Gospel for Asia Announces a Surprising Antidote to World Poverty: Farm Animals | Special Report Part 2

Last updated on: March 12, 2023 at 12:09 am By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – GFA World (Gospel for Asia) founded by K.P. Yohannan, whose heart to love and help the poor has inspired numerous charities like GFA World Canada, to serve the deprived and downcast worldwide, issued this second part of a Special Report on a surprising antidote and solution to world poverty: farm animals.

This woman received the gift of a goat that would help lift up her family from generational poverty — Farm animals, like the goats shown above, can help a poor family in a variety of beneficial ways: 1. They provide milk for nourishment; 2. They typically breed and multiply providing young that can be sold off for income or used to increase the size of the herd.

Breaking the Cycle of Poverty with a Cow

Taden’s story is typical of the kind of transformation a single animal can make in a family’s life.^[6] As a laborer in a poor Asian community, Taden had few options and little hope. He despaired to think his children would have to endure the same multi-generational poverty he had inherited.

“I couldn’t afford a very nice life for my family,” he recalls, “and I used to feel very angry at myself at times, very sad with myself because of the situation I was in.”

A local pastor saw Taden’s plight and arranged for him to receive a cow, funded by Gospel for Asia (GFA World).

“We were really overjoyed,” Taden recalls, “because we did not have anything in our house to call our own. But we felt that if we got the cow, we could really improve our lives.”

Soon, the cow gave birth and began producing milk. Taden and his family began milking the cow twice daily and selling the milk. That enabled them to meet their basic needs and do something that would have been unimaginable before: send their children to school. The cycle of poverty, which seemed so unbreakable for so long, was finally ending.

Now, with two cows in his possession, Taden began to think entrepreneurially.

A gift of a cow helps lift Taden's family from poverty — A gift of a cow grew into a means out of poverty for Taden and his family. They now have a cow, five goats, and hopeful plans for the future.

“I had observed others who were raising goats,” he says, “and I came to know that the goats bear kids once every five months.”

Seeing a potential second source of income, Taden sold one of the cows and bought a pair of goats. They soon gave birth to two kids, which Lavish sold, earning as much as he would have made in six months of working. Now, he could afford new clothes and schoolbooks for his kids. Life was looking up at last. Taden was overcome with gratitude.

“I would like to thank those who have helped me get the cow as a gift,” he says. “My life has definitely been blessed 100 percent.”

World Vision, another NGO, has refined the practice of providing microloans—funds that help aspiring farmers and entrepreneurs get started in their chosen enterprises. The amount needed to begin a thriving business in a developing country can be astonishingly small compared to Western standards. And for many, it all starts with the acquisition of a single animal.

A woman received the gift of a water buffalo, a game changer for her family trapped in debilitating poverty. — The gift of even just one animal can be a complete game changer for a family trapped in debilitating poverty. They get a source of income along with hope for a better future for them and their family and the knowledge that they are seen and loved.

Like World Vision, Heifer International leverages support from governments and private organizations along with individual donations to create opportunities for aspiring farmers. The organization recognizes that “ending poverty begins with agriculture” and works to build “inclusive, resilient economies” in the areas it serves.^[7]

For over 40 years, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) has been serving people’s physical and spiritual needs. Now active in 18 Asian countries, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) has also recently begun ministering in Africa. Along with providing animals for families, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) missionaries serve the community through providing things like educational opportunities for children, vocational training and resources for life. In water-starved regions of Asia, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) installs wells using local labor, and trains the local pastor and congregation on how to maintain them for the long term.

Like other similar organizations, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) offers donors a range of suggested gift amounts, which can provide chickens for a needy family or improve an entire village. It describes the cows, goats, pigs, lambs and chickens as “income-producing animals,” which affirms their real purpose of providing ongoing, sustainable food or financial resources for the family. Donors can feel confident they’re providing more than a few meals for the families they help. Their gifts can actually spark a permanent change for people who just need a helping hand to get a fresh start.

Faith-based organizations help their recipients create prosperous family enterprises, often starting with a single cow or goat. The goal is not a quick fix, but a long-term program that can lift families out of poverty for good.

Relief agencies that work in the developing world recognize that providing live, useful farm animals to people in need is more effective than simply giving money. With that well-established principle in mind, they can approach potential donors with a simple, attractive proposition. “Donate a goat” is a straightforward message with immediate appeal to those who want to help the less fortunate. For a gift as small as $140, a donor can provide a family with two goats that will help lift them out of destitution. Those who give can feel confident their contributions are providing real, lasting benefits to real people.

Bishop Danny Punnose - Vice President, GFA World — Bishop Danny Punnose Vice President, GFA World

For these nonprofits, helping people defeat poverty is a tangible expression of their faith. “God’s love must be demonstrated in more ways than just through words,” says Bishop Danny Punnose of GFA World. “It must be seen, felt and experienced! Providing these life changing gifts to these precious people who are in great need is an opportunity for us to love them practically and see their lives lifted out of their hopeless state.”

If obtaining an animal seems like an unlikely way to achieve success, it’s important to remember what the alternatives are for the poorest of the poor. They often work as day laborers, barely making a subsistence wage—when they can find work at all. Some will resort to picking through garbage for food and usable items. And for others, the sex trade is a cruel option of last resort. But with even a few animals, those same people can enjoy a wide range of new opportunities.

