Last updated on: January 14, 2022 at 11:11 pm By GFA Staff Writer
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing the Gospel for Asia radio program that brought Jesus to Kaneila’s life, bringing transformation amid her husband’s opposition to her new found faith.
It was a day like any other for Kaneila. She completed her household tasks, attended to her children’s needs and did what she could to prepare for her husband’s return home from working in the Philippines. As she settled in to listen to her radio, she was drawn by the message of Bishop Antonius Mor Eusebius on a Gospel for Asia (GFA) radio program. Seeking merely soothing sounds, Kaneila found soothing words for her soul and tuned in regularly, searching for that same voice.
Soon after listening to the radio program, Kaneila connected with her neighbor, a member of the Gospel for Asia church in her village, and expressed how she enjoyed the program. From then on, Kaneila and her neighbor developed a deeper friendship that helped the mother grow in her understanding of Jesus. Eventually, Kaneila joined her neighbor in worshiping Jesus at the local church.
Kaneila loved learning about Jesus
, but fearing her husband’s reaction to her newfound faith, she read her Bible in secret.
Tears, Testimonies and Transformations
When Kaneila’s husband found out she was attending church, he grew furious. He beat her and coerced her to not go. Fearful, Kaneila thought the only way to protect herself was to go back to her old ways, abandoning her faith in Jesus.
Hearing of her difficult situation, the pastor of the church she had been attending reached out to her; so did many of Kaneila’s neighbors. They visited her, read Scripture, and shared their own testimonies of how Jesus worked in their lives. Kaneila was encouraged by their words, and she continued praying for her own protection as well as her husband’s transformation.
After four months of diligent prayer and enduring faith, Kaneila received an answer. Kaneila’s faith in Jesus had changed her, and her husband had taken notice. Her attitude and behavior touched his heart deeply, and he allowed her to go to church again. He even asked her to pray for certain things in his own life.
Kaneila is now an active member of the local church. She attends all spiritual programs and helps however she can. Kaneila no longer lives in fear of her husband’s reactions but enjoys the freedom, healing and soothing of soul she has found through Jesus Christ—all thanks to a radio program.
*Names of people and places may have been changed for privacy and security reasons. Images are Gospel for Asia stock photos used for representation purposes and are not the actual person/location, unless otherwise noted.
Last updated on: February 3, 2022 at 10:23 pm By GFA Staff Writer
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing Rasa, her depression, shame and rejection from her own family, and the deliverance that walked into her life, a Gospel for Asia (GFA) missionary who shared Christ’s love.
Rasa stood in shame in front of her parents listening to the angry, disappointed words falling from their lips. How could she, their eldest daughter, engage in a secret romance with a village boy and bring disgrace to their family?
Rasa’s parents forbade her to ever leave the house alone again. She had lost their trust—and, it seemed, their love.
Locked Away
Rasa (pictured) lost her family’s approval when her secret relationship with a young man brought shame to them all. They began to hate and mistreat her, driving Rasa to seclusion and desperation.
Rasa’s home life had seemed good. Her family successfully farmed their land and lived a well-to-do lifestyle. She had completed 12 years of studies—something only one in three children accomplish in low- and middle-income countries —and enjoyed modern conveniences in her home, which many in her nation don’t have. But life became grim after her family discovered her undercover relationship. They continually scolded her, and her father even hit her.
Rasa’s parents took their daughter to a temple and performed a ceremony over her to try to break off her attraction to the young man. But Rasa’s young heart still longed for the boy. Hatred toward her built up within her family members, and Rasa withdrew into angry silence. Eventually, they locked her away in her room.
“I was left alone and did not get any love from anyone,” Rasa says.
Shame and rejection whirled within Rasa. One day, she attempted to end her life. Someone managed to save her, but Rasa did not want saving. She wanted relief. So later, she tried again—and was rescued again.
Rasa’s agony continued. Finally, she tried to commit suicide a third time, and again someone saved her. Her life was in shambles, and it seemed there would be no escape.
Hidden Daughter Meets a Friend
Then deliverance walked into Rasa’s house one day when Gospel for Asia (GFA) missionary Imani visited Rasa’s family. Sister Imani greeted Rasa’s mother, Kalani, and because Imani was a woman, Kalani welcomed her into the home despite her husband being absent.
Women missionaries like Imani and this woman are able to relate to the personal struggles of the ladies in their communities and develop close friendships. Through the ministry of these women, many ladies and girls like Rasa are discovering how much God loves and values them.
When Imani inquired if everyone in the house was present to hear some important news about Jesus, Kalani replied that one daughter suffered a sickness and was alone in her room. Hearing this, Imani offered to pray for the girl’s healing. Kalani then revealed the sobering situation the family faced and explained why Rasa was confined to her room.
Imani spoke with Rasa’s mother and siblings for a long time and heard about all their problems. She realized the young daughter carried deep hurts and had many problems—she was desperate enough to attempt suicide three times—but Imani believed Jesus could work beautiful healing in Rasa’s life. Confident in Christ’s power, Imani extended a generous offer: If Rasa and her parents consented, Rasa could stay in Imani’s home for a time to receive counseling and guidance.
“Will you go with Sister Imani?” Kalani questioned her daughter, unknowingly speaking words that would forever change the course of Rasa’s life.
