Experience Glimpses of Asia & GFA’s Ministry on YouTube

Last updated on: May 3, 2022 at 2:38 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 GFA’s ministry as seen through several videos.

Forty-one years ago, the Lord began answering the prayers of a young man from India, his wife and a few Christian friends who shared a burden for the millions of people in Asia who had never heard of Jesus. Little did they realize the magnitude of the ministry the Lord would initiate and prosper through their sacrificial service—or how technology would enable the Body of Christ to glimpse God’s handiwork on other side of the globe.

GFA’s Ministry Sees Multitudes Transformed

After the publication of Dr. K.P. Yohannan’s impactful book Revolution in World Missions, the ministry thrived beyond imagination. Thousands of readers have felt God prompting them to partner with Gospel for Asia (GFA), and as a result, millions in Asia have heard about the life-changing peace and joy that only Jesus can give.

Yet very few of us will ever get to travel across the world to a rural village or crowded slum in Asia to personally see the difference God is making through Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported workers.

Thanks to the now commonly-used technology unavailable at the beginning of the 21st century, however, the entire world can see with their own eyes the needs of Asia’s people and how the Lord is working through Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported workers to minister as Jesus’ hands and feet.

Gospel for Asia invites readers to watch the videos and playlists on its YouTube channel. See and hear stories that will both break and bless your heart. Check out a few of these brief GFA YouTube videos to gain a glimpse of Asia and of the lives God is touching for His glory.

“Forgotten Islands No Longer Forgotten” People on this group of islands in Asia survive through backbreaking work and have few opportunities for improvement. Forgotten by most of society, they’re highly susceptible to waterborne illness, tiger attacks and many other threats. But a team of Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported national workers is bringing hope to these islanders.

“How a Jesus Well Transformed Lives in India” The need for clean water amid the global water crisis, especially in parts of Asia and India, cannot be overstated. GFA’s ministry, through the provision of clean water wells and water filters, is saving the lives of children, mothers and fathers across Asia. And we’re saving these families’ time so children can attend school more often, mothers can do more with their time and fathers are healthy more often to keep working.

“From Trials to Triumph: Tapan’s Testimony” Pastor Tapan’s story brings Jesus’ words in John 16:33 to life. From the moment he committed to following Christ, to his time of looking death in the face through severe illness, Pastor Tapan testifies that God truly transforms trials and torment to victory and triumph.

“Visit a Bridge of Hope Center with KP Yohannan” We invite you to join Gospel for Asia’s founder, Dr. K.P. Yohannan, in his behind-the-scenes tour of a GFA-supported Bridge of Hope center in Mumbai. See the difference these centers are making in the lives of many children in Asia.

“Mula: A Widow’s Story” After Mula’s husband died, Mula and her four children were struggling to survive. The Lord showed His provision to them through GFA’s Bridge of Hope program and free tailoring classes. Eventually, His peace transformed their hearts.

“The Stick Gatherer – No Longer A Slumdog” Watch this gripping story as Dr. K.P. Yohannan shares the story of a young boy who ended up in a GFA-supported Bridge of Hope center. Jesus said, “Whatever you do for the least of these, you do unto me.”

“My Visit to a Leprosy Colony” Ashley shares about her visit to a leprosy colony where she got to see Gospel for Asia’s leprosy ministry in action. While she visited with the patients, Ashley watched Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported national missionaries serve the patients by cleaning their wounds. Residents of the colony were despised by society, but national missionaries showed God’s love to them by treating them with dignity and concern.

“Pastor Marty – Growing Up in the Slums” Do you remember your childhood? Pastor Marty does. He grew up in the slums of Mumbai in extreme poverty. Through many hardships, Marty lost all hope—until he encountered the love of Jesus in a genuine and practical way: the healing of his son. After graduating from a Bible college, he returned to the slum he grew up in and began passionately sharing Jesus’ love with those who are struggling.

Watch and Pray

As you watch these videos, may you be encouraged by the Lord’s beautiful work in Asia. Thank you for praying for the people of Asia and for GFA’s ministry among them.

Source: Worldometers, South Asia Population

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

Freed from Death to Walk in Life: A Husband and Wife Become Gospel for Asia-supported Missionaries

Last updated on: May 4, 2022 at 5:00 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 Gospel for Asia-supported missionaries like Ekagrah and his wife Geetika, brought by God from death to life and enabled to share this hope of new life with others.

Ekagrah’s keen eyes surveyed the landscape as he entered the small mountain village. The new Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor looked to the hills, places he had never seen, filled with people he had never met. He came with his wife and young daughter, ready to step into the new life God had for them, ready to share this new life with others.

But for most of his 32 years, Ekagrah had known nothing of the hope he now came to share.

Teenager Loses Mother and Seven Siblings

Death and sickness followed Ekagrah like a plague. When he was a teenager, his mother and seven of his siblings died within a short period of time. His older brothers, rather than encouraging him to continue his studies, told him to quit school, get a job and help them.

So he did. When Ekagrah grew older, he traveled to the capital city to earn some money for his family. For five years he labored, carrying belongings for foreigners who wanted to walk the mountain paths, before he returned home to see his family.

While in his childhood village, Ekagrah married a woman named Geetika. They soon moved back to the capital city, and Geetika gave birth to a beautiful little girl. Then “the plague” struck again.

Gospel for Asia founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: Discussing Gospel for Asia-supported missionaries like Ekagrah and his wife Geetika, brought by God from death to life and enabled to share this hope of new life with others. — As a young man, Ekagrah traveled far from his home in hopes of helping his family after the tragic deaths of his mother and seven siblings. Eventually, he married a woman named Geetika, but difficulties continued to follow him: Geetika and their young daughter both contracted a mysterious illness that nothing seemed able to cure.

