WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing Vaj, a once hardened man by alcohol addiction, now transformed when a Gospel for Asia pastor shared with him the love of Christ.
Vaj was a changed man. It was difficult not to notice it. His family members and friends marveled at his transformation. The once careless drunkard, who spent all of what little he earned on his addiction, now was faithfully working and able to provide for his family. He hadn’t touched a bottle in weeks. Instead he spent his time behind a pull cart laden with vegetables or food to sell. His family, who once toiled under the shadow of discouragement, was now filled with joy.
Pastor Samuel shared the love of Christ and prayed with Vaj, to be free from his addiction.
What was the secret? How could such a hardened man become so gentle? How could he leave the very essence of who he had been?
Pastor’s Counsel Helps Man Overcome Addiction
The change began when Vaj met Pastor Haatim. The Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor shared with him the love of Christ and prayed with Vaj. He also invited him to church, and Vaj willingly went to a prayer meeting one night. There, the heartfelt prayers of the pastor and the believers touched his heart.
“I felt very good,” Vaj told the pastor. “We will be coming back continually for the prayer meeting.”
The power of God’s Word began to transform Vaj’s life. He met regularly with the pastor and received counsel. Eventually, the grip of alcohol on Vaj’s life loosened—and Vaj decided he would quit drinking altogether. And he was true to his word.
Vaj regularly met with a Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor, Haatim, who counseled him. Eventually, Vaj decided to give up alcoholism.
Vaj’s neighbors and family marveled at the change that took place. He took care now to live his life in a more honorable way. He labored hard to provide for his family. He used his money to take care of their needs. As happy as Vaj’s family was at his transformation, they still struggled in their finances.
“I was addicted to alcohol, but after meeting with Pastor [Haatim] and praying to God, I could get rid of it,” Vaj explained. “Now I have experienced a new life in the Lord Jesus. Also there was no peace in my life because of my behavior, but thank God for changing me. I give glory and honor to Him.”
Pull Cart Brings Hope, a New Future
Seeing Vaj’s need, Pastor Haatim applied for Vaj to be included in the Christmas gift distribution. As a result, Vaj received a pull cart.
Vaj no longer hires himself out for manual labor, but has his own business of selling vegetables in the mornings and prepared food in the evenings. His family members have even begun to help him in his business.
Seeing Vaj’s need, Pastor Haatim applied for Vaj to be included in the Christmas gift distribution. As a result, Vaj received a pull cart.
Vaj doesn’t struggle to provide for his own family any more. By earning $4 per day, Vaj can even give his children education, and the cart’s profits have been more than enough for his family’s daily needs. He gives to the church faithfully, too, sharing his blessings with others.
Vaj’s life is a testimony to all those around him.
“After accepting Jesus in his life, there are lots of improvements in Vaj’s life,” Vaj’s neighbor explains. “He left drinking alcohol and runs his business well. Now, he takes care of his family, which he could not do before.”
Vaj was delighted when he received the cart. He no longer works as a laborer but is selling vegetables in the morning and prepared food during the evening.
Gifts That Change Lives
A simple gift and a mighty God can do so much in one man’s life. Beyond Vaj’s life, a ripple effect has reached out to all those around him. You can be part of bringing hope to more families in need this year. Check out the Christmas Gift Catalog and make an impact for eternity.
*Names of people and places may have been changed for privacy and security reasons. Images are Gospel for Asia stock photos used for representation purposes and are not the actual person/location, unless otherwise noted.
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing Sundar, blind at birth, obscure and impoverished, the sufferings his family experienced, and the calling and life of a Gospel for Asia Missionary in the grace and love of God.
O
ne chilly Tuesday, a blind baby boy was born into an impoverished, illiterate family in a remote village tucked into the foothills of the Himalayas. The parents loved their little boy and named him Sundar.
The small family had love, but little else. Debalal, Sundar’s father, had partial paralysis but was still able to work as a day laborer collecting wood to sell. To help make ends meet, Sundar’s mother also worked. Much of their income went to medical treatments for Sundar, but the little boy’s world remained shrouded in darkness.
Sundar grew up in this small mud-wall hut with no expectations but to live and die in obscurity.
Neighbors looked on Sundar’s family with dismay, counting the family’s poverty, the father’s lameness and the son’s blindness as hardships too difficult to endure.
“Sundar will never receive sight. He is a burden for you,” they said. “Take him and throw him into the river instead of facing so many problems in life.”
“Take him and throw him into the river instead of facing so many problems in life.”
Debalal and his wife ignored the ill advice and continued to care for their son. But young Sundar began to believe what he had heard his neighbors say about him, especially when he saw his parents’ sorrow.
