Last updated on: November 21, 2019 at 3:27 pm By GFA Staff Writer
We have pretty much bought into the saying that, “It’s not the gift that counts; it’s the thought behind it.” But what if that is not true. Doesn’t the gift really count?
When we place more value on the intent than on the gift, it’s not long before the gift we give fills no real need of the recipient. Walk into any big box store during the Christmas holiday season, and notice how people are filling their carts with expensive but perhaps meaningless things to be able to say that it is the thought that counts.
There is one Bible passage that speaks the truth about the gift being important based on the need.
“If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?” —James 2:15–16 (ESV)
This verses alone should be enough to change the way we think of giving. Not to mention that the Lord has offered to each of us the gift we need the most: His Son, Jesus Christ. What is more, the Bible tells us that every gift that God gives us is good and perfect.
GFA Asks How Should We Then Give?
We have, in fact, already answered that question. We should give as the Bible teaches, and in the pattern of God’s gracious giving.
Which brings us to goats.
That may seem like the ultimate non sequitur, but it is not. Our responsibility in giving gifts is to understand what is needed, then to do what we can to help meet that need. Goats are one of the best gifts to give to families stuck in abject poverty in South Asia, Africa and elsewhere. If that seems odd, it is only because we do not understand the impact goats can make for a family.
When we give goats and teach families how to care for them, those goats open a door to comparative prosperity that is beyond those families’ wildest dreams.
GFA Explains How It Works?
Goats provide a source of nutrition. Goats milk is high in protein and calcium and is more easily digestible by the human body than milk from cows. A healthy goat will give up to 16 cups of milk per day. Did you know that 65 percent of the world drinks goat milk?
Goats are an asset that can be used to generate income. Goat milk, cheese and yogurt can be sold to generate income.
If a family chooses to breed their goats, they can transform the original gift into a growing enterprise in their community.
One past recipient of a pair of goats from GFA-supported workers started a farm that today has 75 goats. By using the gift of goats wisely, that man and his family are no longer slaves to abject poverty.
Another man rejoiced when he accepted his gift and exclaimed, “When I received the goats, I told myself, ‘Here comes the freedom.'”
Some families may sell a portion of their herd to acquire other animals such as cattle and water buffalo. Or they may use the proceeds to open a small business in their village. The goats that they sell empower other families in their community with the same sustainable gift.
The gift of goats is a way to share the gift of Jesus Christ and His love for us.
Last updated on: December 5, 2019 at 4:59 am By GFA Staff Writer
My favorite Christmas gift I have received is a small whisk, a little bigger than a pencil. My children bought it for me three years ago. It is perfect for whipping up a glaze for scones, which I make quite often. It is also useful for whisking just one egg for an egg wash. I love kitchen items as gifts because they are very useful but something I rarely splurge on for myself. They are a practical luxury. Do I need a pencil-sized whisk? Of course not. Do I use it often? You bet!
Giving thoughtful gifts is a genuine act of love. A gift that someone would use all the time but would not buy themselves is the best kind. Fulfilling a need shows care. Many items in Gospel for Asia Christmas Gift Catalog are practical luxuries: They are gifts that our partners on the field often make do without, but such gifts can be an everyday blessing.
Bible-college students studying in the Himalayan mountains received winter clothing packets.
Many of these women are from poor backgrounds and came to Bible college without warm clothing.
Take the gift of a bicycle for a missionary who has been traveling on foot. He cares for multiple congregations; plus, he visits even more villages. He walks many miles every week just so he can be there for everyone. At the end of the day, he may get home just in time to tuck his children into bed—or not. With the gift of a bicycle, he may make it home in time for dinner with his family. He may be able to visit his congregations more frequently. He may be able to share with others the amazing gift of Christ Jesus! A bicycle may seem like a child’s gift to us, but for a missionary in Asia, it is a gift that will dramatically impact his daily life.
A few years ago, a group of women attending a Bible college on the slopes of the Himalayan mountains received such a gift. It is very cold year-round, but especially in the winter. Many of these women come from poor backgrounds and arrived at Bible college with very few possessions. It is common for women in Asia to not have the support of their families to attend Bible college. They are often expected to marry and help care for the family. Many are cast out of their families for following Jesus. In such cases, these women come to Bible college without much more than the clothes on their bodies and with no financial support. There receive no care packages from home with toothpaste, soap and homemade goodies.
