WASHINGTON, DC — Dr. KP Yohannan, founder and director of GFA world and Metropolitan of the Believers Eastern Church, went to be with the Lord on May 8 following a serious accident in Dallas, Texas, on May 7. “KP Yohannan’s commitment to the gospel was steadfast throughout his lifetime,” said NRB President & CEO Troy A. Miller. “We may never know how many souls across the globe were won for Christ through his work and influence. He will be remembered as an impactful servant leader and evangelist.”
KP Yohannan aka Metropolitan Yohan (1950-2024)
In an obituary, GFA World describes Yohannan as “a missionary statesman with an undying call to share the love of Christ with this world and to inspire others to follow in his footsteps.” He served as the director of GFA World for nearly half a century, leading the organization to carry out the Great Commission and see lives transformed through the love of Christ.
Yohannan was born in South India (Kerala) in 1950 in one of the villages where Apostle St. Thomas planted one of his seven churches in 52 A.D., and was raised in the St. Thomas Syrian Christian tradition. His mother dedicated her children’s lives to the Lord, fasting and praying that one of them would commit their life to ministry. As a young adult, Yohannan was inspired by testimonies from the mission field, and he experienced a clear and unmistakable calling from God. Filled with love and burdened for the lost, he gained courage to begin evangelizing to those around him.
In 1974, Yohannan moved to the United States and began his theological training at Criswell College, marrying his wife, Gisela, after his first term.
After pastoring a local church in Dallas for several years, Yohannan’s heart turned back to international missions. He and Gisela took initial steps to start an organization to support and pray faithfully for missionaries around the world. This commitment gave birth to what was eventually known as GFA World, one of the world’s largest missions organizations supporting Gospel workers in Africa and Asia and delivering critical relief to vulnerable poverty- and disease-stricken groups. In 2003, Yohannan was consecrated as the Metropolitan of the Believers Eastern Church, which today includes more than 12,000 parishes throughout Asia and Africa.
Yohannan published hundreds of books and received numerous distinguished awards and recognitions throughout his life. He served as a board member with the National Religious Broadcasters Association (NRB) from 2013–2015. In 2003, NRB presented Yohannan with its Individual Achievement in International Broadcasting award.
Yohannan is survived by his wife, Gisela, his son and daughter, and seven grandchildren. Details of his funeral and memorial services will be available in the days to come.
Together with Yohannan’s family members, loved ones, and his many co-servants for the Gospel, we grieve this sudden loss and celebrate his life of faithfulness to God.
About K P Yohannan
K.P. Yohannan (Metropolitan Yohan), founder and director of GFA World (Gospel for Asia) and Metropolitan of Believers Eastern Church (BEC), until he departed in the presence of God on May 8, 2024, had written more than 250 books, including Revolution in World Missions, an international bestseller with more than 4 million copies in print. He and his wife, Gisela, have two grown children, Daniel and Sarah, who both serve the Lord with their families.
About NRB
NRB is a nonpartisan, international association of Christian communicators whose member organizations represent millions of listeners, viewers, and readers. NRB’s mission is two-fold: To protect the free speech rights of our members to speak Biblical truth by advocating those rights in governmental, corporate, and media sectors; and to foster excellence, integrity, and accountability in our membership by providing networking, educational, ministry, and relational opportunities. Learn more at www.nrb.org.
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 Kylan and his village’s struggle with unclean water, and the access to clean water through newly installed GFA World Jesus Wells.
Ten times each day, 20 minutes each way—Kylan and his wife, Esmai, spent cumulative hours on one task. Back and forth, the parents of two performed the same errand. They had to keep doing it for their survival.
Needing Water Every Day
Every day, Kylan and Esmae made the 20-minute journey to their village’s nearest water source. Nearly 10 times a day, depending on how much water they needed, the husband and wife trekked to the waterhole. There, they filled up their water cans as full as they could. Unfortunately, the road to the waterhole curved downhill. Trekking uphill with full jugs several times a day was taxing for Kylan and Esmae and it was even worse during the rainy seasons.
