chan speaking at the KP Yohannan Memorial
Francis Chan prays at the conclusion of his remarks, celebrating the life of his friend K.P. Yohannan. (Photo Credit: GFA World)

“I don’t know who I would be had I not met and known him,” Francis Chan said of his friendship with K.P. “Every time he saw me, he’d go, ‘You know Francis, I pray for you every single day. I really do.’ Here’s a person who is doing exponentially more than I’ve ever done, and yet somehow he could keep this deep communion with Christ, and he could look at me and tell me that he loved me, and he honestly prayed for me every day. And that example is what I’m striving for now.”

“Metropolitan was no ordinary Christian,” Johnnie Moore said in his remarks. “He was a once-in-a-century figure whose ministry will live on after him for generations. This great leader, this history-making Christian figure, had surrendered his life entirely to Jesus once and for all at the very beginning of his ministry, and he surrendered it again and again every day for nearly 60 years of Christian service. He was faithful, and he was consistent.”

“I loved him the first moment I met him,” Hank Hanegraaff told those at the memorial. “And I have loved him ever since. I can tell you I have never, ever seen a more selfless leader than K. P. Yohannan. I thank God for the inspiration he has been in my life, and I pray that we might carry on the task that Jesus Christ has given to us.”

Addressing the future of the ministry, K.P.’s wife, Gisela, said, “What will happen to GFA World after he is gone now? GFA World will remain the same. We will keep on [sharing Christ’s love] through training and sending out national missionaries. And we will do it with the same heart and the same values my husband has passed on to all of us.”

“The future looks very bright for GFA World as President Bishop Daniel takes on the responsibility of the ministry,” Gisela added. “We are grateful to God that he is bringing the same genuine faith and compassion for the lost that his father had for this world.”

Bishop Daniel, K.P.’s son and now GFA World’s President, expressed heartfelt gratitude for the outpouring of love he has personally received since the death of his father. He was thankful that K.P.’s friends took the time to share the many ways they were personally encouraged by his father’s ministry and friendship.

“It’s so clear to me that my wonderful father is leaving a legacy of unwavering faith, selfless service, and genuine Christian love,” said Bishop Daniel. “Hearing his friends share how they were fundamentally changed by my father’s love and his sincere kindness gave me an incredible sense of joy and gratefulness. He blessed thousands of souls in need of Jesus, and yet, in his grand vision and bold missionary work, he never forgot to intentionally love his family and friends. Ten thousand miles away, or in his own home, he was the same Christ-like example wherever his feet were planted.”

For those looking to speak with Bishop Daniel to hear more about the life and legacy of K.P. Yohannan and the future of GFA World, please reach out to [email protected].

About Bishop Daniel

Bishop Daniel is a global Christian leader who serves as President of GFA World. He is also a consecrated bishop of Believers Eastern Church. In his role as president, Bishop Daniel serves as a primary link between thousands of Christian workers and missionaries serving throughout Asia and Africa and the rest of the church worldwide. At a very young age, Bishop Daniel sensed his own personal calling from the Lord and he dedicated the rest of his life to those who had not yet encountered the hope of Christ. He has been in ministry for more than four decades. While traveling frequently, he resides at GFA World headquarters in Texas.

About GFA World

Since 1979, GFA World (www.gfa.org) has been committed to serving the “least of these” in Asia and Africa, often in places where no one else is serving, so they can experience the love of God for the first time. GFA World supports national workers serving as the hands and feet of Christ in four main ways: Sponsoring national missionaries to minister to people’s needs, sponsoring children, investing in community development, and helping families in need of care or during disasters. For all the latest news, visit the Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news.

Learn more about KP Yohannan (Metropolitan Yohan): Facebook | SourceWatch | 6 Remarkable Facts | 10 Milestones | Condolences | Tributes | Online Memorial

2025-06-23T21:51:21+00:00

Last updated on: June 23, 2025 at 9:51 pm   By
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WILLS POINT, TX — U.S. mission organization GFA World (www.gfa.org) is responding to deadly floods in the South Asian nation of Nepal — a disaster on the scale of Hurricane Helene in the U.S.

As the Southeastern U.S. reels from the devastation and death toll caused by Helene, the landlocked nation of Nepal — famous for Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak — has also suffered deadly flooding on a massive scale.