In these situations, gifts are a very tangible way to show God’s love and provision. These Bible college students studying in the frigid Himalayas received winter clothing as part of a Christmas gift distribution. Rose, a first-year student, said, “I really did not have any warm clothes to wear in this winter season, but by God’s grace, I have received warm clothes. These warm clothes will surely help me in this cold season.”
I am grateful that we can give practical luxuries such as bicycles and winter clothing to those serving the Lord on the other side of the world. We can give simple gifts that do not cost much but that impact someone’s daily life as they reach out to those around them with the message of hope. We can enable missionaries and Bible college students to continue meeting with people in the cold months, instead of needing to stay indoors where it is warm. We can provide needed transportation for pastors to reach their congregations and minister to them.
Let’s thank God for the gifts He has blessed us with: the gifts of family, friends and Himself. Take a moment to remember simple, sweet gifts you have received from caring friends who knew just what you needed. And let us look to others and how we might bless them in tangible ways with the love of Christ this Christmas season.
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For more blogs on Patheos from Gospel for Asia, go here.
To see our Christmas catalog of gift for missionaries in Asia, go here.
Sunday, Dec. 17, is the third of four Advent Sundays preceding Christmas. It is a time on the liturgical church calendar that is set aside to pause, to reflect, to conduct self-examination and to ready oneself for the coming Christmas celebration. This week, I have been spending some reflective time considering what my attitude should be toward the poor among us. Why are there so many? And what can one person do to help?
Scripture clearly highlights God’s heart toward those whose lives are lived out in grinding poverty. It also, in many passages, defines clear expectations as to how God’s people are to regard the poor. These words from Isaiah struck me years ago, and I re-read them frequently, particularly during the Christmas season:
Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
The words from Isaiah ring true for all. Everyone needs to heed these instructions:
-Loose the chains of injustice
-Untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke
-Share your food with the hungry
-Provide the poor wanderer with shelter
-Clothe the naked
-Don’t turn away from your own flesh and blood
-Do away with the yoke of oppression
-Do away with the pointing finger and malicious talk
-Spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
-Satisfy the needs of the oppressed
My Advent suggestion is this, whether you are wealthy or have limited means, to consider these words from the prophet Isaiah. Go down the list above, line by line, and ask yourself, “Am I involved in any of these actions? Do I simply hold sentimental feelings in my heart, agreeing that we people of faith should be more active in obeying these instructions? But not really doing much of anything? What truly meaningful gifts can I give this Christmas that will capture the intent of these above points?”
Go back to the Isaiah passage quoted above and begin to list the benefits that come when we are obedient to what God desires of us in relationship to the poor. List those promises.
Last updated on: November 29, 2019 at 2:56 am By GFA Staff Writer
Gospel for Asia (GFA) News, Wills Point, Texas
Try to think of a gift you received five years ago. Can you think of one? If you remember one, it probably made a special impression on your heart. It was something meaningful.
But did it change your life or your family’s?
Ujala was in need of a gift like that, a gift that would drastically alter the course of his life.
Two Goats Provide Recurring Revenue
Sweating in the open fields every day wasn’t helping to get Ujala’s family out of poverty. It looked as though his five sons would have to follow the continuous cycle of harsh life and struggle. But Ujala had hope, and he prayed God would provide.
Ujala didn’t let their circumstance shake his devotion and love for Jesus. He firmly believed God would supply all their needs. Month followed after month, and their situation didn’t improve, but somehow, they always got by. Ujala faithfully continued meeting with other Christians to worship Jesus, and he worked hard to provide for his wife and sons. Although their financial situation was difficult—even pathetic at times—Ujala trusted Jesus.
Ujala’s struggles did not go unnoticed. God moved in the heart of Gospel for Asia-supported pastor Patoj to help his friend. Patoj arranged for Ujala to receive a pair of goats during a Christmas gift distribution held at their church. Ujala received the gifts gratefully and took them home. This was just the beginning of his faith-filled prayers being answered.
God blessed his family through this simple pair of goats. Over the next five years, the goats multiplied again and again, and Ujala ended up with 75 goats! Ujala didn’t keep them all, however. He could sell one male goat for around $70, and he sold several to help his family.
Through this revenue, Ujala was able to send his children to school and even build a small house.
God answered this father’s prayer through a pair of goats. Gifts like this are made possible through GFA’s Christmas Gift Catalog. God honored Ujala’s faith and steadfast heart, and now Ujala and his sons have a brighter future!
