Village Learns to Value Education

Last updated on: April 17, 2021 at 10:52 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 the GFA Sisters of Compassion team who, despite facing resistance, labored for literacy for women and children, transforming their lives, bettering society.

Kuvira, Sabeena, Aamaal and Binita walked along the dirt road flanked by lush landscape that seemed to embrace them, inviting the four ladies to continue down to the village nestled near the river that flowed just beyond. As the women stepped into the village, however, the welcome feeling vanished.

An Unwelcome Entrance

Gospel for Asia founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: Discussing the GFA Sisters of Compassion team who, despite resistance, labored for literacy for women and children, transforming lives, bettering society. — Bodhi, like the other women in her village, did not understand the value of education until four GFA Sisters of Compassion came to her village and started a literacy class. Through that class, Bodhi experienced the blessings of literacy in everyday life.

The Gospel for Asia (GFA) Sisters of Compassion team, clad in their long white saris, entered the village and made their way through the streets, but no pairs of eyes looked their way. Stillness filled the air as the residents feigned ignorance of the presence of four strange women walking through their village. Doors swung closed, hiding suspicious residents inside. Others continued their outdoor chores but turned their backs on the sisters as they passed by.

The cold reception didn’t dampen the sisters’ excitement to minister within this village. They knew they could do something great for the people who hid in their homes and turned their backs. Kuvira, Sabeena, Aamaal and Binita prayed for the villagers as they headed home and asked the Lord to give them a ministry in this place. They encouraged each other along the way, reminding themselves of God’s great power to change lives.

Pens, Pencils and Notebooks

The four sisters continued to visit the village. At first, the only residents who acknowledged them were children. From very young to school aged, kids would approach the women in white with curiosity, asking questions and relishing the adult attention. Kuvira, Sabeena, Aamaal and Binita started teaching the village kids, most of whom worked in fields or roamed the streets instead of attending school. The sisters gave the children pens, pencils and notebooks so they could study on their own when the women were not there. After some time, the kids enjoyed learning and wanted to go to school, something they had always avoided before the sisters came. The parents in the village, amazed at the transformation, began to acknowledge the women who had helped their children so much.

Next Step: Literacy for Women

Motivated by the impact they had teaching the children to value education, the four Sisters of Compassion looked for a way to help the women in the village—most of whom were illiterate. The sisters decided to start a literacy class.

At first the villagers laughed at the sisters’ idea.

“What would we do by learning how to read and write?” the village women scoffed. “Our life is spent working in the fields and river, so if we join the class, it is not going to be beneficial for us, and we would be simply wasting our time.”

Undeterred, the Sisters of Compassion urged the women to join their class and explained the many ways literacy could impact their lives. The women in the village decided to talk it over. They had watched the sisters teaching their children and knew the team wanted to help them in society. They were grateful their kids started attending school and began to think that maybe they should learn too. They finally decided they would enroll in the literacy classes with the sisters.

Wife and Mother Perseveres in Learning

The first literacy class included six women from the village. Bodhi, a 45-year-old mother with four children, joined the first class. Bodhi had never gone to school herself and took up the challenge to learn to read and write. It was very difficult for Bodhi at first, and she wanted to quit many times, but the sisters kept encouraging her. Bodhi went to class every Saturday, leaving behind her work, and slowly grew in her abilities. Sometimes her husband would tease her when she studied and practiced at home, asking if she was going to become the village accountant. Bodhi retorted that she simply wanted to learn how to read and write.

As Bodhi progressed with the instruction and encouragement of the sisters, she began helping the other ladies. They would get together to study and spur on those who struggled. A community pride formed among the group of six in the literacy class.

Now when Bodhi goes to the market, she no longer relies on the color of the money to tell her how much change she received back from her purchase. Instead, she reads the price tag, counts out the proper money and checks that her change is correct. When her kids are working on homework, Bodhi helps them when they are stuck and corrects their pronunciation when they read. Even her husband is proud of her.

“I feel so happy and proud of my wife,” Bodhi’s husband says. “If a person decides to accomplish something, [she] can achieve it someday. The sisters are working for the development of the society, and we should take advantage of what is provided by the sisters of the church.”

Kuvira, Sabeena, Aamaal and Binita visit the village frequently and are now welcomed into the homes of grateful families and honored as guests. Having ministered to the practical needs of the villagers, such as Bodhi, the Gospel for Asia (GFA) Sisters of Compassion have become trusted confidants for the village’s mothers and children who seek the sisters out for prayer for life’s concerns. The four young women are now indispensable to this village and are shining lights of God’s love.

While the women in this village had to be convinced of the value of literacy, other women, like Habiba, dream of obtaining literacy. Read how Habiba’s dreams came true.

Learn more about the Sisters of Compassion – those who are specially trained woman missionary with a deep burden for showing Christ’s love by physically serving the needy, underprivileged and poor.