Rasa immediately agreed. She did not know what it might be like to live under the care of this new woman, but she wanted anything that would get her out of her current situation. Three days later, Imani returned, and after being granted full permission to counsel Rasa according to God’s wisdom, she brought her new charge home.
Relationship with GFA Missionary Produce Change of Heart
Ministering to the needs of girls and widows was nothing new to Imani. She had been serving in this village for 15 years as a Gospel for Asia (GFA) missionary, speaking words of life and teaching women vocational skills such as sewing clothes and making kitchen utensils out of coconut shells. Imani and the troubled girl developed an especially close bond, however. Although Imani had never married or had children, she showed Rasa the love and kindness of a mother.
This woman, like Rasa, considered suicide as the only way out of her grief and pain. But hearing about God’s unconditional love, these women both found new life and unspeakable joy.
Rasa’s relationship with Imani brought hope to the girl’s life, and she gradually walked away from her past problems and decided to pursue a better life. She accompanied Imani in her ministry, meeting many people and even learning to sew clothes. Rasa also participated in daily times of prayer and scripture reading, and through them, she learned about the God whose love is unconditional. Slowly, she started a relationship with Jesus, and she found inner peace and comfort in Him.
At the end of one month, Rasa asked Christ to live in her heart. Thoughts of suicide no longer gripped her—she was free and spotless in Jesus, and shame had lost its hold on her. She was a new creation. Instead of hiding her past, she began sharing her story to testify to others of Christ’s life-changing power.
“Now, I have a loving mother and also a church family to take care of me,” Rasa says of her new friend Imani. “I thank the Lord Jesus for saving me.”
Family Reunion
Two months after Rasa went to live with Imani, she returned home to visit her family. Her parents greeted her with amazement. Their daughter was smiling. They could see love and joy in her countenance. How could this be?
Sister Imani explained to them how Jesus’ unfailing love had transformed Rasa and how her life now serves as a testimony to everyone.
Rasa’s parents wept. Their daughter who needed someone to rescue her from death three times now wore a hopeful, joyous expression; their girl who earlier had brought shame to their family was now a good example to others. Jesus had done amazing things in their daughter’s life.
Rasa’s parents wept. Their daughter who needed someone to rescue her from death three times now wore a hopeful, joyous expression.
Then they remembered how they had mistreated Rasa, and they felt deep remorse over their actions. That day, love within their family was restored.
Although Rasa reconciled with her family, she decided to continue living with Imani instead of moving back home. She wanted to keep learning about the God who received her when her family had rejected her—and help Imani bring others the hope that rescued her.
Send News of Acceptance, Unfailing Love
Imani showed Rasa a path to life in Jesus, and she helped Rasa understand God loved her when it seemed no one else did. Now, Rasa is in true fellowship with God and with her family, and she is helping Imani carry God’s message to others.
The message of God’s forgiveness and unfailing love is desperately needed around the world. According to the World Health Organization, there are as many as 16 million suicide attempts each year. Millions more don’t attempt suicide but are burdened by discontentment and grief. Each person on the brink of choosing death over life has unique situations and sorrows, but in Jesus, they can find acceptance and abundant life.
A Gospel for Asia (GFA) missionary brings life-saving news to people in desperate need of God’s endless love. Your partnership today will enable many more people to encounter that message!
You can help send a GFA missionary like Imani to people in Asia who are on the brink of hopelessness. Your gift of any amount will help bring news of God’s unconditional love and healing to those who need it most. Donate today and help point people to a path that leads to life!
*Names of people and places may have been changed for privacy and security reasons. Images are GFA stock photos used for representation purposes and are not the actual person/location, unless otherwise noted.
Sadness and frustration hung over the family like a dark cloud. Dadgar, father to Ravalnath and father-in-law to Ratubai, lay in bed, cancer ravaging his body. Doctors had given up on the aged widower, but his family had not. They had taken Dadgar to various temples, offering alms and sacrifices for supernatural healing, but none came.
Battle Against Cancer
Ratubai (pictured) now rejoices in the saving knowledge of God’s great love.
Amongst the rolling hills and sweeping fields of the tea estates, Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Kraanti ministered to the tea garden workers. During one of Pastor Kraanti’s ministry outings, he met Ravalnath and Ratubai and learned of their troubles.
The past months had taken a heavy toll on Ravalnath and Ratubai as they sought healing for their ailing father. Lines of worry and sadness creased their faces as they shared their woes. Pastor Kraanti knew the family desperately needed encouragement, so he pulled out a New Testament and asked if the family had ever heard of Jesus.
As Ravalnath and Ratubai listened to the pastor, a feeling that had evaded them for some time inched its way into their hearts: peace.
The Peace That Surpasses Understanding
Pastor Kraanti continued his visits, each time offering encouraging words and fervent prayers for the entire family. After one such visit, the pastor offered to leave a New Testament so they could read more about Jesus.
Ravalnath and Ratubai’s neighbors, opposing Christianity, pressured the family to refuse the pastor, to drive him away. Ravalnath almost gave in, but Dadgar stopped him. The pain lessened whenever Pastor Kraanti prayed, the aged man explained, and sleep came much easier when Ratubai read him the New Testament.