Young Husband Watches Wife and Daughter Fall Sick

After the baby was born, Geetika felt a strange burning sensation creep over her body, a sensation that would not go away. At the same time, their daughter succumbed to frequent bouts of vomiting, fever and diarrhea.

With no family around to help, Ekagrah faced these challenges alone. Following his late mother’s example, Ekagrah earnestly sought his gods for his wife’s and his daughter’s healing.

He offered sacrifices and took his family to see witch doctors and medical doctors, but nothing helped. Eventually he grew angry with his gods for not answering him in his need and decided to stop worshiping them.

Disappointed Husband Finds Peace at Church

One day, after five years of suffering and disappointment, Ekagrah met up with his nephew and nieces, who told him about Jesus. Curious to know more, he asked one niece about her church and about her God. She invited him to attend their church, so that weekend Ekagrah slipped away to church without telling his wife.

As he walked through the doors, a flood of peace washed over him. As the service started and the Christians sang and clapped their hands, Ekagrah stared at everyone in awe and surprise. During the service, the pastor’s words touched his heart, and he decided he wanted to go back the next week.

Ekagrah had decided not to tell his wife about Jesus or the church until he learned more about Him, but Geetika had other plans. While her husband attended church, Geetika had noticed her pain subsiding, leaving her feeling refreshed. She wanted to know why, so the next week, when Ekagrah started leaving without her, she stopped him.

Gospel for Asia founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: Gospel for Asia-supported missionaries — After watching his family suffer for five years, Ekagrah lost hope in his gods. He talked with one of his nieces, a Christian, who invited him to church. While Ekagrah attended church, his wife noticed her pain subsiding, and this gave her faith to trust Jesus for complete healing. The whole family soon embraced the love Jesus freely offers.

Family Transformed From Tears to Joy

“Where are you going?” she asked.

When Ekagrah told her about Jesus and the church, faith filled Geetika’s heart.

“I am ready to follow Jesus right now,” she declared. “I believe He will heal me and my daughter completely, and there is no doubt about His power.”

“Before long,” Ekagrah shares, “we began to experience the peace of God prevailing in our lives. An affection to God developed in our hearts.”

After a few weeks of attending church, they decided to embrace the freedom and grace Jesus offers. At the same time, God completely freed Geetika and their daughter from their mysterious illnesses.

“Our joy knew no bounds,” Ekagrah says. “We began to follow the Lord with a wholehearted devotion. Our home [became] a home of prayer.”

Husband and Wife Become Gospel for Asia-supported Missionaries

Although many friends and neighbors told them to renounce their faith in Jesus, their love for Him only grew through the years.

“We were burdened to share the love of Christ with the lost humanity,” Ekagrah shares. “Before long, my wife and I decided to serve the Lord as missionaries.”

The two enrolled in a Bible training program, where they learned more about Jesus, the Word of God and how to share their faith with others.

After following God for several years as missionaries, they learned about Gospel for Asia (GFA). After joining Gospel for Asia (GFA), they moved to a remote village in Central Nepal.

When Ekagrah and Geetika first came to the village, people didn’t want to hear what they had to say. Some people even threatened them and told them to leave. But the couple faithfully prayed and fasted, and within a few months, God touched the hearts of three men and women. They, like Ekagrah and Geetika, embraced the peace and healing found only in Christ.

Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: Gospel for Asia-supported missionaries — After coming to know Jesus’ love, God gave Ekagrah and Geetika a heart to share this divine love with others. They went through a Bible training program and started serving the Lord as missionaries. After a few years, they joined with Gospel for Asia.

Husband and Wife Help Many Understand Christ’s Love

Throughout the last 10 years, Ekagrah and Geetika have gotten to know the men and women of their small mountain town. Through their example and their words, several others have come to know the God they love. Here, under the tender gaze of Ekagrah, the Lord’s shepherd, a church has grown. Every week, dozens of men and women gather to learn more about the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.

In the distance, four villages sit, places Ekagrah has visited many times. In each of these four villages, men and women regularly gather to pray with him and hear him share more from the Word of God.

Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: Sharing the hope of Christ through National Missionaries — God sent Ekagrah and Geetika to a remote village in Central Nepal. Though they faced several threats and people seemed uninterested, Ekagrah prayed and fasted for God to touch hearts. Today, 10 years since he and Geetika first arrived, dozens of people gather in their village and the surrounding towns to worship the God who freed Ekagrah and Geetika from a life of death.

Today, as Ekagrah steps outside the doors of his small mountain home, he can lift his eyes to the mountains around him and thank the Lord who not only brought him from death to life but also enables him to share this hope of new life with others.

You can stand with men and women like Ekagrah and Geetika, enabling them to share the Good News with those who have never heard.

*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.

Source: Gospel for Asia Featured Article, Freed from Death to Walk in Life

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

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

She Met Gospel for Asia-supported Missionaries. Then She Met God on the Rooftop

Last updated on: July 7, 2022 at 1:32 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing Shanti, her family, her chronic bouts with tuberculosis, the helplessness and grief, and the hope, healing and peace brought about by Gospel literature and the ministry of Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported missionaries.

When Muktananda sent his wife, Shanti, up to the terrace, he expected her to return freshened up for a visit with her relatives and neighbors—not making declarations about a new religion. Yet there she was, tears in her eyes, clutching a strange book to her chest and announcing the impossible: She had found a new God on the way to the bathroom.

