2022-01-06T18:30:57+00:00

WILLS POINT, TX – GFA World (Gospel for Asia) founded by K.P. Yohannan, whose heart to love and help the poor has inspired numerous charities like GFA World Canada, to serve the deprived and downcast worldwide, issued this first part of a Special Report update on girls facing decreased opportunity and increased violence, the young victims who remain hidden in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic.

GFA World (Gospel for Asia) issued this Special Report on girls facing decreased opportunity, increased violence, hidden by the pandemic

Alexis Martin
Alexis Ke’Erica Martin, a child sex trafficking survivor, was recently released from life in adult prison for the murder of her trafficker, although another person committed the fatal shooting while Ke was trying to escape from the abuse. Photo by Alexis Ke’Erica Martin Support Fund GoFundMe

In April 2020, most people around the globe were adjusting to life at home as governments instituted lockdown orders intended to curb the spread of COVID-19. To many, the limitations on normal activities, travel and socializing felt confining.

But for 22-year-old Alexis Martin, April 2020 meant a taste of freedom after more than six years in prison—and before that, sex trafficking.[1]

In an article for The Washington Post, Jessica Contrera shares how Alexis ended up in prison. By age 15, Alexis had experienced so many of the most horrific things that can happen to a girl—sexual abuse, rape, a miscarriage and sex trafficking. Her trafficker, Angelo Kerney, didn’t allow her to attend school and beat her when she threatened to run away. In Alexis’ desperation to escape, she became involved in a robbery plot that ended in the murder of Kerney. The teenage girl was then tried as an adult and sentenced to decades in prison.[2]

Then, in April 2020, the Ohio governor commuted Alexis’ sentence, allowing her to go free with parole. Even with this taste of freedom, she continues to face challenges, such as finding a job, due to the trauma she faced as a teenager and the black mark of a prison sentence.[3]

Woman suffering
Pundits were anticipating that the pandemic’s economic strain on families and the shutting down of schools would negatively impact the general well-being of girls, including their safety, health and education.

Alexis’ story is one of many showing how the abuse and exploitation of girls can have devastating consequences. Her story happened in America, a country where girls typically have many freedoms and opportunities that girls in developing nations do not. And Alexis’ story happened before a pandemic that caused far-reaching social and economic impacts for the entire world.

In some places, such as the United States, the availability of COVID-19 vaccines and the easing of many restrictions have made the virus seem more distant. Yet lurking in its shadow is a crisis threatening the safety and health of girls. As social isolation and poverty have increased, girls have potentially become the most under-recognized victim group of the pandemic.

Globally, the pandemic has threatened girls’ education, increased their risk for the kind of abuse and trafficking that devastated Alexis’ teenage years, and made them more vulnerable to child marriage and teen pregnancy. While statistics from 2021 regarding girls’ well-being remain to be counted, in spring 2020 non-profit organizations were already predicting that the pandemic’s economic strain on families and the shutting down of schools would negatively impact the health, education, safety and general well-being of girls if communities didn’t prioritize giving girls needed attention, care and education.

Two girls posing on a school balcony
For the first time in human history, an entire generation of children globally have had their education disrupted. Now, more than a year later, many children have spent more than a year out of the classroom—and many may never return.

COVID-19: A Long-lasting Threat to Education

1.6 billion learners globally—91% of the total—were out of school in an early April 2020 effort to halt the spread of COVID-19.As COVID-19 rapidly spread across the globe in the spring of 2020, governments around the world decided to keep people at home in hopes of slowing the pandemic. Large numbers of people could not work at all, while others lost income as business slowed or stopped due to the drop in customers. This especially hurt low-income workers who could not simply work from home, such as migrant laborers, daily wage laborers and others who lost their livelihood during the lockdowns. Gita Gopinath, an economist and director at the International Monetary Fund, suggests that the pandemic caused the greatest recession since the Great Depression.[4]

Now, with the pandemic further stretching struggling families’ resources, girls likely have faced, and will continue to face, lower chances of receiving needed nutrition and attending school.

As the pandemic curtails girls’ education by forcing them out of the classroom – a problem from which many may never recover – it is also puts them at risk for abuse and exploitation.

Being in a classroom protects girls from sexual predators, unhealthy relationships and abusive parents or relatives. But due to lockdowns, many girls no longer have the classroom as a safe space.

According to the global non-profit Save the Children, “In early April 2020, in an effort to halt the spread of COVID-19, an estimated 1.6 billion learners globally—91% of the total—were out of school. For the first time in human history, an entire generation of children globally have had their education disrupted.”[5]

16 year old Tania
Tania’s once hard-working father was suddenly blind and unable to provide as a result of a brutal mugging and acid attack. Tania immediately dropped out of school and began working the overnight shift in a shrimp factory to support her family; while her father begged on the street. Combined, their income was still not enough to feed the family. Fortunately, peeling shrimp didn’t peel away at Tania’s dreams who has big plans to open her own tailoring business. To help her achieve this dream, World Vision provided her with a sewing machine, and fabric. After two months of training, Tania is now able to work at home, where she is safe and makes enough to afford food for her entire family. While she is still working, she now has more time to rest, watch television, play and… just be a normal 16 year old again! Photo by World Vision USA, Instagram

Now, more than a year later, many children have spent more than a year out of the classroom—and may never return.[6]

As girls stay out of school, they risk devastating consequences to their health, well-being and future opportunities. Studies from the Ebola crisis have suggested that once girls were taken out of school due to Ebola, many didn’t return, even long after schools reopened.[7]

School closures pose the greatest challenge for girls in developing nations, where families may be struggling financially and communities may not have access to the technology needed for distance learning. Sometimes girls bear a greater burden in supporting the family during challenging times. They may be given extra household responsibilities, including caring for younger siblings or sick family members; this can decrease their opportunities to do schoolwork at home—and their chances of returning to school when the pandemic subsides.[8]

As schools in some places reopen, the pandemic’s effects are starting to be seen. In Kenya, for example, only 84 percent of teen girls returned to school, while 92 percent of teen boys came back.[9] This could be just the tip of the iceberg. Malala Fund, an NGO supporting girls’ education, estimates 20 million girls in developing countries will not return to the classroom.[10]

As the pandemic is curtailing girls’ education, it is also putting them at risk for abuse, exploitation and violence. Being in the classroom can help protect girls from sexual predators, unhealthy relationships and even abusive parents or relatives. But due to lockdowns, many girls no longer have the classroom as a safe space.[11]

Girls who miss opportunity for education due to financial reasons
In a culture that de-emphasizes a woman’s education, many girls in South Asia leave school at an early age, often due to financial reasons. It becomes their responsibility to work at home taking care of their siblings, doing household chores, fetching water, or preparing meals, which enable their parents to go searching for work.

Girls Pushed into Adult Responsibilities

2.5 million more girls could be at risk of child marriage, and in 2020 alone teen pregnancies may have risen by up to 1 million.Mayawati, a teenager in Nepal, wanted to continue school and study agriculture. “But her family’s struggles during the pandemic made her feel guilty about being a burden to her parents,” wrote Bhadra Sharma and Jeffrey Gettleman for The New York Times.[12] “She dropped out of school, then married a man who worked as a menial laborer. Her dreams … have quietly slipped away.”