A little brother soon joined Sundar. The family of four eked out what life they could, faithfully worshiping their traditional deities.
Struggling through life, the family could not foresee the joy waiting just ahead.
7-year-old Sundar Experiences a Miracle, Family Transforms
One day, after Debalal spoke to Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Tuhinsurra, 7-year-old Sundar listened intently as his father told him about a Man who could make his eyes better. Excitement, fear and incredulity wrestled in the boy’s heart.
Desperate to provide his son with healing, Debalal brought his family to church. After each service, warm, gentle hands crowned Sundar’s head as Pastor Tuhinsurra asked a Man named Jesus to bring light to Sundar’s eyes.
Soon, God answered their prayers, and Sundar saw the face of his loving parents for the first time.
When the pastor of this church shared Jesus with Debalal, Sundar’s father, it brought an unknown happiness and healing to the entire family.
After this miracle, the entire family began worshiping Jesus at the local church. Sundar’s father shared the testimony of his son to their neighbors, who began asking him to pray for their needs. Four years later, God also healed Debalal from his lameness. He became a church deacon, and the poor, illiterate man once considered cursed became a pillar of godliness in the community.
Sundar’s family reveled in unfettered happiness. God had done so much for them. A newfound hope kindled in Debalal’s heart—a hope that his sons would surpass him in every way.
Father Martyred When Praying for Sick Man
Sundar’s father, Debalal
Since Pastor Tuhinsurra lived in another village and oversaw multiple congregations in surrounding towns, Debalal did a lot of the day-to-day work of answering calls for prayer and visiting believers for encouragement. Everyone knew they could call Debalal to help them and he would, often with his wife and sons accompanying him.
A local man, who was in immense pain due to disfiguring burns on his face, frequently called Sundar’s father to pray for him; it was the only time the man experienced relief.
One night, this man begged Debalal to come to his house to pray for him, even though he had already prayed for him twice that day. Reluctantly, Debalal climbed out of bed.
In the man’s little hut, shrouded by deep night, Sundar’s father knelt to pray. As Debalal closed his eyes, the disfigured man took out a knife and brought it down on the back of Debalal’s exposed neck.
News of Debalal’s death spread throughout the village, and old, familiar taunts swirled around Sundar’s mother and her sons: This family was cursed. Fear began to consume Sundar.
After Sundar’s father was killed while praying for a neighbor, their pastor sat with the family in their grief, offering comfort, counsel and practical help.
Pastor Tuhinsurra, who had worked closely with his father, sat with the family in their grief. The comfort he offered from God’s Word was the comfort he needed too.
As the community reeled in the wake of such violence, neighbors talked of sending Sundar away to work to support his family. How else would the family survive now?
But Pastor Tuhinsurra helped the family pick up the pieces of their lives, and he sensed the Lord had a different plan for Sundar.
“After I knew my father had gone to be with the Lord, there was uncertainty in front of me and I feared,” Sundar recalls. “Now who will take care of us? Who will I call father?”
Crossroads Leads to Spiritual Transformation
His father’s death was a turning point in Sundar’s life. Under the patient loving guidance of Gospel for Asia missionary Pastor Kanish, Sundar found peace in Christ.
Sundar’s pastor encouraged the young man to stay with his ministry leader, Gospel for Asia (GFA) missionary pastor Kanish, while Sundar wrestled with his future.
Pastor Kanish and his wife welcomed Sundar into their home and showed him to his room, their eyes shimmering with compassion and concern. Their home was a refuge to help Sundar figure out what to do next and process the death of his father, free from community pressure and taunts.
Sundar’s days took on the structure of the household: mornings filled with family prayers, followed by breakfast and study; afternoons and evenings busy with ministry activities. Kanish guided Sundar, teaching him to trust the Lord.
Despite the miraculous healings in his family and years of listening to his father share God’s Word, Sundar had not yet decided for himself what he would do about the message of God’s love.
His father’s death jarred Sundar out of his indecision, setting a crossroads before him. He knew he must either walk away or put his faith in Jesus. It was time to decide.
“During that time, I did not understand anything, and I was so discouraged,” Sundar remembers.
In hindsight, he recognizes this as a turning point in his life: “Through this incident, my life was changed. There and then I believed in Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and Lord.”
Pastor Kanish, who teaches at the nearby Bible college, welcomed Sundar into his home as a son, caring for the fatherless young man. Kanish taught Sundar how to read and write and how to pray and seek the Lord. It was under Kanish’s roof that Sundar committed his life to the Lord.