Wife Sick for 10 Years

Shanti had been sick for the last decade, beginning with six years of seizures and continuing with tuberculosis. In a time when her body most needed rest, she was overcome by unexplainable fears each night.

“I almost became insane. … I used to stay home weeping all day,” Shanti said. “My two sons used to cry with me since I was not even able to cook food. They used to fear that I would die soon.”

Throughout her suffering, Shanti begged her gods for relief, regularly performing rituals for their attention. When that didn’t work, she asked her doctors for stronger medicine, but they insisted they were already giving her the strongest dose they could.

When Shanti started struggling to breathe one day, she gave up on her search for healing.

“I told my sons to bring some acid,” Shanti said, “so I could drink it and die.”

Husband Calls Christians for Prayer

Shanti’s family didn’t bring her acid, but they did watch as her situation grew more hopeless.

One day, Muktananda decided to call a Christian television channel that offered prayer at the end of each show. Obediently, Shanti listened as the Christians prayed over the phone, though she remained unconvinced that it would do anything.

When Shanti’s relatives came over that day, she and her husband talked about the phone call, and the relatives shared that they had Christian neighbors in their building who would also pray for Shanti.

Muktananda decided they should visit these Christians, too, and asked Shanti to go up to their terrace bathroom and wash up before they went.

The whole way up the stairs, Shanti thought, I am not going to make it today. Surely I am going to die. When she got to the roof, however, she found a book called The Gospel of John leaning against the wall.

Wife Reads Mysterious Book

“I started wondering how this book reached our terrace,” Shanti said. “We didn’t know any Christian who would give us this book.”

Indeed, her relatives’ Christian neighbors often gave literature to the many local children who came to visit, but Shanti’s sons were never among them.

With her family still waiting, Shanti began to read the mysterious book and found she couldn’t stop. Her heart filled with joy when she reached Christ’s words in John 15:16:

“You did not choose me, but I have chosen you.”

Assured of Jesus’ love, Shanti wept as she went downstairs and showed the book to Muktananda.

“I told my husband that this is the real God,” Shanti said.

Couple Visits Missionaries for Prayer

Full of hope, Shanti and Muktananda went to their relatives’ home to meet with the Christian neighbors: Balika and Sadhvi, who served as Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported women missionaries, and a local Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor, Kavi, who happened to be visiting.

The missionaries shared the Good News with the couple and invited them to come to church. Later that week, the missionaries came to the couple’s house to pray and tell them more about Jesus.

By Sunday, Shanti had great hopes for her first church service, but they were shattered the instant she walked into the building.

“To my disappointment,” she said, “I found no Jesus at the church.”

All her life, Shanti had worshiped gods by praying before their images, but there were no images of Jesus Christ in this church building. The God she sought was nowhere to be seen.

Missionaries Teach Family About Christ

“I cried a lot that day in the church, thinking Jesus was not there,” Shanti said.

When Pastor Kavi realized what was wrong, he explained why Jesus doesn’t need an image to represent Himself. He encouraged her with the story of the blind man who was healed after praying to Jesus.

That night, the Lord appeared to Shanti in a dream, saying she would be healed. Believing Him, Shanti asked the missionaries to pray for her again.

As Pastor Kavi, Balika and Sadhvi continued visiting and praying for Shanti, her health improved. After one month, Muktananda and her sons put their full trust in Christ, too.

Since she gave her life to Christ, Shanti’s health problems have disappeared completely. And now, instead of crying with her sons while Muktananda goes to work, Shanti writes praise songs. She also spends much of her time reading the Bible—without which she says, “I would not have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. By reading the Gospel according to John, I believed in Jesus Christ.”

By giving God’s Word to someone like Shanti, you give her the chance to hear not just from a missionary but from the Lord Himself. Give toward Gospel literature today and see how He will transform lives.

Learn more about the Gospel Literature Ministry, how you can help National Missionaries reach out to thousands of people each day with Gospel tracts.

Source: Gospel for Asia Reports, She Met God on the Rooftop

Learn more how to help National Missionaries be more effective by providing ministry tools that will assist them in reaching the lost.

Click here, to read more blogs on Patheos from Gospel for Asia.

Gospel for Asia: Helping to Carry the Weight of the World

Last updated on: October 15, 2022 at 1:38 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) – Discussing the life of Paden who, like many in the world, experience hardship and hopelessness, desperately needing the love of God in their lives.

When Paden turned 12, his life drastically changed. His father passed away, leaving Paden, his mother and his two younger siblings all alone. The responsibility of caring for the family fell to Paden. His childhood was over.

The Man of the House

Gospel for Asia (GFA) – Discussing the life of Paden who, like many in the world, experience hardship and hopelessness, desperately needing the love of God in their lives. — Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastors minister to all who are in need, like Paden (not pictured).

After the passing of his father, Paden shouldered the burden of providing for his family. Leaving school, Paden got a job selling clothing. After a few years of diligent labor and the help of a friend, Paden had saved enough money to find work internationally. He hoped to better provide for his family—but Paden’s new income wasn’t enough. He returned home after four years abroad, got married and resumed work in his clothing business.

Paden and his family were staunch traditionalists, following rites and rituals customary to their beliefs. Their convictions were put to the test when multiple family members developed health issues. Paden spent so much money on medication and treatments that his business went bankrupt. On top of it all, Paden’s younger brother fell dreadfully ill, and doctors were unable to diagnose him.