The first benefit is having enough food to eat—which is always an urgent priority for the desperately poor. Besides the meat they provide, cows and goats supply nutrient-rich milk that can sustain an entire family and more. And when animals begin to reproduce, things change dramatically. Families can sell their animals or the meat. Then, with a surplus of funds, they can begin to consider things that would have been out of reach before, such as health care and medicine. Family members who were incapacitated by disease can become productive again. The children can go to school instead of being condemned to a lifetime of manual labor. Families can improve their dwellings and acquire amenities that make life tolerable—even enjoyable—instead of miserable. In other words, they can begin to experience the enhanced quality of life that people in the developed world routinely expect. With their basic needs met, they can start to focus time and attention on more rewarding pursuits. Instead of a cycle of poverty, they can enter a cycle of prosperity. And, perhaps for the first time, life can seem worthwhile.

This woman received a gift of a cow that would help provide income for her family amid generational poverty — Trapped in generational poverty, many families have no way out and their children may be forced to work at a young age just to survive. A gift of an animal can provide things like milk, eggs, help in the field, meat, and offspring to sell. The family now has an income – a way to grow and expand, sources of nutrition, a means for the children to go to school, and HOPE.

Creating a Manageable Menagerie

A family’s choice of animals to raise depends on several factors: resources, land area, topography, market conditions and climate, to name a few. For farmers with access to large areas of land, cows provide a viable source of meat, milk and income. The farmers can breed the cows, use some of them for food, and sell others in the marketplace. Raising cattle has been a profitable enterprise for people the world over, and with good reason. A lactating cow can produce up to six or seven gallons of milk per day.^[8] And a single 1,200-lb. steer can yield an astonishing 490 pounds of edible meat.^[9] Clearly, owning even one cow can change life drastically for a struggling family.

For those with limited land or capital, goats can be an ideal option. They require a smaller area than cattle and can forage virtually anywhere—on anything. Farmers who can’t afford a cow may be able to purchase a goat with limited funds and begin their journey to prosperity. Nanny goats can bear several kids in a year, allowing for a quick expansion of the herd. In India, an adult goat can sell for an amount equal to an entire month’s income for many people.^[10] Although goat meat is not yet popular in the United States, it is actually a good source of clean, nutritious protein, being lower in saturated fat and cholesterol than chicken, beef or pork.^[11] And goats are relatively easy to raise, requiring little in the way of maintenance. For many families, their escape from poverty begins with a humble goat.

Give Animals to Help Poor Families in Need »

If you want to help impoverished families with a gift that can provide them life-saving income for many years to come, consider a one-time donation to give farm animals – a surprising antidote to overcoming persistent poverty.

Read the rest of this Gospel for Asia – Transforming Communities (GFA World) Special Report: A Surprising Antidote to World Poverty: Farm Animals — Part 1, Part 3

About GFA World

Gospel for Asia (GFA World) is a leading faith-based global mission agency, helping national workers bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Asia and Africa, and sharing the love of God. In GFA World’s latest yearly report, this included thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in more than 1,200 villages and remote communities, over 4,800 clean water wells drilled, over 12,000 water filters installed, income-generating Christmas gifts for more than 260,000 needy families, and teaching providing hope and encouragement available in 110 languages in 14 nations through radio ministry. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit our Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news.

Learn more about how the simple gift of an income-generating animal can be the turning point for an impoverished family—one their family has likely been desiring for generations.

GFA’s Statement About Coronavirus

Learn more by reading this Special Report from Gospel for Asia: Fighting Global Poverty with Ideas — Uprooting poverty requires education that transmits values

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

Read what 25 Christian Leaders are affirming about GFA World.

This Special Report originally appeared on gfa.org.

Gospel for Asia Announces a Surprising Antidote to World Poverty: Farm Animals

Last updated on: September 29, 2023 at 5:07 am By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – GFA World (Gospel for Asia) founded by K.P. Yohannan, which has been the model for numerous charities like GFA World Canada, to help the poor and deprived worldwide, issued this first part of a 3-part Special Report on a surprising antidote and solution to world poverty: farm animals.

A family in poverty — Knowing nothing besides poverty, this poor family in harsh conditions in Asia represents the over 700 million who attempt to scratch out a living on less than $2 a day in earnings.

Recent decades have seen a general trend toward prosperity in much of the world, but too many people are still being left behind.^[1] Alleviating extreme poverty remains one of the most daunting challenges of our time. But for poor families, prosperity can come in surprising ways: through the gift of a farm animal.

Progress Interrupted

From 2015 to 2019, the number of people living in extreme poverty worldwide was projected to drop from 744 million to 655 million.^[2] The downward trend was on track to continue, but then the COVID-19 pandemic hit. In 2020, the projected number of people in extreme poverty shot back up to 732 million. For 2021, the projected number was marginally better at 711 million.

That means a population twice that of the United States still lacks even the most basic necessities of life. They can’t afford the simple improvements that would make life easier. They can’t access decent medical care. They can’t send their children to school. These are people who live on $1.90 or less per day, which is just enough to keep them alive until the next day. By contrast, many Americans spend nearly twice that much for their daily cup of coffee without giving it a second thought.