The rain made the roads difficult to traverse, and both husband and wife had fallen multiple times due to the slippery, muddy trails. Sometimes, the rain fell so hard that the road itself flooded, cutting off access to the waterhole. Adding to their misery, during the rainy season the quality of the water was even worse than normal.
“When the water level rises,” Kylan said, “the water from outside actually gets into the well … and the water becomes dirty … but we didn’t have any choice, we had to collect that water and bring it home.”
The water they gathered already was already dirty and untreated on a good day. The family tried to filter the water as best they could, but they could not remove all the pathogens.
“Because of consuming water from that well … we had problems like upset stomachs and even fevers,” Kylan said. “And also, we had skin diseases because of bathing in that water.”
Easily Drawing Clean Water
Thanks, the new Jesus Well, like the one pictured, Kylan’s village now has easy access to clean, pure water.
“We don’t have to go and fetch water from that [old] water source which is time consuming,” Kylan said. “Moreover, the water from the open source was not clean … it was very unhygienic and impure to drink.”
However, the water from the newly installed Jesus Well was clean and pure.
“We didn’t have to filter the water,” Kylan remarked on the Jesus Well, “because the well was dug very deep.”
Nearly everybody in the community uses the Jesus Well now. Kylan said, “The Jesus Well water is more [than] enough for all the villagers here in this village.”
*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.
Provide a Village with Access to Clean Water. GFA’s clean water program is supplying safe, disease-free water to families across Asia through Jesus Wells. Each Jesus Well offers clean drinking water to roughly 300 people at a cost of less than $5 per person.
Learn more about the GFA World national missionary 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.
WILLS POINT, TX – GFA World (previously Gospel for Asia) 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 GFA World missionaries meet the need for pure water, fighting waterborne diseases, with BioSand Water Filters.
Families in Pastor Rainart’s area, including Kaigan’s, faced a similar situation. There was a pump well near Kaigan’s house, but it was improperly drilled. As a result, mud entered the well during the rainy seasons, contaminating the water and drastically increasing the risk of infection from disease. Kaigan noted his children would fall ill almost every week, complaining of stomach pains, a tell-tale symptom of dysentery.
The well wasn’t safe to drink from, period. But it was the only source of water available to them.
Within the communities they serve, GFA missionaries like Pastors Gaige and Rainart step up to identify the most pressing needs. But it’s because of gifts from our donors that GFA missionaries can meet these critical needs and demonstrate Christ’s tangible love to men and women in deprivation.
*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.
Learn more about the GFA World national missionaries 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.
WILLS POINT, TX — Mission agency GFA World (Gospel for Asia) is helping to provide vital aid to traumatized survivors of the massive earthquake and aftershocks in Turkey, as the number of deaths now stands at more than 47,000.
“Right now, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) is working with our partners to bring relief to the earthquake survivors,” said K.P. Yohannan (Metropolitan Yohan), founder of the Texas-based organization. “The need they’re encountering is enormous, especially among (Turkey’s) Christian minority.”
Aid workers at the scene of the Feb. 6 disaster — one of the deadliest quakes in a decade — are distributing food, clean water, clothes, and medicines, Yohannan said, while shelter and heating fuel remain top priorities as thousands of homeless and displaced survivors face bitterly cold weather.
Following hundreds of aftershocks, another 5.6 magnitude quake struck southern Turkey on Monday, injuring dozens and killing at least one person.
Compassion, Hope Amid Agony
Gospel for Asia (GFA World) invites people to pray for survivors, including heartbroken parents who’ve faced the agony of being unable to save their children buried under the rubble of their homes.
“As they waited for rescue crews, hours turned into days, and the voices became faint and finally fell silent,” said Yohannan.
“Jesus was deeply moved by suffering humanity, and we share his heart of compassion. Please pray for the ongoing disaster relief efforts.”