The three months Sundar stayed with Kanish’s family were vital to his personal and spiritual foundation. Seeing Sundar’s lack of education, Pastor Kanish taught him how to read and write using the Bible. Sundar wrote out the first five books of the Bible and read aloud the book of Proverbs each day. As Sundar grew in his literacy skills, he also absorbed spiritual lessons. He was grateful to have a mentor to help him through the dark valley of his father’s death.
“Pastor Kanish really encouraged me from the Word of God and helped me pray,” Sundar says. “Because of his motivation and encouragement, I have been strong in the Lord and I am growing in the Lord.”
Now empowered by the Holy Spirit, Sundar was like a sponge, soaking up the everything he was taught. Pastor Kanish gave him more and more responsibilities as he saw Sundar rising to every challenge.
“This boy was very keen and very mature in understanding,” Pastor Kanish remembers. “We have our cottage meetings four days a week, so I used to take him … and encouraged him to lead the worship service. … He was very faithful.”
Sundar devoured the Bible during this time, letting the comforting words of God wash over his hurting heart. He found solace, love and purpose in the rich, living words.
Sundar began to focus his prayers on the future.
Called by God to Forgive His Father’s Murderer
God’s forgiveness continued to work in Sundar’s heart. As he thought about the call to extend to others the same forgiveness he had experienced, there was one face that rose from the mist of memory, a face that was scarred and contorted in pain, the face of the man who had delivered his father’s death blow. Sundar knew he had to forgive his father’s murderer.
Relinquishing his desire for vengeance, Sundar prayed for this man and felt a supernatural love dislodge his hate. In this one act of trading self-focused retaliation for others-focused transformation, Sundar took a huge leap in his spiritual journey.
“Please pray for the person, Kumar, who murdered my father,” Sundar urges while sharing his prayer requests with other believers. “Even though he is in jail, I pray that his heart will be changed. Please join with me in prayer that he may receive the Lord.”
As Sundar’s love for Kumar grew, it opened the door of his heart to love anyone. Kumar needed Jesus, just as Sundar had. So did thousands of others in villages scattered across his beloved country. God was calling Sundar to be a missionary, answering the cherished wish of his father’s heart.
Sundar enrolled in Bible college, putting his new literacy skills to work. He also developed a heart to share the Good News with people who did not yet know about Jesus.
Sundar spent the next three years in Bible college. He thought about his father often during this time, about his father’s sacrifice. His father had given everything to Jesus, including his very life.
“During [that time] I read Matthew 5:10: ‘Blessed is the man who is persecuted,’” Sundar recalls. “That greatly encouraged me.”
A passion to see lives transformed by Jesus grew in Sundar as he realized how many men, women, boys and girls had yet to hear about the Savior’s love. Visions of villages tucked into the ripples and folds of the Himalayan foothills, each a replica of his own hometown, deepened Sundar’s determination to serve the Lord as a missionary.
The idea that he, who was born blind, impoverished and obscure, could make a difference in people’s lives seemed incredible. But he would dedicate his life to that very end.
“There are so many people in the world, people are perishing … without Jesus,” Sundar says. “So, my vision is … to preach the [Good News] to those people who have never heard.”
Gospel for Asia Missionary Ministry Grows in Answer to Prayer
Sundar is able to travel to many different villages in the area he serves thanks to the bicycle he has been equipped with.
The area God called Sundar to work in has many villages dotting the hilly terrain, where rivers of melted snow cut gouges into the landscape before winding their way to the plains, where rural inhabitants cultivate the land. Millions of people live in these villages scattered across hundreds of miles.
After graduation, Sundar moved to one of these little villages, more than 100 miles west of his hometown, but in landscape, climate and culture, it could have been the town next door. He met people who looked and talked just like him. They ate the same food as him, and he understood the struggles of their lives.
There was no church in the village; his ministry started from scratch. The years at his father’s side, under Pastor Kanish’s mentorship and in Bible college had all prepared Sundar for this time. The Lord had called him; now it was time to get to work.
This area was ready to receive God’s Word, like a fertile field, tilled and waiting for seed to be planted.
In his first year, Sundar saw the Lord work in amazing ways. Fifteen people came to know the love of Christ because of Sundar’s faithful testimony and prayers, and a prayer fellowship started. Seeing this fruit, Sundar was confident the Lord would grow them into a thriving church.
Many other villages nearby also needed to hear the message of God’s love. Sundar prayed God would provide him a bicycle so he could visit more communities and expand his ministry. Within a year, God answered his prayers and the radius of Sundar’s influence stretched many more miles.
“I was really lacking a bicycle for my ministry and other works,” Sundar shares. “I was praying to God for a new bicycle, and God answered my prayers.”
Through the efforts of Sundar and the many other Gospel for Asia missionaries serving in the region, 42 new villages heard the Good News, thousands of tracts were distributed, and hundreds of people experienced Christ’s forgiveness in 2019.