Mother and child trapped in generational poverty — This desperate Asian mother looks at her child with despair. Trapped in generational poverty, without many options for escape, this mother cannot provide a good future for her children, unless something occurs to alter their circumstances.

Poverty is present in all parts of the world, but is concentrated especially in Africa. Most of the 30 poorest countries in the world are in Africa, with Central African Republic, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo topping the list.^[3] Relentless war, political upheaval and public corruption have all contributed to the troubles in these nations, but drought, disease and poor farming methods are also to blame.

The countries of South Asia, with their huge populations, are only somewhat better off. One-third of the world’s poor live in this region, most of them in undeveloped rural areas.^[4] In recent years, industrial development and rising living standards in these countries inspired high hopes. But the COVID-19 epidemic hit Asian nations especially hard. The region was already afflicted with high poverty rates and inadequate infrastructure. Most people in Asia have only limited access to clean water, sanitation facilities or medical care. And the dense population has made it all but impossible for people to maintain the social distancing required to stem the effects of the pandemic. Predictably, these conditions led to a severe COVID-19 outbreak in India and other South Asian countries, necessitating lockdowns, which exacerbated the already-severe economic problems.^[5] As a result, the high hopes of many people were cruelly dashed.

A poor family from Himachal Pradesh — Poverty is present in all parts of the world, and this poor family from Himachal Pradesh is no exception. But there is a path out of persistent poverty, which includes the provision of farm animals which can multiply, to help families like these escape an endless cycle of generational impoverishment.

The Limits of Education

For those who remain impoverished—the poorest of the poor—what is the best way out? One answer is education. But for many in the developing world, pursuing and completing an education can seem almost unattainable. It may also feel of secondary importance to families struggling just to meet their immediate, everyday needs for food and shelter. People living in abject poverty have one priority: survival. Their daily agenda consists of finding enough food to live another day. And for those living in remote rural areas, even traveling to a place where education is available can be impractical at best.

But for many in the developing world, pursuing and completing an education can seem almost unattainable. It may also feel of secondary importance to families struggling just to meet their immediate, everyday needs for food and shelter. People living in abject poverty have one priority: survival. Their daily agenda consists of finding enough food to live another day. And for those living in remote rural areas, even traveling to a place where education is available can be impractical at best.

A woman in Uttar Pradesh blessed with two cows from GFA World gift distribution — Cows seem to be everywhere in India but many poor families don’t own one. Once acquired though, they can perform a variety of useful functions to benefit a family. In this photo, a woman in Uttar Pradesh is blessed to be able to use these two cows to thresh out the hay.

But there is a path to dynamic prosperity that relies on the inherent growth potential in nature. It is accessible to people even in the poorest, most remote regions. And it has been a reliable engine of wealth creation throughout human history. Instead of investing in stocks or real estate, people of any background in any locale can invest in animals.

That’s a strange notion to those of us whose only connection to the animal world is the pets on which we lavish our attention. We buy our meat, eggs and dairy products at a market, neatly dressed and packaged. We know someone somewhere is raising the cows and chickens that feed us, but we don’t give it much thought. And the fact that these people are able to earn a living from these farm animals also escapes our attention. Yet, the same growth principles that have sustained food producers in America can also lift poor families out of poverty in Asia or Africa.

The wonderful thing about animals (and all life forms) is that they grow and reproduce. With the right care and attention, they will increase and provide their owners with lasting benefits. Just as people in the developed world rely on financial investments for their security, people in less-developed regions can rely on farm animals for their security. And like a good equity fund, that investment can grow indefinitely.

Family received the gift of income generating goats — This family in Uttar Pradesh looks so happy! They received one goat three years ago in an animal distribution from Gospel for Asia (GFA World), and they now have eighteen goats! With a herd of goats this size, they’re able to sell goats as needed to stabilize their family’s finances. Plus, the goats provide milk for drinking and selling which enables them to secure many essentials for themselves that they could only dream about before.

Animals as a Sign of Blessing

A little girl and an income generating gift of a goat — Goats are hardy animals and flourish in the Asian climate. A single female goat can produce seven to nine goats in just two years and generates plenty of milk to drink and sell. The gift of a goat, given with the love of Jesus, is a great way to bring joy into a poor family’s world.

In the ancient world, wealth was often measured in terms of livestock. The Bible notes that “Abram [later Abraham] was very rich in livestock” (Gen. 13:2). This was confirmed by his servant, who declared, “The Lord has blessed my master greatly, and he has become great; and He has given him flocks and herds” (Gen. 24:35). Abraham’s knack for prosperity was also shared by his son Isaac, who “became very prosperous; for he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds” (Gen. 26:13b-14a).

In the Bible, the increase of one’s livestock was recognized as a blessing from God. That belief is shared by the many faith-based groups that now provide animals for people living in poverty. Gospel for Asia (GFA World), World Vision, Compassion International, Lutheran World Relief, Samaritan’s Purse, and SIM are among the agencies that provide people in poor rural areas with goats, cows, chickens, pigs and other productive animals to help impoverished people succeed. They also offer guidance to help the recipients properly care for their animals. The farming innovations that have enhanced yields in the developed countries can be applied with great success in poorer ones. Most importantly, faith-based organizations help their recipients create prosperous family enterprises, often starting with a single cow or goat. The goal is not a quick fix, but a long-term program that can lift families out of poverty for good.