Mayawati’s story reflects that of others in Nepal and around the world.[13] Because of the pandemic, parents struggling to feed their children may feel the need to marry off their daughters to reduce the number of mouths they must feed.[14] In addition, as girls spend time out of the classroom, they may spend more time with men and more unsupervised time with boys, which increases their chances for teen pregnancy and child marriage.[15][16]

Save the Children predicts a “dramatic surge in child marriage and adolescent pregnancy”: Within a five-year span, 2.5 million more girls could be at risk of child marriage, and in 2020 alone teen pregnancies may have risen by up to 1 million.[17]

Dr. Flavia Bustreo
Dr. Flavia Bustreo is a leading physician, public health professional and advocate for the health and human rights of women, children, adolescents and the elderly. Photo by United States Mission Geneva, Flickr (CC BY-ND 2.0)

This means that those girls may lose the chance to ever complete their education, which will limit their chances for jobs in the future. In addition, girls who marry young are more vulnerable to sexual abuse and violence.[18] Child marriage and teen pregnancy also threaten girls’ physical health. Girls who give birth at very young ages can face a host of complications, including miscarriage, obstetric fistula—and death.[19][20]

“Complications of pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of death in young women aged 15–19,” says Dr. Flavia Bustreo, a leader in the World Health Organization’s Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health. “Young girls who marry later and delay pregnancy beyond their adolescence have more chances to stay healthier, to better their education and build a better life for themselves and their families.”[21]


Give to Help Girls at Risk »

If you want to support girls in South Asia and Africa, consider a one-time donation to help young victims who have been delivered from desperate situations in their lives, but are still struggling everyday. Your gift will provide for their pressing needs, while we locate permanent sponsors to cover their monthly needs to remain in school.


Read the rest of this Gospel for Asia – Transforming Communities (GFA World) Special Report: Young Victims Remain Hidden in Pandemic’s Shadow  Part 2, Part 3


About GFA World

GFA World (www.gfa.org) is a leading faith-based global mission agency, helping national workers bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Asia and Africa, and sharing the love of God. In GFA World’s latest yearly report, this included thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in more than 1,200 villages and remote communities, over 4,800 clean water wells drilled, over 12,000 water filters installed, income-generating Christmas gifts for more than 260,000 needy families, and teaching providing hope and encouragement available in 110 languages in 14 nations through radio ministry. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit our Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news/.


Read more blogs on GFA World, National Missionary Workers, World Missions and the COVID 19 Pandemic on Patheos from Gospel for Asia.

GFA’s Statement About Coronavirus

Learn more by reading this Special Report from Gospel for Asia on the Lord’s work in 2020 through GFA and the partnerships worldwide while following Him in His work in 16 nations, including Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal.


Learn more about Gospel for Asia: Facebook | YouTube | Instagram | LinkedIn | SourceWatch | Integrity | Lawsuit Update | 5 Distinctives | 6 Remarkable Facts | 10 Milestones | Media Room | Widows & Coronavirus | Endorsements | 40th Anniversary | Lawsuit Response | International Offices | Missionary and Child Sponsorship | Transforming Communities through God’s Love

Notable News about Gospel for Asia: FoxNews, ChristianPost, NYPost, MissionsBox

Read what 25 Christian Leaders are affirming about GFA World.

This Special Report originally appeared on gfa.org.

2022-01-12T03:29:13+00:00

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, has been the model for numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada, to help the poor and deprived worldwide – Discussing Sherwynn, the sudden sickness of his daughter, and the healing that God brought through the prayers of a Gospel for Asia (GFA World) pastor and his church.

Sherwynn sat by his 33-year-old daughter’s bedside, muted hospital sounds in the background. It had been several days since Chantiel’s admission, and yet a solution for her immense leg pain and swelling had not been found. There had to be some way his daughter could be healed, Sherwynn thought.

No Answers for Sudden Sickness

Discussing Sherwynn, the sickness of his daughter, and the healing that God brought through the prayers of a GFA World pastor and his church.
Through meeting a Gospel for Asia (GFA) worker, Sherwynn, like the father and family pictured above, found hope and healing for his daughter, Chantiel.

Chantiel was a mother of three and often joined her husband as a daily laborer to help provide for their children. One night, after returning home from a long day of work, Chantiel awoke from sleep with pain shooting up and down her left leg. Chantiel’s husband immediately took her to the hospital using what little funds they had. Doctors prescribed some medicine, but the pain only increased and was accompanied by intense swelling. Her family took her to a second hospital for better treatment, but still she found no relief.

Chantiel’s father, Sherwynn, visited her during her stay at the hospital. Seeing his daughter in the hospital bed made his heart sink. The medicine wasn’t working, and the doctors didn’t have any other solutions. Was there anything he could do?

Then Sherwynn remembered something: Maybe there was a place where he could find some help, where sick people went and left healed. The doctors couldn’t help, so Sherwynn took his daughter home and decided to pay one of his neighbors a visit. After listening to Sherwynn’s woes, the villager picked up a phone and dialed the man he knew could help.

GFA World Pastor Help in Finding Relief, Hope

Soon after, Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Sanbourne visited Sherwynn. The elderly father told the pastor of Chantiel’s sudden mysterious illness. As Sherwynn shared his story, he broke down into tears.

“Please pray for my daughter,” he pleaded. “I cannot see her [in] pain.”

An hour of fervent prayer later, Chantiel felt the pain leave her.

“I felt as if someone touched me,” she explained. “There is no pain in my leg anymore.”

Sherwynn and the entire family immediately rejoiced; finally, some good news after weeks of crushing worry. A week later, Pastor Sanbourne received a call from Sherwynn: Chantiel was completely healed. The pain and swelling had vanished, and she could walk and go back to work.

The entire family began attending Pastor Sanbourne’s fellowship and were welcomed with open arms.

“I am so thankful to Pastor Sanbourne and [the believers] for their precious prayers and for helping me to know God,” Chantiel said. “I am truly grateful to merciful God, who gave me complete healing. Due to my sickness, I was unable to go for labor work, but now I am so happy because now I am going for my work and supporting my husband.”

The anxiety and fear Sherwynn had borne during the days Chantiel lay sick were gone, chased away by seeing his daughter healed through the ardent prayers of Pastor Sanbourne and the believers.

“I am indeed thankful to God for healing my daughter completely,” Sherwynn said. “Now we as a family will follow God.”


Read how another father found healing for his child through a film showing.

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


Source: Gospel for Asia Field Reports & Updates, A Father’s Fears Relieved

Learn more about the GFA World national missionaries who carry a burning desire for people to know the redemptive fatherly love of God. Through their prayers, dedication and sacrificial love, thousands of men and women have found new life in Christ.

Learn more by reading this GFA World Special Report: National Workers: Unstoppable Compassion Force

Read more on Family and National Missionary Workers on Patheos from Gospel for Asia.

2022-09-21T05:13:11+00:00

WILLS POINT, TX – GFA World (Gospel for Asia) founded by K.P. Yohannan, which inspired numerous charities like GFA World Canada, to assist the poor and deprived worldwide, issued this last part of a Special Report on a surprising antidote and solution to world poverty: farm animals.

Cursed No More

A woman receives goats from GFA World's Christmas gift distribution
Like this woman, Raylea received a pair of goats at a Gospel for Asia (GFA) Christmas gift distribution. The animals allowed her to feed and cloth her children and even be a blessing to others as she gave one of her goats to the church in thankfulness for all she had received.

