2021-04-30T08:37:21+00:00

Wills Point, Texas – Gospel for Asia Special Report (GFA) – Discussing the troubling problem of the lack of toilets – basic sanitation, and open defecation for millions throughout the world.

What If You Didn’t Have a Toilet?

So I remind myself of toilet scenarios I do know about, then extrapolate some personal situations out to extreme what-ifs. Our home, in which we have lived for 38 years, has its own septic system. During that time, when we had extreme storms, the power would go out. This meant that no water could be pumped from our underground well, and this electric outage disabled our showers, our faucets and our toilets.

I used to store plastic bottles of water so when things went black we could brush our teeth, get dressed by candlelight (since there are no windows in any of our bathrooms), and—get this—flush our toilets. If the power did not come back on for a couple days, the frozen food thawed and an excess of detritus threatened to overflow the toilet basin.

A Squat Outdoor Toilet in Asia - KP Yohannan - Gospel for Asia
A well-cleaned squat toilet in Asia.

So I extrapolate—what if this happened all the time? What if sewer lines broke, became clogged and backed up regularly? What if I lived in poverty and there were no plumbers and no money and no electric company to call to fix our difficulties? What if I had to stand in line to use a communal latrine where flies buzzed, the floor was filthy, someone had evacuated due to acute diarrhea, and no one wanted to clean the mess? Now we’re getting closer.

In the refugee camps of the world, my travel companions and I held ridiculous discussions as to who had invented squat toilets—men or women? Someone shot a photo of me holding a rickety latrine toilet door upright while a woman co-worker trusted me to guard her privacy while she did her business inside. I am laughing, howling with laughter really, at a ridiculous situation, but this is, for most of the world, not a laughing matter.

Extrapolate. What if there was no female friend to hold the door? What if the floor around the squat toilet inside was filthy and you had to pull up your sari and rest the top half of the door against your forehead to keep it from falling? What if you believed that the little structures, dark and dank and scary inside, were really inhabited by demons?

Smelling an overflowing latrine from 20 feet away might persuade even a Westerner to think similarly, even if only metaphorically. In truth, I don’t like the few outhouses I’ve been forced to use in the States, nor many of the spooky national park public facilities, and I certainly avoid, if I can help it, those portable potties hauled in on trucks for public events or construction work sites.

When Your Septic Tank Problems Bring Embarrassment

My last attempt at toilet empathy. About 10 years after we had moved into our home in West Chicago, Illinois, our neighbor across the back yard knocked on the door and apologized for needing to complain about the standing, stinking water that was seeping into his property.

“I think you may be having trouble with your septic system,” he reported, embarrassed to have to point this out.

I called two septic companies. One told me I needed to have the whole septic field replaced; it would cost us $10,000. The other service man diagnosed another problem, but his estimate was about the same as the first. Then I went to the DuPage County Health Department and asked what septic firms they would recommend. I called Black Gold, whose reps complained about the septic map drawn by the original company that laid our field that was now leaking.

“Would the health department let us get away with a layout like this?” he asked his partner. They both obviously thought the field plan had been rendered by some septic idiot. Sure enough, after spending about 45 minutes prodding our three-quarters-of-an-acre lot with long poles, I was informed: “Lady, you don’t need no new septic field. The lines of what’s there ain’t connected to the tank.” His fee was $3,000. I made a garden out of the areas that were torn up by their repairs.

Many people in Asia draw water from smelly, vile ponds - KP Yohannan - Gospel for Asia
Vile, brown liquid that some in Asia count on as their water source.

So what if I lived somewhere that permanently seeped smelly, vile, germ-ridden, brown liquid? What if the river at the back of the land was a running sewer, and my grandchildren couldn’t romp and splash in it? (As one writer vividly describes: “In stagnant reaches, methane bubbles up through the grey-green water, and the stench of rotten eggs—hydrogen sulfide—wafts into homes.”) What if the fields were filled not only with animal feces but the excreta of some 300 neighbors?

You come up with your own empathy-building stories.

Communities Band Together to Improve Sanitation

A family in front of a GFA-provided outdoor toilet and sanitation facility - KP Yohannan - Gospel for Asia
A family in front of a GFA-provided local sanitation facility.

Prime Minister Modi and his teams are sold on community-led initiatives, and so should they be. Change works best when a whole population is committed to seeing it happen.

Elizabeth Royte wrote: “The Indian government is rewarding certified ODF villages by moving them to the front of the line for road or drinking-water improvements. It has launched an advertising campaign that exalts Swachh Bharat mascots, like the 106-year-old woman in Chhattisgarh state who sold seven goats to build two toilets. It has enlisted cricket and Bollywood stars to exhort people to use the new latrines.”

Community development often works best when it is exactly that: an idea that grows out of the mind of some visionary who lives within the locality that has a need, a visionary who is not only capable of strategic thinking but also feels empathy and who is moved by compassion by the people nearby—his or her neighbors. And when a whole community becomes involved in “cleaning up its act,” there are few powers on earth that can withstand such initiative.

Now what’s interesting about Gospel for Asia‘s stories surrounding sanitation is that it is the local pastor in the village, who out of concern and knowing that open defecation is a deadly disease-breeding potential, exercises his compassion to love his neighbors by being concerned about the availability of latrines.

This is an excerpt from one of Gospel for Asia (GFA)‘s stories called “Welcome to Their Toilet” that talks about how one community was forced to use the open fields to defecate because they had no other proper place.

The local GFA pastor, Vidur, understood the villagers’ struggle. He himself had been ministering in the area for more than 10 years. Knowing people’s lives were at risk whenever they used the fields as their toilet, he wished there were a way to help them.

Then he found out Gospel for Asia had started a program to promote sanitation in underprivileged areas. Excited about the opportunity to help his community, he asked his leaders to build four toilets in the village.

That’s when Janya and her husband, Lalan, gladly offered some of their land for one toilet.

In January 2013, when the villagers saw a concrete outhouse rise out of the dusty ground, they poured out their gratitude to Pastor Vidur and the church.

“[This] saved the lives of people from illness,” shared one villager.

Even the village leader expressed thanks. “[The church] is always concerned about the need of people and works hard for a brilliant life for the community,” he said.

What an extraordinary example of love in practical action.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and mind and strength. And love your neighbor as yourself.” —Luke 10:27

On the Brink of Innovations, Change in Sanitation

Toilet technology is on the edge of remarkable, cost-effective, ecologically friendly frontiers. They’re becoming self-cleaning and solar-powered. A solar-powered toilet that converts waste into charcoal that could then be used as fertilizer.

An indoor toilet that works like a garden composter, spinning the contents and reducing odor and the number of dangerous pathogens. Portable rickshaw toilets. A community bio-digester toilet designed to convert human waste into gases and manure. Once ideas begin flourishing, there is no limit to what can happen.

I’m banking on Prime Minister Modi’s ODF Campaign to be successful. The hardest pull of any new effort is most always at the beginning, but once new ideas start rolling, they gather momentum. Some of the new toilet technologies may become catalysts as well.

In addition, there are hundreds of international organizations working on sanitation solution. They understand that one size does not fit all the variables that make up the particulars in this vast discussion, but added all together, it is a prohibitive association with evidence of remarkable dedication.