For more than 40 years, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) has helped victims of disasters and millions of the world’s poorest people across Asia, bringing hope and “showing the love of God.” In 2021, the Christian organization — which helps everyone regardless of religious belief — announced it was “going global,” launching compassion projects in Africa.
Learn more about the need for Disaster Relief Work, Gospel for Asia’s “Compassion Services” with relief teams who love the Lord who are focused to help victims of natural disasters find a firm foundation.
Saeran woozily noted his surroundings. He was in the hospital. Something had happened to him, but the memory of what eluded him. Why did everything hurt? The 15-year-old boy had been climbing a tamarind tree, trying to pick fruit, and fell 50 feet. He had been knocked unconscious from the impact, and his body sustained deep injuries that needed immediate treatment. But there was a problem: Saeran’s family couldn’t afford to pay for the treatment.
Important Teachings at VBS
After Saeran’s miraculous healing, he attended a Sunday school class like the one pictured, where he could learn more about Jesus.
The money Saeran’s parents made was not enough to pay for the treatment he needed, and there was no one to help them. The most the family could do was wait, which, given Saeran’s injuries, was excruciating.
While they waited, the family received a visit from GFA pastor Hallan. A couple of months before Saeran’s fall, the boy had attended Sunday school at Pastor Hallan’s church. It was there that Saeran first learned of Jesus and of His great love for him. Then came an event that would change Saeran’s life.
Through the Sunday school, the boy was invited to a Vacation Bible School event held for the children. Every song and story revolved around a singular theme: connecting with God. The teachers and volunteers impressed upon every child, including Saeran, that they can live in the love of God every day. One verse stood out to Saeran: “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).
Saeran had truly seen how much God loved him—and he had decided to live in that love.
So when the young boy spent a week in the hospital after his fall, and went home without the treatment he really needed, he didn’t seem worried. Much to his parents’ surprise, Saeran was calm about the current dilemma. Jesus would heal him, he told his parents, and he urged them to pray for him in Jesus’ name. It was part of what he had learned at VBS, after all. If he believed and prayed God would heal him, He would. They would just have to wait.
Faithful Prayer Brings Healing, Love
Pastor Hallan visited Saeran at home every day to pray for the hurt boy and anoint him with oil. After a month of prayer, the pain caused by Saeran’s fall was gone. Despite the depth of his injuries, Saeran could walk as if no accident had ever happened. He had been completely healed of any lasting effects.
It was a miracle—one Saeran’s parents couldn’t ignore. The family began attending Pastor Hallan’s church together, and Saeran’s parents decided to put their trust in the One who had healed their son. It was the same faith, the same love that Saeran had found at VBS. And now, his parents had found it, too.
*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.
Learn more about how you can give toward Gospel for Asia VBS scholarships, where the gift of VBS materials for one of these precious children will guarantee that he or she will hear about Jesus’ love again and again through skits, Bible songs and teaching and will have colorful Gospel literature to take home.
Learn more about the GFA World national missionary 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.
Last updated on: February 22, 2023 at 8:48 am By GFA Staff Writer
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 the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Nepal in 2015, the devastation and tragedy it dealt, and the Gospel for Asia (GFA World) workers that brought relief, help and hope to the victims.
On April 25, 2015, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Nepal, taking around 9,000 lives, injuring more than 23,000 people, and damaging or destroying more than 700,000 homes.[1] The disaster caused widespread devastation.
One village hit hard by this tragedy was in desperate need of food and supplies. Nearly all the houses had been destroyed. The residents’ belongings, food, clothes and livestock—all essential to their livelihood—were buried, destroyed or damaged. To make matters worse, the road into the village was blocked by a landslide, making it nearly impossible for the villagers to access outside food or materials. They were in dire need of help and hope.
Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Manja knew the desperate needs of his fellow villagers and yearned to help them in their time of need. He organized a relief distribution in cooperation with the local church. The distribution workers distributed 11,352 pounds of rice and 378 pounds of salt to the disaster victims, which they received with gratitude and joy.