Raylea’s plight was, if anything, even more dire than Taden’s.[12] She was a widow in an Asian society where widows are not highly esteemed. They are commonly considered cursed and are even blamed for their husbands’ deaths. Raylea was the mother of two young children. From her humble position, she struggled to provide for them every day. But her outlook was bleak indeed.

Things changed for Raylea when she received two income-producing goats through a Gospel for Asia (GFA World) Christmas gift distribution. The goats’ milk provided her children with much-needed protein and calcium for their growing bones. Importantly, the goats also enabled Raylea to earn money that would change her family’s circumstances for good. At last, she was able to provide her children with new clothing, more food and even school uniforms. Raylea expressed her gratitude by donating a goat to her local church, so another needy family could enjoy the same blessing she had received.

Family in poverty with an income generating gift of a pig

Pigs may not be the most elegant of creatures, but they provide more meat for people around the world than any other animal.[13] There are some obvious reasons for this. Pigs are remarkably prolific, typically breeding twice a year and producing 12 piglets in each litter.[14] The phrase eating like a pig has some basis in reality; pigs can and will eat most anything, from grain-based feed to our leftover food scraps.[15] Having little to do but eat, they grow very large very fast; a pig can be ready for slaughter in two to three months. Or it can be allowed to grow for up to eight months for an even bigger yield. Pigs require little space, are docile and, contrary to myth, are actually quite clean.[16] It’s no surprise that pigs fetch a good price in the marketplace and can provide the basis for a very profitable farm business.

Girl and an income generating gift of a chicken

Even a severely impoverished family can usually afford to raise a few chickens. These birds can provide protein-rich eggs, often on a daily basis, as well as a healthy source of meat. They’re happy roaming in virtually any yard or field and require little in the way of food and maintenance. Donors who may not be able to fund a larger animal for a family can usually help provide a chicken for just a few dollars. And that chicken can mark the beginning of a turnaround for a family that has nothing.

Besides providing for their families, livestock farmers contribute to the welfare of their communities by helping to alleviate malnutrition, which is still rampant in developing countries. Meat is a primary source of protein as well as vital micronutrients.[17] But in many places, it’s hard to find. Instead, villagers rely on scant vegetation and grains, which can’t supply all their nutritional needs. By providing animals for food to these deprived communities, relief organizations and their donors can enhance the general health of entire regions.

Man and an income generating gift of a water buffalo

Of course, farm animals are good for more than just food. Their manure helps to fertilize the land, aiding in crop growth. It is also used for fuel in many places. Water buffalo are almost unheard of in the West, where plowing and transportation are handled by machines. But in developing countries, especially Asia, these huge creatures are known as “living tractors.”[18] It’s not unusual in Asia to see villagers on the roads with water buffalo hauling heavy loads. Using a water buffalo to plow, a farmer in Asia can plant five times as much as would be possible by hand.[19] That advantage can mean the difference between poverty and plenty. Water buffalo are also used for their meat, hides, horns and milk. In some places, cows also perform these same functions.

Man and woman in poverty and income generating gifts of sheepAlong with providing mutton, which many people rely on for food, sheep produce valuable wool that can be sold at a good price. Some sheep farmers spin the wool themselves, providing yarn for clothing that they can sell or use for their own families. For farmers with limited space, sheep have many of the same advantages as goats and serve many of the same uses.

Any or all of these animals can make a lifesaving difference for people in the developing world. They are all relatively inexpensive to provide and can bring a family or an entire community into lasting health and prosperity. This is why so many relief agencies now focus on this approach, rather than well-intended but ineffective methods of the past. Most people in the world are accustomed to agriculture. Providing them with living assets they can put to immediate use is a wise, compassionate way to help them succeed.

Love that Makes a Difference

Some people are so impoverished that affording even a chicken seems out of reach. That was the case with Mayra, another widow in Asia who was struggling to survive.[20]

Mayra receives a pair of chickens from GFA World Sisters of Compassion
Mayra had longed to own chickens, but couldn’t afford them herself. She was so happy to see the love and concern shown to her when she was given two chickens to raise.

“I actually wanted to have chickens for a long time,” she said, “but I did not get the chance to buy them because I do not have any source of income now.”

Mayra had lived with her son since the death of her husband and daughter. Her son had a paying job, but it couldn’t come close to meeting their needs.

Mayra was one of 10 widows who caught the attention of the Sisters of Compassion, a Gospel for Asia (GFA World) group of specially trained women missionaries. They had determined to give a pair of chickens to each of these widows with the hope of providing them with some income for the long term.

“These widows are extremely poor,” observed Anhithi, one of the Sisters of Compassion involved with the project. “Some of them don’t even have proper utensils or basic household things in their house. I believe giving this small gift will really mean a lot to them. They can earn something for their family.”

Mayra was especially grateful to receive her unexpected gift.

“I am really happy to receive this pair of chickens,” she said. “But I am so happy because of your love and concern for me. … I believe this chicken will help me to raise at least some amount of income in the days to come.”

“I have never received any gift before …”

Neha receives a pair of chickens from GFA World Sisters of Compassion
Neha, a mother of four, and was overjoyed to receive the unexpected gift of chickens which will help with her children’s schooling.

Neha was another of the widows who received a gift of chickens from the Sisters of Compassion.[21]

It changed her circumstances for good. She had spent much of her life struggling to provide for her four children, raising pigs and working as a day laborer.

“I really did not expect anything like this,” she said after receiving her birds, “and I have never received any gift before.”

Years of struggling on her own, expecting no help from anyone, were now in the past. At last, Neha’s dream of a better life for her children seemed within reach.

“I am so thankful to you for giving [me] this pair of chickens,” she said. “I believe they will be a great help in raising some amount of money and will help with my children’s schooling. I will take care of them safely so that they will produce many chickens.”

A Cruel Challenge—and an Inspired Solution

This leprosy patient received a goat as a CHristmas gift through the work of GFA World Sisters of Compassion
Through the work of Sisters of Compassion, a gift distribution was able to happen in a leprosy colony in Odisha a few years back. This woman received a goat as a Christmas gift and she’s been carefully nurturing and caring for it since then and now has three goats, which is a great financial help.

One of the most dramatic illustrations of how raising animals can benefit the disadvantaged comes from a sequestered leprosy community in South Asia. For many leprosy victims in these regions, the stigma associated with this condition often pushes those afflicted with it to the margins of society. Their physical handicaps and separation from society make it difficult for them to earn a living outside of begging. But in one community, the residents have discovered an ingenious way to overcome their challenges: raising goats.

Because leprosy often results in nerve damage, leaving fingers disfigured, leprosy patients can’t perform many of the strenuous tasks that would be required for rearing large animals or shear sheep. But they can raise goats, which require little hands-on care—an answer to their dilemma. With their goat herds, they can earn what they need to survive each month—and live with dignity instead of begging in the streets.

These stories reveal the life-changing benefits that can come from raising farm animals. And they show the profound impact compassionate gifts can have on those who are struggling in life.

Even a Small Gift Can Make a Big Impact

Alleviating extreme poverty around the world remains one of the most daunting challenges of our time. But there are effective ways to help poor families overcome impoverishment, like the gifting of income-producing farm animals.

It’s easy to change a life by donating a goat, cow, pig or even a chicken to a deserving family in the developing world. There are many organizations that facilitate this, and many opportunities to do so. A gift that entails only a small sacrifice can bring a lifelong change for people struggling to survive. And for those who give, the blessings far outweigh the sacrifices.