Near the End

Paden’s life seemed to be collapsing around him, and he was on the edge of losing hope. When he was wondering how he could turn his life around, Paden met Marut, a fellow businessman—and a believer. Upon listening to Paden’s struggles, Marut offered the young man a booklet about the love of God. He also told Paden the story of how Christ had freed him from both physical and spiritual afflictions.

Marut’s testimony astonished Paden—here was an answer to all his problems. Thanking Marut, the young man returned home, contemplating all he had heard. Curiosity and desperation won, and Paden made his way to the local church.

The Power of the Love of God

At the church, Paden met Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastor Paul and shared with him his story, his struggles and his failures. Pastor Paul prayed for Paden, offering the young man encouragement and comfort. He also offered Paden a Bible, inviting him to take it home and read it.

As Paden read, his heart began to soar. God was the answer he needed! He began attending Pastor Paul’s church, and soon, Paden and his entire family came to understand the love of God for them. In addition, God blessed the young man and his family financially, restoring Paden’s business within one month!

Like Marut, Paden now has a testimony of his own—one of the transformative loves of God and blessing.

Read how another young man found hope through the love of God.

Source: Gospel for Asia Reports, The Weight of the World

Learn more about the National Missionaries and their passion to help the people in their nations understand Christ’s love through various ways.

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Gospel for Asia Supported National Workers Do What Needs to Be Done

Last updated on: November 12, 2022 at 9:56 am By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) – Discussing what national workers do daily to spread God’s love across Asia. “They need to think about what is needed, not what is possible because possible can change. A major problem I see . . . is not having visionary leaders.” —R.D. Thulasiraj, Director of Operations, Aravind Eye Care System

Mr. Thulasirai’s sage observation, although having nothing directly to do with missions, might be worthy of our consideration of what it really means for indigenous, national workers to be supported by Gospel for Asia (GFA) and its generous donors.It is difficult for us to imagine the role of pastors and other national workers in Asia because we have not seen what they have seen, nor have we experienced what they have. One thing is for certain, these pastors and workers do not have the same routine that most Western pastors do.

Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastor Marty grew up in an Asian slum where, as a young boy, he often dug for food in the bottom of dirty garbage bins to avoid starvation. He describes life in the slums as a vicious, generation cycle.

Garbage litters the streets. Dirty drinking water and the absence of simple hygienic practices like hand-washing cause disease rates to soar. Prostitution, sex trafficking, and other crimes hold countless people in bondage with no escape. ^[1]

Now, Pastor Marty and his family minister to families in the slum where he was raised. One believer in his church said, “He is a great example for us as he represents Jesus. He does what Jesus would have done. Helping the poor and needy and loving people. He is always willing to help people.”

Another Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastor, Kanak, witnessed people in his village drinking from the same pond in which they bathed and washed their livestock and dirty dishes. He’s seen mothers unable to feed their children because they have no source of income. He ministers to children and adults who have no education. He works among people who barely have what they need to survive let alone prosper.

“When I see the condition of [these] people, their poverty, . . . it hurts me. It pains me to see them suffering. I wish I could bring changes in their lives.” —Pastor Kanak ^[2]

Like Pastor Marty, that’s exactly what he is doing. He spends time with the villagers and becomes acquainted with their struggles, assessing what would help them the most and show them Jesus’ love. These men, and multiple others like them, spend their days considering the needs of the people to whom they are called to serve.

They demonstrate spiritual leadership by “thinking about what is needed.” Because they understand the people’s needs, they are able to discern what they can do to help those individuals, families and villages according to what they need most.

If people need clean water, the pastors may arrange for the installation of Jesus Wells or distribution of BioSand water filters. If the people need education, national workers help establish Bridge of Hope centers for children and literacy classes for adults. If a rural household needs a source of income, they may arrange for the most appropriate farm animals for the individuals in need. In the slums, they may organize vocational classes to train women to generate income to provide for their families.

People with vision are those who see a need and then make every effort to meet that need. Vision in ministry is all about seeing the need, then doing something about it.

Once we see their needs and minister to them, they will already begin to see Christ in us.

To read more about these national workers, click on the their stories below:

^[1] GFA World, “A Slum Child’s Return,” March 2016

^[2] GFA World, “A Heart Burdened for His People,” July 2015

Learn more about National Workers and Missionaries – the men and women the Lord God is raising up living in Asia to be His ambassadors.

Click here, to read more blogs on Patheos from Gospel for Asia.

Sources:

GFA World, A Slum Child’s Return
GFA World, A Heart Burdened for His People

Empower Gospel for Asia Supported National Missionaries With Prayer

Last updated on: December 10, 2022 at 3:08 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported national missionaries need us to stand beside them for enablement and empowerment, whether they serve in a slum, a remote mountain community or a village for outcasts.

Let’s think for a minute what enablement and empowerment mean and put them into perspective as they relate to Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported national missionaries.

Enablement

The root word in enablement is “able.” Enablement intrinsically refers to providing means or opportunity to make something possible or practicable. When people support or give to Gospel for Asia (GFA), they help GFA’s field partners provide the training, literature, equipment and living expenses to make their ministries possible and practicable.

Empowerment

We believe that empowerment is, by far, more important than enablement. Without empowerment, national missionaries would be ineffective representing Jesus to the thousands of people in Asia. Their ability to establish fellowships and transform communities would be severely hindered.

The root word in empowerment is “power.”

All the funding in the world cannot empower the work of national missionaries because their power must come from the Lord. But we can have a role in empowering them by praying for them, for the general needs of all of them as well as the particular needs of individual missionaries.

Many people perceive prayer only as talking to God. It is much more than that. Prayer is not our tool to tell the Lord what the national missionaries need. He already knows (see Matthew 6:32). Prayer is when we converse with (including listening to) the Almighty God. He has the authority and power over all His creation.