Sundar continues to serve the Lord in the remote foothills of the Himalayas. He pedals to surrounding villages, making sure everyone knows about the Savior who died for them, and he is no longer alone in his work. Sundar is married and has a daughter; the family serves the Lord together. The memories of his father and his mentor inspire and encourage Sundar, spurring him on in ministry.
As Sundar is only a recent graduate, most of his ministry is still before him. But God promises that those who lose their lives for Him shall find life. The boy born blind, obscure and impoverished has found his calling and life in the grace and love of God.
God Calls Workers and Supporters
God is raising up men and women in nations where the greatest concentration of people who have not yet heard the Good News live, and He is calling them to display His love to their own people. These Gospel for Asia national missionary are able to minster in ways that many other cannot. They’ve struggled and lived through common hardships of people in their communities, such as poverty, discrimination and lack of opportunities. Yet they’ve seen God intervene in these struggles, often in miraculous ways, and have discovered alternative paths of joy and freedom. Like Sundar, they’re eager to share the hope they found in Christ with their neighbors.
We can empower their ministries through our prayers, through our giving and through our faith, becoming true partners in the work. No one can serve God alone. Every Gospel for Asia national missionary need brothers and sisters who will pray with them, rejoice with them and provide for them.
Sundar’s supporters will share in the fruit of his ministry.
There are many national missionaries in need of support. Become a partner in their ministries today, and see the fruit in eternity.
*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.
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing a widowed mother – Sani, the grave poverty, and an act of kindness that led to Jesus and a Gospel for Asia Christmas present of a sewing machine.
It was her fault. That’s what her in-laws said. They were so convinced, they threw her and their three grandsons out of the house. Sani moved to another village and started washing dishes and clothes as a servant. All the while, she carried the blame of her husband’s death and the entire weight of her family’s survival on her shoulders.
Widow Struggles to Provide
Sani was blamed for the death of her husband. As she and her sons were kicked out of the home they had shared with her in-laws, she felt the pain of rejection and abandonment.
Sani had been married only for five years when her husband died from alcohol poisoning. Before she even had time to think about how her life and the lives of her three boys would be without a husband and a father, she found herself homeless, rejected and blamed. She didn’t know how she would care for her family.
Alone and heavy-burdened, she moved to another village to start a new life as a widowed mother. She found work as a house servant, washing dishes and clothes. Somehow she managed to keep her family alive, but the struggle was constant day by day.
As the years passed, Sani sent her two teenage sons to work as laborers simply to keep the family afloat. Because of their grave poverty, her children could not continue in their schooling. Even though she and her sons worked hard, the income they earned still did not build up their financial needs. But help would come, unexpectedly, from one of her neighbors.
An Act of Kindness and New Life
Sani was encouraged when Pastor Jaival spoke to her about Jesus. When she accepted Christ’s love, she found out Jesus hadn’t rejected her.
Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Jaival lived near Sani. He had been ministering in her community for two years and hosted worship services in three different locations. Because Jaival lived near to Sani, he often spoke to her about the love of Christ.
Sani had always followed her traditional religion, but gradually, as Pastor Jaival continued to share with her, Sani began to understand the love of Christ. She attended prayer meetings held at Pastor Jaival’s house. She grew to know Jesus personally and chose to accept His free gift of love and acceptance.
Though she found new life in the Lord, Sani and her sons still struggled for daily survival on the meager earnings they labored for.
More Than a Christmas Present
Pastor Jaival, well aware of Sani’s needs, placed her name as a recipient for a Christmas gift distribution. It was through this distribution that Sani received another gift that would change her life: a sewing machine.
The gift was a perfect fit. Sani had previous tailoring experience, so she went right to work stitching clothes. Her income increased, enabling Sani to provide for her family and better manage their needs. Sani could even send her youngest son to school!
Sani received her new sewing machine with joy. Thanks to people around the world and the love of Christ, Sani is now able to take care of her family and sees her worth in the eyes of Christ.
Sani experienced the love of Christ and His providing hand in a real and tangible way. A simple sewing machine brought her hope and helped show her how much the Lord values her. Her life is just one testimony of hundreds who have received a gift from Gospel for Asia’s Christmas Gift Catalog.
You can be part of bringing Christmas to those in need of extra love and help. This Christmas, offer hope to a family and show them in a tangible way that Jesus loves them through giving a Gospel for Asia Christmas present.
Names of people and places may have been changed for privacy and security reasons. Images are Gospel for Asia stock photos used for representation purposes and are not the actual person/location, unless otherwise noted.
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing Syon, his family, his struggle with alcohol addiction, the heart transformation by God and lifting from poverty through Gospel for Asia pastor.