One day, Dadgar asked Ravalnath and Ratubai to call Pastor Kraanti. When the pastor arrived, the old man declared he believed in Jesus with his whole heart. That evening, as Ratubai continued her nightly ritual of reading the New Testament aloud, Dadgar interrupted her to tell her how he believed in Jesus as his Lord and Savior and wished for her and Ravalnath to embrace His love as well—even if their relatives and neighbors opposed them.
Minutes later, Dadgar passed away.
Dwelling in the Lord’s Embrace
As mourning settled over the household, Dadgar’s last words echoed in Ratubai’s ears. The New Testament Pastor Kraanti gave them sat by the bedside, waiting to be opened. Ratubai picked it up and began reading. The peace she first felt those many months ago returned stronger than ever; hope burst aflame in her heat. Whenever she read God’s Word, all her worries seemed to melt away, and it gave her the strength she needed to face each day.
A desire to embrace the love her father-in-law had found settled in Ratubai’s heart, but she knew people would mock her and perhaps even treat her with hostility. Her husband was not willing to take the journey his father had taken, so Ratubai knew she’d have to go alone.
A few months after Dadgar’s passing, Ratubai visited Pastor Kraanti’s church, and following in her father-in-law’s footsteps, she made the decision to worship Christ alone for the rest of her life.
A Bible and a Gospel for Asia missionary brought God’s love to a hopeless woman. Learn more how you can share the Word of God with the millions of people in Asia — either as complete Bibles or New Testaments — which will enable many to grow and learn more about Jesus.
*Names of people and places may have been changed for privacy and security reasons. Images are Gospel for Asia stock photos used for representation purposes and are not the actual person/location, unless otherwise noted.
Last updated on: September 11, 2022 at 8:31 am By GFA Staff Writer
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing Suhana, a victim of child marriage, the desperate need for clean water, extreme poverty, illiteracy, and the Gospel for Asia provided Jesus Well that brought stability and hope for a future.
Nine-year-old Suhana stood in her bridal dress, her childish face masked under heavy kohl eye liner, and the red powder on her forehead signaling her entrance into the adult rite of marriage. Her young husband, closer to adulthood than herself, placed a floral garland around her neck. After the ceremony, Suhana moved to her husband’s village, where another newcomer had arrived just a couple years before her—a Jesus Well.
Harmful Customs Sustained by Need to Survive
Suhana
Suhana’s people lived in rural forests, mountains and valleys where they practiced the same traditional way of life for thousands of years. Predominantly farmers, they cultivated their land to produce rice, vegetables and cotton, which were their main economic resources.
The goal for these farmers was simple and straightforward: survive. But there were many obstacles to overcome. Ponds, which irrigated the fields and provided water for households, dried up during the summer and were reduced to mud holes. Sometimes the area experienced droughts so severe entire villages had to relocate, leaving behind anything they could not carry and becoming poorer in the process.
The need for clean water is not unique to Suhana’s people; it is an urgent issue for 783 million people worldwide.
The lack of fundamental needs, such as water, traps many communities into a life dedicated to obtaining basic necessities. Initiating community development projects, like drilling wells or educating children, are unattainable luxuries for many families. The effects of poverty are especially strong on young girls, who are not seen as able to contribute to the family’s survival—and are subsequently married off at a very young age, making them the in-law’s responsibility to support.
783 million people worldwide don’t have clean water
Open sources of water quickly become polluted when hundreds of families use them for everything from washing clothes and watering animals to cooking and bathing.
Suhana established herself in her new community and joined the other wives in daily visits to the well. She balanced water jugs on her head as she carried back clean water for cooking the family meals.
When the Jesus Well came, everyone rejoiced in the immediate benefits, but the long-term benefits had not yet been imagined.
Suhana visits with a neighbor while she gives her cow a drink of water at the Jesus Well. This well, located a stone’s throw from Suhana’s home, was constructed shortly before she arrived in the village as a young wife.
Consistent Water a Stabilizing Influence
Within a year of becoming a wife, Suhana became a mother, and then quickly had two more children in the next few years. She worked hard on her daily household chores and earned extra income doing manual labor at construction sites working with bricks, sand and cement. Her husband worked as a painter, and they both cultivated their land to feed their growing family.
The Jesus Well assisted Suhana in almost every task, from watering her crops and animals to washing dishes and cooking food. Since the Jesus Well was nearby, Suhana did not have to spend extra time hauling water back and forth from a distant water source.
With their basic needs taken care of, Suhana could send her children to school rather than to the fields or to earn money as daily laborers.
The Jesus Well blessed more than just Suhana’s family. People from all over the village came to the Jesus Well every day. During summer droughts, the Jesus Well faithfully poured out clean, pure water, attracting people from other villages whose water supplies had dried up. Even with the additional burden of more people drawing water, the Jesus Well flowed continually, giving life to Suhana’s community and many others.
Suhana uses water from the Jesus Well for almost all of her household tasks, like preparing a meal for her family. The Jesus Well has eliminated the water crisis in Suhana’s village and brought stability to the residents’ daily life.
“This Jesus Well water is more than sufficient for the entire village and also for some neighboring villages,” shares Suhana. “It never dries up during summer, whereas many other water sources dry up. The more we draw water out of this well, the cleaner and purer the water comes out. Everybody comes here and takes water every day, and good water keeps coming out of this well. Everybody is satisfied with the water.”