He is the one who makes all things possible by the power of His might. May we suggest that when we pray, we explicitly call upon Him to divinely empower these missionaries? Jesus modeled this when He taught His disciples to pray for His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Consider also that the Bible teaches us that the Lord has already blessed us with every spiritual blessing (see Ephesians 1:3).

Gospel for Asia (GFA) establishes a continuing communication link between supporters. Those communications are intended to provide that one-on-one empowering relationship attainable only through the power of prayer.

Gospel for Asia (GFA) also shares the common needs of national missionaries online as part of our monthly prayer focus. By keeping abreast of those needs, we can pray for empowerment for their various common needs. Currently, Gospel for Asia (GFA) is requesting prayer for

Personal devotion time for every national missionary
Boldness in the face of difficulty, opposition and persecution
Protection as they travel and work in challenging locations
Resolve, health and dedication of their families as they minister under difficult conditions
Fruit of their labors to become evident in the communities where they serve

Gospel for Asia (GFA) was established on the power of prayer. In Texas and in Asia, prayer is fundamental to all we do.

Source: Gospel for Asia, Official Website Pages

Image Source: Gospel for Asia, Photo of the Day

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Called for a Special Purpose: Women National Workers

Last updated on: November 25, 2019 at 3:04 pm By GFA Staff Writer

Wills Point, Texas – Gospel for Asia (GFA) – Discussing the importance of women national workers in Asia cannot be overemphasized. Millions of Asian women face unimaginable pain, misery and degradation.

In Acts chapter 16, the Apostle Paul tells of visiting the city of Philippi for a number of days. On a Saturday, he and those with him retired to a river bank where believers customarily gathered for Sabbath prayers.

It was there that he met Lydia, an entrepreneur (centuries before entrepreneur was even a word) from the city of Thyatira. Both Paul and Lydia were a long way from their respective homes. They were in Philippi, a city in Macedonia named for its former king Philip, the father of Alexander the Great. When Paul met Lydia, the city was under Roman rule and was, in fact, planned to be converted into a miniature version of Rome.

Thyatira, Lydia’s hometown and base of operations, was located in Asia Minor, nearly 600 miles away by land.

Lydia, like the Ethiopian eunuch, was a follower of the one true God, but she apparently was not yet aware that He had come in the flesh to redeem us. She and her husband opened their hearts to the Lord after listening to Paul. Not much else is said of her in the Bible except that Paul and Silas stayed at her house after their release from prison (Acts 16:40).

Lydia was revered in both Philippi and Thyatira. Some scholars believe that she and her husband may have been instrumental in establishing the body of believers that became the church in Thyatira to which Christ directed a communique in Revelation chapter 2. Their assumptions are based on the fact that Paul never visited the city, at least not that history records.

The point is that not only did Lydia become a follower of Jesus, but it is almost certain that she also became a missionary for Him in her homeland.

The Case for National Workers

One of the advantages of national workers, i.e., those who, rather than going to a foreign country, remain in place and share the love of Christ with their own people, is that they are not strangers to be scrutinized, but they are one with the people.

If that is true from a cultural perspective, would it not also be true from a gender perspective?

If Tibetans understand Tibetans better than a stranger could, would it not also be true that Tibetan women understand other Tibetan women even better than Tibetan men do? The same question applies within any cultural context in any country.

The Case for Women National Workers

With all of the study and research conducted over the centuries, no one understands women as well as other women. Many jokes have been made about it, unfortunately, usually to the denigration of either the men or the women.

The fact is that women who commit their lives to Christ have, among their many blessings, the ability to better communicate with and understand other women—their hopes and dreams and problems and pains.

The importance of women national workers in Asia cannot be overemphasized. Millions of Asian women face unimaginable pain, misery and degradation. Suicide death rates among young women in Asia are among the highest in the world, according to a study released September 1, 2018.

In some Asian cultures, only women can minister to other women. If a woman wants to share something on their heart with someone else, they will seek out another woman whom they hope will listen and empathize. GFA-supported women national workers commit to coming alongside other women, willing to listen, to pray and to help share their burdens, demonstrating the love of Jesus. Many women willingly inquire about Jesus and choose to embrace His love simply because of the dedication and commitment of women national workers.

Please prayerfully watch this brief video (2:46) and allow the Lord to touch your heart for the women of Asia and the Asian believers who are committed to sharing the peace, joy, love, and hope for which so many are seeking.

Learn how to pray for Asia’s Women Missionaries

Learn how you can help to support a woman missionary like Bhagyawati, Tial, Sita or others.

May the Lord bless and encourage you as you pray.

To learn more about Women Missionaries, visit this page on the GFA website.

To read more posts on Patheos on National Missionaries, go here.

Click here, to read more blogs on Patheos from Gospel for Asia.

Go here to know more about Gospel for Asia: Youtube | Twitter | GFA Reports | GFA.net

Sources:

The Guardian, Nearly 40% of female suicides occur in India
The Lancet, Gender differentials and state variations in suicide deaths in India: the Global Burden of Disease Study 1990–2016

Going to Their Own: The Purpose and Passion of National Missionaries

Last updated on: October 27, 2018 at 10:17 pm By GFA Staff Writer

Gospel for Asia (GFA World), Wills Point, Texas – Discussing the purpose, passion and impact of National Missionaries.

Dr. KP Yohannan’s seminal book, Revelation in World Missions, may have been inspired in part by a recognition that the nations of the world were themselves facing major changes in the post-World War II era. Many nations, previously parts of global empires, were experiencing the early stages of independence. Independence is the favorite traveling companion of national identity.