Give Animals to Help Poor Families in Need »

Read the rest of this Gospel for Asia – Transforming Communities (GFA World) Special Report: A Surprising Antidote to World Poverty: Farm Animals — Part 2, Part 3

About GFA World

Learn more about how the simple gift of an income-generating animal can be the turning point for an impoverished family—one their family has likely been desiring for generations.

GFA’s Statement About Coronavirus

Learn more by reading this Special Report from Gospel for Asia: Fighting Global Poverty with Ideas — Uprooting poverty requires education that transmits values

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

Read what 25 Christian Leaders are affirming about GFA World.

This Special Report originally appeared on gfa.org.

Mother Receives Skills and Tools to Feed Her Family from GFA World Sewing Course

Last updated on: December 30, 2021 at 11:00 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, has been the model for numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada, to help the poor and deprived worldwide – Discussing Salestia, a mother who struggled with her family against poverty, the blessing and confidence brought by GFA World Sewing Course and the gift of a sewing machine.

Discussing Salestia, her family in poverty, the blessing and confidence brought by GFA World Sewing Course and the gift of a sewing machine. — Tailoring classes like this one helped empower Salestia (not pictured) to provide for her family.

A skill cannot be properly utilized if the tools to use it are absent. So why did Salestia continue taking the tailoring course? She didn’t own a sewing machine; she and her husband could not afford one. What was the point of finishing the classes?

A Mother’s Fight for Her Family

Both Salestia and her husband, Shandon, worked as daily laborers in their rural village. Their earnings barely covered their living expenses and their four children’s school fees. On top of financial constraints, Shandon spent a good portion of their money on drinking excessively. Salestia appeared to be the only one who cared for her family’s future—not even Salestia’s close relatives offered any help.

One day, Salestia heard about a course where anyone could learn how to sew and provide for themselves. Organized by Gospel for Asia (GFA) workers, the free course was designed to help impoverished families better their circumstances by offering them teachable skills—like sewing. Salestia resolved to not let her family fall deeper into poverty, so she put her name down for the program.

Salestia joined several others in their shared journey of learning valuable tailoring skills. She absorbed each lesson and followed her teachers’ every action, stitching every thread just as they illustrated. As the months progressed and Salestia approached the course’s end, an anxious thought interrupted her joy of finally having the skills to better provide for her family: She had the knowledge, but she didn’t have a sewing machine.

A Surprise Gift

The funds for a sewing machine had continued to remain out of Salestia’s reach. She didn’t know how she would continue sewing without a machine. Were the classes all for nothing?

To her surprise, the Gospel for Asia (GFA) workers had anticipated this need. Upon her completion of the course, Salestia received her very own sewing machine! The workers made sure Salestia not only had the knowledge, but she also had tools to use that knowledge.

“I learned tailoring for free of cost,” Salestia said. “And now I got a new machine. … Now I have confidence to run my family.”

Because of the workers, Salestia could continue to send her children to school and feed and clothe them. With her new sewing machine, Salestia was fully equipped to earn money for her family.

Learn how you can provide sewing machines to help prevent families like Salestia’s from getting into deeper poverty.

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

Source: Gospel for Asia Field Reports & Updates, Mother Receives Skills, Tools to Feed Her Family

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

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

Weary Man’s Answered Prayer, Received a Bicycle from a GFA

Last updated on: January 7, 2025 at 10:40 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, whose heart to love and help the poor has inspired numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada, to serve the deprived and downcast worldwide – Discussing Abid, his struggle against poverty for his family, and the answered prayer of a bicycle received from a GFA World gift distribution.

Discussing Abid, his struggle against poverty for his family, & the answered prayer of a bicycle received from a GFA World gift distribution. — Abid (not pictured) celebrates the gift of a bicycle, which significantly cut down his travel time to work and afforded him more time with his family.

Day in and day out, Abid walked a long path to work to provide for his wife and their six children. Nearly five miles to work and another five miles home, it took him hours to walk the distance. In between this trek, Abid worked hard for a small daily wage, but he frequently arrived late to work and faced reprimands from his boss.

The disapproving comments from his boss weighed on Abid. The 46-year-old man, known for his smiling face, would return home completely exhausted and agitated by his boss’s scolding.

By the time Abid’s family saw him at the end of the day, he had no energy left and was easily irritated, creating discord at home. When Abid didn’t collapse from exhaustion as soon as he crossed the threshold, he complained about the pain in his body, weary from the hours-long commute.

On Sundays, church was also a lengthy distance from Abid’s home. He often arrived late there as well, his steps slow from fatigue. Soon, Abid stopped attending the worship services altogether.

He was tired of being late everywhere he went, and he was tired of being tired.

Enough Is Enough

What could Abid do? He knew he couldn’t afford to purchase a different mode of transportation or a bus ticket, but something had to change.

Abid decided to pray about his situation. He asked God for a bicycle so he could make it to work and church on time.

Meanwhile, Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Bahari heard about Abid’s difficult commute. He learned of the toll it took on Abid’s body, his family relationships and even his ability to attend Sunday services. Pastor Bahari felt compassion for Abid’s struggles and decided to submit Abid’s name to receive a gift from a GFA gift distribution. Pastor Bahari excitedly presented the two-wheeled treasure to Abid, who received the bicycle with great thankfulness and a joyful heart.