*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 Field Report, Village Learns to Value Education

Learn more about the Women Missionaries and their heroic efforts, dedicating their lives to bringing hope and God’s love to the women of Asia.

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

Learn more by reading the GFA special report: Literacy: One of the Great Miracle Cures — Resolving the Limitations Illiteracy Places on the Human Spirit

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

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The Stranger at the Bazaar: How an Abused Woman Finds Hope

Last updated on: April 22, 2022 at 6:00 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 Maliha, alone and abandoned, the unfolding of her history, and the Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor who helps this abused woman find hope.

he clamor of bargaining could be heard above the bustling crowds. Stalls displayed beautiful fabrics of bright colors and patterns, while the aroma of food wafted in the air. In the midst of all this excitement, a mysterious woman strolled aimlessly down the street of the bazaar.

The woman was a stranger to the village. Her pitiful condition quickly became the dialogue of the bazaar. “Who is she, and where did she come from?” the villagers and venders alike whispered among themselves. No one knew. Some said she was mentally insane and did their best to avoid her. Others had compassion and tossed a few coins her way. She tried to tell them her story, but only a few listened, and no one tried to help her.

GFA founded by Dr. K. P. Yohannan: Discussing Maliha, alone and abandoned, the unfolding of her history, and the Gospel for Asia pastor's help this abused woman find hope. — Maliha (not pictured) wandered around the bazaar. She didn’t know where she was, and some people whispered about her. She was a stranger, lost, disheartened and alone.

She Needed a Hand to Hold

The woman established a spot near the roadside and under a tree. There, she silently wept and slept. She had with her all her belongings: a small bundle of clothes. During the day she begged, and when the night sky descended, she was alone. But the Lord knew her story and sent His servants to help rescue this precious woman He created.

Our pastor Chhiring and his wife, Gunita, had caught word about the stranger at the bazaar, and they wanted to see how they could help her. They found the woman with dirty clothing and a troubled face begging in front of a tea shop.

Pastor Chhiring gently talked to her and asked if she needed anything. She looked at him but said nothing. Then Gunita placed her hand in the woman’s, a small expression of love, and the woman allowed them to lead the way to their home.

Stranger Reveals Her Story

Pastor Chhiring told the woman she could stay with them as one of their own family members. He encouraged his wife and other believers not to pressure the woman to talk, but only help her feel comfortable. She would talk when she was ready. In the safety of Pastor Chhiring and Gunita’s home, trust grew in the woman’s heart. The next day she confided in Gunita and told her story.

Gospel for Asia founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: Maliha eloped with a man she thought loved her and would give her a happy life. But one day all this changed, and he would beat her for no apparent reason. — Maliha (pictured) eloped with a man she thought loved her and would give her a happy life. But one day all this changed, and he would beat her for no apparent reason.

Her name was Maliha, and she came from a distant village. As she matured, many people in her village noticed her beauty and tried to tempt her to run away with them. For a year, she resisted, but a young man eventually lured Maliha after he declared his love for her and promised he would give her a happy life and never leave her. Maliha eloped with this man and moved away from her widowed mother.

After Maliha had two young children, she noticed her husband started to change. He became violent, physically and verbally abusing Maliha. Maliha’s mother, siblings and even her neighbors asked her to make a stand against her husband’s violence, but they never dared face him themselves.

Exposing Her Husband’s Secret

These sudden changes left Maliha with many questions. She didn’t know why her husband seemed to suddenly hate her when he had promised to love her before.

Then she discovered the secret he was hiding: Maliha’s husband had been unfaithful to her.

When Maliha gathered the courage to ask him about it, he beat her and yelled at her and the children. He announced his intention of bringing another woman into the house. Shocked and hurt, Maliha and the children cried loudly. The neighbors heard the awful commotion and ran to their house. They saw poor Maliha’s swollen face and blood streaming down her head from her husband’s beating. When her husband saw a crowd forming, he declared with a booming voice that his wife had gone mad.

A week later, Maliha’s husband said he would take her to the doctor, but instead he dumped her in a village she didn’t know, in a place where she could never find her way back. Deserted, lost and wounded in body and heart, Maliha found herself alone in the bazaar—until she met Gunita and Pastor Chhiring.

Gospel for Asia founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: Maliha found love and rescue when Pastor Chhiring and his wife, Gunita, welcomed her into their home as one of the family. Now, Maliha has hope in Jesus, and He is healing her past. — Maliha found love and rescue when Pastor Chhiring and his wife, Gunita (pictured), welcomed her into their home as one of the family. Now, Maliha has hope in Jesus, and He is healing her past.