“And when a whole community becomes involved in ‘cleaning up its act,’ there are few powers on earth that can withstand such initiative.”

A Canadian doctor, one of those “creative renegades” unhappy with the condition of the world and one whom I have come to admire and love, was appointed as a Provincial Health Officer in the highlands of Papua, New Guinea.

While making an aerial survey, he and his team discovered one village that was distinctly cleaner and healthier. Far below them was the evidence of what turned out to be a pastor with some basic health training who had taught his people those lessons, and the difference could be seen from the air. That one flight changed their lives. They began to search for a more integral way of ministering and soon began using and teaching a community health evangelism methodology, which had been developed in Africa.

Sometimes we get lost in the details on the ground. We need to stand back, take deep breaths and find some way to gather broader assessments—some kind of aerial view. Progress is being made; it’s just a little harder in some places than in others. I’m proud that Gospel for Asia is one of the players. Last year, GFA helped provide 10,512 toilets for needy communities throughout Asia.

Shout Out to Toilets!

Christianity has everything to do with sanitation. We serve a God who is expecting us to help restore the world He created to its original design. That is a world, among many other things, without rampaging diseases. One day, Scripture promises, it will be a world without death and suffering. So in this interim, let’s hear a shout out for all the toilets in the world!


Saving Lives at Risk from Open Defecation: Part 1 | Part 2

This article originally appeared on gfa.org

To read more on Patheos on the problem of open defecation, go here.

Go here to know more about Gospel for Asia: Youtube | Twitter | GFA Reports | My GFA | Instagram

For more information about this, click here.

2018-10-23T07:45:38+00:00

The average young adult in America looks forward expectantly to a life free from the rules of home; free to build their future; free to make their own decisions. They look forward to the world of adulthood that they see being living out around them.

This is natural and, therefore, to be expected.

A Life of Willing Sacrifice for the Lord: GFA School of Discipleship - KP Yohannan - Gospel for Asia

However, there are also those who have responded to the call of the Lord to present themselves as a “living sacrifice” forsaking their own dreams to be set apart for His work. The Apostle Paul describes this as their “reasonable service.” (Romans 12:1)

It is not possible to present ourselves as a “living sacrifice” unless we do it as a “willing sacrifice.” Doing so requires an entirely different mindset.

Paul explained that mindset in his letter to the Philippians (Philippians 2:5-8). Although Jesus had all the riches of Heaven to enjoy for all of eternity, He “made Himself of no reputation and took the form of a servant.” This required that He humble himself.

The Creator gave up everything to become a willing sacrifice for us. That is why it is our reasonable service to do the same for Him.

If he gave up everything that we might live, should we not give up everything to live for Him?

The GFA School of Discipleship is one year of willing sacrifice in which students commit to serving the Lord above self.

It all begins with a willingness to present themselves, not to GFA, but to the Lord. The School of Discipleship is simply the instrument the Lord uses to help the willing students understand a true life of willing sacrifice in the Lord’s service.

Students learn under the tutelage and example of GFA staff members. Principles of godly living taught in the classroom are lived out in service and holiness as a lifestyle.

A willing sacrifice is one who chooses to be holy, that is, set apart from the world and unto the Lord. So, what is the School of Discipleship student really sacrificing?

He or she is sacrificing the world and the things of this world – all of which are passing away and are, therefore, nothing to be held onto.

In contrast, they are laying hold of the eternal things of the Lord. They are, thereby, becoming vessels fit for the Master to use to accomplish His purposes.

Is that too big a sacrifice? Many will say it is. Scripture says it is reasonable. “Reasonable” is just another way of saying that it makes sense. And it does.

Are you wondering how the Lord can use you? Are you willing to become a living sacrifice? Read more about the GFA School of Discipleship and prayerfully consider submitting your application to join others whom the Lord is shaping and using.

Want more information? Visit our website and request a free Information Kit.

“I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” –Romans 12:1


To read more posts on Patheos on the GFA School of Discipleship, go here.

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

Go here to know more about Gospel for Asia: Wiki | Flickr | GFA | GFA.org | Facebook

2018-10-06T00:29:38+00:00

One Year That Will Change Your Life Forever - KP Yohannan - Gospel for AsiaThe GFA School of Discipleship may be the most unusual school in America. The school functions in the classical style of discipleship training where students are not just taught but are also mentored.

In New Testament times, formal education ceased at age 13, then a young man would follow a profession, most likely the same as his fathers. If he chose to become a teacher, a scribe, a rabbi, a philosopher or politician, he would enter into a program of study under the tutelage of an experienced leader. In effect, he would become the shadow, imitator and emulation of a teacher, learning not only how to make his living but also how to live according to the values of his master.

Jesus chose 12 men from a variety of backgrounds and occupations to become His disciples during the three years of His earthly ministry. These are the men who first come to mind when Christians hear the word “disciple.”

The point of the process was for them to become like Him—to learn the truth He taught, to apply that truth to shape their values, and to put it into practice in ministry. Unless told to do otherwise, a disciple would follow and study not just the master’s teaching, but the master himself.

The GFA School of Discipleship gives students the opportunity to live within a community of believers whose passion is to love Christ and to serve others. Students become an integral part of that community learning what it means to be committed to Christ, to learn more about Him, and to learn how to live in a more intimate relationship with Him, allowing the Lord to guide their paths.

During their entire experience, these select young people enjoy the privilege of serving others by participating in the ministries of GFA. At the same time, the School of Discipleship is a ministry of GFA to the students.

The three main pillars of this one-year, immersive experience are the study of and submission to God’s Word, making Christ known through missions and evangelism, and personal character transformation.

Jesus told a parable of two men who built their own houses. One built his house on a rock. The other built his house on the sand. When the storms came, the house on the rock stood firm. The other man’s house was destroyed. Jesus called the man who built upon the rock a wise man. The other, he called foolish.

He compared them to people who read the Scriptures. Some read and let the Word inform and transform them. Others read the same scriptures but are unwilling to submit to living like the Master. It was not the rock or the sand that made one man wise and the other a fool. It was the difference in if they let the Word of God change them or not.

That is the point of discipleship. A disciple has a willingness to become like the Master by learning His Word, allowing Him to change us to be more like Him, and to let Him direct our paths so that we serve Him wherever He sends us with His message.

The humble, caring leadership of experienced, dedicated Christian mentors makes the School of Discipleship “one year that will change your life forever.”

To learn more about the School of Discipleship, visit this page on the GFA website.

To read more posts on Patheos on the GFA School of Discipleship, go here.

A free information kit is available online. Simply fill out the form and we’ll get your package on the way.

In the meantime, enjoy this video of Rachael, a former School of Discipleship student, as she tells how she was impacted by her experience.


Sources:

Image Source:


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

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

2018-08-31T19:55:17+00:00

Go Tell It on the Mountains - KP Yohannan - Gospel for Asia
Titus literally has to climb mountains like these to minister to people in churches in this area, as well as villages that have never heard the Good News.

Gospel for Asia (GFA World), Wills Point, Texas – Discussing Titus, who literally has to climb mountains on foot to minister to people.