Nepal Flood Relief: GFA World Respond Hurricane Helene Scale Flood
RELIEF FOR NEPAL FLOOD VICTIMS: Torrential monsoon rains triggered floods and landslides in Nepal that have claimed nearly 200 lives with dozens still missing. GFA World (www.gfa.org) is providing relief aid through local partners in the South Asia nation, home to Mount Everest.

In Nepal, torrential monsoon rains triggered floods and landslides that have claimed nearly 200 lives with dozens still missing, including in the capital, Kathmandu.

In Lalitpur, a city with 300,000 residents south of the capital, rescue teams were digging with their bare hands around the clock to reach people buried under thick mud and rubble, according to reports.

‘Heart-Wrenching’ Situation

“The situation in Nepal is heart-wrenching right now,” said Bishop Daniel, president of GFA World, a faith-based ministry that supports national missionaries across Asia and Africa.

Thousands of people are in desperate need of food and shelter after flood waters and rivers of thick mud barreled through the Kathmandu valley, the Texas-based organization reported.

“Our local partners in Nepal are providing relief aid such as food for those affected, and reports are trickling in of church members who’ve lost their homes,” Bishop Daniel said. “We’re asking people to keep all those suffering in Nepal in their prayers, along with those suffering in the southern U.S.”

Located between India and China, Nepal is used to heavy annual monsoon rains, but experts say the scale of this flooding is unprecedented, causing chaos across central and eastern parts of the country.

GFA World has played a leading role in supporting compassion-centered humanitarian projects in the isolated nation, which has a population of 31 million.

National missionaries trained and supported by the organization trek through the Himalaya Mountains to share the love of God with people in remote villages and pray with those who are sick.

About GFA World (formerly Gospel for Asia)

GFA World is a leading faith-based global mission agency, helping thousands of national missionaries bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Africa and Asia, and sharing the love of God. In a typical year, this includes thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in hundreds of villages and remote communities, and helping more than 150,000 families break the cycle of poverty through income-generating gifts. More than 40,000 fresh water wells have been drilled since 2007, hundreds of thousands of women are now empowered through literacy training, and Christ-motivated ministry takes place every day throughout 18 nations. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit the Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news.

For more details and to arrange an interview, contact: Gregg Wooding @ 972-567-7660 or [email protected]

2025-11-11T17:10:39+00:00

Last updated on: November 11, 2025 at 5:10 pm   By
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WILLS POINT, TX — Can a chicken really change someone’s life? It’s happening all around the globe, according to mission agency GFA World (www.gfa.org).

The Texas-based organization has launched its annual Christmas “Chickens & Goats” campaign on WAY-FM Radio — an opportunity for people to buy life-changing gifts, such as chickens and goats, for families living in extreme poverty in Africa and Asia this festive season.

The campaign includes a “Chicken Challenge” to donate a pair of chickens every month for a year, for the cost of two lattes per month. Chickens multiply quickly and produce fresh eggs almost every day, a life-changer for families battling hunger, the mission agency says.

 

GFA World Launches Christmas Chickens & Goats to Fight Poverty
HATCHING HOPE: ‘CHRISTMAS CRITTER’ CAMPAIGN BACKED BY TOP CHRISTIAN BAND: Hit-making Christian band We Are Messengers is supporting mission agency GFA World’s annual “Chickens & Goats” Christmas campaign — an opportunity for people to buy life-changing gifts, including chickens and goats, for families in Africa and Asia living in extreme poverty. (Photo Courtesy of We Are Messengers)

The Christmas campaign is being supported by top Christian band We Are Messengers and its lead singer Darren Mulligan. The award-winning band has had 11 Top-10 radio hits, including the multi-week/multi-chart #1 radio single “Come What May” and the Gold-Certified “Maybe It’s OK.” You can find out more info and tour dates from the band at www.wearemessengersmusic.com.

Hatching Hope

“We see time and time again how the simple gift of a pair of chickens completely transforms the life of someone living in deepest poverty and gives them hope,” said GFA World founder K.P. Yohannan (Metropolitan Yohan).

Mayra, a widow who received two chickens that helped her out of hunger, told the organization’s workers, “I’m so happy because of your love and concern for me.”

“Our aim is not only to help people like Mayra and their communities escape hunger and poverty, but also to show them the love of Christ — the one who’s able to give them hope for eternity,” Yohannan said.