Give Animals to Help Poor Families in Need »

If you want to help impoverished families with a gift that can provide them life-saving income for many years to come, consider a one-time donation to give farm animals – a surprising antidote to overcoming persistent poverty.


Read the rest of this Gospel for Asia – Transforming Communities (GFA World) Special Report: A Surprising Antidote to World Poverty: Farm Animals Part 1, Part 2


About GFA World

Gospel for Asia (GFA World) is a leading faith-based global mission agency, helping national workers bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Asia and Africa, and sharing the love of God. In GFA World’s latest yearly report, this included thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in more than 1,200 villages and remote communities, over 4,800 clean water wells drilled, over 12,000 water filters installed, income-generating Christmas gifts for more than 260,000 needy families, and teaching providing hope and encouragement available in 110 languages in 14 nations through radio ministry. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit our Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news.


Read more blogs on Poverty Solution, Christmas Gift Catalog, the COVID 19 Pandemic and GFA World on Patheos from Gospel for Asia.

Learn more about how the simple gift of an income-generating animal can be the turning point for an impoverished family—one their family has likely been desiring for generations.

GFA’s Statement About Coronavirus

Learn more by reading this Special Report from Gospel for Asia: Fighting Global Poverty with Ideas — Uprooting poverty requires education that transmits values


Learn more about Gospel for Asia: Facebook | YouTube | Instagram | LinkedIn | SourceWatch | Integrity | Lawsuit Update | 5 Distinctives | 6 Remarkable Facts | 10 Milestones | Media Room | Poverty Solution – Farm Animals | Endorsements | 40th Anniversary | Lawsuit Response | International Offices | Missionary and Child Sponsorship | Transforming Communities through God’s Love

Notable News about Gospel for Asia: FoxNews, ChristianPost, NYPost, MissionsBox

Read what 25 Christian Leaders are affirming about GFA World.

This Special Report originally appeared on gfa.org.

2023-03-12T00:09:07+00:00

WILLS POINT, TX – GFA World (Gospel for Asia) founded by K.P. Yohannan, whose heart to love and help the poor has inspired numerous charities like GFA World Canada, to serve the deprived and downcast worldwide, issued this second part of a Special Report on a surprising antidote and solution to world poverty: farm animals.

This woman received the gift of a goat that would help lift up her family from generational poverty
Farm animals, like the goats shown above, can help a poor family in a variety of beneficial ways: 1. They provide milk for nourishment; 2. They typically breed and multiply providing young that can be sold off for income or used to increase the size of the herd.

Breaking the Cycle of Poverty with a Cow

Taden
Taden worked hard from the time he was a young boy and dreamed that one day he would no longer be hungry and be able to give his children a life outside of poverty. “I couldn’t afford a very nice life for my family, and I used to feel very angry at myself at times, very sad with myself because of the situation I was in.”

Taden’s story is typical of the kind of transformation a single animal can make in a family’s life.[6] As a laborer in a poor Asian community, Taden had few options and little hope. He despaired to think his children would have to endure the same multi-generational poverty he had inherited.

“I couldn’t afford a very nice life for my family,” he recalls, “and I used to feel very angry at myself at times, very sad with myself because of the situation I was in.”

A local pastor saw Taden’s plight and arranged for him to receive a cow, funded by Gospel for Asia (GFA World).

“We were really overjoyed,” Taden recalls, “because we did not have anything in our house to call our own. But we felt that if we got the cow, we could really improve our lives.”

Soon, the cow gave birth and began producing milk. Taden and his family began milking the cow twice daily and selling the milk. That enabled them to meet their basic needs and do something that would have been unimaginable before: send their children to school. The cycle of poverty, which seemed so unbreakable for so long, was finally ending.

Now, with two cows in his possession, Taden began to think entrepreneurially.

A gift of a cow helps lift Taden's family from poverty
A gift of a cow grew into a means out of poverty for Taden and his family. They now have a cow, five goats, and hopeful plans for the future.

“I had observed others who were raising goats,” he says, “and I came to know that the goats bear kids once every five months.”

Seeing a potential second source of income, Taden sold one of the cows and bought a pair of goats. They soon gave birth to two kids, which Lavish sold, earning as much as he would have made in six months of working. Now, he could afford new clothes and schoolbooks for his kids. Life was looking up at last. Taden was overcome with gratitude.

“I would like to thank those who have helped me get the cow as a gift,” he says. “My life has definitely been blessed 100 percent.”

World Vision, another NGO, has refined the practice of providing microloans—funds that help aspiring farmers and entrepreneurs get started in their chosen enterprises. The amount needed to begin a thriving business in a developing country can be astonishingly small compared to Western standards. And for many, it all starts with the acquisition of a single animal.

A woman received the gift of a water buffalo, a game changer for her family trapped in debilitating poverty.
The gift of even just one animal can be a complete game changer for a family trapped in debilitating poverty. They get a source of income along with hope for a better future for them and their family and the knowledge that they are seen and loved.

Like World Vision, Heifer International leverages support from governments and private organizations along with individual donations to create opportunities for aspiring farmers. The organization recognizes that “ending poverty begins with agriculture” and works to build “inclusive, resilient economies” in the areas it serves.[7]

For over 40 years, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) has been serving people’s physical and spiritual needs. Now active in 18 Asian countries, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) has also recently begun ministering in Africa. Along with providing animals for families, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) missionaries serve the community through providing things like educational opportunities for children, vocational training and resources for life. In water-starved regions of Asia, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) installs wells using local labor, and trains the local pastor and congregation on how to maintain them for the long term.

Like other similar organizations, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) offers donors a range of suggested gift amounts, which can provide chickens for a needy family or improve an entire village. It describes the cows, goats, pigs, lambs and chickens as “income-producing animals,” which affirms their real purpose of providing ongoing, sustainable food or financial resources for the family. Donors can feel confident they’re providing more than a few meals for the families they help. Their gifts can actually spark a permanent change for people who just need a helping hand to get a fresh start.

Faith-based organizations help their recipients create prosperous family enterprises, often starting with a single cow or goat. The goal is not a quick fix, but a long-term program that can lift families out of poverty for good.

Relief agencies that work in the developing world recognize that providing live, useful farm animals to people in need is more effective than simply giving money. With that well-established principle in mind, they can approach potential donors with a simple, attractive proposition. “Donate a goat” is a straightforward message with immediate appeal to those who want to help the less fortunate. For a gift as small as $140, a donor can provide a family with two goats that will help lift them out of destitution. Those who give can feel confident their contributions are providing real, lasting benefits to real people.

Bishop Danny Punnose - Vice President, GFA World
Bishop Danny Punnose Vice President, GFA World

For these nonprofits, helping people defeat poverty is a tangible expression of their faith. “God’s love must be demonstrated in more ways than just through words,” says Bishop Danny Punnose of GFA World. “It must be seen, felt and experienced! Providing these life changing gifts to these precious people who are in great need is an opportunity for us to love them practically and see their lives lifted out of their hopeless state.”

If obtaining an animal seems like an unlikely way to achieve success, it’s important to remember what the alternatives are for the poorest of the poor. They often work as day laborers, barely making a subsistence wage—when they can find work at all. Some will resort to picking through garbage for food and usable items. And for others, the sex trade is a cruel option of last resort. But with even a few animals, those same people can enjoy a wide range of new opportunities.