Whenever or wherever one nation is subject to another there is always some measure of lost identity that accompanies the loss of governmental and economic control. This has been true through all of recorded history. Ruling governments, including the Greek and Roman empires, gave great priority to determine the appropriate form of governance that would be most tolerable by the local culture whilst maintaining control over them.

History also shows that no government has ever found a successful way of repressing national cultural identity because that identity screams for the freedom to be who we are meant to be.

Nonetheless, Yohannan’s national missionary vision was not inspired by the metamorphosis of the political and economic landscape. The vision was planted in his heart by the Lord Jesus Christ who understood the need for ministering to people within their identity more than any of us ever will. He not only knew it. He experienced it.

The Beloved Disciple, John, recorded that Jesus “came to His own, and His own did not receive Him” (John 1:11).

The Purpose of National Missionaries

The work of national missionaries reflects the purpose of Christ. He came to His own, the special people group He loved, chose to represent Him, and to whom He promised a Savior. The Old Testament is replete with descriptions of God’s love for His chosen people and of His covenant plans to bless them with abundant life.

His purpose was to reach out to the people He called His own and the apple of His eye. He was committed to fulfilling the promises He had made because they were His people.

It doesn’t matter who you are or where you are from, there is a unique bond between you and the people who are like you. This is especially true when we meet people of our same heritage, culture and national identity. We feel a special affinity. We share a cultural comfort zone. We can witness the effect of a microculture like sports. People wearing the regalia of their favorite athletic team are readily received by those who are adorned in a similar fashion. After all, they “are on the same team.”

Not to mention that they may be skeptical of anyone emblazoned with an opponent’s gear. “Whose side are you on, and what are you doing here?” flashes like a neon sign across their minds.

I believe that Revolution in World Missions was a result of our prayer-answering God directing a praying Indian man, showing him the best way to share His love with the people of South Asia over the ensuing decades would be through national missionaries. Missionaries who would go to their own just as Christ came to His own.

The Passion of National Missionaries

The downside of the story is that “His own did not receive Him.” But notice that did not delay or deter Him—because He loved them. He still does.

We want to be with those whom we love. We want to help them. We want to seek the best for them. We are willing to sacrifice for our own because we love them in a special way.

If the purpose is the engine that drives us, passion (love) is the oil that keeps that purpose running effectively—even when we are ignored, rejected or spurned.

Then there is the love of Jesus in us and flowing through us. His love is a relentless spring, flowing like a river, bringing eternal life to all who believe. We cannot contain it. We must share His love.

And with whom are we most likely to share it? With our own people. Those who are the closest to us and the most like us.

It is not economics or politics that make the national missionary concept so powerful. It is the passion that God built into us to reach out to our own people so that they, too, may possess and experience the eternal life with which we are blessed.

The Power of Prayer

If many of Jesus’ own rejected Him, it is reasonable to expect that not everyone will receive the love of Christ now. But it is also reasonable to expect that some will, and it is just as reasonable to expect that more people of those cultural backgrounds are likely to open their doors, their hearts and their minds to someone just like them.

Based on first impressions of other people usually being visual, a national missionary has a far better chance than a stranger from a different culture will have to engage in conversation. National missionaries often have an open door where strangers experience only a wall.

With such a fortuitous start, the major thing national missionaries need is prayer. This is probably where you thought I was going to say “funding” or “support.” Yes, those are important, but they are not even in the realm of the power of prayer.

It is prayer that started this endeavor of raising up and training national missionaries, and it is prayer that will continue to enable and empower them. Without prayer, funding and support are just money. The Lord doesn’t need money. He needs people with the purpose of ministering to others in His name, a passion for doing so, and prayer warriors who under-gird their work.

The idea of national missionaries is not a work of genius. It is a work of God. The God who has a purpose and a passion for all the people of His creation. GFA’s national missionaries are completing that purpose with a passion planted in their hearts by Jesus Christ Himself.

Please pray for the work of national missionaries. They have the privilege of sharing Jesus’ love in places where the doors are closed to others like us. Count it the honor that it is to pray together for them.

To learn more about the National Missionaries, visit this page on the GFA website.

To read more posts on Patheos on National Missionaries, go here.

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Help Wanted: National Missionaries. Endure Beatings, Tauntings, Long Road Days, Imprisonment.

Last updated on: December 4, 2019 at 2:17 am By GFA Staff Writer

Thousands of communities are tucked away in remote regions of Asia. In such places, chances to hear the story of Christ’s birth, death and resurrection can be very rare.

Beatings. Taunting words. Long days on the road. Late nights of traveling to pray for the sick. False accusations . Even imprisonment. If national missionaries know ministering to their people may cost them all this, how do they go on day after day? Why do they do it?

One reason missionaries continue to pour themselves out in service to God is because of people like Naitik. He was 80 years old before he ever heard the name of Jesus. National missionaries long for him to understand the love of God, whom they themselves love so much. Naitik is not alone—his story was like millions of others’ who live in remote places in Asia, where, so far, there’s been no mention of Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God.

remote regions of Asia - KP Yohannan - Gospel for Asia — Thousands of communities are tucked away in remote regions of Asia. In such places, chances to hear the story of Christ’s birth, death and resurrection can be very rare.

Naitik lived in an area where the people worshiped local deities and believed in witchcraft. Then one day Naitik’s relative introduced him to Gospel for Asia-supported pastor Udyan. During their conversation, Naitik heard for the very first time about Jesus and His sacrifice to save humanity. He became very interested to learn more about this love. Before Pastor Udyan left, he prayed for Naitik’s ailments, which included leg pain and poor eyesight, and encouraged the elderly man to trust Jesus to heal him.