“Thank you for your support to us in our need,” said 54-year-old recipient Radamés. “We are very happy to see you. Though we are not familiar with one another, you remembered us and helped us. Thank you again.”
Balandis, another recipient, also expressed his gratitude to the relief team.
“Many, many thanks to you,” Balandis said. “This is the best work. To help the needy people is holier work than any other work. I am [grateful] to you all.”
The relief team also assisted Gaerwn, the oldest surviving villager, and their kindness touched his heart.
“Thank you so much for supporting us,” Gaerwn said. “[Others] forgot us; you remembered us. May God bless you in each of your steps in life!”
Through the work and ministry of Pastor Manja and the local church, these village residents were able to experience God’s love and care for them in their time of need. Though they felt forgotten after the tragedy of the earthquake, they were encouraged and uplifted by the support of the relief team, which brought both the help and the hope they so greatly needed.
Partner with GFA World and continue to help bring relief in the face of disasters like flooding and COVID-19.
*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.
Learn more about the need for Disaster Relief Work, Gospel for Asia’s “Compassion Services” with relief teams who love the Lord who are focused to help victims of natural disasters find a firm foundation.
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 Raimon’s physical ailment, two years of near-constant pain, and how God heals through the power prayer.
Like the pastor pictured, Pastor Seamus brought hope and help to families in need through the love of God.
When pain first flared in Raimon’s stomach, he immediately journeyed to the hospital. But the doctors could find no remedy for the pain that beset the 31-year-old father of four. When medical treatment didn’t take away the pain, Raimon turned to spiritual treatment.
Two Years of Near-constant Pain
Raimon; his wife, Perley; and their four children lived in a rural village without basic amenities such as clean water. The roads to their village were rough and unpaved, making necessary trips difficult. With the nearest hospital 18 miles away, only an emergency—like Raimon’s sudden pain—could persuade the family to make the trip.
Once Raimon made it to the hospital, however, the doctors had only bad news for him: They had no idea what was affecting him, and they could not offer any help.
So Raimon turned to the local witch doctors, but they could offer no help either, only the pronouncement that the unfortunate father was likely under the spell of black magic. And with that, the family gave up hope. For the next two years, Raimon lay in his bed, enduring the pain and writhing in hopelessness.
The Pastor’s Prayers
As Gospel for Asia (GFA World) pastor Seamus wound his way through the area he served, he came to Raimon’s village. There, the pastor did as always: He offered words of love and encouragement to any who wanted to hear, and he listened to the people’s troubles and prayed for them. Perley, hearing of a man in their village offering prayers for the sick, immediately tracked the pastor down.
After explaining Raimon’s mysterious sickness, Perley begged the pastor to come and pray for her husband. They had tried everything, she said. Nothing had worked.
Pastor Seamus followed Perley to her home. He saw Raimon lying in his bed, writhing in pain. Taking his hand, Pastor Seamus prayed for the ailing man.
Later, the family visited Pastor Seamus’s church for more prayer. Pastor Seamus and the other believers welcomed the family with open arms and prayed for Raimon’s healing. From that day on, Raimon did not suffer from any more stomach pains; he had been totally healed!
After Raimon’s miraculous healing, he and his family expressed to Pastor Seamus that they wanted to learn more about his God. When all other avenues of finding healing and peace had failed, and there was no hope, the Lord had intervened and sent Pastor Seamus to bring healing for Raimon.
*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.
Learn more about the GFA World national missionary 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.
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 Nala, a widow, the desperation her sickness and pain brought, and God’s work through the prayer of a Gospel for Asia (GFA World) pastor that brought healing and transformation.
Nala, her son and daughter-in-law are grateful for the prayers, encouragement and friendship of Pastor Chinua. Their lives will never be the same.
Nala lay helpless in bed. The pain in her spine stubbornly refused to relent, and the widow didn’t have the energy to fight it anymore. For a long time, Nala’s son, Abebe, dutifully escorted her to see various doctors and local religious leaders, looking for a way to relieve her back pain. But the proposed remedies failed to improve Nala’s condition. Nala grew weaker and her family grew poorer as her condition and the expense of seeking a cure took their toll.