Church Welcomes Abused Woman

Gunita’s heart welled with deep love and compassion for Maliha as she listened to the broken woman share her story. She relayed the story to her husband, and he prayed and shared with his congregation. The entire church listened when he asked them to welcome Maliha into their hearts as one of their own sisters. Together as a church, they all prayed fervently for her and received her with love. Maliha grew under the care of her church family as they displayed Christ’s kindness toward her.

Although she was unable to return to her family, Maliha now has learned to pour out her heart to Jesus. She knows He loves her and desires her to call upon Him. She has a new life in Christ and a heavenly Husband who cares deeply for her and heals her wounded past.

Whenever her heart aches for her children and husband, she is reminded by Pastor Chhiring that her life is secure in Jesus’ hands. The woman who was once beaten, abused and abandoned now has a family and has been found and held by Jesus!

Gospel for Asia founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: Women in Asia are often abused and forgotten. You can tell her she is loved and precious in the sight of Jesus! — Women in Asia are often abused and forgotten. You can tell her she is loved and precious in the sight of Jesus!

Be a Voice of Hope

Many women in Asia suffer from being abused, overlooked and forgotten by the men in their lives. Maliha opened up to Gunita and was able to share her heart. We at Gospel for Asia (GFA) desire to show these precious women that they are valued and loved by God. You can be part of this, too, by donating to a Gospel for Asia Women’s Ministry today.

Learn more about the GFA 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.

Source: Gospel for Asia Featured Article, The Stranger at the Bazaar

Learn more about the Women Missionaries and their heroic efforts, dedicating their lives to bringing hope and God’s love to the women of Asia.

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

Read Gospel for Asia’s Special Report on An Imaginative Exercise in Empathetic Fear — Think about Living in a Community with Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women

Read another Special Report from Gospel for Asia on 100 Million Missing Women.

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

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A Gospel for Asia-supported Pastor Has A Cold Cross to Carry

Last updated on: May 30, 2022 at 8:13 pm By KP Yohannan

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing the struggles and pain many have to endure due to the unbearably freezing winter, for laborers, for a Gospel for Asia-supported Pastor, and the gifts of compassion and change through Gospel for Asia winter clothing distribution.

Pastor Philip couldn’t stop shivering. He tried to lead the prayer meeting he’d come to the village for, but his body trembled so violently that his stomach began to hurt, and he couldn’t speak.

The Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastor rushed home after the meeting, lit a fire in the kitchen and warmed himself in front of it. It took some time for him to recover.

Miles away in another village, Madur’s palms and fingers were cracked and bloody after laboring in the frigid air. He couldn’t afford to miss work the next day, but he also couldn’t work gathering firewood with bleeding palms.

Gospel for Asia-supported Pastor Hindered by Pain

In the region where Madur and Philip live, the sun’s warmth doesn’t last. People face long winters when nighttime temperatures drop to bone-chilling depths. Quality winter clothing is too costly for most people to afford, and the only heating system found in their homes is a fire in the kitchen stove.

A few months before, Pastor Philip lived in an even colder region where he struggled to minister. It wasn’t that the people weren’t responsive. It was just unbearably freezing.

To help Pastor Philip and his family, a fellow Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastor, Bhupendra, lent him a quilt. But the severe weather still took a toll on Pastor Philip’s body. He often got stomach ailments, and his joints hurt.

Because his health issues made it difficult to minister in this area, Pastor Philip asked the district supervisor if he could move, so they transferred him and his family to a location where the winters weren’t as cold.

“This place is much better than the village where I worked before,” Philip says.

Although he still faces some physical hardships, Philip is willing to embrace suffering to continue ministering to the people in this region.

A Vicious Cycle

Madur, like many other laborers in his town, struggled to provide for his family in the bitter cold. He earned daily wages by working in people’s fields and gathering firewood. He battled to provide food for his wife and three children; he definitely couldn’t afford to buy warm clothes.

But this kept him in a vicious cycle: With no warm clothing to keep the cold wind from severely chapping his cheeks, knuckles and feet, he couldn’t work for long. If Madur didn’t work eight hours a day, he wouldn’t receive a whole day’s wage—and he wouldn’t ever be able to buy warm clothing for himself or his family.

“It is very painful,” Madur says. “Because of the cracks in our knuckles [and] palms, we are not able to go to the forest and cut the firewood or . . . go to the field and work because it hurts very badly.”

Thankfully, a Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastor, who lives in Madur’s town, knew of the struggles Madur and other laborers faced because of the cold weather, and he was able to help.

Gifts of Compassion and Change

One day, Madur and Philip both arrived at a gathering on a plateau surrounded by glistening, snow-capped peaks.

Packets of jackets and blankets sat on top of and next to a table. The two men, along with several other pastors and townspeople, would be receiving gifts—precious gifts from a Creator who could bring warmth and joy to their hearts and bodies.