When Jesus told His disciples that His plan was for them to go into all the world, He meant ALL the world (see Matthew 28:19–20). Starting with the first 11 and Paul, followers of Jesus have been going wherever they need to go to share Christ’s love.

Whether that’s to our neighbors or whether it’s to people living across the globe in a far, distant country, they all have one thing in common: They need to hear about Jesus. The Bible says that whoever chooses to believe in and follow Him shall be saved (see Romans 10:13). But that Scripture verse is followed by several questions that must be answered honestly by every Christian. Not the least of these questions is “How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?”

Titus is a GFA-supported pastor who wanted to share Jesus’ love with others since he was just a young boy. Both of his parents had become gravely ill when a pastor visiting people in his village came to Titus’ home, shared about Jesus, and prayed that his mother and father would be healed. When the Lord answered that prayer, the entire family responded positively to the Good News.

Titus pastors a thriving church and has already established two other fellowships in the mountains. He literally has to climb mountains to minister to people. Many homes, like those in the photo above, can be visited by foot. The only access to these mountain people is on footpaths, many of which are extremely steep and difficult to climb.

Some of the people in these homes and villages don’t want to be reached. They covet their isolation. They don’t want to be bothered by anyone from the outside. For many, it may provide a feeling of security. Titus knows that he has the real security these people need and that it can be found only in Jesus. He also knows they will never hear about Jesus unless someone goes to them and tells them.

It doesn’t matter to Titus that he will spend a goodly part of his long day climbing the mountainsides and descending into the valleys when no one has heard . Rejection is difficult for any of us, but imagine how we would feel if we had spent hours trekking up a steep mountainside to visit with people and they refuse to welcome us.

Titus understands that some of us sow the Word of God without seeing any fruit. He knows that our responsibility is to go and tell. In God’s infinite wisdom, He guides our footsteps—a good thing to know when climbing steep mountain trails—and His Holy Spirit convinces the hearts of those who will listen.

He may have to climb that mountain—and the next one, and the one after that—many times before those who hear call upon the name of the Lord. And so he goes. Day after day and mile after mile to tell others about the one person they need to know. His name is Jesus.

The fact that the church he pastors and the fellowships he has started are thriving is evidence that, despite his weary body and his worn-out shoes, the Lord is bringing the increase wherever this ordinary man ventures out to introduce people to the Jesus of whom they have never heard.

Please add Titus and those like him to your prayers. Pray that as they makes their difficult treks, God’s grace would be sufficient and that their feet will become even more beautiful as they shares the Lord’s love with others.

As you pray, ask the Lord where He would have you go to minister His Word. It may be next door. You may not have to climb high mountains to get there, but the Lord will consider your feet to be as beautiful as Titus’.

=====

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

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

2019-08-09T23:01:34+00:00

Widowhood is a State of Social Death Asserts Gospel for Asia - KP Yohannan - Gospel for Asia
In places where traditional women missionaries face persecution, Sisters of Compassion are welcomed as trustworthy counselors and friends of the community.

Widowhood.

No one can imagine the pain that follows the death of a spouse until they have experienced it. Suffice it to say that the only way to describe that pain is that it is, indeed, unimaginable. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you live, the indescribable pain of the loss lingers long after you expect it to.

Two Scripture verses have been a comfort to me as I have experienced the pain of which we speak. One is from the Old Testament; the other from the New.

“A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, Is God in His holy habitation.”
(Psalm 68:5)

“Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”
(James 1:27)

A Biblical perspective on widowhood is essential for Christians everywhere. As followers of Jesus, we have a sacred responsibility to care for and comfort widows. This is especially true in some Asian nations where widows are treated as outcasts.

In some of the poorest regions of these countries, widows are a burden. In times past, they would be burnt alive while their husbands’ bodies were cremated. Today, many widows are made to leave their families and forced to beg in the streets. Some are sent away by their husbands’ families who want to prevent them from inheriting money or property. Despite legislation aimed at protecting widows, regressive customs are difficult to overcome.

The treatment of women in general and widows, in particular, is nothing new. Even during his earthly ministry, Jesus condemned the Jewish scribes and Pharisees for devouring widow’s houses (see Mark 12:38-40). Mistreatment of widows is common, especially in developing countries and in places where Christian compassion is nonexistent.

One source observed that widows in India have a “pronoun problem.” The estimated 40 million women widows in the country go from being called “she” to “it” when they lose their husbands.

Mohini Giri, a former Nobel Peace Prize nominee, says that “Widowhood is a state of social death,” and women are forced to live with “many restrictions which affect them both physically and psychologically.” In many cases, they are forbidden from working or associating with mainstream society.

Widows are trapped in an emotional prison because of the bad luck they are thought to bring. According to Hopegivers, a faith-based non-profit organization, widows are “easily set aside, much like you would toss out an old chair. But that is not God’s way. All lives have value, regardless of age, gender, or circumstances. He has a plan and purpose for every person – and that plan and purpose exist until death.”

These are some of the reasons why one of the major ministries of GFA-supported Sisters of Compassion is caring for widows throughout widowhood.

With hearts that ache for hurting widows, Sisters of Compassion honor them by sharing the love of Jesus, providing clothing and other basic essentials, teaching them income-generating skills, and providing them with the tools necessary to use those skills.

Sisters of Compassion are specially trained women missionaries with a deep burden of showing Christ’s love by physically serving the needy, underprivileged and poor. After completing Bible college—and sometimes several years of ministry—they go through an advanced six-month course of study, learning about leprosy care, family counseling, hygiene education and other practical ministries.

Before these women missionaries re-enter the field, they don a uniform of humility. Made of handspun fabric, the traditional saris they wear mirror the clothing once worn by the lowliest servants in Asia, immediately showing everyone that the women missionaries have come without any agenda but to love others. Although it looks foreign to Western eyes, their uniform has a special and easily recognized meaning in Asia. Over the years, women from many Christian denominations have taken on this uniform to demonstrate a desire to serve the needy without thought of personal gain.

In places where traditional women missionaries face persecution, Sisters of Compassion are welcomed as trustworthy counselors and friends of the community. With this acceptance, they freely share Christ’s love where they otherwise couldn’t even set foot.

Sisters of Compassion are eagerly welcomed as caregivers, counselors, teachers and friends. Without the uniform, they would be greeted with speculation.

The Sisters of Compassion are a select group of women missionaries who have chosen to participate in extra training and to spend three years working among the widows, orphans, lepers and others living in abject poverty and in need of the love and care that others are withholding from them simply by ignoring them.

Demonstrating compassion is, in and of itself, the calling of every believer. However, it is the miracles the Lord does through our compassion that best demonstrate His care.

Perhaps the best way to understand the plight of widows in Asia and the impact of Sisters of Compassion is to watch this short excerpt from the acclaimed movie, “Veil of Tears.” Our prayer is that it will touch and break your heart and stir you to pray for this special ministry  supported by GFA. Please take just five minutes to let the Lord open your eyes to the need and to the sacrificial and caring work of the Sisters of Compassion among the widows.

For more on the plight of widows and widowhood, go here.

For more on Sisters of Compassion go here.