Pastor Chinua lived in Nala’s village. When word of her declining health reached his ears, Pastor Chinua decided to visit Nala and offer her encouragement and hope. Nala and Abebe welcomed Pastor Chinua and a few people from his church into their home. During their visit, the group prayed fervently for Nala’s healing and shared with the despairing woman good news from Scripture.
“Jesus said, ‘Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me,’” Pastor Chinua told her. “Therefore, if you believe in Jesus, He will heal you and bless you. Trust in Him.”
Miraculous Healing
The day after Pastor Chinua’s visit, Nala noticed a decrease in her pain. She told her son, “Through prayers, my health is improving.”
Abebe was surprised by his mother’s quick change in health. He had been by her side as they tried medication after medication, ritual after ritual, to no avail. Now, just one day after Pastor Chinua and his friends prayed, she already experienced a visible improvement.
Watching the effect of prayer evidenced in his mother’s body, Abebe and his wife recognized the power of God. They invited Pastor Chinua to return to their home to pray and answer their questions about this God named Jesus.
Pastor Chinua willingly returned, sharing hope from God’s Word and inviting them to church.
Not only did the family begin attending Pastor Chinua’s church, but they also began hosting a prayer meeting in their home.
“If the pastor did not come to my home, I might have died,” Nala said. “Though I went to consult with many doctors for my health and also sacrificed many animals … for my healing, nothing helped me. Now I understand that it was God’s plan to save my life, and I am getting better day by day.”
Thanks to a compassionate pastor willing to visit his neighbor, Nala and her family are forever changed by the power of prayer to a God who hears and answers.
*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.
Learn more about the GFA World national missionaries 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.
Learn more about the GFA World Widows Ministry, and how you can help alleviate the many struggles widows face.
Last updated on: December 2, 2022 at 11:24 am By GFA Staff Writer
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 Moira and her dream to be a teacher hindered by distance and exhaustion, relieved through GFA World gift distribution of a bicycle.
Finally, Moira had made it to school through the day’s deluge of rain. Many days the young teenager arrived at school either soaked from the pouring rain or exhausted from walking in the hot sun. The five-mile trek hindered Moira’s ability to make it to school on time. There were mornings that, as the sun rose, Moira wondered if the agonizing trip was worth it.
Continue in School, Continue in Exhaustion
Moira, pictured here with her bicycle, no longer worries about having to walk to school.
At 14 years old, Moira was well on her way to completing her secondary education. She wanted to be a teacher, and education was the only way she could attain that goal. But walking to and from school every day was taking its toll. Sometimes, in the evenings, Moira would fall asleep without eating dinner, exhausted from her trek home and from completing her homework assignments.
Some of Moira’s friends biked to school, and Moira had long wanted a bicycle. But she could only watch as her friends sped by.
Moira’s father, Anrai, saw his daughter’s struggles. The fact that he couldn’t afford to purchase a bicycle for his daughter distressed him. A farmer by trade, Anrai earned barely enough to both feed his family and send Moira to school as it was.
So Moira could only watch her friends on their bicycles and dream of how much easier it would be to go to school with one, how much time and energy it would save her. Her drive to continue her education slowly waned.
After Moira got her new bicycle, the burden that had weighed on Anrai for so long finally lifted. Moira was ecstatic. Now she could join her friends riding their bicycles to and from school, saving both time and energy for her studies.
“My dream has come true,” Moira told the pastor. “I cannot explain how happy I am now to have my own bicycle. … Now, I can concentrate on my studies.”
Now that Moira’s dream of owning a bicycle has been achieved, her goal of becoming a teacher can become ever more realistic. The bicycle was a small but helpful step to attain Moira’s dream.
*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.
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.
Last updated on: August 12, 2022 at 10:28 pm By GFA Staff Writer
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 third 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.