Ujala received a pair of goats through Gospel for Asia’s Christmas Gift Catalog. After five years of raising his goats, his herd increased to 75 goats!
The gift Ujala received drastically changed his family. Years later, his day-to-day life was still affected by the generosity of people all across the globe whom he had never met—all because of love.
Gifts abound at Christmastime, some large and some small. There’s nothing wrong with giving someone a little trinket or a fun snack to show them we thought of them and love them; almost everyone enjoys those kind gestures—because it is the love behind the gift that means the very most. But love is even greater revealed through gifts that meet the current needs of those we care about.
For Ujala and his family, and for thousands of other families who receive gifts in the name of Love, knowing they are seen by God and His children brings bright hope into their situations. Whether the gift provides income, like Ujala’s goats did, or whether the gift is a cup of water given in Christ’s name, the possibilities of transformation are limitless.
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For more blogs on Patheos by Gospel for Asia, go here.
Last updated on: December 4, 2019 at 2:55 am By GFA Staff Writer
Gospel for Asia (GFA) Advent Essay, Wills Point, Texas
Raju looked confused by my question, and his response revealed it: “What do you mean by Christmas tradition?”
I had served the Lord in Asia with Raju off-and-on for over a year. He was a first-generation, Asian believer with a tall, slim build and a heartwarming smile. He loved Jesus and was excited about the upcoming seasons of Advent and Christmas.
I tried to explain what I was asking to my bewildered brother in Christ, “Do you and your family have anything that you do every year to celebrate Christmas?”
I had come from a family that had been either devoted or nominal Christians for every generation that we knew of. Having immigrated from Eastern Europe to America in the beginning of the 20th century, many of the traditional ways we celebrated Christmas stretched back to before my forefathers left Europe. It never occurred to me that it may take two generations of believers to form a tradition.
Raju then went on to explain the different things his family did to celebrate Christmas, most of which actually occurred before Christmas. He told me about how they took part in different Christmas programs at his local church, how they sang Christmas carols, how they helped the poor, and how they spent Christmas Day with the Christian community.
Some of his traditions were similar to mine, some were different.
As I asked other Asian brothers and sisters about their Christmas traditions, their answers were very similar to Raju’s, though they were from different cultures and had different mother tongues. Their “traditions”—though they didn’t identify them as that—were more about what they shared with other Christians within Believers Eastern Church and the rest of the church worldwide, rather than what was passed down to them by their parents. Their Christmas and Advent traditions were truly “church” traditions, not family traditions like mine.
Gospel for Asia’s chapel in Wills Point, Texas
The Season Leading Up to Christmas: Advent
The season of Advent is an important part of preparing for Christmas. Our Asian brothers and sisters follow the traditional church calendar that has been handed down through the centuries and is followed by believers throughout the world. Their “Christian year” always starts the fourth Sunday before Christmas, which this year falls on December 3 (so Happy New Year!)
This first season of the church calendar, referred to as Advent, is a season to build our expectation for the coming of Christ, which we celebrate on Christmas. Advent literally means “coming,” referring to the coming of Christ. It’s approximately four weeks long but varies because Christmas always falls on a different day of the week.
However, it always has four Sundays and each of these Sundays has a different theme:
Hope: The first Sunday of Advent helps to stir up a hope and longing for the coming of Christ, much like the nation of Israel had at the time of Jesus’ birth.
Love: The second Sunday of Advent reminds us about the great love that God and Jesus have for us, and we are encouraged to love others as a result.
Joy: The third Sunday reminds us of the excitement the angel shared with the shepherds on the night Jesus was born: “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be for all people” (Luke 2:10). That joy is now ours in Christ!
Peace: The last Sunday of Advent reminds us of the peace we have with God as a result of Christ’s coming.
These themes are carried out throughout the week and are highlighted in the Scripture readings that are read in all of their churches.
Since the theme for this Sunday is hope, the Scripture readings are from Isaiah 64:1–9; Psalm 80:1–7,17–19; 1 Corinthians 1:3–9; and Mark 13:24–37. These Scripture passages are being read in every church led by a Gospel for Asia-supported pastor—and throughout the rest of the world—this Sunday. In more than 300 languages, messages of hope will be spoken by GFA-supported missionaries, and millions of hearts will be directed to the coming of Christ.
In fact, if you want to read the exact same Scripture passages that our fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord will be reading, you can sign up for our daily Advent readings and prayers to help keep your heart directed toward Christ this season in the Advent.