God had answered Abid’s prayers! He was now the proud owner of a new bicycle, just as he had requested.

“I have a big family,” Abid explained. “I get money from the daily [wage] work and buy provision for home. Due to that, I could not buy [a bicycle]. But I thank the church for understanding my need and providing me a good cycle. Now I am on time to work and even for church. Thank you very much.”

The gift of a bicycle has truly changed Abid’s life. With a shortened commute, the bicycle affords him more time with his family and more energy to enjoy their time together. He has no trouble getting to work, and his boss is pleased Abid arrives on time. In addition, Abid now regularly attends church, and he helps family members and neighbors by using his bike to run errands.

Across the globe, countries annually celebrate World Bicycle Day on June 3rd. For Abid, every day he mounts his bike is a good day to thank God for the life-changing gift of the bicycle.

Read Kagiso’s story about a gratefully received gift of tin.

Source: Gospel for Asia Field Reports & Updates, Mother Receives Skills, Tools to Feed Her Family

Learn more how to demonstrate God’s love through the gift of a Bicycle — to Missionaries, school children, farmers and daily laborers. Through these gifts, people experience Christ’s love.

Learn more about the GFA World 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.

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

The Quest for Life Found in Scripture Through Gospel for Asia Pastor

Last updated on: September 22, 2021 at 7:18 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, whose heart to love and help the poor has inspired numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada, to serve the deprived and downcast worldwide – Discussing Manal, his quest of faith, and the Gospel for Asia pastor who helped him discover who God is through Scripture.

Who was this living God? Manal heard of Him through reading literature and by word of mouth, but he never grasped or understood who Christ is and what He has done for us. Manal began his search to find out what the Word of God meant. Though his culture and religious background consider Christians as lowly, Manal never could shake off his deep desire to understand their God.

Driver Finds a Church

Discussing Manal and his quest of faith, and the Gospel for Asia pastor who helped him discover who God is through Scripture. — While many impoverished people in Asia seek provision for their physical needs, their hunger for spiritual answers is often even greater. Manal searched for years before finding answers in Scripture through a Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor.

One day, as Manal was working as an automobile driver, he learned from his passengers about a local church. Hungry to gain more knowledge, he attended the church.

Gospel for Asia pastor Kalap welcomed him, and after hearing Manal share about his longing to know more about God, Pastor Kalap began to teach Manal through God’s Word, the Bible. Much like Philip and the eunuch, Kalap guided Manal and answered his questions, helping him understand the uniqueness of Jesus in ways he could understand. Pastor Kalap prayed earnestly for him, asking the Lord to reveal His deep love and truth to the man’s heart.

After that, Manal regularly visited the pastor. Pastor Kalap shared with him a copy of Scripture, which Manal gratefully began reading every day.

Soon Manal’s quest came to an end as he found the love of God for himself through the Scriptures. His face shone with joy. Not only had Manal found what he was searching for, but he found the eternal life his soul longed after!

Serving the One He Sought

Manal is now strong in his faith and determined to follow the Lord regardless of the comments of others or of the persecution that may come along the way.

“Now I know for sure that there is only God who can give eternal life, and I want to serve Him with my life,” Manal says.

Praise God for fulfilling the desire of Manal’s heart!

*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 Rejoice! Newsletter, The Quest

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.

Learn how you can change someone’s eternal destiny by giving toward Gospel literature and tracts. It doesn’t cost much: Less than a penny will give someone a chance to hear about Jesus through a Gospel tract.

Click here to read more blogs and on National Missionaries on Patheos from Gospel for Asia.

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

Chest Pain Lifted Allows Teen to Read God’s Word Aloud

Last updated on: September 14, 2021 at 6:36 am By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – GFA World (Gospel for Asia) founded by K.P. Yohannan, has been the model for numerous charities like GFA World Canada, to help the poor and deprived worldwide – Discussing Sigrid and her helpless battle with her illness, and the GFA World pastor who brought the miraculous power of God’s Word and prayer.

With two older sisters married, 18-year-old Sigrid was the baby of the family and well-loved by her family and by her sisters’ in-laws. When she fell ill with a severe cough and persistent fever, however, it seemed her doting family could only look on helplessly as Sigrid battled her illness day after day for an entire year.

The Long Road in Search of Recovery

Woman reading God's Word, the Bible — As God healed Sigrid (not pictured) from debilitating chest pain, she reveled in the opportunity to read God’s Word aloud to her family.

Despite taking prescribed medications, Sigrid’s condition only grew worse. Unbearable chest pain compounded her ailments; the doctors could not discover their cause, let alone a cure.

In desperation, Sigrid’s parents took her to a hospital with advanced medical practices. Upon examining Sigrid, doctors concluded her chest was filled with fluid and extra air. Her condition required immediate surgery.

Part of the surgery included insertion of a tube to help rid her body of the excess fluid and air. After 10 days in the hospital, Sigrid went home to finish recovering. However, just three days later, intense pains overtook Sigrid’s stomach, chest and head. The girl on the brink of womanhood was instead facing the brink of death.

Sigrid’s parents lost no time rushing Sigrid back to the hospital. But after offering medicines that did nothing to lessen Sigrid’s howls of pain, the doctors urged her parents to take her back home. There was nothing left to do to cure the teen.