This mother no longer needs to worry about her young daughter as her family now has safety and dignity through the generous Christmas gift of a toilet provided through a Gospel for Asia (GFA) donor.
Fostering Safety and Education
While meeting the basic needs of girls, non-profits and communities and families must also work to value and protect girls and their education. Malala Fund is partnering with organizations and governments in several developing nations to promote digital learning, secure education funding for girls and ensure girls’ mental and physical well-being during school closures.[33]
Malala Yousafzai, Malala Fund Co-Founder Photo by Dr. Flavia Bustreo, Instagram
“Our goal should not be a return to the way things were but instead a renewed commitment to the way the world should be, a place where every girl can learn and lead.”[34]
Gospel for Asia (GFA) workers have encouraged communities to promote girls’ education, even during the pandemic. Last October, Gospel for Asia (GFA) workers in one community held a small International Day of the Girl celebration at the local church, where regional pastors and a Women’s Fellowship leader shared about the importance of valuing girls.
“Children are a gift from God; they are His reward,” explained the Women’s Fellowship leader, referencing Psalm 127.
To mark the International Day of the Girl Child, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) held an event at a local church during the COVID-19 pandemic in October 2020, to promote the importance of girls’ education, and highlight ways to value daughters, and to distribute pens and chocolate bars to those in attendance, and pray for each girl present.
One of the pastors then prayed for each girl present while the other attendees lifted their hands toward the girls in a sign of agreement with his prayer of blessing. At the end of the program, the girls each received a pen and a chocolate bar.
These may seem like small gifts, but even small ways of showing respect for girls can impact a community.
“I acknowledged the fact that a girl child is a great blessing for the family, church and in our society, who must not be considered as a burden, rather an instrument for source of blessings,” said one woman present.
“A girl child must not be shown any partiality from her parents nor put down without knowing her potential. … She must be educated well and needs to be motivated,” shared a 15-year-old girl who attended.
As churches, non-profits and governments work together to help girls reach their potential, girls will most likely have safer communities. Parents who value their daughters will probably spend more time with them, engage them in conversation more often, and help them to develop healthy relationships. In countries where technology is available, this means parents will safeguard their daughters’ online experience.
As families and communities choose to embrace and educate their daughters, girls will face a lower risk of trafficking, violence and abuse.
Over the next three years, Malala Fund is addressing the immediate and long-term implications of the pandemic on girls’ education in five ways: 1. Keep girls learning through school closures; 2. Re-enroll girls to catch up on missed lessons; 3. Support teachers with resources and training needed to deliver a quality education; 4. Strengthen education systems against future crises; 5. Ensure girls’ physical and psychological well-being in the classrooms. Photo by Dr. Flavia Bustreo, Instagram
Fighting Injustice
Ethiopia – east of Addis Ababa: The Hunger Project is actively working with Her Choice to end child marriages by setting up Girls Clubs and making sanitary pads available. In this way teenage girls can attend school as much as possible. Alemtsheya was able to ask the Girls Club for help when her parents wanted to marry her at the age of 15. “My step-mother suddenly found me a man who wanted to marry me and he had a good income. My parents liked that. But I didn’t like that at all! I wanted to stay in school and learn a profession. But my parents didn’t want to listen to me.” Photo by Her Choice
While creating safe environments for girls is key, organizations and governments must also work together to end child marriage and trafficking and provide justice and care to girls who have already been victimized.
In 134 countries, child marriage (marriage where at least one partner is under age 18) can happen if a parent, judge or authority consents.[35] In the United States, several states allow for child marriage if a parent consents. North Carolina and Alaska allow a girl to be married at 14 if she is pregnant.[36] In 2002, North Carolina received a marriage application from a 57-year-old wanting to marry a 17-year-old.[37] Because of exceptions in the law, a teenage girl may be pressured or even forced into marriage by her parents or others, so advocates suggest that governments should keep the marriage age at 18—with no exceptions.[38]
Calling on governments to remove exceptions to the legal marriage age can protect girls from experiencing statutory rape and/or being forced to marry someone who may have abused them. It can help these girls grow up with a better chance of finishing school and choosing a partner when they are old enough to know what is right for them.