Christian Traditions, not Cultural or Family
As I thought about how our Asian brothers and sisters described how they celebrate Christ’s coming, three things stuck out:
Most of their traditions were in the Advent season, not on Christmas Day.
Their traditions, though new to them, were similar to what had been practiced for centuries by Christians around the world.
Their traditions centered on the Gospel and sharing the hope, love and joy of Christ with others in the hope that they, too, would find the peace that only Christ can give.
The amazing thing about what Raju and other Asian believers shared is that—even though they were first-generation believers—their traditions provide us with a blueprint of Christmas celebrations without the blemish of American materialism, which has, unfortunately, enraptured the Church. These Christ-centered practices are ancient in origin yet expressed in a way that is totally within the context of their Asian culture.
Centering Our Year on Jesus Christ
Celebrations, especially on holy days or holidays, form an important part of every culture, whether religious or secular. As the Church has grown throughout the ages, the Church calendar, with its season and holy days, has helped shape a Christ-centered Church that is consistent regardless of its surrounding culture or the era in which the Church finds itself. The Church traditions of Advent and Christmas can also help believers fend off counter-Christian practices of the surrounding cultures and unite believers around the world.
For most of the Church throughout history, Christmas has always been a holy day in the liturgical church calendar. The church calendar creates seasons that are shaped by the life of Jesus and His Church. It provides an alternative rhythm to our year that seeks to make each season centered on Christ. Following the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus, it encourages us every year to remember all He did for us while on earth. This rhythm help us to enter into the Scriptures in a unique way.
Longing for the Advent of the Christ
Prior to John the Baptist showing up on the scene, there were “four hundred years of silence.” The last passages of the Old Testament were delivered by the prophet Malachi around 400 B.C. and there had been no new, God-given revelation since then. With the Roman occupation and oppression in Judea, hearts and nation were longing for the coming Messiah (that is Christ) to deliver them. The coming of the Christ was the hope of the nation.
In the first pages of the New Testament, when the silence is broken, it does not begin with telling us that Jesus was born but starts with building the expectation for His advent. The Apostle Matthew traces Jesus’ lineage back to Adam, showing that based on the generations, it was time for the Messiah to come. Luke starts with the angel Gabriel appearing to Zechariah. The coming of the Messiah is at the door! Any time now!
Next, Gabriel appears to an unsuspecting virgin in Nazareth, by the name of Mary. The tension increases as we see that she’s betrothed to a man named Joseph who could easily dismiss and shame her. But he doesn’t. Instead, they make the long trip to Bethlehem, and the Messiah’s birth is heralded by the host of heaven!
The church calendar follows this same pattern. Advent provides a space for us in which our expectation of Christmas is built. The Scriptures that are read, the sermons that are preached and the familiarity of the season remind us to look expectantly to Christmas, to the coming of Christ. But it also, encourages us to look for His second coming now.
Sharing the Love
Gospel for Asia-supported missionaries and believers in 14 Asian countries are busy preparing for all the different programs they will have leading up to Christmas. These programs start this week, and their primary focus will be sharing the hope that we, as believers, have in Jesus. Raju and other believers are preparing Christmas carols, Scripture readings about the Christmas story, and cultural dances done to Christian songs that visually help tell the story about Jesus. Every program will have a clear presentation of the love and salvation that is in Jesus Christ. In many places, these celebrations will often include Christmas gifts to the poor to help them escape the cycle of poverty—a tangible expression of Christ’s love and what He has done for us spiritually.
The main thrust of these programs will be to take the love and hope of Christ to those in the surrounding cultures. For many, this will be the first time they’ve heard the good news of Jesus, and as a result, this Christmas will be the first Christmas many celebrate as believers!
As I prepared to celebrate Christmas with Raju and my other Asian brothers and sisters, I was trying not to be agitated about how different their celebration was compared to my own. No one bought me a present. There was none of the familiar traditional American food. No Christmas tree. I wasn’t even invited into a family’s home. Instead, we gathered as a church; we celebrated, as a Christ-centered community, the Savior who had come into the world to make us one.
Once I was able to let go of my cross-cultural shock, I was actually captivated by how appropriate a way this is to celebrate Christmas. A common meal was being shared by believers in congregations throughout Asia. For many people joining the celebration, they had never even heard of Jesus this time last year, and through the faithful witness of the believers—and for some, because of the Advent programs—they were now celebrating their first Christmas.