The family was crushed. Discouraged, they went to the home of Sigrid’s older sister, which was near the hospital. But Sigrid’s father and the father-in-law of Sigrid’s sister would not give up. They had one more cure to try.

There was a church in the village where Sigrid’s eldest sister lived. The two men knew people went to the church to ask for prayer and decided to entreat the pastor to pray for Sigrid. This seemed their last chance; they had to take it.

A Miraculous Answer through Prayer and God’s Word

Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Paul willingly followed the two men to pray for Sigrid and soon saw the situation’s severity. The girl’s life hung in the balance. She needed a miracle.

Pastor Paul prayed fervently for Sigrid’s complete healing before leaving to preach the morning service. After the service, he and a few members of the church returned and prayed relentlessly through the night.

As dawn began to break through the night sky, all who were gathered at the house witnessed a miracle: Sigrid asked for a drink of water, after three days of being unable to eat or drink. Then she ate some food. It was a testament to the miracle God was working in her body.

The faithful prayers of the believers were instrumental in Sigrid’s fight for her life. To the amazement of her family, soon Sigrid felt well enough to sit up in bed.

As she began to regain strength, Pastor Paul gave Sigrid God’s Word to read. How quickly Sigrid moved from almost dying to reading the Holy Scriptures out loud to her family and new friends!

“I like to the read [God’s Word],” Sigrid said. “Whenever I read [God’s Word], I [feel] so good.”

She read out loud every morning, every night and often at other times as well. Sigrid would read loudly enough for her family to hear as they went about their household activities during the day, and the whole family would gather to hear her read at the day’s end. Her family marveled at the life-giving words of the Holy Scriptures even as they were blessed by hearing Sigrid’s strong voice read its truths.

“Philippians 4:13, Psalm 103 and Psalm 23 are my favorite [Scriptures], which I read repeatedly,” Sigrid said.

Thanks to the prayers of Pastor Paul and believers from his church, God worked a miracle in Sigrid’s life. She is completely healed and is scheduled to have the tube removed from her chest. Sigrid even walked to church on her own to share the story of her healing.

Read the story of another woman’s miraculous healing due to faithful prayers on her behalf.

Source: Gospel for Asia Field Reports & Updates, Chest Pain Lifted Allows Teen to Read God’s Word Aloud

Learn how to provide at least 20 copies of God’s Word—either as complete Bibles or New Testaments—which will enable many to grow and learn more about Jesus.

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

She Calls Me Dad

Last updated on: June 16, 2021 at 9:08 pm By GFA Staff Writer

by Dr. David R. Mains

She called me Dad. Jessie had come home to celebrate her birthday—she was turning 68. “I know the routine, Dad” she reminded me. (I am 83 years of age.) And immediately, she began to jump in and help my wife, Karen, with tasks that needed doing around the house. My wife hates to run errands. She feels that they can eat up a whole day when she’d rather be accomplishing other kinds of goals—such as meeting writing deadlines.

Jessie had first come to live with us when she was 37 years of age. Homeless. On the streets. A mutual friend brought a very disgruntled young woman to our door. Wearing a leather jacket, she had developed one of the toughest demeanors I’ve ever seen. This was her adaption in order to face down a hostile world. Karen, nevertheless, with a spiritual gift of discernment, understood that beneath Jessie’s rough exterior, there was a beating heart still filled with unaccountable tenderness.

“Yep! On the inside, I’m just a marshmallow,” Jessie says now, describing what we came to discover was the truth. Despite an abusive mother, despite getting into “a lot of bad stuff” as Jessie would say, something true and beautiful, had survived those years as a motorcycle gang moll. Some inner spirit filled with longing for the right kind of love had survived her practiced liturgy of worshiping the dark and satanic.

Karen says that when she opened the door and discovered this tight ball of humanity beside our friend, an unaccountable kind of love flooded her emotions. So, Jessie came to live with us, went through an extensive rehabilitation as part of our family of four growing children. She stayed for six years. She and Jeremy, our youngest son and 10 years old at the time, became great buddies. How could Jessie not thrive with Jer acting as counsellor and life coach. This budding relationship was not only hilarious, it was touching beyond description.

We asked Jessie, on her latest visit home, what she remembered about those years in our house. “Oh, the love. You just loved me, and you loved one another. I also remember that we prayed a lot. I mean a LOT! … Why did you take me in?”

Well, it was obvious. Karen had prayed for help in the house, with the children, with the hated running-errand tasks, with the piles of laundry, and with the dishes in the sink. Who was she to argue with God concerning the way that prayer was answered and how it was packaged?

It occurs to me as we head into another national day that honors the fathers in our lives, that there are many people who become non-biological fathers to displaced folk who desperately need fathers.

Jessie’s transformation to a God-lover, to an ardent Jesus follower (“Oh, Jesus! He’s my life. He means everything to me!” she reported in our recent catching-up conversation.) was framed and formed by living in our not-perfect-by-any-means family, where there was at least a healthy and caring father-figure.

Have you observed that it’s easier for people to form an understanding of a loving God when they have had loving parents? Loving, wise, caring father figures often pave the way for a redemptive path toward God.

So, this Father’s Day, perhaps it would be a good exercise to consider those men who have been father figures in our lives. What teacher gave you crucial and encouraging attention? Did you have a neighbor who taught you how to use his tools? Was there an uncle or a great-uncle who encouraged your faith walk? Was there a Sunday School teacher who let you know he considered that you had much promise?