These men knew how their lives would change. The jacket Pastor Philip received would keep him warm during the day while traveling from village to village to minister Christ’s love. The large, thick blanket he received a few weeks later would help protect him and his family at night and give him the sleep he’d need for a day of ministry.

“This blanket will keep me warm, and I will be able to take sufficient rest,” he said. “The next morning, I will be able to go and tell people about Jesus with freshness.”

The jacket Madur received at the winter clothing distribution would insulate him for his challenging labor outside. With the extra warmth, he would be able to work more hours with less pain.

Filled with gratitude for the gift he received, Madur invited some of the pastors to come to his home. He wanted to know more about Jesus, who filled the pastors’ hearts with love for their neighbors.

As the sun glowed that day, brightening people’s faces as they received compassionate gifts of warmth, the Light of the World was shining, drawing people to the eternal warmth of His love.

Donate for winter clothing

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, A Cold Cross to Carry

Learn more about how to give Gifts for Missionaries — whether giving bicycles or heavy-duty vehicles, or winter clothing, you’ll bless not only Gospel for Asia-supported pastors do even more but also the communities they serve.

Learn more about National 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.

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Gospel for Asia Tells of Happiness and a Hand Tricycle

Last updated on: June 16, 2022 at 12:50 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing Sahdev, lame from birth, lost hope for a meaningful life, & Gospel for Asia pastor offered a gospel tract, leading to hope through Gospel for Asia-supported Christmas Gift Distribution.

The 32-year-old pored over the pages of the Gospel tract. Many times, Sahdev would come to the last page and start over again, wanting to more fully understand its message. Being lame from birth, he had lost hope of having a meaningful life. But now, his life was about to change.

Someone Who Cared

When Sahdev was 6 years old, he began using a hand-driven tricycle to help him get around. But after more than two decades of wear and tear, the tricycle had nearly reached its end. Sahdev had no other form of transportation. His mother, a daily wage laborer and the only income earner since his father’s death, couldn’t afford a new one.

Sahdev had to crawl, using only his hands to pull himself across the ground, to reach the place where he took baths. Sahdev sunk into discouragement.

Then one day, Sahdev met Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Prakash, who offered him the tract that he would go on to read over and over again. As Sahdev’s interest in the things of God grew, Pastor Prakash continued visiting him, sharing with him more about the God who cared.

Opposition Throughout the Area

Sahdev’s interest in Christ was unusual. Throughout the several years Pastor Prakash has served in the village, he has found opposition in the hearts of many of the other people in the area. Once, in 2007, Pastor Prakash was walking back to his own village after sharing about Christ’s love when, suddenly, people he didn’t know attacked him and beat him mercilessly. They took his money and his phone, tore his Bible and warned him not to come back.

Pastor Prakash was hospitalized with injuries on his head and hands. When he was released, he stayed in the area, knowing this was the place God had called him to. His burden for the people only increased, and he continued to love and serve them.

After spending time with Sahdev, Pastor Prakash noticed the paralyzed man’s worn-out tricycle. Wanting to help and encourage Sahdev, the pastor asked his leaders for a hand-tricycle to give to Sahdev through a Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported Christmas gift distribution.

A Tricycle Gives ‘New Strength’ and Softens Hearts

Because of gifts from friends of Gospel for Asia (GFA), Pastor Prakash was able to give Sahdev a new hand tricycle! And Sahdev was overcome with happiness.

“When I was discouraged, Gospel for Asia (GFA) blessed me with this tricycle,” he said. “Now I am able to travel to the marketplace easily for purchasing vegetables and other things.”

Sahdev doesn’t have to crawl anywhere anymore; the tricycle takes him wherever he needs to go. Even more than the physical help the tricycle provides, it has brought a level of independence to Sahdev that he hasn’t known in a long time.

“I have a new courage and strength in life,” he says.

Through the Gospel tract, the conversations with the pastor and the gift of a tricycle, Sahdev has seen more of Jesus, and the Lord is working in his heart. Now Sahdev comes to church twice a month.

But the Lord had an even greater, more beautiful purpose for Sahdev’s story.

The people in Sahdev’s village noticed the kindness of the church when Pastor Prakash gave the paralyzed man a tricycle. After the gift, those villagers no longer opposed Pastor Prakash, and they’ve given him an open door to tell them how much God loves them.

Another life and another village can be transformed through your giving this Christmas. Give a Gospel tract, a hand tricycle, or any other gift from Gospel for Asia’s Christmas Gift Catalog, and you’ll change lives—for now and for eternity.

Give Through the Gift Catalog to make Gospel for Asia-supported Christmas Gift Distribution possible.

Think some of your friends or family members might appreciate you giving a gift to those in Asia instead of giving them a present? You can give gifts on their behalf and then personalize and print in-honor cards for them.