Syon’s family knew he needed help. His drinking had become unbearable; he couldn’t go a single day without alcohol in his system. Syon’s wife, Badriya, feared for her family. She was tired of the fighting, frustration and abuse Syon inflicted on them. At his worst, Syon had tried to kill her, and she worried that, unless something changed, he would try again.
Transformation and Trust
Gospel for Asia pastor Jyomon began his ministry in Syon’s village in 2003. After he met Syon and Badriya, he soon discovered the struggles within their family. Pastor Jyomon prayed for Syon every day and visited them weekly. Before long, the Holy Spirit moved in Syon’s life and helped him give up his drinking habit. Seeing the radical transformation, Syon and his family trusted in Jesus for everything in their lives and became involved in the church’s activities.
A few years later, Gospel for Asia pastor Sadiq took over Pastor Jyomon’s ministry. Syon and Badriya developed a good relationship with their new pastor and encouraged him. Syon would even go with Pastor Sadiq to pray for sick people in his area.
Syon’s family was very poor. Syon worked in construction, and he made very little money. However, despite their limited income, the family never skipped giving to the church. When Pastor Sadiq saw the needs of Syon’s family and their faithfulness to the church, he gifted them with a cow. Over time, Syon’s gift multiplied as the cow gave birth to calves. He used the dung to fertilize his new paddy field and was able to earn a good income from the harvest. In just a few years, Syon accumulated enough in savings to replace the leaky roof of his house, which was a tremendous blessing to his family.
With the Lord’s continued blessings in his life, Syon and his family grew in their knowledge and love of the Lord. They shared their testimony with other villagers and told of how God had so wonderfully cared for their every need. Through their testimony, five people in their village came to know Christ’s redemption.
*Names of people and places may have been changed for privacy and security reasons. Images are Gospel for Asia stock photos used for representation purposes and are not the actual person/location, unless otherwise noted.
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing Digvastra and his family, the opposition of his father toward his new found faith, and the answered prayer through a practical gift – tin sheets from Gospel for Asia gift distribution.
Sunlight filtered through a hole in the ceiling onto the back of a teenaged boy who had too many chores to do. The boy, Digvastra, longed to be at church, joining the saints for Sunday worship, but his father had given him a long list of chores to complete by sunset.
Digvastra’s father, Hemendu, had decided he could stamp out his son’s new faith by preventing him from going to church.
Hemendu gave his son a long list of chores each Sunday to stop him from going to church, hoping to snuff out the flame of faith growing in Digvastra’s heart.
Son’s New Faith Provokes Father’s Anger—and Eventual Curiosity
When Digvastra had put his trust in Jesus and had started going to the local church meetings, Hemendu became furious. He chided Digvastra, telling him not to go out on Sunday mornings, but Digvastra would sneak out. Then Hemendu decided to start giving Digvastra a long list of chores each Sunday morning to stop his son from attending church. Digvastra, still a teenager, honored his father by doing as he was told.
Chandira and Yahvi, two Gospel for Asia (GFA) women missionaries who had shared Christ’s love with Digvastra, befriended Digvastra’s family and had opportunities to tell Hemendu about Jesus. Gradually, Hemendu’s heart grew curious about the new faith, but he was not yet willing to risk the scorn his neighbors and relatives would heap on him for believing in Jesus.
Digvastra kept praying to God to speak to his father, and Chandira and Yahvi prayed about a way to bless Digvastra’s family and show Christ’s love to them. The two missionaries felt the Lord was leading them to give the family a gift in their next Christmas gift distribution, but there was one problem: They didn’t know what to give them.
Then, one day, Digvastra shared a prayer request with Yahvi and Chandira. He explained that the roof of his family’s house had a hole and needed a major repair. Digvastra knew his family desperately needed financial provision to fix the leaky roof.
Amazed by and grateful for God’s clear direction, Yahvi and Chandira knew what to do. They put in a request to their leaders, and when the day of the Christmas gift distribution came, they were able to give Digvastra some tin roofing sheets!
Digvastra asked Chandira and Yahvi to pray that his family’s roof would get repaired. Soon, the young man received tin roof sheets through the Christmas gift distribution program!
Gospel for Asia Tin Sheets Gift Overwhelms Son and Father Alike
Overcome by God’s love and goodness, Digvastra could find no words to express his gratitude for the gift that his family had desperately needed.
That night, Digvastra told his father,
“The Lord has been helping us in so many ways and has not only known our needs but has provided us with our needs. How can you still harden your heart? … The Lord is good to us. He has changed my life.”
“God is good to us, and I know that, but it is hard for me. … I need time,” Hemendu replied.