I had a band teacher in high school, Dan Perino, who took me aside and asked if I had ever considered running for student council president. “If you did, David, you would be sure to win.” In fact, I had never even thought of such an idea. However, I took his nudge seriously, mounted a campaign and to my great surprise, won the election! This was an embryo incident that helped me understand I had qualities in my personality that other people considered “leadership potential.”

Karen says that whenever Jessie calls on the phone and in her gravely voice prays, “DEAR LORD, BLESS KAREN . . .” my wife is always moved to tears.

I know that I am moved deeply when she calls me “DAD.”

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

Read more on Family on Patheos from Gospel for Asia.

A Family’s Mustard Seed of Faith for a Mosquito Net

Last updated on: June 9, 2021 at 8:18 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – GFA World (Gospel for Asia) founded by K.P. Yohannan, whose heart to love and help the poor has inspired numerous charities like GFA World Canada, to serve the deprived and downcast worldwide – Discussing the family of Sesen and Hachirou, their struggle with poverty, and their dire need for a mosquito net met by GFA World Gift Distribution.

Discussing the family of Sesen and Hachirou, their struggle with poverty, and their dire need for a mosquito net met by GFA World Gift Distribution. — Mosquito nets like this one are essential items for families in South Asia. Such a net wasthe answer to Sesen and her family’s prayers.

Sesen lived with her husband, Hachirou, and their three children in a small village. To survive, the family relied on the meager income generated from Hachirou’s job as a plumber and Sesen’s job as a maid, but many of their needs were unmet—like the dire need for a mosquito net to protect themselves from the mosquitoes that swarmed their area.

A Family’s Fighting Faith

The family’s difficult financial situation was hard on them all, but they knew the Lord would provide for their needs. After coming to know Jesus a few years earlier, they had grown in their faith by attending Gospel for Asia (GFA) prayer meetings and church services. Though they faced many challenges and struggled to support themselves, they clung to a mustard seed of hope and kept the faith, always believing God to provide for all of their needs—including their need for a mosquito net.

The Need for a Net, the Grace in a Gift

The family’s small brick house was a single room in which all five of them slept, cooked meals and ate. The cramped quarters were hot and uncomfortable. They tried sleeping on the porch, but the swarms of mosquitoes resulted in restless nights and rampant illness.

With each member of the family getting sick one after another, they were desperate and needed help soon.

One February, in the midst of continued struggle and suffering, the family’s prayers were answered. Pastor Vaclav’s church organized a gift distribution for the local community, in which more than 30 families were given mosquito nets, including Sesen’s. The family was overjoyed!

Sesen brought two nets home and started using them immediately, enabling her and her family to sleep through the night and stay free of illness. Through this act of kindness and the grace of God, Sesen and her family were strengthened in their faith. They witnessed firsthand what a mustard seed of faith—even faith for a mosquito net—can do.

You can provide a family, like Sesen’s, with a long-desired mosquito net that will ease their suffering.

Source: Gospel for Asia Field Reports & Updates, A Family’s Mustard Seed of Faith for a Mosquito Net

Learn more about how generosity can change lives. Through GFA World (Gospel for Asia) and its Christmas Gift Catalog, gifts like pigs, bicycles and sewing machines 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.

Learn more how to save families from the sickening agony or death from malaria through the gift of Mosquito Nets that offer protection from the sting of an infected mosquito and help to give their owner a restful nights sleep.

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

Medical Needs Taken Care of Through Prayer, Goats Received From Gospel for Asia Distribution

Last updated on: June 2, 2021 at 8:02 am By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – GFA World (Gospel for Asia) founded by K.P. Yohannan, has been the model for numerous charities like GFA World Canada, to help the poor and deprived worldwide – Discussing Nadajay, a 45 year old widow, her family’s struggle with poverty and sickness, and the Gospel for Asia distribution of a goat that took care of their medical needs.

One dollar and thirty-eight cents—that was all Nadajay made per day working in the mines. The 45-year-old widow needed to provide for her two sons, but her daily income barely covered living and school expenses, leaving hardly any extra.

But when Nadajay’s 10-year-old son, Adeon, fell ill with a kidney stone, she spared no expense. She wouldn’t lose another son; she couldn’t lose another son.

A Tragic Past, a Region in Need

Discussing a widow & her family's struggle with poverty & sickness, and the Gospel for Asia distribution of a goat that took care of their medical needs. — Goats, like those pictured above, provide much-needed income as families in need can sell their offspring.

Nadajay had already lost her husband and five sons to sickness in the past. Their poverty meant they could not seek proper medical attention—an all-too-common occurrence in Nadajay’s region. People suffered with malaria, jaundice and typhoid, and many could not afford proper treatment.

When Adeon fell ill, Nadajay’s fear and heartache from the past surged to the present. Any spare money she had saved up went to finding relief for her son’s pain. Doctor visits and traditional rituals brought no healing. What if she would lose him, too?

When Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Macalay first arrived in Nadajay’s region, he saw families stricken by poverty and devastated by sickness. He saw the mental and emotional strain on the locals’ faces. He saw the hopelessness and the pain. Pastor Macalay knew these men and women needed love, so he sought to be a beacon of hope for those trapped in destitution and despair.