Village Steadily Transforms
As years went by, Suhana’s children grew and so did the community’s dependence on the Jesus Well. With a reliable source of pure water, children weren’t as sick and missed fewer school days. People could grow their crops and did not have to leave their homes looking for water, and children didn’t need to help their parents earn money.
Eventually, a girls’ school was built nearby, and the daughters of the village attended school instead of preparing for marriage at a young age. Each day on their breaks, students would come to the Jesus Well for drinks and to play and laugh in the cool water.
Suhana and the Jesus Well have lived in this village for almost 20 years now. They have both become part of the fabric of the community.
A local Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor, whose church building is located next to the Jesus Well, shared the impact this gift has made in the community.
“I feel very happy to know that this is one of the first Jesus Wells…” — the local pastor
“I feel very happy to know that this is one of the first Jesus Wells,” the pastor said. “It’s not easy to have a well maintained for this many years; because anybody can install a well, but maintaining it for almost [20] years, where it still gives clean and good drinking water, it is not easy. That makes me very proud and happy, and I am so glad that this well is [by] our church.”
The Jesus Well has brought stability and health to this village and surrounding villages, serving hundreds of families, including Suhana’s, whose children now have the option of continuing their education and no longer have to give up their dreams in exchange for the daily struggle to survive.
Over its 20-year life, this Jesus Well has served hundreds of people thousands of gallons of pure clean water.
Each person that comes to well is presented with the Scripture declaring Christ as the Living Water: “Jesus answered and said to her: ‘Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”—John 4:13–14
You can help bring relief to an entire community through a gift towards a Jesus Well, establishing a legacy of God’s love and goodness for hundreds of people.
Jesus Wells are a wise investment and we keep the costs low too. For only $45, you can provide clean water for up to nine people for around 20 years. See more ways to provide clean water »
*Names of people and places may have been changed for privacy and security reasons. Images are Gospel for Asia stock photos used for representation purposes and are not the actual person/location, unless otherwise noted.
Last updated on: February 22, 2022 at 8:43 pm By GFA Staff Writer
WILLS POINT, TX – WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing Jiva, her husband, Vahaan, their desperate struggles in poverty magnified by water-borne illnesses, and the Gospel for Asia (GFA) Church that turned sickness to praise.
Jiva sat outside her home with her husband, Vahaan, distractedly washing dishes. Pain and severe discomfort from her illness typically preoccupied her mind, but not right now—the words and songs coming from a nearby building captured her full attention. Vahaan listened intently, too, then he uttered a short sentence, and they both walked purposefully out of their courtyard.
Desperate for Relief
Vahaan and Jiva (pictured) desperately needed relief from recurring illnesses that kept them from earning any income.
Vahaan and Jiva needed an answer. They were running out of medication—and finances. Vahaan normally earned money by cleaning the drains in front of people’s homes and businesses. It was lowly, menial work, but it provided for him and his wife. Or it had until the regular exposure to polluted water took its toll on his body. A stubborn urinary tract infection developed and rendered Vahaan unable to work.
Jiva developed an infection, too, and both were miserable for two months. Prescribed medications helped temporarily, but new infections soon manifested and troubled the couple again. Vahaan and Jiva’s plight became serious, and starvation entered their horizon. Their married daughter gave them some money to buy medicine and food temporarily, but without her help, they had no source of income.
Possibilities in the Air
Then one Sunday morning in February 2016, as Vahaan and Jiva sat uncomfortably in their courtyard, they heard songs floating across their village. Later, a voice shared passages from Scripture. It originated from a Gospel for Asia (GFA) church building less than a mile away, where a thriving body of believers gathered to grow in Christ and praise His name. The congregation had recently constructed a permanent place of worship and had placed a loudspeaker atop their building so the community could hear their times of worship and teaching. Every Sunday, anyone traveling the nearby road or laboring in the fields could listen to words of life and hope.
On this day, everyone heard the fellowship pray for those who were sick. Vahaan and Jiva listened eagerly, especially when the pastor explained that Jesus was alive and had all power to heal. Learning that Jesus could “turn anything to possible that is impossible in the eyes of men,” Vahaan told Jiva they were going to the church that very morning. They immediately stood up and started walking toward the place of worship.
This church building, constructed near Vahaan and Jiva’s home, facilitated gatherings for the local body of believers. God used one of those gatherings to give Vahaan and Jiva hope during a time of great need.
Vahaan had seen the building many times; he had even cleaned the drains in front of it. But he had never ventured within its doors. Standing now before the building with his wife, he hesitated. He felt unworthy to enter the place of worship. Would he be welcome inside?
His question was soon answered when a few believers noticed Vahaan and Jiva standing uncertainly outside. They warmly invited the couple to come in and join them for the rest of the pastor’s message.
They sat alongside the 110 believers and basked in the goodness of God’s Word. Each word from Gospel for Asia pastor Marton brought great encouragement to Vahaan and Jiva.
Sickness Turned to Praise in Gospel for Asia Church
Pastor Marton (pictured with his family) met Vahaan and Jiva when they visited a worship service at his church. After speaking words of truth into their lives, Pastor Marton prayed for the couple for a week, and God brought complete healing to their ailments.