=====

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

Go here to know more about Gospel for Asia: Facebook | Youtube | Twitter | GFA Reports | My GFA

2018-06-30T02:18:56+00:00

You can supply a bible to needy people in Asia - KP Yohannan - Gospel for Asia
You can supply a bible to needy people in Asia! Click this image to find out how.

Every worker needs to be equipped with the tools to do their job. The most important thing when selecting a tool is to get the right tool for the job. Since the creation of Gospel for Asia, we have devoted ourselves to sharing God’s great love for the people of Asia.

Over the years, our partners have given generously to supply important tools for national workers ministering to the needs of those in Asia. Together we have been able to help supply much-needed tools, such as bicycles, projector kits, lanterns, generators, flip charts, mobile public-address systems and vehicles.

Each local worker has different needs, often depending upon where they live and minister. The right tools for a national worker in an urban area may be expected to be different than that for another in a remote village. The right tools for ministering in mountainous regions may be different still. However, there is one tool that is the right tool—even the most important tool—for any type of ministry. That tool is the Bible.

We live in a culture where having a Bible is pretty well taken for granted. Even those who are not Christians know Bible stories, often learned when young children. But the workers we help support in Asia are ministering in regions where not everyone is familiar with the Scriptures nor are copies readily available to them in their own language.

The Bible is the direct Word of God. Peter describes the writing of Scripture as never coming “by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21).

The Bible is the living Word of God. The writer of Hebrews says that “The Word of God is living and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

The Bible is the everlasting Word of God. The writers of the synoptic Gospels quoted Jesus saying that “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away” (Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33).

The Bible is the tool that leads to faith in God. “How shall they call on Him who they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they not hear without a preacher?” And “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:14,17).

The Bible is the tool that helps us grow in faith. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17).

Many in Asia do not have a Bible. They don’t simply lack a book, they lack a treasure that is filled with wisdom, instruction, encouragement and glimpses of the heart of their Creator. They are unable to search Scripture for themselves, and they have no way of sharing His Word with others.

Do you realize what the Word of God can do to change someone’s life for eternity? Surely, you know, but do you really understand? Here is the difference a Bible made in the lives of one young couple in Asia.

One Father's Offer: Get 6 Years of Salary If You Just Reject Jesus - KP Yohannan - Gospel for Asia
You can share a Bible and the Word of God with Asia! Click this image to find out how.

Mahabala and his wife, Nitara, were unable to get a Bible in their own language. New in their love for Christ, they had no fellow believers to help them grow spiritually.

Adding even more hardship, Mahabala’s parents kicked them out of the family home because of their new faith.

Then they met Timothy, a GFA-supported national missionary. To encourage them, Timothy gave them a Bible provided through friends of GFA. They were so delighted to receive the Word of God, and they faithfully read it every day. They also began to attend worship services. As a result, their fellowship with Him increased day by day, and they became strong in their faith.

Then their commitment to Christ was severely tested. After Mahabala’s father kicked them out of his home, he used his influence to get his son fired. With the loss of Mahabala’s salary, the couple began selling their jewelry to pay the rent. In their culture, this was the last step before turning to begging.

But Mahabala’s father made an offer: If they would reject Jesus, he would give them the equivalent of 18 months of Mahabala’s previous salary. When Mahabala didn’t respond, his father doubled and quadrupled his offer. Yet Mahabala and Nitara decided to hold firm in their faith, even if it meant living in poverty.

You see, they had learned from their new Bible that their true riches were stored up in heaven and that following Christ was worth more than gaining the whole world.

Only God’s Word has that kind of power. His heart is for His Word to be known by new believers like Mahabala and Nitara—and by those who do not yet know He loves them so much He sent His Son to die in their place.

=====

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

Go here to know more about Gospel for Asia: GFA.net | Wiki | Flickr | GFA

2018-06-21T18:47:42+00:00

Remarkable Fathers - KP Yohannan - Gospel for Asia“You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not!” (Luke 11:11–12 NLT)

One of Jesus’ disciples had asked Him to teach them how to pray. On that occasion, Jesus gave them a format for prayer that some call “The Lord’s Prayer” and others refer to as “The Model Prayer.” Christ’s comment quoted above serves as an exclamation of how remarkable our Heavenly Father is.

Having just taught them to ask God for daily sustenance, Jesus used the illustration of how earthly fathers would respond to the same request from their own sons. He reasoned with them that if a father would gladly give his children the essentials of life how much more would a thrice-holy Father respond in goodness, grace and kindness?

We can infer that Jesus expected even sinful fathers would treat their children with kindness, although that kindness could not compare to the remarkable love of our Father in Heaven.

The Measure of a Remarkable Father

It doesn’t take a lot of Googling to discover that there is very little information about how to measure a father’s performance or success. That begs the question, then, of how to measure remarkable. A definition of the distinguishing adjective turned out to be a good starting point.

Good fathering - KP Yohannan - Gospel for AsiaRemarkable means “notably or conspicuously unusual” and “worthy of notice or attention.” That being the case, it occurred to me the measurement of a remarkable father is done not by rank or percentile, but by comparison. That turns out to be fortunate for another reason. The only meaningful and applicable statistics on fathering appear to be relative to poor fathering. Governments, institutions and agencies don’t seem to measure good.

Good fathering is most easily defined as not being characterized by bad fathering. However, good fathering is significant because “About 80 percent of the world’s men and boys will become fathers in their lifetime. Their actions throughout their children’s lives can have profound effects for the good.” Here is a sampling of fathering statistics from the 2017 State of the World’s Fathers, prepared by MenCare, a global campaign to promote men and boys’ involvement as equitable, non-violent caregivers.

  • Between 133 and 275 million children per year witness different forms of violence in their home.
  • One-third of women around the world experience violence from “a male partner.”
  • 75 percent of children aged 2–14 experience “violent discipline” in the home.
  • Men who witness or experience violence as children are about 2.5 times more likely than others to perpetuate violence against partners later in life.

Assuming the correctness and continuity (no change in percentages) of the foregoing statistics, we would expect that more than 687 million men will be violent fathers in their homes by 2029.

Other compelling statistics that does not bode well for successful fathering come from the National Center for Fathering.

  • There are more than 24 million married fathers with children in the U.S.
  • The number of single-father households increased nearly nine-fold from 1960 to 2011 to 2.7 million.
  • The number of children with a father in prison increased by 77 percent from 881,500 in 1991 to 1.5 million in 2007.
  • 25 percent of working fathers spend less than an hour a day with their children.

A 2009 report from the National Center reported that:

  • Only 64 percent of those polled believed that American fathers “have a good picture of what it takes to be a good father.”
  • Only half believe that most fathers know “what is going on in their children’s lives.”
  • 97 percent believe that fathers need to be “more involved in their children’s education.”

The Missing Remarkable Fathers

The greatest amount of available statistical information about fathers documents the impact of absentee fathers. According to National Kids Count, 25 percent of children under the age of 18 live in a fatherless, single-parent home. That equates to 18 million children. Regardless of individual circumstances and outcomes, an article entitled “Statistics on Fatherless Children in America” sagely observes that:

Father Facts - KP Yohannan - Gospel for Asia

“Children who grow up in fatherless homes have a greater risk of major challenges in life than those who grow up with a father at home.”