Even though Hemendu still wasn’t ready to put his trust in Jesus, the gift—a gift that would protect his family from inclement weather for years—impacted him. He was grateful to God for knowing his family’s needs and using the Church to meet those needs. Hemendu’s attitude toward Jesus and His followers completely changed. Instead of opposing his son’s faith, Hemendu became supportive. Digvastra can now spend his Sunday mornings worshiping with the local congregation instead of doing chores.
“I am thankful to you for teaching and showing the right path to my son,” Hemendu told Yahvi and Chandira one day. “I can see that his life is transformed, and I am happy as a father to know that my son has chosen the right thing.”
After seeing how Jesus provided for the needs of his family, Hemendu’s heart brimmed with gratitude. Now, instead of opposing his son’s faith, he supports him.
*Names of people and places may have been changed for privacy and security reasons. Images are Gospel for Asia stock photos used for representation purposes and are not the actual person/location, unless otherwise noted.
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing Shahryar and his family, the limitations of illiteracy, the debt and poverty, and the answered prayers through Gospel for Asia gift distribution of a goat.
What benefits do goats possess? Many, as a matter of fact. Just one goat can provide milk to sell or drink, and its offspring can be sold for extra money. One goat is all it can take to lift a family out of poverty; one goat is all it took to bless Shahryar and his family.
A Struggling Family
Shahryar and his wife, Aaida, are both illiterate. As a result, the scope of jobs they could take was limited. After working day-to-day odd jobs, Shahryar found work at a gas station while Aaida worked as a daily laborer. The money they earned was still not enough to pay for their two children’s school fees and their daily needs. Shahryar and Aaida borrowed money many times but found themselves unable to pay it back. They sunk deeper and deeper into debt, not knowing how or if they could escape.
Some years earlier, Shahryar and Aaida came to know of Christ’s unfailing love for them. The couple regularly participated in services at a church led by a GFA pastor. The believers continuously prayed for Shahryar and Aaida, lifting up their situation. By the grace of God, those prayers were answered.
A Gospel for Asia Gift on Four Legs: a Goat
Through an organized gift distribution, the church blessed Shahryar and Aaida with a goat! By providing a steady stream of income through its milk and offspring, this goat would bring help in their time of need. Shahryar and Aaida took the goat home and began taking care of it.
*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.
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing Kia, a widow, her poverty, struggle to provide for her children, and God’s love and care, through Gospel for Asia supplied piglets, supplying an education.
Kia, a widow with little money, once struggled to afford her children’s schooling.
Just a few months prior, Kia, a widow, was wondering how she was going to meet her children’s basic needs. It seemed like she was always late in paying her children’s schooling fees. She worked weaving traditional dresses, but whenever she got sick, she was unable to work at all.
As Kia watched the prices of everyday living increase, especially as her children got older, providing became a heavy load for her to bear. How would she continue to provide for her family?
Compassion Meets the Practical
Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Taru saw Kia’s needs, and with compassion and love, he wanted to help her and her children. He often encouraged them with God’s Word. Sometimes, out of his own resources, Taru would purchase food and offer financial aid here and there for the family. Above all, he committed to pray for Kia and her children.
Pastor Taru knew the needs of Kia and her children and helped them the best he could. Often he encouraged them through God’s Word.
When Pastor Taru found the opportunity to help through a Christmas gift distribution, he happily requested a pair of pigs for Kia.
Wanting to help Kia, Pastor Taru sought to provide her with a pair of pigs.
Tears of joy washed down Kia’s face when she found out she would be given the pigs to help her. She was overwhelmed knowing God loved her and cared for her even though, as a new believer, she had struggled to make time for reading His Word and praying. A new hope and joy filled her heart.
Kia took good care of her piglets. Before long the two pigs became nine, and when school season came around, Kia decided to sell seven piglets. The money she earned from that paid for her children’s education fees completely!
“I am so thankful to God for blessing me,” Kia said. “My children could continue their education, and the income that I got from selling the piglets has enabled me to run the family without much struggle. I am so excited, and I am very thankful to our leaders for their love and concern for poor people like me.”
Gifts That Show God’s Love
Seeing Kia and the rest of his congregation encouraged and growing in the Lord fills Pastor Taru with much joy. His prayers for this family have been answered.
“The Lord we worship is Jehovah Jireh, who knows all of our needs and has concern for us,” he said.
Christmas gifts, like a pair of pigs, can have a broader impact than just a means of livelihood. Like the ones Kia and her children received, these pigs offer hope for the future.
Something as simple as a pair of pigs can make a tremendous difference in the lives of individuals like Kia. This Christmas, offer hope for a better future and help spread the light of Christ to someone in need.