Toward the end of the service, Pastor Marton prayed again for the sick. During the prayer, Vahaan and Jiva both thought to themselves how good it would be if they, too, could be healed. Desperate for help, they waited for a chance to speak with the man of God and ask for specific prayer.
Pastor Marton listened to their situation and offered guidance, helping them understand more about who Christ is. He prayed for them that morning—and all week long. Vahaan and Jiva returned to the church every day that week for times of prayer, and as they did so, faith in Christ grew and calmed their restless souls.
With each day of prayer, Vahaan and Jiva felt God’s hand of healing on their bodies. After a few days, their illnesses vanished! Both experienced relief from their suffering, and Vahaan could return to work again, which ended their financial crisis. The couple marveled at God’s power and greatly rejoiced in the love He demonstrated toward them in such a practical way.
They are now at home within the building they once hesitated to enter. They know the God whose praise is sung within those walls, and their own voices now rise in worship.
Buildings that Impact Lives
Church buildings in Asia play a crucial role in believers growing in their walks with Christ. They facilitate discipleship opportunities that would be extremely difficult, or even impossible, to organize in communities that lack a dedicated structure for worship gatherings. With a permanent building, a congregation can gather freely to praise God and study His Word. Permanent places of worship also remind communities that Jesus dwells among them in His children, like it reminded Vahaan and Jiva.
In many places, a church building can be constructed for just $40,000 USD—or less. Because a building may serve up to 500 people, that breaks down to providing one person with decades of safe worship for as little as $80 USD.
Your gift to help congregations build a permanent place of worship is one of the greatest blessings you can give to believers—and communities—in Asia.
*Names of people and places may have been changed for privacy and security reasons. Images are Gospel for Asia stock photos used for representation purposes and are not the actual person/location, unless otherwise noted.
Pastor Surin noticed a woman sitting among the congregation as he led the Sunday worship service—the same woman who had been wandering around the village for some time. She was crazy, people said.
Now, for the second week in a row, she had come to Pastor Surin’s church. He decided he needed to meet her.
Unraveling a Painful Story
After suffering many hardships, Mysie (pictured) now knows peace in Christ. This all was made possible after a visit to the Gospel for Asia (GFA) church nearby.
As Pastor Surin carefully listened, he learned this woman, Mysie, wasn’t crazy; she just lived a difficult life. Mysie explained she was a widow and had no friends or family nearby. Filled with compassion, Pastor Surin encouraged her with the promise that God cares for the poor and brokenhearted. She had come to the right place, he told her. But Pastor Surin still didn’t know the extent of Mysie’s hardships.
Over the next few weeks, Pastor Surin continued to see Mysie wandering the village. When he asked Mysie where she lived, she unraveled more of her painful story: Her husband’s family had despised her, and after he died, they chased her out of the house. She had a daughter, but Mysie lost contact with her after the young woman ran away to elope.
Mysie had no place to live; she slept wherever she could. She earned a little money by finding daily labor work, and when she couldn’t find work, she begged for food.
The tragedies Mysie had experienced stunned Pastor Surin. He began to pray for the woman to know and understand her Creator’s love for her. He also prayed for a way to help her.
Widow Finds Friendship, Transformation
Pastor Surin often offered Mysie food, and he encouraged her with the words of Scripture. Soon, when members of his congregation learned about Mysie’s situation, they also looked for ways to help her.
Mysie’s story of being disowned by her family burdened the heart of Pastor Surin’s brother, Mahruy, and drove him to action. He built a two-room mud house for Mysie on his land. Now, after months of wandering, this widow had a place to rest, a place to call home! The love and compassion shown by Pastor Surin, Mahruy and the other believers overwhelmed Mysie. Although her own family had rejected her, she was now treated as a family member by the believers.
She wanted to know more about the God who displayed such kindness and acceptance through His children; she spent time with the women of the church and joined them for prayer and Bible study.
Through all of this, the love of Christ transformed Mysie’s heart. Now she knows His perfect peace and love, and she rejoices in Him as an active member of the church. Because Christ showed her compassion through His Body, this widow’s story is now a story of hope. Mysie has decided to worship Jesus, the God who redeemed her life, for the rest of her days.
*Names of people and places may have been changed for privacy and security reasons. Images are Gospel for Asia stock photos used for representation purposes and are not the actual person/location, unless otherwise noted.
At 6 years old, Vairat has already faced intense hatred. He knows hunger, loneliness, pain, abuse and hardship. He knows what it means to fend for himself. He knows what life is like for an abandoned and runaway child.
Vairat was 4 years old when his father died of tuberculosis. His mother remarried almost immediately, and his stepfather made life horrible for the little boy. Many times he put Vairat in a room, closed the door and beat him without provocation.
“My mother made me leave the house for no reason,” Vairat recalls. “Many times I went out and wandered, and when I returned back, they beat me with the stick.”
Unable to cope with his stepfather’s brutality and his mother’s rejection, Vairat ran away from home and started wandering the streets of a big city. His parents never contacted the authorities or filed a missing-child report.
Taken In and Cared For
After Vairat had been wandering the city streets with other abandoned and runaway children, he was found by the police. They helped enroll him in a Gospel for Asia (GFA) street children’s home, House of Hope.