Other livestock gifts include pigs and water buffalo. Alternative gifts include mosquito nets that prevent malaria and other diseases, income-generating sewing machines, clean water, blankets, and Bibles.

Challenge to Impact Eternity

GFA World national missionaries share with people who’ve never heard about Jesus that they’re “created in the image of God.” They often trek many miles on foot or bicycle to some of the remotest places on earth to provide practical help and “show God’s love to the forgotten and abandoned,” such as outcast widows and those living with leprosy.

“This is the challenge to us all — where will we be in 100 years’ time?” Yohannan said. “The only thing that will matter is what we did to impact eternity.”

About GFA World (formerly Gospel for Asia)

GFA World is a leading faith-based global mission agency, helping national missionaries bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Africa and Asia, and sharing the love of God. In a typical year, this includes thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in hundreds of villages and remote communities, over 40,000 clean water wells drilled since 2007, income-generating Christmas gifts for more than 150,000 needy families, and teaching to provide hope and encouragement in 110 languages in 14 nations through broadcast ministry. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit the Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news.

Media interested in interviews with GFA World should contact Gregg Wooding at InChrist Communications @ 972-567-7660 or [email protected]

2025-06-23T21:54:56+00:00

Last updated on: June 23, 2025 at 9:54 pm   By
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WILLS POINT, TX — A U.S.-based global mission agency says several of its partner churches were left “broken” by a devastating earthquake that struck remote Western Nepal Nov. 3, killing more than 150 people.

“We have also lost cherished members of our church family in this heart-wrenching tragedy,” said K.P. Yohannan (Metropolitan Yohan), founder of Texas-based GFA World (www.gfa.org). “Our prayers are with all the affected families, and we share in their grief during this most challenging time.”

GFA World says several of its partner churches were left "broken" by a devastating earthquake that struck remote Western Nepal Nov. 3
GFA WORLD, LOCAL CHURCHES RUSH TO AID NEPAL QUAKE SURVIVORS: Local church teams in remote Western Nepal are desperately trying to reach villages flattened by a magnitude 6.4 earthquake last Friday night that killed more than 150 people and left thousands without shelter. GFA World (www.gfa.org) is asking for prayer and support.

According to news reports, the magnitude 6.4 quake flattened mud-and-brick homes in the rugged Jajarkot and West Rukum districts, about 300 miles west of the capital, Kathmandu. It hit just before midnight local time when most people were in bed. Tremors were felt as far away as Delhi.

GFA World reported three churches were badly affected, and in one village three church members were killed.

One Nepalese church leader told the mission organization that local Christians were “broken” by the loss of life and many severe injuries.

Local Church Members Rush to Aid Survivors

“Just like when a quake rocked Nepal in 2015, our teams immediately mobilized. Local church members are actively involved in rescue and relief efforts in the region, with thousands of people in need of food, blankets and tents after their homes were destroyed,” said Yohannan.

Because many affected villages are in remote areas impassable by vehicles, church workers have to use motorbikes to reach them, a local church leader told GFA World. The organization supports national missionaries and helps millions of the poorest people in Africa and Asia.

Within hours, one church team reached a devastated village and began distributing food.

It’s estimated in some areas up to 90% of the simple mud-and-brick dwellings collapsed.

Yohannan urged Christians to pray for those suffering and those who’ve lost loved ones in Nepal. “Let our faith guide us in extending God’s love, aid, and hope to the people of Nepal,” he said. “Together, we can help them heal.”

About GFA World (formerly Gospel for Asia)

GFA World is a leading faith-based global mission agency, helping national missionaries bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Africa and Asia, and sharing the love of God. In a typical year, this includes thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in hundreds of villages and remote communities, over 40,000 clean water wells drilled since 2007, income-generating Christmas gifts for more than 150,000 needy families, and teaching to provide hope and encouragement in 110 languages in 14 nations through broadcast ministry. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit the Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news.

Media interested in interviews with GFA World should contact Gregg Wooding at InChrist Communications @ 972-567-7660 or [email protected]

Source: GFA World Digital Media Room, GFA World Responds to Devastating Nepal Earthquake

GFA World’s Compassion Services is bringing Christ’s love to the suffering and needy in very practical ways. GFA-supported missionaries and volunteers assist survivors of natural disasters by providing food, water, medical care, clothing and even shelter. Teams also minister to slum dwellers and leprosy patients in some of Asia’s major cities. And all is done with a clear Gospel witness.