The U.S. Justice Department states that children from homes where there is no father present comprise:

  • 63 percent of all youth suicides
  • 70 percent of all juveniles in state-operated detention centers
  • 71 percent of all high school dropouts
  • 75 percent of all adolescents in substance abuse treatment
  • 80 percent of all rapists
  • 85 percent of all children exhibiting behavioral disorders
  • 90 percent of all runaways and homeless youth

Although the numbers may vary from one report to another, regardless of the organization compiling data, any variant stats are well within each other’s margin of error. And the statistics are disturbing.

In the face of discouraging data, it is interesting to discover that most fathers don’t think they are doing a good job, let alone a remarkable job. According to the Centers for Disease Control, only 21.3 percent of 7,327 fathers polled believe that they are doing “a very good job.” In other words, a job that would distinguish them from others and, therefore, being remarkable.

  • 32.3 percent believed they are doing “a good job.”
  • 22.6 percent believed they are doing “an okay job.”
  • 23.8 percent believed they are “not doing a very good job.”

There is also encouragement from numerous surveys, including one from Woke Daddy that indicate that 62 percent of fathers want to do a better job of being a father.

The Making of Remarkable Fathers

We are now positioned to reason about our definition of “remarkable” as it applies to fatherhood. It would be specious to compare remarkable only to the statistical evidence of the state of fatherhood. What we can infer is that our society is in desperate need of remarkable fathers. Remarkable is not defined as not being numbered among the masses of delinquent fathers or even among the 21.6 percent who believe that they are doing a very good job.

The Making of Remarkable Fathers - KP Yohannan - Gospel for AsiaRemarkable means “notably or conspicuously unusual.” That is above and beyond good or very good. We must establish a standard of what constitutes “conspicuously unusual.” Luke 11:13 is a good place to start. Without pausing, Jesus continued His illustration saying, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Heavenly Father give?”

The standard for being a “remarkable father” is God the Father. Jesus did not hesitate to refer to His own disciples as “evil” fathers. He did not intend this to be a slap in their face. He was simply pointing out the truth. Peter, one of those to whom Christ spoke, recognized that the first step to becoming a remarkable father is to “be holy” (I Peter 1:16). In fact, Jesus asked the Father to “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth” (John 17:17).

Jesus asked the Father to make these “evil” fathers—and those of us who have followed—remarkable by their holiness and unity with Himself and our Heavenly Father.

It is important to emphasize that there is nothing in this context that would suggest that being a Christian is enough to be or equals being a remarkable father. It is simply a starting point because it positions earthly fathers with imputed righteousness and with the power of the Holy Spirit to become actively holy by forsaking the ways of the world and pursuing the purity of holiness.

The first and major “conspicuously unusual” measure for being a remarkable father is to be a born-again believer pursuing a holy life.

The evidence of a remarkable father is in that father’s faith, virtuous life, knowledge of the Word, self-control, perseverance, godliness, kindness and love.

“For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful” (2 Peter 1:5–8).

While the demonstration of these traits are distinctives of a remarkable father, they are that because they are first the characteristics of a remarkable person—one who has denied himself to follow Christ.

The Mistake of Searching for Remarkable Fathers

A search for truly remarkable fathers could be the wildest goose chase in history. It all comes back to being “conspicuously unusual.” That implies that our standard for measurement is how we compare to other fathers. How do we measure that?

The Mistake of Searching for Remarkable Fathers - KP Yohannan - Gospel for AsiaWhile presence is certainly a factor, several men at a meeting I attended a few years ago about fatherhood might be inclined to disagree based on their horrendous experiences with “present fathers.” Nearly any other factor would be highly subjective as most personal comparisons are.

So, after having pursued the “conspicuously unusual” as remarkable, it’s time to turn the definition of remarkable on its head.

While we have used Scripture sparingly, both writer and readers know that there are many more passages that could help define the Lord’s acceptance of a remarkable father. In fact, that is the point. The only reliable measure of a remarkable father is the Word of God. The Word of God is truth, it is objective, and its standards never change. It is the Living Word of God who will ultimately judge our conformity to His image.

Many were offended by things Jesus said during His earthly ministry. He spoke frankly and in ways that were necessary to “expose people for who they really were and eliminate their pretentions to goodness.”[1]

Many are offended by the Word today because it is “a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, and there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to who we must give account” (Hebrews 4:12b–13).

Things That Matter

To be sure, there are things that matter to be an effective father if not a remarkable father. We may not be able to accurately measure our success as a father because, ultimately, our children become accountable for their own lives. Dr. James Dobson once described parenthood as the launching pad from which our children lift off. Our job is to ensure they are ready for launch when it is time for them to launch.

There are many aspects of fatherhood we can embrace that will keep the missile stable in preparation for launch. Those include, but are not limited to:

  1. Things That Matter - KP Yohannan - Gospel for Asia

    Loving the Lord and evidencing it by living for Him. Only then will a father be able to effectively teach Biblical principles and watch their children embrace them in their lives.

  2. Loving the children’s mother. Their children must see that, whatever the situation, he always values her and treats her with respect and love.
  3. Openly admitting failure and accepting that failure is not final.
  4. Unconditional love and acceptance. A remarkable father loves his children—no matter what—and is a support and an encourager.
  5. Compassion and understanding. Realizing that the children will make mistakes, empathizing with them when they do, and using those occasions not to berate them but to guide them toward understanding the consequences of bad choices and to teach them how to make better ones.
  6. Being a protector. It is an ugly, sinful world out there with children surrounded by temptation and misinformation.
  7. Believing in them even when no one else does.
  8. Having a servant’s heart. Being a father is not about being a dominant, demanding force to be reckoned with. A father is servant of God who has the privilege of raising children to be His servants as well.
  9. Able to demonstrate the power of God working in his life, not just having a form of godliness. A father can instruct in all manner of good things, but it he does not demonstrate the power of God in a life that is remarkably different, what he has taught will be questioned at best and potentially be completed disregarded.
  10. Being sure and steadfast in faith, trust and obedience without question.

The Sum of the Matter

Being a remarkable father boils down to being a man who loves the Lord God with all his heart and soul and strength. When it is the aim of a man to bring honor and glory to God in all that he does, he will be a remarkable father, because, by God’s standards, he will be a remarkable man. Because he searches the Scripture so that the Scripture searches him, he will be continually learning how to be a remarkable father.

It would be naïve to believe that all Christians are remarkable fathers. It would be just as naïve to believe that we can judge who is and who is not a remarkable father. Even if we limited our search to Christian fathers, our path would eventually bend in the direction others have. Even in the best of fathers, we would find their flaws and evaluate them based on those flaws.

Every earthly father, even the best is flawed. But we can continue to press toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, allowing Him to shape us into better fathers.

Our time would be best served not by searching for remarkable fathers but by being them.

=====

For more about Fathers on Patheos, go here.

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

Go here to know more about Gospel for Asia: GFA.net | Wiki | Flickr | GFA | GFA.org


Sources:

[1] Table Talk, Ligonier Ministries, April 2018, page 52

For a good story or a father’s recovery from alcoholism, go here.