In the presence of the caring staff, surrounded by dozens of other boys with their own troubled histories, 6-year-old Vairat now knows what it’s like to be loved by Christ. The staff at the children’s home feed him, clothe him, pray for him and encourage him daily. They even enrolled Vairat in school—something he had never once dreamed of. And he loves it.
The staff at the home describe Vairat as a smart and observant child who is very sweet in his conduct and respectful of others. He happily sings songs about God, recites Scripture verses and prays to Jesus—the One who showed him love through the hands and hearts of the House of Hope staff.
Thank you for standing with Gospel for Asia (GFA) to see ministries like House of Hope go forward. Through your prayers and support, children who have known hatred, abuse and sorrow are now experiencing Christ’s love.
*Names of people and places may have been changed for privacy and security reasons. Images are Gospel for Asia stock photos used for representation purposes and are not the actual person/location, unless otherwise noted.
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing Gospel for Asia Disaster Relief, the chaos and disaster the 7.8 magnitude Earthquake brought in Nepal in 2015, and the unflinching practical love through relief work and education through Bridge of Hope.
“A
ll the believers began to scream and weep. I told them not to be afraid and also not to run outside,” said Pastor Pahil.
The Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor thought their village, surrounded by hills, was experiencing a landslide. But when the shaking continued, he began to understand the reality of the situation.
Pastor Pahil and his congregation of believers were worshiping together when the first earthquake struck the country of Nepal on April 25, 2015. The frightened believers huddled together inside their simple church building, which was made of tin sheets and wood. Even nonbelievers ran inside the doors of the church, hoping to find safety. Pastor Pahil encouraged the people to pray as they waited for the chaos to end. Eventually it did—but not without overwhelming loss.
Rumors and Anxiety
The earthquake registered as a 7.8 in magnitude and was the worst earthquake to hit Nepal in decades, resulting in devastation for much of the central regions of the nation. It took its toll on nearly all of the homes in Pastor Pahil’s village, causing cracks in the walls and shifts in the foundations. Four homes belonging to believers and two school buildings were destroyed. Six people died and 17 more were injured.
Many in Pastor Pahil’s village lived in fear after the first earthquake subsided. Rumors spread among them that the world was coming to an end and that another earthquake would finish the job. Pahil encouraged the people with Scripture verses, such as ones in Matthew 24, to calm their anxieties.
“[The earthquake] is just the sign of the last days. It is not the last day,” Pahil told them.
He assured them of God’s goodness and that He is the protector of His people.
When people in Pastor Pahil’s village started to fear the possibility of another earthquake, Pahil encouraged them with the Word of God.
As multiple smaller tremors continued to trouble the nation almost daily for the next few weeks, Pastor Pahil and many of the villagers moved temporarily to the grounds of a nearby hospital. There, in safety, the people became accustomed to the frequent, ground-shaking tremors. When another large earthquake hit the nation on May 12, they were unalarmed. The constant unrest and instability had become the most consistent part of the villagers’ lives.
Gospel for Asia Disaster Relief Work Begins
Eventually the aftershocks died down. As people moved back to their villages and tried to pick up the pieces of their lives, Pastor Pahil and the congregation reached out to their neighbors through prayer and encouragement.
Compassion Services teams were able to provide Gospel for Asia (GFA) disaster relief, administering food, shelter and other items to the earthquake victims. Pastor Pahil and the believers also did what they could to help the many in need.
As the villagers began to make a new start, Pastor Pahil and the other believers ministered to those in need by providing food and shelter.
“We got more opportunities to meet, encourage and share [Christ’s love] with them,” Pahil said. People from the surrounding areas traveled to Pastor Pahil’s village in search of safety as well. Many of them had been forced out of their own communities by landslides triggered by the quakes. The believers shared their clothing, food and shelter with those around them. As time passed, people slowly began to rebuild their lives, yet the definite need for schooling still remained.
Bridge of Hope Provides a Future
With both school buildings destroyed and classes out of session, children were left with no way to continue their education. When Pastor Pahil recognized the need, he helped establish a Bridge of Hope center in the village. The center provided many children with tutoring, school supplies, uniforms and nutritious meals.
Two young boys, Sejun and Badal, joined the center. After the earthquake, Sejun and Badal had traveled with their families to Pastor Pahil’s village with nothing but the clothes on their backs. All of their belongings had been destroyed in a landslide. Everyone in their village was forced to relocate.
Sejun and Badal’s families lost nearly everything in the earthquake that struck Nepal in 2015, but Bridge of Hope helped give them a fresh start.
As the boys attended the center, the kindness and compassion of the Bridge of Hope staff greatly impacted the families’ lives. Soon Sejun’s and Badal’s families began to realize Christ’s compassion toward them. They are grateful for the help they received from the Body of Christ, especially after having lost much of their livelihoods in the earthquake.
Practical Love Offers Hope in Trial
Though the earthquake’s destruction was catastrophic, Pastor Pahil has an optimistic outlook on the situation. He’s seen the people in his village respond to God’s love and faithfulness in the midst of trial and tragedy. Through the believers’ tangible example of Christ’s love in their relief work, six villagers have decided to follow the Lord.
“The villagers’ attitude toward Christians . . . has been totally changed since the earthquake,” Pastor Pahil says. “Now they take us positively.”