Names of people and places may have been changed for privacy and security reasons. Images are Gospel for Asia stock photos used for representation purposes and are not the actual person/location, unless otherwise noted.
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing Mareechi and his family, their poverty, and Gospel for Asia’s Christmas Gift Catalog vegetable cart that gave hope and a brighter future.
As a young boy, Mareechi was excited about what his future could hold. But as the months went by, his family found themselves in poverty. Unable to meet their needs, Mareechi dropped out of school and stayed home in order to save his family some money.
When Mareechi aged into a teenager, he examined his family’s condition and decided to find some work to help provide for their needs. But wherever he applied, his progress was impeded by his lack of education. Everyone turned him down.
The only work he was equipped to do was manual labor, so Mareechi worked hard and helped support his family. Soon after, he got married and worked harder than ever to give his wife and children a good future.
As Business Struggles, Kids’ Future Is in Danger
A few years later, after collecting a small amount of savings, Mareechi traveled to a nearby village to buy vegetables that he would sell in his own village. But without something to carry them all in, Mareechi couldn’t sell, and he wouldn’t be able to provide.
Every day, Mareechi would hand over 50 rupees to rent a cart for the day. When he couldn’t afford to rent a cart, or when there was none left, he’d fill a basket with all his wares, carry it on his shoulders and make the four-mile trek back to his village. The hours slid by as he plodded across his village, trying to sell the vegetables before he had to return the cart. It never seemed to be enough time. These challenges made him unable to sufficiently provide for his family, and his children risked losing their education just like Mareechi had lost his years before.
Gifted With a Solution
It was during this time that staff of a local Gospel for Asia (GFA) Bridge of Hope center met Mareechi while they were out visiting students’ families and learned about his family’s struggle.
Realizing his need, the Bridge of Hope staff shared Mareechi’s situation with their leaders. Then, when the local church held a Christmas gift distribution program, 213 families received items to meet their needs and also heard about the Savior who had met their greatest need: hope for an eternal future. Mareechi was one of the beneficiaries and rode away on his own vegetable cart.
Now Mareechi is able to work free of restricting business hours, allowing him more time to sell his vegetables and keep all his earnings. His family no longer struggles financially, and he’s even able to send his children to school, where their futures look brighter.
Just as Mareechi was blessed through a gift, there are hundreds of more families whose lives could be transformed by a gift. Through Gospel for Asia’s Christmas Gift Catalog, you can share God’s love with them.
*Names of people and places may have been changed for privacy and security reasons. Images are Gospel for Asia stock photos used for representation purposes and are not the actual person/location, unless otherwise noted.
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing Baharupa, his alcohol addiction, the struggle with poverty in providing for his family, the sicknesses they are exposed to, and the Gospel for Asia supplied mosquito net used as an instrument of God’s love.
What began as a small indulgence slowly enveloped Baharupa’s life. The 55-year-old farmer and father of three felt pressured to drink the alcohol given to him at the many village-wide celebrations. But again and again, he ended up drunk. Even with his acquired addiction, Baharupa made sure to take care of his wife and sons, but there were some things he couldn’t provide them with.
Baharupa attended a distribution event for mosquito nets like this one, where he experienced the love of God firsthand.
A Village’s Struggle
In Baharupa’s village, Gospel for Asia pastor Satyam oversees a congregation of 72 believers. The pastor and believers had been seeking ways to bless their community. They saw the poverty that clung to Baharupa and many of their fellow villagers despite countless hours of hard work and labor. The believers also saw how vulnerable villagers were to diseases because they possessed no way to protect themselves. And they wanted to help.
God’s Love Exemplified
Of the many burdens weighing on impoverished families in Asia, health concerns rank high on the list. Our initiatives include health awareness programs that help individuals learn how to shield themselves against sicknesses. Gospel for Asia missionaries also distribute practical gifts, such as mosquito nets, to help people put what they learn at awareness programs into practice.
Mosquito nets provide ample protection against the disease-carrying pest—a boon for poor, rural villages like Baharupa’s. Pastor Satyam organized a gift distribution event to give out 4,000 mosquito nets.
As Baharupa sat with the other recipients, the farmer could not comprehend why Pastor Satyam and the believers had put together a gift distribution event. But when his name was called and a mosquito net was placed in his hands, Baharupa began to understand. This was love and compassion at work.
“Who can give us mosquito nets without money?” Baharupa wondered. “This shows [the believers’] love towards us. I have never seen such kind of love among our society people.”
Intrigued, Baharupa attended worship service the next Sunday, and he started coming every week. Pastor Satyam counseled the farmer, sharing more of God’s vast love and forgiveness. Baharupa realized he didn’t need the bottle; he now possessed something infinitely greater: the eternal love of God.