2018-11-07T22:27:46+00:00

Wills Point, Texas – GFA (Gospel for Asia) – Women hold up half the sky, and other mother’s day topics from Karen Mains, Gospel for Asia blog contributor

The recent death of Barbara Bush—a consummate mother and grandmother—reminded me of learning plug-ins that can also dramatically shift the future trajectory of others. There have only been two women who have been both the wife of a President of the United States and a mother of a President of the United States. Abigail Adams was one; Barbara Bush was the other.

The news media has spent an amazing amount of time in tributes and testimonies of friends and political associates about this woman who died at age 92. In fact, I can’t remember another president’s wife (not even Jacqueline Kennedy) who, upon death, has received so many accolades. Most comment on her warmth and hospitality, her acerbic wit, her political instincts, the way she “called it as she saw it,” and the long love affair with her husband of 73 years, George H. W. Bush.

Some have dubbed Barbara Bush “America’s Matriarch.” When asked why she had gained America’s favor, she replied, “My mail tells me that a lot of fat, white-haired, wrinkled ladies are tickled pink. I mean, look at me—if I can be a success, so can they.” When the Bushes left the White House, she had an astonishing 86 percent approval rating.

The recent death of Barbara Bush…reminded me of learning plug-ins that can also dramatically shift the future trajectory of others.

What impresses me about Barbara Bush is the interest she had in illiteracy before she came to the White House, during her time as the president’s wife, and after he lost the election for a second term. This would be an example of a “plug-in” educational issue, learning not demanding formal schooling but absolutely essential for the future success of a growing child. One needs to know how to read.

Bush helped to pass the National Literacy Act, which focused on teaching millions of American adults to read, and she also founded the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, which encouraged reading and writing in low-incomes households (for both child and parent). Partnering with local organization, more than $110 million has been made available for the purpose of expanding literacy programs across the country. According to ProLiteracy, just in the United States:

  • 36 million adults cannot read or write above the third-grade level.
  • 68 percent of literacy programs are struggling with long waiting lists, and less than 10 percent of adults in need are receiving service.
  • Children whose parents have low literacy levels have a 72 percent chance of being at the lowest reading levels themselves. These children are more likely to get poor grades, display behavioral problems, have high absentee rates, repeat school years, or drop out.
  • Low literacy costs the U.S. $225 billion or more each year in non-productivity in the work force, crime and loss of tax revenue due to unemployment.
  • 43 percent of adults with the lowest literacy levels live in poverty.
  • 75 percent of state prison inmates did not complete high school or can be classified as low literate.

One needs to know how to read. Using the local church again as a baseline because of its parish membership consisting predominately of people who are concerned about the good and about doing good, what if five volunteers from each church in a town or village or rural hamlet or big city would seek to take tutoring training for helping parents (and their kids) develop reading skills—what could happen? What if that team of five people found out what kind of waiting list existed in their communities and then began to recruit reading tutors from their social affiliations to reduce the list? What if . . .?

Ten years ago, David and I received a letter from a friend, an M.D., who with his wife, a nurse, returned home from Africa where they had been working in the HIV/AIDS epidemic to co-lead Medical Ambassadors International, a faith-based, world health organization. The letter read: “We are wondering if either Karen or David would be able to serve on the board of MAI. Particularly, we are wondering if Karen would be able to serve because our board of directors is all men, and we need to find capable women who are experienced and qualified to work along with them.”

Well, who could resist an invitation such as that? I gladly agreed to serve on the board of MAI. Every year, the International Council (IC), field leaders from all over the planet, of all nationalities, gather in the States to confer with one another, visit their supporting donors and attend an international health conference that has value to all. At the very first IC gathering I attended, preceded by a directors’ meeting, I chatted with the woman who had graciously opened her home to our group of about 35 people and was also, with a team of volunteers (some wives of the board members), providing our meals.

“Oh, I want to show you something,” she said and pulled her laptop computer to a clear spot in her very crowded dining room. It was a home video of a teaching in another country involving local women.

“This is the Women’s Cycle of Life teaching unit,” she explained.

I knew some things about MAI, but my learning curve was to be long and arduous in the days ahead. I knew that Medical Ambassadors had moved from the clinic-treatment model to a preventive-health care model that prevented some 80 percent of the diseases before they became clinical. I had even taken a week-long training of trainers session that exposed me to the non-lecture teaching methodology that had been developed, field tested across the world, enculturated and, at this time, was present for the taking-down off the web free to all—some thousands of lessons. I also knew that the teaching model was based on a participatory model, not a lecture model, incorporated dramatic enactments by the students, was designed using orality principles because many of those being trained were either illiterate or semi-illiterate.

Using a system of questions, the trainees discovered answers to the health lessons for themselves. This process gave them a heightened sense of ownership. Charlene, the designer of the Women’s Cycle of Life (WCL), had been a former public health nurse and had adapted many of those lessons she taught in her California job to the Medical Ambassadors teaching formula, called CHE (Community Heath Education). In essence, WCL was everything a woman needed to know about her own body, her own health, her own reproductive system from the womb to the tomb.

“How much is this being used internationally?” I wondered and gathered from her response that the answer was, “Not much.”  My next question was: “What does this need to go international?” We talked about it a little and decided that a WCL international director funded full-time would give the program the boost it needed, at least as a start. At the next board meeting, I spoke to my new friends around the table, who indeed, were all men, all well-meaning, intelligent and good hearted.

Women hold up half the sky according to the Chinese proverb.

“Do you know what we are sitting on? I mean, after all, women hold up half the sky according to the Chinese proverb.”

It didn’t take much advocacy, and in an amazingly short time, a director was hired: a nurse who had a Ph.D. in community health. She launched the WCL training of trainers and started pushing the Women’s Cycle of Life program outside its U.S. confinements.

I had nothing to do with developing this program, knew nothing about the program, but was in the right place at the right time to become an advocate for the program. Women’s Cycle of Life has gone worldwide. Men from many countries watching their wives learning from WCL have requested something similar: a men’s cycle of life.

I’m proud of the gentlemen sitting at that Board of Directors table who so quickly responded to my prodding. Being an advocate for the Women’s Cycle of Life program is one of the best things I’ve done in my whole life.

Being an advocate for the Women’s Cycle of Life program is one of the best things I’ve done in my whole life. As WCL was launching, the field director in Ethiopia, a woman—whom I told rides her motorcycle through traffic in Addis Ababa—along with the wife of the executive director of MAI trialed a program for women. In two sessions, some 42 women were invited for a week-long WCL training. For many, this was the first time they had left their homes, had someone else cook their meals or stayed in a dormitory setting with other women. They gobbled up the training, and because they were Christians, they were impacted by the Scripture integrated into each unit of teaching—childbirth, for instance, conception, hygiene, etc. After four months, oral interviews were conducted (many on camera) with those who had received the WCL training. Those 42 women had taught a cumulative total of some 1,600 lessons to other women.

Now, if I were going to radically transform Mother’s Day (which realistically, I know I probably won’t be able to do), I would ask some well-meaning families who love their moms to reconsider taking some of that $23.6 billion retailer’s spend on Mother’s Day and use it in a way that really, really, really makes a difference for other remarkable mothers, or remarkable mothers-to-be, or the mothers who want to be remarkable all around the world.

I’d encourage a look into literacy training in an interested party’s home town.