Old Dogs Learning New Tricks
It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that because we have generations and generations of Christmas tradition that we have it right compared to our first-generation brothers and sisters. But as I listened to dozens of Asian believers tell me their Advent and Christmas traditions, I was reminded how “on-fire” new believers often seem compared to us in the faith who have known Jesus and have maybe left our first love (Rev. 2:4-5).
I realized that most of my family’s Christmas and Advent traditions growing up didn’t really center on Christ. Except for going to a Christmas service, they were family traditions, not church traditions. Even the Advent calendars I opened every year had little to do with Jesus, but became a countdown to opening presents.
These new believers practice many of the historic traditions of the Church, but they—like the angels in the Gospel of Luke—are using them to proclaim Christ’s coming to the world. Their traditions make Christ known and help them to love those who won’t love them back. Because of this, Christ will be born into the hearts of many people this Advent.
Maybe if we learn from our Asian brothers and sisters, we can recapture Christmas by revamping some of our holiday traditions. We can use the Advent season to kindle our first love for Jesus and share the hope, love, joy and peace we have in Him with those who don’t know Him.
We can use GFA’s Christmas Gift Catalog to give to “the least of these” and escape the materialist traditions of the season. Share the Forgotten Christmas video during Advent Sunday services. Consider organizing Christmas caroling, and hand out gospel tracts and hot chocolate to your neighbors.
However you celebrate, we can listen to John the Baptist’s admonition to “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight. … And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” —Luke 3:4 & 6
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It’s Throwback Thursday! We’re going back to 2005 to a group meeting in Gospel for Asia’s old office in Carrollton, Texas, where people are discussing potential opportunities to help meet more needs on the field. A question is raised, “What if we made a catalog with high-impact gifts donors could give to families in Asia at Christmastime?”
The project was something new for the leaders at Gospel for Asia (GFA). Providing farm animals and sewing machines was so different from what the ministry was doing at the time—supporting and equipping national missionaries, educating underprivileged children, drilling water wells—but helping impoverished families in Jesus’ name truly complimented the ministry’s vision.
“The next year, we worked with the field with the idea of animals and other gifts,” said John, a Gospel for Asia (GFA) staff member since 1992. “It was exciting because it would give donors a whole new and completely different opportunity to minister to the poor while still sharing the love of Christ.”
In 2006, Gospel for Asia’s first Christmas Gift Catalog was printed. It’s aim? Encouraging believers in the West to celebrate Christmas by giving life-changing gifts to families in Asia that break the cycle of poverty and provide hope. As John says, “The gift of hope, I believe, is one of the greatest gifts we can give, as it comes directly from the Father.”
Gospel for Asia mailed out its first Christmas Gift Catalog in 2006! Here’s an array of the catalogs we’ve designed and mailed since then.
What People Thought of the Catalog
When the catalog started landing in mailboxes, Gospel for Asia (GFA) friends had the opportunity to give toward dozens of items, such as chickens, goats, water filters, rickshaws, winter clothing and church buildings.
“We were not totally sure what to expect, but our donors totally grabbed the vision and ran with it,” John recalls. “It was amazing to see the huge number of gifts that came in. We had to reorganize the work load just to manage it all.”
Heather, another Gospel for Asia (GFA) staff member, remembers the flood of donations received through the catalog.
“I didn’t anticipate such an overwhelming response! It was so exhilarating to watch the Body of Christ all come together for this endeavor. …
“That first year, I talked with someone who had given a Jesus Well. It was his first gift to the ministry, so I was curious how he’d heard about it. As it turned out, he was a postman and had been delivering catalogs all week. He was waiting for one to be undeliverable so he could look at it himself (standard procedure for catalogs and magazines), and when he finally got to see the inside of a catalog, he was so impacted that he responded by providing a well. I think that’s when I really realized this was something special.”
By God’s grace, the response to the catalog has continued to increase—with more than 1.7 million families in Asia receiving life-changing gifts over the years.
Christ-centered Celebrations
We’ve all been there. On Christmas morning, the toys and the presents are so exciting! And then one day the new toy monster trucks loses a wheel. Or the mechanical puppy starts to wheeze as its battery dies.
At a Christmas gift distribution in 2010, this man received a cow that would help him and his family overcome poverty.
Hope, who now serves on staff with Gospel for Asia (GFA), remembers how her family incorporated the Christmas catalog in their celebrations during her childhood.