Read more on Disaster Relief and Nepal Earthquake on Patheos from Gospel for Asia.

2023-10-04T15:42:44+00:00

Last updated on: October 4, 2023 at 3:42 pm   By
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WILLS POINT, TX — Mission agency GFA World (www.gfa.org) has launched an appeal to help thousands of “ostracized widows” around the globe at risk of starvation and abuse after being abandoned by their family and neighbors.

“Millions of widows live in societies where they are blamed for their husband’s death, regardless of the illness, accident or circumstances,” said GFA World founder K.P. Yohannan (also known as Metropolitan Yohan). “They are considered a curse and are socially shunned, abused, neglected and often abandoned, along with their children.

Mission agency GFA World (www.gfa.org) has launched an appeal to help thousands of “ostracized widows” at risk of starvation and abuse.
GFA WORLD LAUNCHES APPEAL ON BEHALF OF ‘OSTRACIZED WIDOWS’: Mission agency GFA World (www.gfa.org) has launched an appeal to help thousands of “ostracized widows” at risk of starvation and abuse.

“For those married at a young age, they may carry the stigma of ‘widow’ for decades, even their entire adult life.”

For many of the estimated 258 million widows worldwide, especially those in Africa and Asia, the only way to survive is to scavenge and beg, said Yohannan.

“Their homelessness and hunger make them easy targets for exploitation, slave labor and the sex trade,” he said.

Alarming examples of the extreme mistreatment widows often face include:

  • Nigerian widows were locked in a room with their husbands’ corpses and forced to shave their own heads — a ritual of shame.
  • In Afghanistan, outcast widows had to establish their own “colony” on a hillside above a cemetery, excluded from mainstream life.
  • In Kenya, during the pandemic, there were reports of widows being driven out of their homes by in-laws who considered them to be an “excess burden.”
  • In many countries, city streets are the only place left for widows who’ve been abandoned by their families.

In some countries in Africa and Asia, new widows may have barely buried or cremated their husbands before someone tries to take their home, land or possessions, citing loss of property rights after the husband dies.

“Though their families and society have turned their backs on these precious women, God loves them dearly,” Yohannan said. “As the Bible says, we must ‘… care for orphans and widows in their distress’.”

‘God Answers Widow’s Cry’

GFA World and its network of national missionaries provide medical care, literacy classes, vocational training for young widows, and income-generating farm animals, such as cows and goats.

Kacia lives in a remote village where the homes are made out of bamboo poles and the walls are covered with mud. When her husband died, Kacia cried out to God in desperation. Her prayers were answered when local Christians came to comfort her and pray with her.

Supported by GFA World, they were able to give Kacia a goat so she could raise a small herd, sell milk, and have a steady income. “I was very much pleased because that gave me hope and dignity that I can somehow carry my life forward,” she said. “I am really grateful in my heart.”

For more information about supporting widows like Kacia, go to http://www.gfa.org.

About GFA World (Gospel for Asia)

GFA World (formerly Gospel for Asia) is a leading faith-based global mission agency, helping national workers bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Africa and Asia, and sharing the love of God. In a typical year, this includes thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in more than 880 villages and remote communities, over 4,800 clean water wells drilled, over 12,000 water filters installed, income-generating Christmas gifts for more than 163,000 needy families, and teaching to provide hope and encouragement in 110 languages in 14 nations through broadcast ministry. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit the Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news/.

Media interested in interviews with GFA World should contact Gregg Wooding at InChrist Communications @ 972-567-7660 or [email protected]

Source: GFA World Digital Media Room, GFA World Launches Appeal As ‘Ostracized Widows’ Face Life of Begging

Learn more by reading this GFA World special report: Coronavirus Intensifies Hardships for Widows

Learn more about the GFA World’s Widows Ministry. For over more than 40 million widows in South Asia, life is a desperate struggle for survival. Blamed for their husbands’ deaths, many are forsaken by their families, shunned by their friends and despised by their communities. You can help lift widows out of destitution and restore their dignity.

Read more on Widows on Patheos from Gospel for Asia.

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