Baharupa and his entire family began to walk with Jesus. They became members of the congregation, rejoicing in the newfound love of Christ and in Baharupa’s freedom from addiction.
*Names of people and places may have been changed for privacy and security reasons. Images are Gospel for Asia stock photos used for representation purposes and are not the actual person/location, unless otherwise noted.
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing Khadim, the discouragements and grinding poverty, and the income-generating gifts from Gospel for Asia’s Christmas Gift Catalog that brought hope, encouragement and joy.
Khadim plodded toward home, weary from his diligent efforts to provide for his wife and two children. He had spent the entire day looking for labor jobs—anything that would put food on the table and care for his family—but he came home disappointed with the wages of his hard work. It just wasn’t enough.
Meager Meals and an Unstable Income
The families in Khadim’s community depended on agriculture for their livelihoods and diligently cultivated their crops. But Khadim didn’t own farmland and couldn’t get a stable job, no matter how hard he tried. The 35-year-old father went from place to place seeking daily labor jobs, but some days he couldn’t find any work, and he struggled to provide for his family.
Khadim, like this man, struggled to provide for his family. His income relied on unpredictable labor jobs, until he received a gift that changed his life.
Khadim’s life held little joy, and he often fought disappointment and discouragement. He somehow managed to provide some food for his wife and kids, but nothing enabled him to meet all of their needs.
Experiencing the Compassion of the Body of Christ
Khadim began his relationship with Jesus many years ago, and his love for Christ was strong, despite his troubles. He worshiped the Lord at a fellowship led by Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Udyan. He tried to participate in the church activities, but searching for work every day meant Khadim often missed the fellowship gatherings.
His troubles did not go unnoticed by his church family. Pastor Udyan saw the diligent efforts of the young father to care for his family, and he thought of a way to help relieve Khadim’s burden.
Through the generosity of believers living many miles away, Pastor Udyan had the opportunity to bless people in his community with income-generating gifts from Gospel for Asia’s Christmas Gift Catalog. When the time came to distribute the gifts, Pastor Udyan knew exactly which families needed help the most—and Khadim’s was one of those families.
Hardworking Father Equipped to Thrive
As a practical demonstration of God’s love and care, the careworn father received a gift that changed his family: a brand new bicycle rickshaw! With this new, consistent source of income, Khadim’s hard work began to pay off.
Farmers hired Khadim to cart their produce to market, which enabled him to consistently support his family. Rickshaws provide a stable income for their owners, as this other young rickshaw driver can testify.
Bicycle rickshaws are versatile modes of transportation in Khadim’s area; some carry passengers, while others transport cargo. Pedaling bicycle rickshaws can be physically demanding, but Khadim wholeheartedly thrust his energy and strength into his new occupation.
Farmers in Khadim’s community began hiring Khadim to bring their produce to the market, while other families wanted him to bring their groceries home for them. Khadim’s rickshaw even enabled him to start working at construction sites, where he was able to haul bricks and bags of cement.
Heart and Home Impacted by Gospel for Asia’s Christmas Gift Catalog
Now, Khadim uses his rickshaw for labor work between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., and then he goes out again during the evening to transport parcels for villagers. Thanks to his new source of income, Khadim’s children don’t have to worry about whether they will have food or not, and Khadim’s wife has the resources she needs to run the household.
The rickshaws given to this man and to Khadim bring smiles to their faces and remind them of God’s love and care for their families.
Khadim still works hard to care for his family, but the generous gift from the Body of Christ brought a greater stability to his financial situation and removed the burden of discouragement that weighed on his heart.
“I am really thankful to Almighty God and to the Church for having concern [for my family] and providing me with a cycle rickshaw,” Khadim shared. “It was timely help when I was struggling in my life, and the Church took care of me.”
Khadim’s family no longer lives hand-to-mouth. Khadim even faithfully tithes his earnings—just one of many ways he expresses his gratitude to the Lord for His provision and grace.
Although Khadim’s rickshaw is a simple tool of metal and wood made to carry things like vegetables and bricks, it also carries hope, encouragement and joy for him and his family. It is a continual reminder of their Savior’s loving care, and it inspires praise and thanksgiving.
To the Lord and to those who helped lift him out of discouragement and grinding poverty, Khadim gratefully says, “Thank you, very much.”
Whether it’s a heavy-duty cargo rickshaw or a festive passenger rickshaw, these useful gifts can bring a family out of despair and poverty.
*Names of people and places may have been changed for privacy and security reasons. Images are Gospel for Asia stock photos used for representation purposes and are not the actual person/location, unless otherwise noted.
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