The first benefit is having enough food to eat—which is always an urgent priority for the desperately poor. Besides the meat they provide, cows and goats supply nutrient-rich milk that can sustain an entire family and more. And when animals begin to reproduce, things change dramatically. Families can sell their animals or the meat. Then, with a surplus of funds, they can begin to consider things that would have been out of reach before, such as health care and medicine. Family members who were incapacitated by disease can become productive again. The children can go to school instead of being condemned to a lifetime of manual labor. Families can improve their dwellings and acquire amenities that make life tolerable—even enjoyable—instead of miserable. In other words, they can begin to experience the enhanced quality of life that people in the developed world routinely expect. With their basic needs met, they can start to focus time and attention on more rewarding pursuits. Instead of a cycle of poverty, they can enter a cycle of prosperity. And, perhaps for the first time, life can seem worthwhile.

This woman received a gift of a cow that would help provide income for her family amid generational poverty
Trapped in generational poverty, many families have no way out and their children may be forced to work at a young age just to survive. A gift of an animal can provide things like milk, eggs, help in the field, meat, and offspring to sell. The family now has an income – a way to grow and expand, sources of nutrition, a means for the children to go to school, and HOPE.

Creating a Manageable Menagerie

Boy and an income generating gift of a cow

A family’s choice of animals to raise depends on several factors: resources, land area, topography, market conditions and climate, to name a few. For farmers with access to large areas of land, cows provide a viable source of meat, milk and income. The farmers can breed the cows, use some of them for food, and sell others in the marketplace. Raising cattle has been a profitable enterprise for people the world over, and with good reason. A lactating cow can produce up to six or seven gallons of milk per day.[8] And a single 1,200-lb. steer can yield an astonishing 490 pounds of edible meat.[9] Clearly, owning even one cow can change life drastically for a struggling family.

Boy and an income generating gift of a goat

For those with limited land or capital, goats can be an ideal option. They require a smaller area than cattle and can forage virtually anywhere—on anything. Farmers who can’t afford a cow may be able to purchase a goat with limited funds and begin their journey to prosperity. Nanny goats can bear several kids in a year, allowing for a quick expansion of the herd. In India, an adult goat can sell for an amount equal to an entire month’s income for many people.[10] Although goat meat is not yet popular in the United States, it is actually a good source of clean, nutritious protein, being lower in saturated fat and cholesterol than chicken, beef or pork.[11] And goats are relatively easy to raise, requiring little in the way of maintenance. For many families, their escape from poverty begins with a humble goat.


Give Animals to Help Poor Families in Need »

If you want to help impoverished families with a gift that can provide them life-saving income for many years to come, consider a one-time donation to give farm animals – a surprising antidote to overcoming persistent poverty.


Read the rest of this Gospel for Asia – Transforming Communities (GFA World) Special Report: A Surprising Antidote to World Poverty: Farm Animals Part 1, Part 3


About GFA World

Gospel for Asia (GFA World) is a leading faith-based global mission agency, helping national workers bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Asia and Africa, and sharing the love of God. In GFA World’s latest yearly report, this included thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in more than 1,200 villages and remote communities, over 4,800 clean water wells drilled, over 12,000 water filters installed, income-generating Christmas gifts for more than 260,000 needy families, and teaching providing hope and encouragement available in 110 languages in 14 nations through radio ministry. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit our Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news.


Read more blogs on Poverty Solution, Christmas Gift Catalog, the COVID 19 Pandemic and GFA World on Patheos from Gospel for Asia.

Learn more about how the simple gift of an income-generating animal can be the turning point for an impoverished family—one their family has likely been desiring for generations.

GFA’s Statement About Coronavirus

Learn more by reading this Special Report from Gospel for Asia: Fighting Global Poverty with Ideas — Uprooting poverty requires education that transmits values


Learn more about Gospel for Asia: Facebook | YouTube | Instagram | LinkedIn | SourceWatch | Integrity | Lawsuit Update | 5 Distinctives | 6 Remarkable Facts | 10 Milestones | Media Room | Poverty Solution – Farm Animals | Endorsements | 40th Anniversary | Lawsuit Response | International Offices | Missionary and Child Sponsorship | Transforming Communities through God’s Love

Notable News about Gospel for Asia: FoxNews, ChristianPost, NYPost, MissionsBox

Read what 25 Christian Leaders are affirming about GFA World.

This Special Report originally appeared on gfa.org.

2025-01-07T21:43:44+00:00

STONEY CREEK, ONTARIO – One of the core values of GFA World (Gospel for Asia) founded by K.P. Yohannan, has been the model for numerous charities like GFA World Canada, is being a people who work together with the body of Christ. In the week of November 15-22, 2021, GFA World was able to demonstrate this value by partnering with Believers Eastern Church and Samaritan’s Purse to share the joy of Christmas with children around the world by participating in the Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child National Collection Week as a shoebox collection center.

GFA World partners with Believers Eastern Church, Samaritan’s Purse, and local community to help bring Christmas joy to childrenOperation Christmas Child (OCC) is a project of Samaritan’s Purse that is a hands-on way Canadians can bless struggling children around the world by filling shoeboxes with school supplies, hygiene items, and toys. Each and every gift is an opportunity for a child to hear that God loves them, and many shoeboxes have met real and specific needs in children’s lives, showing them how much God cares for them. For many of these children, the gift-filled shoebox is the first gift they have ever received.

Each of the shoebox gifts that was received at the Gospel for Asia (GFA World) office, located at 245 King St E in Stoney Creek, ON, during National Collection Week was lovingly packed by someone in the Stoney Creek community to bless a child in need. Local churches also participated as they encouraged their members and affiliates to pack shoeboxes and collected these gifts prior to and during the National Collection Week. These boxes were then brought to the collection center as the next step in being put into the hands of children in need. Shoeboxes from Canada will travel around the world to countries such as El Salvador, Costa Rica, Sierra Leone, and Gambia.

Though the Gospel for Asia (GFA World) office remains closed to visitors due to the current covid-19 restrictions, the staff have been faithfully serving those in need around the world in various ways from the office in Stoney Creek. The staff were excited to have this opportunity to partner with Believers Eastern Church – which shares a building with Gospel for Asia (GFA World) – Samaritan’s Purse, and the local community by serving as a collection center for OCC shoebox gifts.

2021 was the fourth year that Gospel for Asia (GFA World) has served as a collection center, and staff and church members joyfully volunteered their time in the evenings and weekends, braving the crisp and windy weather, to receive the shoeboxes. In order to follow local covid-19 guidelines, contactless and drive through drop off was available.

A total of 18 volunteers, ranging from age 12 to 69, volunteered over 50 hours, and 805 shoeboxes were collected from local churches and individuals. The boxes were carefully packed into cartons and then taken to Church of the Rock in Hamilton, Ontario, from whence they were shipped to Samaritan’s Purse’s Canadian ministry and shoebox processing center in Calgary, Alberta.

Since Operation Christmas Child began in 1993, more than 188 million children have received shoebox gifts in over 170 countries and territories. Gospel for Asia (GFA World) and Believers Eastern Church were honored to be a part of this incredible ministry to bring Good News and great joy to children around the world.