The next morning, Naitik contacted Pastor Udyan and invited him to come to his home again for prayer. When the pastor arrived, the old man welcomed him and said: “I don’t know what is happening to me. I could not sleep properly last night. I felt like someone was talking to me. I want to know more about the Lord Jesus. Also, there is less pain in my leg after you prayed for me.”

As Naitik and his wife spoke with Pastor Udyan, they learned more about the love of God and decided they would go to church for Sunday worship. When they attended the service, they were further encouraged by Pastor Udyan as he taught from God’s Word.

Later, Naitik happily received a Bible from the pastor. In spite of his limited education and his poor eyesight, Naitik faithfully read the Bible, and to his surprise, the Lord restored his vision!

God’s Word has the power to transform lives - KP Yohannan - Gospel for Asia — God’s Word has the power to transform lives, just like it did for Naitik.

Seeing God’s work in his life, Naitik asked Pastor Udyan to conduct prayer meetings at his house. During the first meeting, the couple learned the importance of prayer in a believer’s life when the Lord miraculously healed Naitik’s wife from a breathing problem! Experiencing the Lord’s kindness and grace led this dear old couple to put their trust in the Savior.

Naitik and his wife are very happy to know Jesus. They are even inviting their neighbors and friends to be part of the new fellowship that is gathering at their home. Naitik is reading his Bible faithfully, spending time in prayer and growing in his faith. He said, “Although I had spent my whole life in darkness, now I have found light in Jesus. He is really God. I want to live for Him for the rest of my life.”

How precious these words are of an old man who was able to meet one of God’s servants, hear about Jesus and be given the chance to respond to Christ’s love and sacrifice near the end of his life. Tragically, there are many people of Naitik’s generation who are going into eternity without ever meeting anyone who could point them to the Light of the World.

For many of them, time is running out fast. Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported workers minister in many countries where the average life expectance is only 66–75 years, according to the World Bank.

personal interaction with pastors and their wives - KP Yohannan - Gospel for Asia — Through personal interaction with pastors and their wives, many people in Asia can hear about God’s mercy and compassion.

But the Lord has raised up Asian men and women who are ready—and eager—to go to their own people and be Christ’s hands and feet. Their limitations for ministry are minor compared to foreign missionaries. They know the intricacies of the culture or can adapt very quickly and well. As their neighbors watch their daily life, many discover for themselves that Jesus isn’t a foreign God, but is their own Creator and knows their every need.

As Christians, it is our privilege and instruction from the Lord to share the life-giving hope of Christ to the nations. National missionaries like Pastor Udyan and millions of other Christ followers know this, and they live with the daily reality of the cost of carrying out that directive. In writing about the persecuted church, Dr. KP Yohannan quotes Jeremy Weber of Christianity Today as saying “For the third year in a row, the modern persecution of Christians worldwide has hit another record high.”

Our brothers and sisters are paying a high price to obey Jesus’ words spoken on the shores of Galilee.

But they also experience the joy of seeing a spark gleam in a new believer’s eye when he understands for the first time that the God of the universe listens to their every prayer. They see the transformation that follows as addictions crumble and love enters families’ home life. They see how generosity and compassion changes a community.

Jesus Himself endured beatings, mockery, abuse and death to carry out God’s plan of redemption for the world. And His example strengthens each one of us who ministers for the sake of His name.

“. . . let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.” —Hebrews 12:1b–3

See the passion of National Missionaries:

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“When My Husband Was Falsely Imprisoned for 20 Years, My World Crumbled,” Reports Gospel for Asia

Last updated on: November 28, 2019 at 2:27 pm By GFA Staff Writer

Do you remember what happened in your life on May 2, 2000? It was a Tuesday. It might not have been a significant day to you, but for Manja, a father of two in Nepal, that day changed his life and his family forever.

That was the day Manja landed in jail under false accusations of murder.

It started when Manja, a Gospel for Asia-supported missionary , joined a group of friends for an afternoon of fishing. Along the river, they discovered a body. They informed the police and filed a report. Everything seemed to be finished—until one month later when Manja was accused of committing the crime.

This is Manja. His Bible was his most treasured possession while in prison.

A Prisoner Missionary

Months of accusations, falsified evidence, betrayal, abuse and drawn out legal proceedings followed. Then the bars closed behind Manja with a sentence of 20 years imprisonment.

“When my husband was arrested and imprisoned for 20 years,” Rati, Manja’s wife shares, “it was as if my whole world had crumbled down.”

Manja and Rati were devastated by the verdict. But in the months and years to follow, they had a choice to make: Would they cling to God’s promises and believe in His goodness, or would they allow anger, bitterness and self-pity to control their hearts?

Both chose to put their faith in God.

Rati strengthened herself in the Lord and stepped up to shoulder the responsibilities of her imprisoned husband, raising their two children and continuing Manja’s ministry—even though she had never been to school in her life and was illiterate.

“I always underestimated myself,” Rati said, “but God encouraged me through many of the leaders, and they said that God could use me to accomplish His purposes.”

Gospel for Asia’s field partners came alongside Rati, helping her and encouraging her in any way they could as she braced herself for 20 years without her husband. She learned to read and even attended Bible college, while her husband, Manja, lived an exemplary life in his prison cell, honoring his Savior through his heart of forgiveness toward those who imprisoned him.