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

Source: Gospel for Asia Feature Article, Happiness and a Hand Tricycle

Learn more about how generosity can change lives. Gospel for Asia-supported Christmas Gift Distribution provide things like pigs, bicycles and sewing machines which can break the cycle of poverty and show Christ’s love to impoverished families in Asia. One gift can have a far-reaching impact, touching families and rippling out to transform entire communities.

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

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Gospel for Asia on One Woman’s Faith Through the Fire

Last updated on: June 20, 2022 at 9:27 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing Shway and the isolation and persecution she experienced, even a house on fire, and God’s divine appointment through Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastor, Kyaw.

“Lord, help me!” 60-year-old Shway cried as she ran from her burning house.

The people in her village didn’t like Christians and threatened any who became one. “If you do not forsake Jesus, we will send you out of the village,” they warned her. But Shway was not shaken, so a group of drunken men set fire to her house.

The flames licked the walls and thirstily consumed the roof. Days later, Shway stood in the middle of her roofless home surrounded by charred bamboo walls.

“I never thought this would happen to me,” she said.

Familiar Territory

Shway’s situation wasn’t new for her Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastor, Kyaw. Since moving to the village four years earlier, Kyaw’s house had been set on fire three times and vandalized with rocks on multiple occasions.

Despite overwhelming opposition, the Lord is using him and his wife, Cho, to bring many into His Kingdom. There are 82 believers who regularly attend their Sunday services, and Shway is one of them.

A Divine Appointment with a Gospel for Asia-supported Pastor

Shway first met Pastor Kyaw in the midst of a moment of despair. She had been collecting firewood in the forest when the weight of her loneliness became too much to bear. She sat under a tree and cried. She thought about her husband, whose intoxicated body was found drifting in a river, and her two children, who died in a bus accident.

She was alone, left to care for herself, until Pastor Kyaw and his wife found her. They listened to the older woman pour out her sorrow and then offered her the reassuring love of the Savior.

“This is my first time hearing this kind of encouragement and sweet words,” Shway had told the pastor.

Pastor Kyaw began visiting her and comforted her with God’s Word, which helped Shway see she was not alone. She started attending prayer meetings and church services, and the Lord touched her heart. She began to trade her sorrow, anxiety and loneliness for joy as she put her trust in Him.

“Jesus always loves me in the time of my sorrow and difficulties … By praising God, I have joy even though I do not have anything,” Shway said.

Shway’s church family has been a great encouragement to her. They even replaced her roof after the fire and continue to visit her to pray and share Scripture with her.

The opposition has diminished, but even if it hadn’t, Shway now knows the joy of the Lord, and nothing can take it away from her.

View the article as part of GFA World Magazine

Source: Gospel for Asia Feature Article, Faith Through the Fire

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

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

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Gospel for Asia Shares a Burning Passion in a Frozen Land

Last updated on: June 28, 2022 at 2:09 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing national missionaries like GFA-supported worker Sutram, who minister through frozen temperatures where the need for winter clothing is great.

Sutram huddled in his home near their source of heat. Outside his house, freezing winds and frosty temperatures prevented the Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported worker from ministering. Sutram earnestly desired to bring news of God’s love to those around him, but it was too cold to venture outdoors—much too cold.

Gospel for Asia founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: Discussing national missionaries like GFA-supported worker Sutram, who minister through frozen temperatures where the need for winter clothing is great. — Because he received a blanket and jacket, Sutram (not pictured) is able to continue his ministry no matter the weather.

Struggles from the Past

Sutram lived with his wife and two children in a mountainous region of Asia where he used to work as a coal miner. He came from a large family who had always been poor, and now he and his wife and children lived in poverty as well.

When Sutram came to know Christ while temporarily working in another country of Asia, he felt joy and passion in abundance. He returned home and joined a church led by Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastor Purnendu. Sutram participated in every church activity with such enthusiasm that Pastor Purnendu encouraged Sutram to do ministry fulltime. Sutram readily agreed, and in 2018, Sutram began taking God’s love to communities around him as a Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported worker.

Sutram threw himself wholeheartedly into his calling, actively venturing out to bring the love of God to those who likely had never heard of Jesus before. But a major hindrance to Sutram’s ministry soon became apparent: winter.

The Need for Winter Clothing

Living in a mountainous region meant that during the winter, temperatures can drop well below freezing. As a poor coal miner, Sutram had always struggled to provide for his wife and children. Now as a full-time ministry worker, he directed his humble earnings toward educating his children. There had been no money left for Surtam to buy warm clothing for himself; all he had was a thin sweater.

Despite this hardship, Sutram never wavered in his faith. He remained grateful for the privilege of serving God even in the cold. But when the frosts grew especially intense, he eventually had to remain indoors instead of going out to minister. Sutram continued to lift his needs before the Lord, asking for a way to care for his family and fulfill the calling God had given him.