About Gospel for Asia – GFA World

Gospel for Asia (GFA World) is a leading faith-based global mission agency, helping national workers bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Asia and Africa, and sharing the love of God. In GFA World’s latest yearly report, this included thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in more than 1,200 villages and remote communities, over 4,800 clean water wells drilled, over 12,000 water filters installed, income-generating Christmas gifts for more than 260,000 needy families, and teaching providing hope and encouragement available in 110 languages in 14 nations through radio ministry. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit our Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news.

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


Learn more about how generosity can change lives. Through Gospel for Asia (GFA World) and its Christmas Gift Catalog, gifts like pigs, bicycles and sewing machines break the cycle of poverty and show Christ’s love to impoverished families in Asia. One gift can have a far-reaching impact, touching families and rippling out to transform entire communities.

Learn more about how to Help those in need amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, giving food and aid to Coronavirus victims.

GFA’s Statement About Coronavirus

Read more blogs on Poverty, Christmas Gift Catalog, the COVID 19 Pandemic on Patheos from GFA World.

Read what 25 Christian Leaders are affirming about GFA World.


Source: GFA World Digital Media News Room, GFA World and Believers Eastern Church Help Bring the Joy of Christmas to Children

 

2023-09-29T05:07:33+00:00

WILLS POINT, TX – GFA World (Gospel for Asia) founded by K.P. Yohannan, which has been the model for numerous charities like GFA World Canada, to help the poor and deprived worldwide, issued this first part of a 3-part Special Report on a surprising antidote and solution to world poverty: farm animals.

GFA World (Gospel for Asia), founded by KP Yohannan, issued this Special Report on a surprising solution to world poverty: farm animals.

A family in poverty
Knowing nothing besides poverty, this poor family in harsh conditions in Asia represents the over 700 million who attempt to scratch out a living on less than $2 a day in earnings.

Recent decades have seen a general trend toward prosperity in much of the world, but too many people are still being left behind.[1] Alleviating extreme poverty remains one of the most daunting challenges of our time. But for poor families, prosperity can come in surprising ways: through the gift of a farm animal.

Progress Interrupted

From 2015 to 2019, the number of people living in extreme poverty worldwide was projected to drop from 744 million to 655 million.[2] The downward trend was on track to continue, but then the COVID-19 pandemic hit. In 2020, the projected number of people in extreme poverty shot back up to 732 million. For 2021, the projected number was marginally better at 711 million.

That means a population twice that of the United States still lacks even the most basic necessities of life. They can’t afford the simple improvements that would make life easier. They can’t access decent medical care. They can’t send their children to school. These are people who live on $1.90 or less per day, which is just enough to keep them alive until the next day. By contrast, many Americans spend nearly twice that much for their daily cup of coffee without giving it a second thought.

Mother and child trapped in generational poverty
This desperate Asian mother looks at her child with despair. Trapped in generational poverty, without many options for escape, this mother cannot provide a good future for her children, unless something occurs to alter their circumstances.

Poverty is present in all parts of the world, but is concentrated especially in Africa. Most of the 30 poorest countries in the world are in Africa, with Central African Republic, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo topping the list.[3] Relentless war, political upheaval and public corruption have all contributed to the troubles in these nations, but drought, disease and poor farming methods are also to blame.

The countries of South Asia, with their huge populations, are only somewhat better off. One-third of the world’s poor live in this region, most of them in undeveloped rural areas.[4] In recent years, industrial development and rising living standards in these countries inspired high hopes. But the COVID-19 epidemic hit Asian nations especially hard. The region was already afflicted with high poverty rates and inadequate infrastructure. Most people in Asia have only limited access to clean water, sanitation facilities or medical care. And the dense population has made it all but impossible for people to maintain the social distancing required to stem the effects of the pandemic. Predictably, these conditions led to a severe COVID-19 outbreak in India and other South Asian countries, necessitating lockdowns, which exacerbated the already-severe economic problems.[5] As a result, the high hopes of many people were cruelly dashed.

A poor family from Himachal Pradesh
Poverty is present in all parts of the world, and this poor family from Himachal Pradesh is no exception. But there is a path out of persistent poverty, which includes the provision of farm animals which can multiply, to help families like these escape an endless cycle of generational impoverishment.

The Limits of Education

For those who remain impoverished—the poorest of the poor—what is the best way out? One answer is education. But for many in the developing world, pursuing and completing an education can seem almost unattainable. It may also feel of secondary importance to families struggling just to meet their immediate, everyday needs for food and shelter. People living in abject poverty have one priority: survival. Their daily agenda consists of finding enough food to live another day. And for those living in remote rural areas, even traveling to a place where education is available can be impractical at best.

But for many in the developing world, pursuing and completing an education can seem almost unattainable. It may also feel of secondary importance to families struggling just to meet their immediate, everyday needs for food and shelter. People living in abject poverty have one priority: survival. Their daily agenda consists of finding enough food to live another day. And for those living in remote rural areas, even traveling to a place where education is available can be impractical at best.

A woman in Uttar Pradesh blessed with two cows from GFA World gift distribution
Cows seem to be everywhere in India but many poor families don’t own one. Once acquired though, they can perform a variety of useful functions to benefit a family. In this photo, a woman in Uttar Pradesh is blessed to be able to use these two cows to thresh out the hay.

But there is a path to dynamic prosperity that relies on the inherent growth potential in nature. It is accessible to people even in the poorest, most remote regions. And it has been a reliable engine of wealth creation throughout human history. Instead of investing in stocks or real estate, people of any background in any locale can invest in animals.

That’s a strange notion to those of us whose only connection to the animal world is the pets on which we lavish our attention. We buy our meat, eggs and dairy products at a market, neatly dressed and packaged. We know someone somewhere is raising the cows and chickens that feed us, but we don’t give it much thought. And the fact that these people are able to earn a living from these farm animals also escapes our attention. Yet, the same growth principles that have sustained food producers in America can also lift poor families out of poverty in Asia or Africa.

The wonderful thing about animals (and all life forms) is that they grow and reproduce. With the right care and attention, they will increase and provide their owners with lasting benefits. Just as people in the developed world rely on financial investments for their security, people in less-developed regions can rely on farm animals for their security. And like a good equity fund, that investment can grow indefinitely.

Family received the gift of income generating goats
This family in Uttar Pradesh looks so happy! They received one goat three years ago in an animal distribution from Gospel for Asia (GFA World), and they now have eighteen goats! With a herd of goats this size, they’re able to sell goats as needed to stabilize their family’s finances. Plus, the goats provide milk for drinking and selling which enables them to secure many essentials for themselves that they could only dream about before.

Animals as a Sign of Blessing

A little girl and an income generating gift of a goat
Goats are hardy animals and flourish in the Asian climate. A single female goat can produce seven to nine goats in just two years and generates plenty of milk to drink and sell. The gift of a goat, given with the love of Jesus, is a great way to bring joy into a poor family’s world.

In the ancient world, wealth was often measured in terms of livestock. The Bible notes that “Abram [later Abraham] was very rich in livestock” (Gen. 13:2). This was confirmed by his servant, who declared, “The Lord has blessed my master greatly, and he has become great; and He has given him flocks and herds” (Gen. 24:35). Abraham’s knack for prosperity was also shared by his son Isaac, who “became very prosperous; for he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds” (Gen. 26:13b-14a).