What Happened Inside the Walls

Manja gained strength whenever he knelt and prayed by the toilet, the only place he could be alone. He found opportunities to share God’s love with many inmates. As the new resident of the toughest “neighborhood” in his country, Manja brought something to the prison that no one expected: love.

Even while he faced emotional and physical hardships, Manja relied on his faith, something the other prisoners did not have.

“The inmates questioned me, ‘How could your God let this happen to you while you served Him?’ ” Manja remembers. “I told them that though injustice was served to me here, God knows me and my situation. He definitely has a better tomorrow.”

Prisoners started gravitating toward his unswerving faith.

“Even though we are imprisoned as criminals,” Manja told them, “God hears our prayers.” And God did hear. One of Manja’s fellow inmates asked for prayer for his wife, who was ill. From within their cell, they prayed, and they soon heard that she had been healed.

Slowly, Manja’s time with the Lord became small gatherings of five, then 10, then 15 believers. And as his trustworthy reputation grew, officials gave him responsibilities—and with them, the chance to minister to more of the inmates. His good behavior also shortened his sentence by one month every year.

“I was assigned to count the prisoners in their cells every evening,” he says. “I was in charge of 150 prisoners. With different temperaments and attitudes, there were many prisoners who fought. But I mediated with love, and they never raised a finger against me.”

Manja remained faithful and ministered to the inmates - KP Yohannan - Gospel for Asia — Manja remained faithful and ministered to the inmates within his prison. He is pictured here at his release with a young man who found Christ through his prison ministry.

He even had opportunities to work in the prison school and hospital. There, he met hundreds of men who were paying the price for their crimes. The news of Jesus’ love and forgiveness meant that in prison, these men found a pardon that set them freer than if they had been released.

“Even though I was in jail, God worked in me and through me!” Manja rejoices.

He was also well-known as someone who would listen and help with many problems, and this even helped protect his life.

“In 2006, there was a revolt within the prison,” Manja remembers.

While the world read of Nepal’s dethroned king and the new democracy, prisoners decided that their jail terms should be forgiven.

“Revolting prisoners fought each other; they would come at night and smash the heads of other prisoners sleeping next to me,” he recalls.

But God protected His servant, and Manja was never injured.

Prayers from Around the World

Throughout Brother Manja’s journey of arrest and imprisonment, Gospel for Asia staff around the world, supporters and prayer partners faithfully prayed for him and his family.

One staff member from Gospel for Asia U.S. office recalls, “One thing I’ll never forget about those years is the incredible number of faithful believers, from all corners of the nation, that would ask me how [Manja] was doing. Even during periods where his situation wasn’t prominent in our news, so many individuals continued to consistently pray and even fast for him and his family.”

Manja and Rati later testified of the effect of those global prayers.

“While I was in prison,” Manja shared, “guests used to visit me once in a while. Our Metropolitan, Dr. KP Yohannan, Auntie Gisela [K.P.’s wife] . . . they came to visit me and hug me and tell me that I am not alone, there are believers in several places, several countries that are praying for me. … Because of their prayers, my family and me, we were safe in God’s hands. … Because of their prayer, I was able to live a life of sincerity and faithfulness in the prison.”

Rati said, “It was only because of prayers of Christians around the world that I was able to do ministry and helped my children grow in a godly manner.”

Overwhelming joy and thankfulness to God - KP Yohannan - Gospel for Asia — Overwhelming joy and thankfulness to God was exhibited by Manja’s family upon his release. His son was only 5 years old and his daughter was 2 years old when he was arrested.

Freedom

At last, hopeful news came. A number of prisoners’ sentences were being reduced by half, and Manja would soon be free. After nine years behind bars, Manja walked out of the prison a free man.

Almost in disbelief, Rati laid traditional flower garlands around her husband’s neck to honor him and welcome him home. Manja embraced his son, who had grown taller than him. At home, everyone celebrated, catching up on more than nine years apart. His daughter, 2 years old when he was jailed, made tea for her daddy.

After all that happened, Manja looked forward to continuing his ministry on both sides of the prison door. He wanted to make sure the believers still in confinement weren’t left alone.

“Had I lost hope, my life would have been ruined,” he explained. “I did not allow anything to quench the fire of hope.”

Nearly a decade has passed since Manja was released, and he continues to share the hope he has in Christ that sustained him through years of injustice. During Nepal’s devastating earthquakes in 2015 , he and other Gospel for Asia-supported workers actively provided relief supplies and prayed for survivors. His story is not finished yet.

Keep Praying

I chose to share Brother Manja’s story with you today because it is a major testimony of answered prayer in Gospel for Asia history. His story shows the determination of those who are following Christ and serving in Asia. It shows the power of love and united prayer.

On the day Manja was arrested, I would have been at a Gospel for Asia Tuesday night prayer meeting with other Gospel for Asia staff and their families. It was probably a good day for me—it was even my birthday—but that day was a day of grief for his family. Yet God was with both of us. He can rejoice with those who rejoice while also comforting those who mourn.

I remember praying for Manja later and other imprisoned missionaries. I remember the shock of hearing, after already praying so much for his release, that Manja’s trial had finally taken place and he had a 20-year sentence. We kept praying. It seemed he would be released, and then our hopes were dashed. Again and again. For years. Then suddenly we heard he was free! All those years of prayer were answered. It honestly felt strange to no longer need to pray for his release, it had been part of my life for so long.

November 5 and 12 are considered the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP). Let’s keep praying for those who are persecuted, those who are imprisoned—your prayers do make a difference.

Whatever you are praying for right now, the answer may be years in arriving, but know that God hears you today, and He will answer.

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