I’d check out Nicholas Kristoff and Cheryl Wu Dunn’s book, A Path Appears, which in 315 pages gives examples of ordinary people doing extraordinary things in the States and across the world. Pages 316-317 list “Six Steps You Can Take in the Next Six Minutes”, one of which is “Consider supporting an early childhood program.  That might mean giving to Reach out and Read, which for $20 can take on a new child and introduce him or her to the joys of reading.” Then, this husband and wife writing team provide comprehensive lists of organizations they trust as suggestions for further involvement (other than just Mother’s Day).

You know, there are other possibilities we might explore as a family this Mother’s Day.

Or a woman might say to herself, You know, there are other possibilities we might explore as a family this Mother’s Day.

Go to the Gospel for Asia website, www.gfa.org and order a free copy of the book No Longer a Slumdog, which tells the incredible story of India’s neglected and forgotten slum children. Reading this book is a means of educating yourself as far as the incredible difficulties of slum children in India and the possibilities that exist to sponsor one of these desperate children who have little hope and a very bleak future without intervention through education in a Bridge of Hope center.

I will never forget the day, visiting in Calcutta, walking down the busy streets and seeing a boy, about eleven years of age, sleeping alone on the hard, concrete sidewalk. I promise you that this book, written by Dr. KP Yohannan, will give you a heart of passion for the “slumdogs” of the world.

Then map out a Mother’s Day plan. Figure out how you or your friends or your women’s group or your mother and your daughter who is also a mother can transform this day so that it is really special.

Let me know what you do.

Let me know what you think.

=====

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

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

Read my prior two blogs on this topic: Part 1 | Part 2

 

2023-02-01T04:33:57+00:00

Gospel for Asia (GFA), Wills Point, Texas, Special Report 4/4 on a Christ-like response to the global clean water crisis.

What Scripture Has to Say About Water

It is intriguing, in light of the fact that 71 percent of our Earth is covered by water, that Scripture has a great deal to say on the topic. One commentator suggests that water is mentioned 722 times in the Bible. This total is less than the mentions of God, Jesus, heaven or love, but more than faith, hope, prayer or worship. In Genesis it says: “A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters The name of the first is Pishon … The name of the second river is the Gihon … The name of the third river is the Tigris … And the fourth river is the Euphrates.”

For those of us with a Sunday School background, the stories dealing with water are memorable: Moses parting the Red Sea as the children of Israel fled the pursuing chariots of the Egyptians. Moses striking the rock at Horeb so that water flowed in the wilderness to satisfy the thirst of the people and of their flocks.

Refugees wait for water in a camp in Dadaab, Somalia - KP Yohannan - Gospel for Asia
Refugees waiting to get water and satisfy their thirst in a camp in Dadaab, Somalia.

Wells are central stages for story-telling dramas: Abraham’s servant finds a bride for Isaac after praying near a well, “Oh, Lord God of my master, Abraham, give me success today and show kindness to my master.” Jesus declares His spiritual authority to a Samaritan woman by a well. “Will you give me a drink?” He asks, to begin a dialogue with her, and then eventually He declares, “But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14, NIV).

Rivers are forded, oases with pools satisfy weary nomads and their families, and always, over and over, water is used as an example of God’s blessing. “And the LORD will continually guide you, and satisfy your desire in scorched places, and give strength to your bones. And you will be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail” (Isaiah 58:11, NASB).

Water is used as an example of the sacramental, where the holy mixes mysteriously with the physical. People flock to John the Baptist in the wilderness to be baptized for the forgiveness of their sins: “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3:11, NIV).

The heavens open after Jesus is baptized, the Spirit descends in the bodily form of a dove, and a voice is heard declaring, “You are My beloved Son; in you I am well-pleased” (Luke 3:22, NKJV).

Water is a symbol of cleansing, not only in a physical sense but in a spiritual sense. Jesus walks on the water. He teaches by the shores of the seas. Some of His disciples are fishermen who gained their livelihood from waters’ depths. In the last chapters of Revelation, which many theologians feel is a prophetic picture of Eden being restored again, these words bring the water theme to a close. Revelation 22, the last chapter of the Bible, the first verse: “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb.”

A Christ-like Response to the Global Clean Water Crisis

It is a comfort, to know the fragility of our water sources around the globe is taken into account. Because of community involvement and the compassion of pastors from Believers Eastern Church and other affiliate organizations, Dr. K.P. Yohannan spearheaded the “Jesus Well” project among some of the neediest regions in India, even small villages across Asia, spanning multiple Asian nations. In 2016 alone, Gospel for Asia was able to help provide 6,822 wells. That is 6,822 sources of clean, fresh drinking water. Gospel for Asia (GFA) supporters around the world have allowed the rate of installation of Jesus Wells to continue and to remain consistent, with tens of thousands of wells drilled and constructed in the past several years. Now, the Jesus Well project is one of the largest clean water initiatives in the world.

A Jesus Well is being dug in India - KP Yohannan - Gospel for Asia
A Jesus Well is being drilled next to a church building. This is the first well dug in the village.

Here, there are no broken wells laying waste and abandoned because well-meaning but neglectful charities dug wells that villagers could not maintain or repair. Jesus Wells are maintained in good repair by Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported local pastors. In fact, wherever possible, the wells are dug near local churches, not simply so that they will be maintained, but so that the beneficiaries will recognize that our love for them is genuine, because everyone is able to drink freely—no matter their income or social background.

Digging a Jesus Well supports the local economy, because local labor and materials are used to drill the wells. This keeps costs low, often even seven times lower than wells installed by other organizations.

Jesus Wells are drilled up to 650 feet deep to ensure a continuous supply of clean water. They can last for 20 years and provide clean water for an average of 300 people every day. Some wells serve even more at a cost of $1400 apiece, and provide practical solutions to our global clean water crisis.

Watch a time-lapse video of an Asian village using a Jesus Well »

BioSand water filters provide 98% pure drinking water - KP Yohannan - Gospel for Asia
Though simple in construction, BioSand water filters are easy to use and provide water that is 98 percent pure.

In regions where water might be available, but it’s just not safe to drink, Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported workers provide BioSand water filters. These simple structures—locally built from concrete, sand and rocks—filter the water to remove impurities, providing water for drinking and cooking that is 98 percent pure. In 2016, Gospel for Asia (GFA) provided 14,886 BioSand water filters for families and individuals.

Gospel for Asia published a story in 2016 that shared the paradox faced by four villages in one region of South Asia. These communities faced severe water shortage during the hot, summer months, but in the rainy monsoon season their water sources were contaminated by chemicals. Their situation was an echo back to Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s poem: “Not a drop to drink.” Local congregations in the region were concerned about the people and their need for clean water, and in 2014, Gospel for Asia (GFA) helped drill four Jesus Wells to provide safe, pure water for these villages. By God’s grace, there are now more than 5,000 people who benefit from these wells!

Christ-like Response to the Global Clean Water Crisis - KP Yohannan - Gospel for Asia
A woman pumps water from a Jesus Well.

A Jesus Well Transformed Salil’s Family

Salil and his family in north east Asia - KP Yohannan - Gospel for Asia
Salil (pictured) lives in a northeastern region of Asia with his wife and three children.