“Every year when I received the catalog growing up, my favorite thing to give towards was the Widows and Abandoned Children’s fund. My family would save money in a mason jar, and we would fill it up throughout the year with our change. And then the day we had been waiting for came…the catalog arrived! Down from the shelf came the now quite-heavy mason jar, and we would dump out the coins and count them excitedly to see what we could buy that year! My family really loved to give Bibles, and I think one year we gave a sewing machine and chickens…always chickens.”
Seeing the Impact Firsthand
After years of donating toward the catalog, Hope and some other Gospel for Asia (GFA) staff members made the long journey to Asia. There, she saw a glimpse of the impact her family and thousands of other families are making through the Christmas Gift Catalog.
“When I was able to travel to Asia and see things like blankets and sewing machines [being used], it was like a light bulb flashed on,” she says. “I could see the benefit of these gifts in a new way. Through that experience, it has made the catalog and the prayers and the hard work everyone puts into it so much more exciting and beautiful.”
The gifts in this catalog are simple—yet their impact far exceeds their cost. Even a blanket or a pair of rabbits can make a lasting difference for a struggling family.
“I was staggered to learn about the impact of blankets,” Heather shares. “Such a simple and humble gift, but one that seems to have an overwhelming response. I remember hearing about GFA-supported workers going out on wintery nights and laying blankets down on those who were sleeping unprotected on the street. The workers said simply, ‘These people went to sleep never expecting to wake up. Instead, they’ll wake up and know that someone has seen them.’ What an incredible way to communicate that the overlooked and neglected are noticed and cared for by the Heavenly Father.”
In places where the poorly clothed, the malnourished, the bedraggled and the hopeless are extended little kindness, giving income-generating gifts or gifts that improve people’s quality of life carries a powerful message: You are valuable.
“I think that’s the thing I love about the catalog gifts: restoring dignity,” Heather explains. “Reinforcing innate human worth. Demonstrating to everyone in sight that this individual is so highly valued, so cherished and so very special in God’s eyes.”
This man and his family experienced the joy of giving after receiving a pig through Gospel for Asia’s Christmas Gift Catalog. Read his story.
Gifts Help Givers to Celebrate Christmas in Missional Way
A beautiful thing about this ministry project is how we’ve learned these gifts not only change the circumstances of the gift recipients, but they also impact the givers.
GFA’s gift catalog doesn’t simply provide opportunities for families in Asia to receive practical help, it also gives families in the U.S. and around the globe the chance to celebrate Christmas in a missional way.
“These gifts can be so much fun to give,” Heather says, “and the gifts each year are the result of many ‘cheerful givers.’ But what’s really amazing is that many of these gifts will actually position the recipients to be givers themselves, perhaps for the very first time.”
As you anticipate this Christmas and the many joys of the season, may you remember the amazing love God has shown toward you and know His will in how to show that love to others.
We hope you’ve enjoyed going back with us to the origins of our Christmas Gift Catalog and the impact it’s made over the years!
To see our current Christmas Gift Catalog, go here:
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WILLS POINT, TX — After 45 years of groundbreaking ministry in Asia that includes sending out thousands of national missionaries, a U.S.-based mission organization is expanding in Africa. Texas-based GFA World (www.gfa.org) — formerly known as Gospel for Asia — is moving into a new frontier, with the launch of a new missions base in Liberia in addition to projects already underway in Rwanda.
“Africa is bursting with possibilities,” said Bishop Daniel Timotheos Yohannan, the organization’s new president. “Roughly 40 percent of the population of Liberia, for example, is under the age of 15.”
NEW WAVE OF HOPE ACROSS AFRICA: Texas-based GFA World (www.gfa.org) has launched a new mission base in Liberia, in addition to the construction of a large-scale multi-specialty hospital and training complex in Kigali, Rwanda — a “springboard” for ministry across Africa.
Across Africa, it is estimated at least 32 million children of primary age, mostly girls, do not attend school because their families cannot afford the fees. GFA World’s child sponsorship program seeks to change that, and actively partners with communities.
The organization is also launching projects and missionary training in Liberia.
Training and equipping nationals — or locals — to do missionary work is nothing new to GFA World. In the 1980s, its founder, K.P. Yohannan, launched what was described as a “revolution in world missions,” sending thousands of trained national missionaries on foot and bicycles to “share the love of God” in communities across Asia, bringing hope and healing to places where there was no previous exposure to the Gospel.