Sutram’s prayers were answered mid-winter when Pastor Purnendu presented him with a warm blanket and jacket! Now, Sutram’s ministry can continue unimpeded while his family is also provided for.

“I am extremely glad and thankful to my God and leadership for the precious gifts,” Sutram says. “The [blanket and jacket] I received was beyond my expectation. It has been a great blessing for me and my family.”

Source: Gospel for Asia Reports, A Burning Passion in a Frozen Land

Support the faithful men and women who risk their lives in cold climates and also help bring winter coat and blankets to needy families across Asia today.

Learn more about National 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.

Gospel for Asia Shares Awareness and Education Emphasized for World AIDS Day

Last updated on: June 29, 2022 at 11:31 am By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing the advocacy of Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastors and Bridge of Hope centers on the fight to raise awareness about HIV / AIDS on World AIDS Day and prevent its spread.

Gospel for Asia - founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: Discussing World AIDS Day and the advocacy of GFA-supported pastors and Bridge of Hope centers on the fight to raise awareness about HIV / AIDS and prevent its spread. — Students shout slogans like “Know AIDS, No AIDS!” as they march through the streets to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS.

Each year, in observance of World AIDS Day on December 1, Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastors and Bridge of Hope centers take the opportunity to help inform their communities of the deadly virus and offer ways to prevent its spread. Students, parents, Bridge of Hope staff, pastors and teachers work together to organize educational programs and awareness rallies for their local villages.

Educational Meeting about AIDS / HIV Warns Young Adults

In order to educate young people about the HIV virus and the effects it can have on a person’s health, Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported youth fellowship workers organized an AIDS awareness program in a local, government-run school.

During three sessions, 80 students, joined by school staff, listened as a medical doctor spoke about the causes of AIDS and its potential to lead to death. An educational video provided the program attendees with practical information on how to prevent contracting the HIV virus, and a Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastor shared about the importance of life. Both students and school staff were grateful for the program the youth group provided.

Bridge of Hope Students Help Inform Their Communities

Another way Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported workers educate people about HIV/AIDS is through World AIDS Day Awareness Rallies organized by Bridge of Hope centers.

Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported Bridge of Hope centers provide children with after-school tutoring for their academic classes along with lessons in nutrition, hygiene and overall health care, including AIDS prevention. What the kids learn, they often share with their families and communities.

For World AIDS Day, some Bridge of Hope children take to the streets to offer important information about HIV/AIDS and its prevention. One year, 16 Bridge of Hope centers held rallies where the youth paraded through their villages. They brought awareness of the dangers of the disease by chanting slogans like “Know AIDS, No AIDS!” and “Eradicate AIDS!” Another year, one Bridge of Hope center coordinated a rally with 100 kids and some of their parents. They marched through the streets to draw the attention of onlookers, and they performed a skit that detailed the dangers of the HIV virus.

One of the students in the rally remarked,

“I really like being a participant of the World AIDS Day Awareness Rally because, as I am a child of God and my life belongs to Him, I have to keep myself safe.”

It is her response and others like it that encourage workers and pastors to take opportunities like World AIDS Day to continue sharing information about HIV/AIDS.

Since its discovery in 1984, HIV/AIDS has claimed the lives of more than 35 million people, according to worldaidsday.org. Beginning in 1988, World AIDS Day has been observed on December 1 each year. The day was instituted to fight the spread of the disease, to support those living with HIV and to remember those who’ve lost their lives due to the virus. Though the disease has grave consequences, educational events, increased awareness and preventive practices help equip individuals and their communities to fight against its spread.

Hanin personally understands the painful effects of living with AIDS. Read the miraculous story of her mourning turned to joy here.

Source: Gospel for Asia Reports, Awareness and Education Emphasized for World AIDS Day

Learn more about the need for Medical Ministry. GFA-supported medical ministry is helping thousands who are in need of medical care and attention, all while displaying the love of Christ.

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Gospel for Asia Asks Christians to Pray for Coronavirus Crisis, Suffering & Poor During Lent

Last updated on: December 16, 2021 at 10:21 pm By KP Yohannan

WILLS POINT, TX — Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan, is challenging Christians around the world this week to pray about the coronavirus, and fast for divine intervention during the upcoming Lent season.

Gospel for Asia (GFA World) is calling for Christians to pray and fast during the upcoming Lent season for those who are suffering from the Coronavirus outbreak. — **CALL TO LENTEN PRAYER:** Mission agency Gospel for Asia (GFA) today called for Christians to pray and fast during the upcoming Lent season for God’s mercy on those who are suffering, especially those who are affected by the coronavirus outbreak. Gospel for Asia (GFA) has unveiled a new devotional website for Lent 2020, https://www.gfa.org/press/lent/.

Unveiling a new devotional website for Lent 2020, https://www.gfa.org/press/lent/, Gospel for Asia (GFA) called Christians to pray and fast for others who are suffering — including those impacted by the deadly coronavirus outbreak, victims of human sex trafficking, children enslaved in forced labor, and others suffering social injustice.