The staggering weight of the global clean water crisis is beyond the ability of most of us to wrap our minds around. Still, more than 150 million people in South Asia alone have either no immediate access to clean water or drink from polluted sources.

But the clean water problem can be devastating for a single family. We see this illustrated in the story of a gentleman named Salil, his wife and his children. Until a Jesus Well was installed in their village, all the water for the community came from a nearby contaminated pond. Salil’s family and the other villagers were sick with a plethora of illnesses and diseases. They suffered because of the very water they depended on for life.

The situation drove them even deeper into poverty as their illnesses kept them from work, and their meager income was not adequate to provide for the medicines they needed—let alone their other essential needs. Salil did everything he could think of to provide for his family, but nothing he did was adequate.

When a local pastor requested and received a Jesus Well for the community, everything changed. A thankful Salil said, “Our family is blessed both physically and spiritually. We are free from problems and sickness.”

How appropriate: “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward” (Matthew 10:42, NIV). Those who receive are blessed, and those who give are blessed. The accompanying video will give you a feel for just what that means.

So, our Blue Planet spins in space, obedient to its determined orbit. Its surface is covered by 71 percent water. So far, there has been no confirmed verification of liquid water existing on any other planet in our solar system. As yet, not a single drop of water has been detected anywhere in interstellar space, and scientists have determined that only a planet of the right mass, the right chemical composition and the right location can support liquid water. Let us remember that it is good. It is very good.

=====

Give Towards Clean Water Projects

You can provide life-saving water to people in Asia suffering from the global clean water crisis through Jesus Wells and BioSand water filters, and help support ongoing maintenance of these clean water projects.

This material appeared in Gospel for Asia’s special report “The Global Clean Water Crisis: Finding Solutions to Humanity’s Need for Pure, Safe Water.”

=====

Read Special Report 1/4 – Introduction to the Global Clean Water Crisis

Read Special Report 2/4 – The Global Clean Water Crisis Exists in America, Too

Read Special Report 3/4 –

=====

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

Go here to know more about Gospel for Asia: GFA.org | Facebook | Youtube | Twitter

For more information about this, click here.

2023-09-13T10:48:39+00:00

GFA School of Discipleship: More of Christ, Less of Me - KP Yohannan - Gospel for AsiaGospel for Asia (GFA) News, Wills Point, Texas — Every institution, organization or program claim they exist because of differences that make them distinctive. The rationale is reasonable. The significance is not the difference. It is the distinctives.

There are two Scripture verses that eloquently describe what makes GFA School of Discipleship (SD) distinctive and, therefore, different.

John 3:30– “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Matthew 22:37-39– “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'”

Though not officially parts of a motto or tagline, these texts are existential explanations for the School of Discipleship. They also represent the day-to-day value in the year-long discipleship program designed to train young Christian people who are hungry for God and who desire to serve Him.

More of Christ. Less of Me.

GFA School of Discipleship: More of Christ, Less of Me - KP Yohannan - Gospel for AsiaTrue discipleship happens in a relationship where self is set aside to follow the Master. This is exactly what happened when Jesus called His disciples to follow Him. They immediately left their vocations, homes and opportunities to “hang out” with Jesus. His invitation was, “Follow me,” which they did. Peter left his fishing boat. Matthew left his tax collection table. They all left their proverbial plow in the field to become disciples of Christ.

The path to genuine discipleship always begins with more of Christ and less of me. “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Learning to Love Jesus with Every Part of Your Life

The Christian life is not divided into the secular and the sacred. For a Christian, all ground is sacred ground. Everything in which we engage our heart, our soul and our minds must center on Christ. Whether it is our emotions, our will or our intellect, all must belong to Christ. It is a discipline not easily learned in the 21st century.

School of Discipleship - KP Yohannan - Gospel for AsiaBy the way, did you notice the word, “discipline?” It’s practically the same as “disciple.” You might say that becoming a disciple is learning the disciplines required to be one. In fact, the GFA School of Discipleship is geared to help students build spiritual disciplines, such as making prayer part of our lifestyle. When we do that, we begin to see the Lord at work in our lives in everything we do. That’s what Solomon meant when he said that when we acknowledge Him in all our ways, He will direct our paths (Proverb 3:6). And we will see Him doing it.

One of the ways we see Him directing our paths is when we selflessly yield ourselves to serving others. The passage in Matthew explains this. We love Him first. When we do, we will be abled to selflessly love others.

“Serving the Lord at GFA is a privilege I do not deserve, yet by God’s grace, He has given me the opportunity to be part of this community of believers to bring Him glory. I am an unworthy servant.” –Billy, SD graduate

Experience Authentic Christian Community

Can you imagine what it is like to live amidst a group of authentic Christians, all loving Jesus with every part of their lives? That’s what Heaven will be like–everyone who loves Christ serving Him together.

Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” That is what the experience of living in an authentic Christian community looks like:

  • learning from people who love the Lord and have served Him for years.
  • laboring together through difficult and complex issues in a patient and godly manner.
  • living with people who love you with Christ’s love for now and eternity, no matter what.

At GFA School of Discipleship, students learn how to love their neighbors by observing how their neighbors love them both in and out of the classroom. You won’t just learn from people who teach it. You will learn from people who live it.

K.P. Yohannan and the other leaders desire to build up the Body of Christ, and also to build up the lives of the staff and students. In my own life, I can say that I am so grateful for their godly example and their love for the Lord—and for me.” –Elicia, SD graduate

Becoming Part of Something Bigger than Self

Discipleship is not limited to learning. It is lived by doing things that would be impossible without the love and power of God working through us.

You may think of yourself as just an ordinary person, but one who wants to do more for the Lord. You may think God can’t use you to do mighty things, or you may not know how. Gospel for Asia (GFA) School of Discipleship was established to demonstrate how God uses common people to accomplish uncommon things.

School of Discipleship - KP Yohannan - Gospel for AsiaStudents in the School of Discipleship become part of one of the world’s largest mission organizations. You will see your life make an impact on others who are in the 10/40 window halfway around the world. Gaining a global perspective on helping others know the love of Christ will open your eyes to understanding that the Lord can–and wants to–use you wherever you go and in whatever you do.

“It has been a joy to serve with GFA, and I can’t wait to see what other adventures the Lord gets us into. It will be a blessing to see what God will do through each individual here as we work with the rest of the Body of Christ to see people transformed.” –Sharlena, SD graduate

Early Enrollment Incentives Available

If the distinctive differences of GFA School of Discipleship are what you have been seeking, now is the time to save by taking advantage of our early enrollment incentives. Applications for the term starting August 2018 must be completed by June 15, 2018. Or, you can save by being

An Early Bird – Apply by April 15 and save $300!

Ready to Apply?

You can submit your application online right now. There is no application fee. However, you will be asked to create an account and log in. You may also start your application, pause and return to complete it later.

Want to Learn More?

Request a School of Discipleship Information Kit online.

Still Have Questions?

We are available to help you if you have any questions or problems with the application. Feel free to call the Student Recruitment department at 972-300-3314 or email at [email protected].

=====

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

Go here to know more about Gospel for Asia: GFA.org | Facebook | Youtube

Follow Us!



Browse Our Archives