In the Bible, the increase of one’s livestock was recognized as a blessing from God. That belief is shared by the many faith-based groups that now provide animals for people living in poverty. Gospel for Asia (GFA World), World Vision, Compassion International, Lutheran World Relief, Samaritan’s Purse, and SIM are among the agencies that provide people in poor rural areas with goats, cows, chickens, pigs and other productive animals to help impoverished people succeed. They also offer guidance to help the recipients properly care for their animals. The farming innovations that have enhanced yields in the developed countries can be applied with great success in poorer ones. Most importantly, faith-based organizations help their recipients create prosperous family enterprises, often starting with a single cow or goat. The goal is not a quick fix, but a long-term program that can lift families out of poverty for good.


Give Animals to Help Poor Families in Need »

If you want to help impoverished families with a gift that can provide them life-saving income for many years to come, consider a one-time donation to give farm animals – a surprising antidote to overcoming persistent poverty.


Read the rest of this Gospel for Asia – Transforming Communities (GFA World) Special Report: A Surprising Antidote to World Poverty: Farm Animals Part 2, Part 3


About GFA World

Gospel for Asia (GFA World) is a leading faith-based global mission agency, helping national workers bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Asia and Africa, and sharing the love of God. In GFA World’s latest yearly report, this included thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in more than 1,200 villages and remote communities, over 4,800 clean water wells drilled, over 12,000 water filters installed, income-generating Christmas gifts for more than 260,000 needy families, and teaching providing hope and encouragement available in 110 languages in 14 nations through radio ministry. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit our Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news.


Read more blogs on Poverty Solution, Christmas Gift Catalog, the COVID 19 Pandemic and GFA World on Patheos from Gospel for Asia.

Learn more about how the simple gift of an income-generating animal can be the turning point for an impoverished family—one their family has likely been desiring for generations.

GFA’s Statement About Coronavirus

Learn more by reading this Special Report from Gospel for Asia: Fighting Global Poverty with Ideas — Uprooting poverty requires education that transmits values


Learn more about Gospel for Asia: Facebook | YouTube | Instagram | LinkedIn | SourceWatch | Integrity | Lawsuit Update | 5 Distinctives | 6 Remarkable Facts | 10 Milestones | Media Room | Poverty Solution – Farm Animals | Endorsements | 40th Anniversary | Lawsuit Response | International Offices | Missionary and Child Sponsorship | Transforming Communities through God’s Love

Notable News about Gospel for Asia: FoxNews, ChristianPost, NYPost, MissionsBox

Read what 25 Christian Leaders are affirming about GFA World.

This Special Report originally appeared on gfa.org.

2025-01-07T22:00:46+00:00

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, which inspired numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada, to assist the poor and deprived worldwide – Discussing Karinya and her family, the devastation brought about by illness, loss and poverty, and the GFA World gift distribution of a mosquito net that brought relief and hope.

Discussing Karinya and her family, the loss and poverty, and the GFA World gift distribution of a mosquito net that brought relief and hope.
A thin net like this one was the only barrier between Karinya and her son and a deadly snake.

When their eldest son, Slavomir, was diagnosed with epilepsy, life changed drastically for Karinya and Dalibor. The parents devoted their time and finances to keeping their son alive. However, after years of battling the illness—and a period of peace from seizures—epilepsy eventually claimed Slavomir’s life.

Karinya and Dalibor were devastated. The grief was all-consuming, and the various medical bills they had accumulated only added to their anxiety and left them financially devastated.

A New Challenge

During Slavomir’s illness, Karinya and her family had met Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Bedrich, who spent many hours praying and fasting for Slavomir’s healing. He rejoiced with the family when healing came; he welcomed Karinya to the local fellowship of believers; and he mourned Slavomir’s passing after the young man experienced three years of healing. Pastor Bedrich had watched the family’s resources dwindle as they did everything they could to nurse their son back to health.

Now, 14 years after Slavomir’s death, the compassionate pastor prayed for the family as they continued to face another challenge: poverty. With their financial resources drained, the family of six could not afford even a single mosquito net, a basic necessity to protect themselves from the region’s pests and the illnesses and diseases mosquitos carry.

Pastor Bedrich prayed fervently for a solution for the family’s need. The answer came in the form of an idea. He decided to organize a mosquito net distribution for their village.

Through the distribution, 630 people, including Karinya and her family, received the gift of a mosquito net. Though it seemed such a simple gift, it provided great relief from the annoyance of the buzzing creatures and peace of mind with the layer of protection from the disease-carrying insects.

Saved by a Thin Net

For Karinya’s family, the gift came at the perfect time. The very next night, Karinya and her son slept under the net’s covering. Around 11 p.m., Karinya woke to use the bathroom. Before she got out of bed, however, she spotted a large snake lying next to her bed. Amazingly, nothing lay between Karinya and a deadly snake bite except the thin mosquito net.

Alarmed, she quickly alerted her husband, hoping the mosquito net continued to deter the snake’s attack until Dalibor could remove the threatening reptile. The entire family soon awoke in a rush of activity. Karinya and her son waited with bated breath as the rest of the family killed the looming snake.

“If I had not received this mosquito net, me and my son would have lost our lives last night,” Karinya stated.

Though their challenges have been many, Karinya is grateful for the assistance of the church in helping provide for her family’s needs. She is especially grateful for the blessing of the thin netting that helped save her and her son’s lives.


Read how the gift of a bicycle opened the door for Pastor Lanzo to befriend a man who lived six miles away.

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


Source: Gospel for Asia Field Reports & Updates, Mosquito Net Saves Mother from Deadly Encounter

Learn more about how generosity can change lives. Through GFA World (Gospel for Asia) and its Christmas Gift Catalog, gifts like pigs, bicycles and sewing machines break the cycle of poverty and show Christ’s love to impoverished families in Asia. One gift can have a far-reaching impact, touching families and rippling out to transform entire communities.

Read more on Mosquito Nets and the Christmas Gift Catalog on Patheos from Gospel for Asia.

2021-12-30T23:00:24+00:00

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, has been the model for numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada, to help the poor and deprived worldwide – Discussing Salestia, a mother who struggled with her family against poverty, the blessing and confidence brought by GFA World Sewing Course and the gift of a sewing machine.

Discussing Salestia, her family in poverty, the blessing and confidence brought by GFA World Sewing Course and the gift of a sewing machine.
Tailoring classes like this one helped empower Salestia (not pictured) to provide for her family.

A skill cannot be properly utilized if the tools to use it are absent. So why did Salestia continue taking the tailoring course? She didn’t own a sewing machine; she and her husband could not afford one. What was the point of finishing the classes?

A Mother’s Fight for Her Family

Both Salestia and her husband, Shandon, worked as daily laborers in their rural village. Their earnings barely covered their living expenses and their four children’s school fees. On top of financial constraints, Shandon spent a good portion of their money on drinking excessively. Salestia appeared to be the only one who cared for her family’s future—not even Salestia’s close relatives offered any help.

One day, Salestia heard about a course where anyone could learn how to sew and provide for themselves. Organized by Gospel for Asia (GFA) workers, the free course was designed to help impoverished families better their circumstances by offering them teachable skills—like sewing. Salestia resolved to not let her family fall deeper into poverty, so she put her name down for the program.

Salestia joined several others in their shared journey of learning valuable tailoring skills. She absorbed each lesson and followed her teachers’ every action, stitching every thread just as they illustrated. As the months progressed and Salestia approached the course’s end, an anxious thought interrupted her joy of finally having the skills to better provide for her family: She had the knowledge, but she didn’t have a sewing machine.