Lent is the 40-day period before Easter, focusing on fasting, repentance, and charity. Many Christians who observe Lent refrain from eating certain foods such as meat for a period of time, using the cash savings to help others in need. Others voluntarily give up an activity they enjoy, and instead use the time to pray and encourage others.

“Our world today desperately needs God’s intervention and grace,” said Danny Yohannan, Gospel for Asia (GFA) vice president.

“The Lenten season is a purposeful opportunity in which we seek God and ask him to give us his heart for the suffering people of the world. At this time, it’s especially important and appropriate to pray for his mercy upon all those affected by the coronavirus outbreak, as well as other tragedies such as sex trafficking and exploitive labor.”

The coronavirus is just one of many critical issues facing the world today. Billions of people around the world are surrounded by rampant poverty, hunger, disease, and sexual exploitation, leaving them with no hope.

“Lent is a time when we can choose to make a simple sacrifice to embrace a cause that is close to the heart of God,” said Yohannan.

“Tangible actions and conscious choices we make during the season of Lent should bring us closer to Jesus, help us to become more like him, and provide us with a real opportunity to be Christ’s hands to those who need to know he loves them.”

Regarding Coronavirus: One Billion Lenten Adherents Asked to Observe in Prayer, Reverence & Holy Awe

According to estimates, this year more than a billion Christians around the world will observe Lent. The Lenten tradition is practiced by the majority of Christians globally.

“Many Christians are rediscovering the richness of the Lenten tradition, and are growing closer to Jesus through self-denial, sacrificial giving, fasting, and times of fervent prayer,” Yohannan said.

“There are beautiful elements of this Christian tradition that are important to hold on to. Observing Lent is a hands-on way to help our hearts recapture the reverence and holy awe of God in our lives.”

Gospel for Asia (GFA) has produced a booklet titled The Seasons of Lent: Stepping Stones to Spiritual Renewal and Growth, authored by Dr. K.P. Yohannan, president of the Texas-based agency that he founded in 1979 to help Asia’s extreme poor. The booklet — a practical guide to observing Lent — is available free at www.gfa.org/press/lent/.

About Gospel for Asia

Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2019, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) is a leading faith-based mission agency, bringing vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across Asia, especially to those who have yet to hear the “good news” of Jesus Christ. In GFA’s latest yearly report, this included more than 70,000 sponsored children, free medical camps conducted in more than 1,200 villages and remote communities, over 4,000 clean water wells drilled, over 11,000 water filters installed, income-generating Christmas gifts for more than 200,000 needy families, and spiritual teaching available in 110 languages in 14 nations through radio ministry. For all the latest news, visit our Press Room at https://press.gfa.org/news.

Media interested in interviews with Gospel For Asia should contact Gregg Wooding at InChrist Communications @ 972-567-7660 or gwooding@inchristcommuications.com

Source: FoxNews, Christian News Wire

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Introduction to Gospel for Asia Starts One Woman’s Journey from Abuse to Love

Last updated on: July 15, 2022 at 4:17 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing the life of women like Fena who daily suffer violent abuse, and the restoration and love brought about by nothing else but Jesus.

Life for Fena was difficult to say the least. In a recent report by the World Health Organization, researchers found that 35 percent of women around the world have been subjected to violence at the hands of an intimate partner, either physically and/or sexually. Fena fell to 35 percent.

Gospel for Asia founded by Dr. K.P. Yohanan: Discussing the life of women like Fena who daily suffer violent abuse, and the restoration and love brought about by nothing else but Jesus. — Far too many women suffer violent abuse. Thankfully, Fena (not pictured) has a new story.

Fena often suffered at the hands of her drunken husband, Bir, enduring beatings when he wasn’t sober. Not only did her husband drink, but all three of her sons followed in his footsteps. Their drinking led them to sell many of the family belongings in order to purchase more alcohol. There was no peace in their home. Even the townspeople despised the men for their behavior.

Enough Is Enough

Something had to change in Fena’s family. She could not take the abuse or the strife in her home anymore. Fena decided to flee from her husband and sons and went to live in her mother’s house—an option many women do not have.

For 11 months, Fena pleaded with her gods for restoration and peace in her family. However, it was another God who heard her cries.

An Important Introduction

Meanwhile, a lady in the town introduced the local Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastor Saee to her brother, who happened to be Bir. After they met, Pastor Saee visited Bir and his sons regularly. As they grew in their relationship with the pastor, Bir and his sons learned more about Jesus.

The more the men learned about Jesus, the more they could see the negative consequences of their addiction to alcohol. Their behavior and attitudes began to change. Even their neighbors noticed the difference and began to welcome their presence in the community.