When Pastor Macalay met Nadajay, she shared with the pastor her grief and troubles. She told him of the tragic passing of her husband and children. Now another son—her youngest, Adeon—lay ill, and nothing she’d done had worked. Please, she asked, pray for my son.

Pastor Macalay did. For the next two weeks, he visited Nadajay’s home, praying for her sick son. And after two weeks of constant prayer, Adeon’s pain vanished. He had been healed.

Blessings for a Widow from Gospel for Asia Distribution

Enormous relief settled in Nadajay’s heart. For nearly a year, worry for Adeon, combined with the pain of the past, had ruled Nadajay’s thoughts. Her attempts had not healed her son, but Pastor Macalay’s prayers did. Why? What was different about the pastor’s prayers that enabled her son to be healed?

She realized it was Christ and His love that had brought healing for Adeon’s body—and to Nadajay’s heart.

She began attending worship services held by Pastor Macalay with other villagers. Together, as one congregation, they grew in the knowledge of Christ’s love and the power of prayer.

A year later, Nadajay received a pair of goats through a Christmas gift distribution. They provided the widow with much-needed income, especially as the number of goats steadily increased from two to 24. Through selling the offspring, she could take care of any medical needs that arose—and get her sons through school and repair a leaky roof.

Nadajay no longer feared for her sons’ survival. Thanks to the faithful prayers of Pastor Macalay, Nadajay now rejoices in the comforting embrace of God’s provision and love.

Read how a booklet helped rescue a widow from her wrecked home.

Source: Gospel for Asia Field Reports & Updates, Medical Needs Taken Care of Through Prayer, Goats

Learn more by reading these Special Reports from Gospel for Asia:

Fighting Global Poverty with Ideas – Uprooting poverty requires education that transmits values
Poverty: Public Enemy #1 – Eliminating Extreme Poverty Worldwide is Possible, But Not Inevitable

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

How a Booklet Distributed by Gospel for Asia Came to Marial’s Rescue

Last updated on: April 1, 2021 at 6:28 am By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, which inspired numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada, to assist the poor and deprived worldwide – Discussing the hardships of poverty and widowhood, and the hope of rescue availed through God’s message revealed from a Gospel for Asia booklet.

After heavy winds collapsed her roof, Marial had no means to purchase the tin sheets needed to repair it. As a result, her home was a poor source of shelter from the winds and rains. When stormy weather returned, Marial was left exposed to the harsh elements.

Discussing the hardships of poverty and widowhood, and the hope of rescue availed through God's message revealed from a Gospel for Asia booklet. — Even though Marial could not read the booklet she was given, it started a conversation that also led to her being able to receive some much needed tin roofs through a GFA Christmas distribution.

Despair wound its way into Marial’s heart as she surveyed her situation. The meager pay she earned as a daily wage laborer was not enough to cover her costs for survival. As a widow living alone, Marial depended on the mercy of neighbors to supply her with whatever food they could spare. She certainly didn’t have money for a new roof.

Sitting in her dilapidated house, Marial wondered if there was a reason to keep living if she was only to be met with hardship and despair. In the midst of her struggles, it seemed there was no one who could rescue her.

Until one day, GFA pastor Dierick came by and offered Marial a booklet.

Gospel for Asia Booklet & A Curious Offer

Marial didn’t accept the booklet because she couldn’t read or write, but she was curious. Speaking with the young pastor, Marial questioned how words in a booklet could possibly have any benefit to someone with her needs for food and shelter.

“This is the Word of God,” GFA Pastor Dierick responded. “In it you will find God’s blessing in your personal life, and you will find true peace in Jesus.”

Questions formed as she considered the pastor’s words. What could this God do to change her situation? The deities to whom she’d prayed faithfully for relief from her destitute situation left her with no response. Was this God any different?

Pastor Dierick patiently answered all Marial’s questions and, before the conversation ended, invited Marial to attend his church.

A Better Gift

“That day, after I listened to the [Good News], I felt peace in my heart,” Marial shared. “I started to think about the words that I heard from the pastor. I started thinking about the love of Jesus and how He came down to earth and shed His precious blood on the cross of Calvary for the redemption of mankind.”

Marial began attending church and learning more about Jesus.

“The Lord indeed spoke to my heart and helped me to understand His divine love,” she said. “I started to spend time in God’s presence, and I prayed to the Lord to meet all my basic needs.”

As she attended church, Marial also learned about GFA’s Christmas gift distribution program. The program provided gifts that helped meet the financial and material needs of families in the community. Knowing her need for a new roof, Pastor Dierick secured a gift of five tin sheets to cover her roofless home.

“I could not believe my ears when I heard that news from the pastor,” Marial said. “With overwhelming joy, I thanked God for answering my prayers.”

Marial came to understand how deeply loved she is through the gift of a booklet, and through the gift of a roof over her head, she experienced God’s provision and was filled with hope for the future.

To learn more about the impact a Christmas gift can have on a family in Asia, read Parbeen’s story.

Source: Gospel for Asia Field Reports & Updates, How a Booklet Came to Marial’s Rescue

Learn more about the GFA World 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.

Learn more about how generosity can change lives. Through Gospel for Asia (GFA World) and its Christmas Gift Catalog, gifts like pigs, bicycles and sewing machines 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.

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