‘Never Met a Christian’
Many people in isolated villages have never heard the Gospel message — or even met a Christian — while millions live and die without ever hearing the name of Jesus Christ, the missions organization says.
“National missionaries know the local customs, languages, and beliefs, and don’t face travel or visa restrictions that cross-cultural workers have,” said Timotheos Yohannan, adding that local missionaries “can easily connect with their own people.”
Meanwhile, the organization’s ministry base in Kigali, Rwanda, continues to expand. With one of the highest-density populations in Africa, there is only one doctor for every 8,300 people. The organization is constructing a large-scale multi-specialty hospital and medical training complex that is modelled on its state-of-the-art facility in Asia that helps nearly 2,000 patients every day and trains hundreds of medical students.
The Rwanda-based hospital complex will train medical professionals from across Africa, as well as help set up a network of permanent health clinics.
Plans are underway for new projects in Liberia, mirroring the work in Rwanda — including educational opportunities for children, clean water projects known as “Jesus Wells,” and medical camps where the most at risk families can get free healthcare.
“One-third of the world’s communities are still waiting to experience Christ’s love for the first time,” said Timotheos Yohannan. “No one should die without knowing the love of Christ.”
About GFA World (formerly Gospel for Asia)
GFA World is a leading faith-based global mission agency, helping thousands of national missionaries bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Africa and Asia, and sharing the love of God. In a typical year, this includes thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in hundreds of villages and remote communities, and helping more than 150,000 families break the cycle of poverty through income-generating gifts. More than 40,000 freshwater wells have been drilled since 2007, hundreds of thousands of women are now empowered through literacy training, and Christ-motivated ministry takes place every day throughout 18 nations. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit the Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news.
WILLS POINT, TX — A new three-month campaign aims to help some of the poorest families in Africa and Asia “sew their way out of poverty” — one stitch at a time.
‘SEW’ AMAZING: Texas-based mission GFA World’s “Sewing Their Way Out of Poverty” campaign aims to provide 500 new sewing machines and vocational training for 500 desperately poor families in Africa and Asia struggling to survive day-to-day. For more information, go to www.gfa.org/press/sew.
Texas-based mission GFA World’s “Sewing Their Way Out of Poverty” campaign aims to provide 500 new sewing machines and vocational training for 500 desperately poor families struggling to survive day-to-day.
“Countless people trapped in grinding poverty literally live from hand to mouth,” said GFA World founder K.P. Yohannan, also known as Metropolitan Yohan. “It breaks my heart each time I see an ocean of slum dwellings in major cities, or when I watch children digging in garbage heaps for food scraps.”
A Stitch In Time Changes Everything
A sewing machine costing $100 — way beyond the reach of most families living in Africa and Asia — can change everything, giving parents the chance to earn a consistent income sewing and mending clothes.
Subia, a young mom in Asia, was increasingly anxious about how she’d manage to feed and clothe her young daughter. She and her husband — both casual day laborers like millions of others across Africa and Asia — often went days without finding any work.
“No work means nothing to eat,” Yohannan said.
Subia tearfully shared her struggles with her local pastor. “The pastor encouraged her and told her that God has a solution for every problem we face,” Yohannan said.
Sewing A Strong Community Fabric
When the local church took part in a program distributing income-generating gifts in her community, Subia couldn’t contain her excitement when she received a sewing machine — a real, practical answer to her prayers.
“The sewing machine has changed this family’s life,” Yohannan said. “Subia no longer has to go out in search of a day-labor job. She can stay home with her daughter while she sews clothes for the people in her neighborhood.”
Each year, GFA World supporters provide life-changing, income-generating gifts — including livestock, tools, and sewing machines — for thousands of families like Subia’s. GFA World workers run tailoring classes in local communities to teach men and women sewing skills they can turn into income.
“The need is great, but so is the opportunity to rescue one family at a time from poverty through showing them the love of God and giving them the gift of a sewing machine,” said Yohannan.
GFA World (Gospel for Asia) is a leading faith-based global mission agency, helping national missionaries bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Africa and Asia, and sharing the love of God. In a typical year, this includes thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in more than 880 villages and remote communities, over 4,800 clean water wells drilled, over 12,000 water filters installed, income-generating Christmas gifts for more than 163,000 needy families, and teaching that provides hope and encouragement in 110 languages in 14 nations through broadcast ministry. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit the Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news/.