But Bir had one more very important relationship to form. Bir began to show his love for his wife by taking care of her instead of abusing her—he even began praying to Jesus on her behalf. Fena gratefully received her husband’s change of heart. She moved back home, and the whole family now enjoys a relationship with Jesus.

Bir and Fena’s home is now filled with peace, and Fena’s life, which once resembled the stories of far too many abused women, has entered a bright, new chapter. She and her husband often share their story of restoration, love and peace with others.

“In my family, it was my husband who had hurt me and tortured me the most and never loved me before the transformation,” Fena says. “But now I get his love and care through Christ Jesus.”

The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is November 25. To learn more about the violent abuse women face today, please take some time to read this special report.

Source: Gospel for Asia Reports, One Woman’s Journey from Abuse to Love

Learn more by reading the GFA Special Report: 100 Million Missing Women — and the Aftermath of Acute Gender Imbalance.

Learn more about the Sisters of Compassion, Gospel for Asia’s specialized women missionaries, who have hearts that ache for hurting women and those deemed as poor and needy.

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Fervent Prayers of Gospel for Asia Community Bring Girl Home

Last updated on: July 20, 2022 at 2:37 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) – Discussing Sabitha and the journey of her faith – from encountering Jesus, the trials that await those who call on His name, and the promised hope and answered fervent prayers for those who trust Him.

Sabitha, 16, burned with curiosity to hear more about Jesus. The truth that God loved her was almost impossible for the teenager to believe. A seed of faith sprouted in her heart.

Discussing Sabitha and the journey of her faith - from encountering Jesus, the trials that await those who call on His name, and the promised hope and answered fervent prayers for those who trust Him. — Sixteen-year-old Sabitha (pictured) lost her home and family when she followed Jesus. Then, through fervent prayers, God restored to Sabitha what she had lost.

Sabitha knew that Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastor Ajoy, who first told her about Jesus, held a prayer meeting every day at her friend’s house. She could go there to hear more about the God who became a man.

Once she began attending prayer meetings, Sabitha realized Jesus was the only path for her. She decided to follow Him wherever He might lead.

While attending worship services, Sabitha grew in her faith, and she learned to trust Jesus. Grateful to have a friend at the church, Sabitha watched her friend’s example of how to follow Jesus.

Parents Throw Sabitha Out

Then the bubble burst.

Sabitha’s parents found out she had begun worshiping Jesus. They became incensed at their daughter’s betrayal of their traditional gods. They heaped shame and abuse on her. In a fit of rage, they chased her out of the house.

Heartbroken, Sabitha fled to her friend Anisa’s house. Sabitha knew Anisa could help her through the difficult road that was before her. Sabitha’s friend encouraged her to pray for her parents every day, but Sabitha didn’t even know where to begin. They were so mad at her. How could she pray for them? She had been betrayed and abandoned, and now she was supposed to ask for God’s blessing for them?

As Sabitha struggled to know what to say, she listened to Anisa pray. Every day Anisa and Sabitha prayed for Sabitha’s parents. Praying together, Sabitha learned from her friend how to forgive. Starting to believe that God can work miracles, Sabitha’s prayers became bold.

“God, please do a miracle in the hearts of my parents,” prayed Sabitha, “so that they will allow me to stay in my home with them.”

God Restores What Was Lost Through Fervent Prayers

One day Sabitha’s phone rang. As it buzzed, panic gripped her chest. It was her father calling. Stomach twisting and turning, Sabitha answered.

Her voice squeaked out a trembling “hello.”

The familiar voice of her father filled the speaker. He told her she could come home. Hope sprang to life in Sabitha’s heart.

“But,” her father said, “do not try to pray in my home.”

Amazed that God heard her simple prayer, Sabitha moved back home. Undeterred by her father’s warning, she silently prayed even more often than before. She prayed for her parents to be open to the love of the Lord. Seeing now God had worked a miracle when her father invited her back home, she knew there was nothing God couldn’t do!

She prayed every day,

“Lord, please change my parents’ hearts so that they will not rebuke me or say bad words to me. Let them love me.”

Sabitha noticed her parents’ harsh comments begin to trail off. They rebuked her less. Then, one day, they told her, “You can pray at home; there is no problem.” Hearing these words, her heart almost exploded with joy! She thanked the Lord over and over for what He had done in the lives of her parents.

Sabitha goes to worship Jesus freely now and can live openly for Him. She rejoices that God has restored her to her family, and she continues to pray for her parents to know God’s love as she does. Through her painful trial, Sabitha learned she can trust Jesus, no matter where He leads her. As she is faithful to Him, He will be faithful to her.

“I will not leave Jesus,” Sabitha says, “whatever problems come in my life.”

Read what happened when troublemakers tried to halt the showing of a film about Jesus.

Source: Gospel for Asia Reports, Fervent Prayers Bring Girl Home

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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