Much of the damage caused by the earthquake in Nepal is long-lasting, but our workers are continuing to help as the nation recovers.
God has shown His goodness in the aftermath of this tragedy, and He will continue to bring people to Himself as the nation recovers. Though the first earthquake to strike Nepal in 2015 occurred years ago, our workers are still on the ground helping communities and individuals rebuild.
*Names of people and places may have been changed for privacy and security reasons. Images are Gospel for Asia stock photos used for representation purposes and are not the actual person/location, unless otherwise noted.
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing a Geet and his family bereft of peace and harmony, the alcoholism of his father, God’s Word shared through Gospel for Asia-supported pastor, the power of prayer and the abounding grace of Jesus.
Geet didn’t know what to do. He watched helplessly as his mother cowered before his abusive, intoxicated father, day after day.
“I would visit temples and pray to gods and goddesses,” Geet said, “but nothing changed in my life.”
Who could help his family when even his gods remained silent?
Many people in Asia turn to alcohol to try to smother their hurts and sorrows, not knowing Jesus provides true healing and hope.
Teenager Troubled by Alcoholic Father
Both Geet’s parents held steady jobs, and the family faithfully worshiped their deities, yet they never found the happiness or prosperity they hoped for. Geet’s father, Kumal, slowly turned to alcohol as his source of comfort. Geet’s mother worked hard to support her four children, assuming more and more family responsibility as Kumal spiraled deeper into his alcohol addiction.
Over time, Kumal’s frequent arguments with his family intensified, and he even caused trouble for his neighbors. As a teenager, Geet felt helpless against his father’s alcoholism, so he isolated himself, aching with loneliness and longing for peace.
Friend Introduces Teen to Prince of Peace
In the midst of these heartaches, Geet met Bidur, another teenager in his village, and the two youths gradually built a strong friendship. Eventually, Geet confided in Bidur and told him all about his family’s problems.
Bidur responded by sharing how his own family experienced tremendous peace, but it was only because of Jesus Christ and the joy He brings. Bidur invited Geet to attend church with him so he could hear for himself about the peace Jesus gives so freely to those who call on Him.
The very next Sunday, Geet accompanied Bidur to a worship service led by Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastor Sadhan. Geet had never experienced a worship service like it before, but he listened closely to the words of the pastor.
After the service, Pastor Sadhan shared more about God’s Word with Geet. As Geet listened, many questions about Jesus formed in his mind, but flickers of peace also began rising within him.
Geet went home and told his mother all about the amazing things he learned at the service that day, but she wasn’t interested. Undeterred, Geet turned to the precious gift Pastor Sadhan had given him: a New Testament.
Like Geet and Bidur, these youths gather for corporate worship with a Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastor and are growing in their knowledge of God.
Hungry Heart Feeds on God’s Word
Geet pored over his New Testament, and as he read about Jesus’ life and the miracles He performed, he realized transformation is only possible through Jesus. A longing arose in his heart for his family to experience a miraculous change.
“How can I experience His miracle in my life?” Geet asked Pastor Sadhan one day. “How can I follow this Jesus?”
Pastor Sadhan explained how God desires to have a personal relationship with His children, and he helped Geet understand the many things he had read. Touched by God’s great mercy, Geet bowed his head in prayer. He told Jesus about the wrongs he had committed throughout his life and asked Him to work healing and transformation into his heart.
Opening his eyes, Geet entered a new life—a life filled with inner joy and peace from the Lord, despite his home environment. He began spending time in prayer for his family, both privately and also with other believers at worship services. But not everyone was happy with his decision.
Steadfast in the Face of Opposition
Geet earnestly desired to worship Jesus and fellowship with his new family in Christ, but Kumal was furious when he discovered Geet’s new life. He pressured Geet to abandon Jesus and kept his son from attending worship services.
His father’s displeasure intimidated and grieved Geet. He wanted to honor his father’s authority, but after two painful weeks of reading and praying, Geet determined that he must obey the Lord above all, no matter the cost.
Geet began gathering again with the other believers and prayed faithfully for his father, asking the Lord to work transformation in his heart.
Geet recognized the grace of Jesus, just as this young believer also did, and Geet dedicated hours to reading God’s Word and praying for his family.
The Power of Prayer
“Every day, at 5 in the morning, I get up, read the Bible and pray,” Geet shared.
Soon, God answered Geet’s prayers—Kumal’s heart made a drastic turn. After seeing his son’s devotion to Jesus and fervent prayer life, Kumal stopped opposing Geet. He even allowed Geet to share with the family the new things Geet learned from Scripture, and soon, the entire family agreed to visit a worship service.
Geet’s relationship with Jesus grew strong, and peace and trust in God replaced the anxiousness and loneliness that once filled his heart.
“Now I am not worried about any problem, because in Jesus, I find the solution to all my trouble.” —Geet
Although his family has not yet fully understood the transforming love of Jesus, Geet’s fervent prayer is that one day, they too will personally know the Prince of Peace who now carries all his burdens.
These believers cherish their Bibles and read Scripture to strengthen themselves in the Lord, yet many other people in Asia do not have access to God’s Word or know what promises it contains.
Send Peace to Searching Hearts
Hearing the Word of God helped Geet first understand Jesus’ power and grace, and by reading his New Testament, he later found courage and strength to endure opposition.