Help families sew their way out of poverty! — Let’s join together to show people the compassion of Christ by providing them with a simple tool to escape poverty and exploitation: a sewing machine.
STONEY CREEK, ONTARIO — November 14-20 marked this year’s National Collection Week for Operation Christmas Child (OCC) shoeboxes. St. Cyprian Believers Eastern Church (BEC) was proud to once more serve as an OCC collection centre for Stoney Creek. Also, GFA World Canada celebrated their 38th anniversary on November 19th.
Every year during National Collection Week, churches across Canada partner with Samaritan’s Purse. During this week, gift filled shoeboxes that have been packed as a part of Samaritan’s Purse’s Operation Christmas Child, are gathered at churches serving as collection centres. At the end of the week, the boxes are taken to regional collection centres to be shipped to Calgary, AB. There, they are processed before being sent to needy children around the world.
As St. Cyprian BEC shares a building with the Gospel for Asia (GFA World) office, we were proud to work together to serve as an OCC collection centre. This is the fifth year that we have worked with Samaritan’s Purse in this capacity, and we were excited to receive our largest number of boxes yet! Through the generosity of our community, we were able to send over 1050 shoeboxes to be processed and sent to children in need! This is a 30% increase from last year, and a 17% increase from our previous record!
Several local churches brought the boxes they had collected, and many individuals came by as well. The OCC drop-off coordinator expressed his joy in being able to volunteer with Samaritan’s Purse. “It’s wonderful to greet donors while helping with Operation Christmas Child” He said. “People are so often enthusiastic and happy to help these children.” For some, participation in OCC would have been impossible without our drop-off location.
Bringing extra joy to collection week, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) Canada celebrated their 38th year of service on November 19! We praise God for the many different opportunities He has given us to serve. Working with local believers in 18 different countries, we have helped provide 39 million people with safe, clean drinking water. Also, 142,000 children have been helped through our child sponsorship program. And, in 2021 alone, no less than 163,300 families were helped through income-generating or quality-of-life gifts. A staff photo was taken to commemorate the anniversary.
For the last 38 years we have been working with passionate, faithful, and generous people across Canada. With their help, we have assisted local churches in needy areas with the resources they need to share God’s love. Thank you for being a part of it all!
About Gospel for Asia – GFA World
Gospel for Asia(GFA World) is a leading faith-based global mission agency, helping national missionaries bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in 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 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 15, 2023 at 9:58 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 Madock, the challenges of poverty, and the alleviation a bicycle from Gospel for Asia (GFA World) gift distribution brings.
Madock was a busy man. A daily laborer by trade, the 32-year-old father of three walked three miles to work every day. Every morning, he awoke early, hauling his tired body out of bed to ensure he made it to work on time. The long hours and constant journeys back and forth to provide for his family drained him of all energy. With each passing day, Madock found it more and more difficult to keep up with the demands of his labor.
The Encroaching Exhaustion
Like this man pictured, Madock can more easily make a living for his family through the gift of a bicycle, which staved off the exhaustion suffered from constantly walking.
A year prior, Madock’s mother had been sick with an unknown ailment, and multiple doctors could not discern what was wrong. Eventually, Madock heard about a church led by Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Rafferty and asked for his help.
By God’s grace, Madock’s mother was completely healed, which led to Madock and his entire family embracing God’s love. The family began attending Pastor Rafferty’s church, wanting to grow in that love. Or at least, they tried to attend.
In the following months, the hard labor Madock performed, combined with the journey he made day and night, took its toll. The fatigue never truly left, and Madock often found it difficult to make it to work.
Sometimes, Madock and his family couldn’t make it to church, despite his desires and best efforts. He wanted to worship the Lord with other believers and grow in his faith, but his tired body would not let him. He also needed to save what little energy he could muster for his job. No matter how much Madock wanted to do both, he couldn’t.
Blessing on Wheels
Pastor Rafferty, seeing the conflict in Madock’s life, decided to alleviate both concerns. There was an upcoming gift distribution, where those in need could come and receive tools to help them in their lives. After consulting with his leadership for approval, Pastor Rafferty added Madock’s name to the list of recipients.
Riding his bicycle to work every morning brought great joy to Madock, for the ability to save his energy for work meant he could effectively provide for his family and faithfully grow in God’s love and joy.
*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.
Every year during National Collection Week, churches across Canada partner with Samaritan’s Purse. During this week, gift filled shoeboxes that have been packed as a part of 
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