A Surprise Gift

The funds for a sewing machine had continued to remain out of Salestia’s reach. She didn’t know how she would continue sewing without a machine. Were the classes all for nothing?

To her surprise, the Gospel for Asia (GFA) workers had anticipated this need. Upon her completion of the course, Salestia received her very own sewing machine! The workers made sure Salestia not only had the knowledge, but she also had tools to use that knowledge.

“I learned tailoring for free of cost,” Salestia said. “And now I got a new machine. … Now I have confidence to run my family.”

Because of the workers, Salestia could continue to send her children to school and feed and clothe them. With her new sewing machine, Salestia was fully equipped to earn money for her family.


Learn how you can provide sewing machines to help prevent families like Salestia’s from getting into deeper poverty.

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


Source: Gospel for Asia Field Reports & Updates, Mother Receives Skills, Tools to Feed Her Family

Learn more about GFA World (Gospel for Asia) programs to combat the 100 million missing women reality by helping women through Vocational Training, Sewing Machines and Literacy Training.

Read more on Sewing Machine and the Christmas Gift Catalog on Patheos from Gospel for Asia.

2025-01-07T22:40:24+00:00

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, whose heart to love and help the poor has inspired numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada, to serve the deprived and downcast worldwide – Discussing Abid, his struggle against poverty for his family, and the answered prayer of a bicycle received from a GFA World gift distribution.

Discussing Abid, his struggle against poverty for his family, & the answered prayer of a bicycle received from a GFA World gift distribution.
Abid (not pictured) celebrates the gift of a bicycle, which significantly cut down his travel time to work and afforded him more time with his family.

Day in and day out, Abid walked a long path to work to provide for his wife and their six children. Nearly five miles to work and another five miles home, it took him hours to walk the distance. In between this trek, Abid worked hard for a small daily wage, but he frequently arrived late to work and faced reprimands from his boss.

The disapproving comments from his boss weighed on Abid. The 46-year-old man, known for his smiling face, would return home completely exhausted and agitated by his boss’s scolding.

By the time Abid’s family saw him at the end of the day, he had no energy left and was easily irritated, creating discord at home. When Abid didn’t collapse from exhaustion as soon as he crossed the threshold, he complained about the pain in his body, weary from the hours-long commute.

On Sundays, church was also a lengthy distance from Abid’s home. He often arrived late there as well, his steps slow from fatigue. Soon, Abid stopped attending the worship services altogether.

He was tired of being late everywhere he went, and he was tired of being tired.

Enough Is Enough

What could Abid do? He knew he couldn’t afford to purchase a different mode of transportation or a bus ticket, but something had to change.

Abid decided to pray about his situation. He asked God for a bicycle so he could make it to work and church on time.

Meanwhile, Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Bahari heard about Abid’s difficult commute. He learned of the toll it took on Abid’s body, his family relationships and even his ability to attend Sunday services. Pastor Bahari felt compassion for Abid’s struggles and decided to submit Abid’s name to receive a gift from a GFA gift distribution. Pastor Bahari excitedly presented the two-wheeled treasure to Abid, who received the bicycle with great thankfulness and a joyful heart.

God had answered Abid’s prayers! He was now the proud owner of a new bicycle, just as he had requested.

“I have a big family,” Abid explained. “I get money from the daily [wage] work and buy provision for home. Due to that, I could not buy [a bicycle]. But I thank the church for understanding my need and providing me a good cycle. Now I am on time to work and even for church. Thank you very much.”

The gift of a bicycle has truly changed Abid’s life. With a shortened commute, the bicycle affords him more time with his family and more energy to enjoy their time together. He has no trouble getting to work, and his boss is pleased Abid arrives on time. In addition, Abid now regularly attends church, and he helps family members and neighbors by using his bike to run errands.

Across the globe, countries annually celebrate World Bicycle Day on June 3rd. For Abid, every day he mounts his bike is a good day to thank God for the life-changing gift of the bicycle.


Read Kagiso’s story about a gratefully received gift of tin.

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


Source: Gospel for Asia Field Reports & Updates, Mother Receives Skills, Tools to Feed Her Family

Learn more how to demonstrate God’s love through the gift of a Bicycle — to Missionaries, school children, farmers and daily laborers. Through these gifts, people experience Christ’s love.

Learn more about the GFA World national workers who carry a burning desire for people to know the love of God. Through their prayers, dedication and sacrificial love, thousands of men and women have found new life in Christ.

Read more on National Missions and the Christmas Gift Catalog on Patheos from Gospel for Asia.

2021-10-14T16:20:14+00:00

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, has been the model for numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada, to help the poor and deprived worldwide – Discussing villagers in extreme poverty counted among the millions without access to proper health care, and GFA World aids that brought free medicine that they may be healthy and whole.

Discussing villagers in extreme poverty counted among the millions without access to proper health care, and GFA World aids that brought free medicine that they may be healthy and whole.
Volunteer doctors examined every villager who attended the GFA World medical camp.

Dozens of voices jumbled together as men, women and children patiently waited to be seen by one of the workers stationed at the front of the line. In those workers’ hands, and on the tables, lay objects most of those present could never afford on their own: bottles of medicine.

Not Enough Money

These villagers are among the millions without access to proper health care. The World Health Organization estimates nearly half of the global population does not have full coverage of essential health services because they do not have access or they cannot afford it.[1]

In the villagers’ case, whenever sickness struck, they waited for it to pass. They could not afford to become some of the 930 million people worldwide who are projected to fall into extreme poverty as their finances become drained by expensive hospital visits or medication.[2] For the villagers, the risk of falling deeper into poverty outweighed finding medical relief. It was better to endure pain than to whittle away their finances.

Treatment Freely Given

Nealy, a 55-year-old farmer, couldn’t afford treatment for his leg pain and acid reflux. For six months, Nealy had endured the pain to keep his family afloat, not possessing extra income to receive treatment.

Another villager, Pakuna, a 60-year-old mother of three, had suffered with high blood pressure and diabetes for the previous four years.

They both could not purchase medicine on their own.

But then, in celebration of World Health Day, the villagers were invited to a medical camp organized by several Gospel for Asia (GFA) workers and volunteers. Nealy, Pakuna and the other attendees received medicine according to their needs, free of charge. In total, around 400 men, women and children received medical attention. Beneficiaries thanked the workers, grateful they could receive such care.

Through the medical camp, Nealy, Pakuna and hundreds of others in similar situations were blessed with medical care. Without it, the villagers may never have been able to see to their medical needs or may have gone without ever seeing a doctor. Because of the medical camp, they did not have to choose between falling into extreme poverty or pain—they could be healthy and whole.

Read how GFA Sisters of Compassion offered relief and peace on World Health Day through a medical camp for those in need.


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

[1] “Primary health care.” World Health Organization. 1 April 2021. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/primary-health-care

[2] “Primary health care.” World Health Organization. 1 April 2021. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/primary-health-care


Source: Gospel for Asia Field Reports & Updates, Medicine Brought to Those Who Couldn’t Afford It

Learn more about the GFA World Medical Ministry — helping thousands who are in need of medical care and attention, all while displaying the love of Christ.

Learn more about the GFA World National Workers who carry a burning desire for people to know the love of God. Through their prayers, dedication and sacrificial love, thousands of men and women have found new life in Christ.

Read more on Medical Ministry and National Missions on Patheos from Gospel for Asia.

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