*Names of people and places may have been changed for privacy and security reasons. Images are Gospel for Asia stock photos used for representation purposes and are not the actual person/location, unless otherwise noted.
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing Sakshi, the pain and suffering she went through from contracting leprosy as a teenager, and the calling she now lives in sharing healing and compassion for leprosy patients as a Gospel for Asia-supported Missionary.
“Don’t open my bandage!” the leprosy patient cried out. For years the patient believed it was because of their sin that the destructive disease controlled their body. Now, they thought they must suffer and settle with bearing it alone.
With love and deep understanding, Sakshi, a Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported missionary, revealed her own hands and feet to the patient, deformity clearly marking what leprosy’s nerve killing illness left behind.
“No, no, this is not some sin,” Sakshi said. “I myself have gone through this.”
The unique compassion for leprosy patients came from Sakshi’s own storehouse of experience. She too had wrestled with the same hurts, rejection and suffering from this disease. It came the hard way, but God used leprosy for Sakshi’s good and for the healing of many broken and lonely people.
When Sakshi was only a young girl, she found out she had leprosy. After others heard about it, they kept their distance, and she endured rejection—even among her own family members.
Contracting the Feared Disease
As a teenager, Sakshi found out she had leprosy. Being the oldest child, it was a sudden shock when her brothers and sisters, who usually looked up to her, abruptly pulled away and wanted nothing to do with her. It was a harsh transition she had no control over.
Many thoughts of what life would be like from now on flooded Sakshi’s mind. Now she wouldn’t be able to visit neighboring homes, and no one would want to be her friend anymore. The sorrow of rejection enveloped her and put her in a place of deep depression. She began to wonder why she should live any more. Who would love her and care for her now?
In her hopelessness, Sakshi tried to hang herself. Thankfully, her father saved her and spoke words of life into her weary soul. He told Sakshi she was a precious child and urged her to strengthen her heart through the pain and hardship.
“So my papa was becoming so much a comforter to me and he comforted me and even my brother and sister, they used to hate me, and they don’t want to talk with me, they were not in home at that time when I was doing all these things,” Sakshi shared. “So my father, he saw me and he pulled me from there, and he made me understand everything, and after that I became ok.”
After the conversation with her father, Sakshi gave up trying to end her own life, but she still felt alone and worried. Others said it was her fault she contracted the disease, and Sakshi began to believe it.
When Sakshi experienced complete healing from leprosy, she dedicated her life to serving the Lord and helping others. She attended Bible college and served in leprosy ministry after graduation.
Finding Healing and Ministry
As days, months and years went by, the leprosy in her body grew worse. One of Sakshi’s fingers bent in an awkward position, and she had terrible pain in her leg. Doctors encouraged her to go through with amputating her leg, but that frightened Sakshi. It was this time in her life when she met a few Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported missionaries who encouraged her and prayed for her. They shared about the love of the Healer, and Sakshi began to pray in faith and ask Jesus to heal her own body. By God’s power and grace, a miracle happened and Sakshi was healed from leprosy!
Immediately after she was healed, Sakshi decided to serve the Lord full time. She attended a Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported Bible college, and after graduation, her heart’s desire was to serve in the leprosy ministry.
With Christ’s compassion and love, and with true understanding received from her own experience with leprosy, Sakshi served the patients as though they were her own relatives. She touched those whom others would dismiss away in fear.
Touching the Untouchable and Despised
“Nobody is there to comfort [the leprosy patients] and to give any kind of encouragement,” Sakshi explained. “Nobody wants to love them, hug them or to come near to them to dress them.
“…They have so many inner pains in their heart, because they also are human beings. They also need love, care and encouragement from other people.”
With Christ’s compassion and love and with true understanding from her own experiences, Sakshi served the patients as though they were her own relatives.
“By seeing them, I am thinking that I will fill the gap,” Sakshi said. “I will give that love, which they are not getting from their grandchildren and daughters… I will become their daughter, I will become their grandchildren, and I will help them and encourage them and I will love them.”
The Lord healed the wound of rejection that had cut into Sakshi’s heart as a teenager. She suffered pain and hardship, but she could later tell her story to those who are walking in shoes she once walked in.
By helping them with housework, giving hugs, washing clothes and combing hair, Sakshi helped these precious patients see they are not forgotten by God and are created in His image. These simple acts of kindness mean the world to these who are often forgotten or thought of as being void of emotions and feelings. Sakshi understood this, and God has used her testimony to display the hope and true unchanging love of Jesus to the unloved.
“I know that God will love them,” Sakshi said. “As God loved me and He healed me, in the same way I want to love them.”
Jesus’s compassion for those with leprosy is found clearly in Scripture. Together we can be the hands and feet of Jesus and show the unloved they are indeed loved by the Healer!
Display the Compassion of Christ
In Mark 1:41, Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand to a man with leprosy and healed him. You too can be part of ministering to these precious people who will hear, some of them for the first time, that Jesus loves them and is not afraid to touch and hold them. Show Christ’s compassion through Gospel for Asia’s leprosy ministry!
*Names of people and places may have been changed for privacy and security reasons. Images are Gospel for Asia stock photos used for representation purposes and are not the actual person/location, unless otherwise noted.
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