As churches, non-profits and governments work together to help girls reach their fullest potential, girls will most likely have safer communities. And as families within communities choose to embrace and educate their daughters, girls will face a lower risk of trafficking, violence and abuse.
The Dominican Republic reached a milestone this year in the fight against child marriage: On January 6, the nation’s president approved a bill removing any grounds for child marriage.[39] Now that marriage is prohibited for anyone under age 18 in the Dominican Republic, girls there will be less vulnerable to human trafficking and abuse.
It is estimated that nearly 30 MILLION people are being trafficked worldwide. The average lifespan of a trafficking victim is 7-10 years, and the average age of sex trafficking victims is 13 years old. Girls are at a higher risk.
Meanwhile, despite the pandemic, organizations such as International Justice Mission, Freedom Firm and Exodus Cry have continued their work to rescue girls (and other victims) from trafficking, bring justice to traffickers and provide care to survivors.
One victory in the fight against trafficking occurred in the success of the Traffickinghub campaign, which has been shining a light on the prevalence of the abuse of women and children found on the website Pornhub.[40] The Traffickinghub campaign, along with a New York Times editorial by Nicholas Kristof, drew attention to this and eventually encouraged government leaders and businesses to investigate allegations that Pornhub was profiting from child pornography and rape.[41] Eventually, Visa, Mastercard and Discover refused to process transactions on the site, and Pornhub had to remove nearly 80 percent of its videos. Meanwhile, senators have introduced two bills in Congress to help protect women and girls from pornography being posted online without their consent; one bill makes it easy for victims to sue platforms like Pornhub, and another requires such platforms to provide proof of age and consent for the individuals appearing in videos.[42]
130 million girls were already out of school before the pandemic. Now 20 million more might never return. COVID-19 is creating a global girls’ education crisis. That’s why Malala Fund is working to ensure girls can keep learning during and after the crisis. Around the world, they’re funding local activists and education leaders, helping girls continue their education from home and fighting for policies that will allow them to safely return when schools reopen. Photo by Malala Fund, Facebook
A New Beginning
COVID-19 has been making the lives of girls more difficult and dangerous. Months of poverty, neglect and violence have the potential to derail girls’ futures. For girls, a single mistake—or a single experience of abuse—can yield years of pain or injustice.
Serena, one of the women interviewed by Kristof, was 14 when a classmate asked her to send him a naked video of herself. She did, and he posted it on Pornhub without her consent. As classmates mocked her for it, she fell down a spiral of shame, suicide attempts and drug addiction.[43]
“A whole life can be changed because of one little mistake,” she told Kristof.[44]
For Alexis Martin, one mistake was trusting a man who ended up trafficking her.[45] Now, although life on parole has its hardships, she is free from trafficking and free from prison. She has been living with a mentor and working to save money, buy a car and attend college. She now goes by Kee, a shortened version of her middle name, to remind herself that she is a new person.[46]
“If girls learn one thing from my life so far, I hope it’s that speaking out about the issues they care about can make a difference, no matter their age.” — Malala
For girls, a single mistake—or a single experience of abuse—can yield years of pain or injustice. COVID-19 has been making their lives more difficult and more dangerous. Months of poverty, neglect and violence have the potential to derail girls’ futures. Like Alexis, girls who have endured trauma can gain a fresh start, but they will need support, advocacy and help to break the grip of destructive forces on their lives. That’s why it’s more vital than ever to provide girls with safe, nurturing environments and to bring justice and aid to those who’ve been abused.
There is much work to be done, but organizations, communities and governments can work together to equip girls with education; protect them from trafficking, child marriage and violence; and help girls who have been exploited find restoration. The COVID-19 pandemic will have years of consequences, but with God’s help, we can prevent it from destroying girls’ lives. We can witness a new beginning.
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.
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/.
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.
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