When Fathers Die and Hunger Hurts: How Gospel for Asia Helped A Young Boy After His Father’s Death

Last updated on: January 20, 2022 at 6:30 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing Taizeen and his family, his paralyzed widowed mother, the poverty and hunger, and the Gospel for Asia Bridge of Hope staff that brought hope in the midst of their struggle.

The small boy realized something was wrong—his father was very sick and wasn’t getting any better. Suddenly, he died.

The boy’s widowed mother wept as loneliness and devastation washed over her. With her husband’s death, an awful fear pressed in on her. The family was already poor. How would she find work? How would her boys have enough to eat? How would they survive? She didn’t know.

The boy watched as discouragement conquered his mother’s heart.

Then trauma struck again.

Discussing Taizeen and his family, his paralyzed widowed mother, the poverty and hunger, and the Gospel for Asia Bridge of Hope staff that brought hope in the midst of their struggle. — Taizeen watched helplessly as his father died, his mother succumbed to discouragement and paralysis, and his grandparents struggled to provide food for him.

Paralysis Overtakes Boy’s Mother

The single mother lost feeling in her body—she was paralyzed. She kept weeping.

The little boy, Taizeen, and his brother looked on as his grandparents took his mother to hospitals, and she underwent treatment. Nothing helped her. For two years, Taizeen’s mother couldn’t move; his grandparents strained to put meager meals on the table; and he and his brother went hungry.

Unexpected Help

If you were to look into the homes in Taizeen’s town, you’d likely find many other boys and girls going hungry, many other sick parents, and even the elderly doing manual labor jobs, their worn bodies motivated by hunger. Taizeen was just one of the needy.

But because of the care of a believer on the other side of the world, something changed for Taizeen.

One evening, two Bridge of Hope staff members came by the family’s home. They greeted Taizeen’s grandparents, and then they noticed the woman on the bed.

One evening, staff members from a Bridge of Hope center approached Taizeen’s hut. The grandparents shared all the family had endured and asked if Taizeen could join Bridge of Hope.

“What happened to her?” they asked.

The elderly couple poured out their hearts, telling them how their son-in-law had died and how their daughter was left with two small boys and no way to care for them. They shared how paralysis had taken over, how no treatments had worked and how their grandsons had gone hungry.

The staff encouraged the family with God’s promises and told them about Bridge of Hope. The grandparents listened intently.

Could Taizeen join Bridge of Hope?

The staff members readily agreed, and the eyes of the child lit up. He knew already that an education could help lift not only him but also his helpless grandparents, mother and younger brother out of their poverty.

Hope for His Future

Taizeen walked into the Bridge of Hope center for the first time, overjoyed. He sat down, knowing these classes would help him and his whole family in the years to come. Hours later, a plate was handed to him, and he watched as food was placed on it. Steam rose to warm the face of the boy who had often gone to bed hungry. Taizeen had known so much sorrow, but now a sense of hope began to set in. He would be okay.

Taizeen’s family, like many others, is now learning how much Jesus loves them, and they’re grateful.

Gospel for Asia (founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan): Bridge of Hope — Taizeen is pursuing his education, eating good food and discovering a better life for himself and his family through Bridge of Hope.

Through the love of Christ and His people around the world, more than 70,000 boys and girls from some of the most destitute families in South Asia are attending Gospel for Asia’s Bridge of Hope and receiving an education, a daily meal and regular medical checkups. They’re being cared for and prayed for by their teachers.

You can be a part of changing the life of a child like Taizeen—and that child’s family.

Learn more about the Gospel for Asia Bridge of Hope program and how you can make an incredible difference in the lives of children, bringing hope to their lives and their families, transforming communities.

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

Source: Gospel for Asia Featured Article, When Fathers Die and Hunger Hurts

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

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Gospel for Asia Helps 200,000 Families in Asia Defy COVID-19 Starvation

Last updated on: January 20, 2022 at 6:48 pm By KP Yohannan

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada, founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan) helps to distribute food kits to more than 200,000 utterly desperate families to defy COVID 19 starvation.

With the number of COVID-19 cases in India surging past eight million and deaths climbing rapidly, ongoing hunger relief efforts continue to stave off starvation across pandemic-ravaged Asia.

Gospel for Asia - GFA World - helps to distribute food kits to more than 70,000 utterly desperate families to defy COVID 19 starvation — **BATTLE AGAINST COVID STARVATION:** As India surges to second place in the country-by-country COVID-19 count, ongoing hunger relief efforts continue to stave off starvation across pandemic-ravaged Asia. Texas-based Gospel for Asia (GFA World) is partnering with Believers Eastern Church to distribute food kits to more than 70,000 “utterly desperate” families.

In some areas, hunger is forcing people to take the most extreme measures. One man was captured on video apparently eating a dead dog off the road.

“The situation on-the-ground right now is utterly desperate,” said K.P. Yohannan, founder of mission agency Gospel for Asia (GFA World). “We’re doing all we can to bring relief and as difficult as it is, compassion will triumph in the end.”

Partnering with Believers Eastern Church in Asia and local officials, the Texas-based ministry — one of the biggest faith-based organizations alleviating poverty in Asia — is distributing food kits to more than 200,000 families on the edge of starvation.

With the recent COVID-19 surge catapulting India into second place behind the U.S. in confirmed cases, parents in the world’s second-most populous nation and across Asia face the near-impossible task of feeding their children, amid total loss of income.

“The situation in our village is terrible,” one parent told Gospel for Asia (GFA World) workers. “We don’t have any work and are unable to provide food.” In Asia, sudden loss of employment can be catastrophic because families typically don’t have savings, welfare, or stimulus aid to fall back on.

Aid Comes Just In Time

Frontline responders with Gospel for Asia (GFA World) continue to deliver food kits to families in dire straits — often, just in time. Packages include rice, cooking oil, salt, sugar, and spices.

“We’re helping the most marginalized and at-risk people in the whole of Asia, including thousands of daily laborers who have no work because of the pandemic,” said Yohannan, a renowned missionary statesman and author of Revolution in World Missions, with nearly four million copies in print.

Like millions of the poorest of the poor, Nikita’s parents scavenge for recyclable materials and survive, literally, on scraps. During the pandemic, their work has dried up — and the family might have starved if they hadn’t received a food package.

The father of a student at a GFA World Bridge of Hope children’s center said their package was a lifeline. “The lockdown totally affected our survival and we were broken,” he said. “(This food) keeps us surviving.”

Local churches across Asia — home to six out of every 10 people on the planet — have quickly mobilized to “seize the moment” and extend help to their poorest neighbors, said Yohannan.

“Our fervent prayer and hope is that people across Asia will see and experience the love of God in action during this pandemic,” he said.

Read another story on how the Lord is using Gospel for Asia to bring relief to those in need during COVID 19.

Those interested in supporting GFA World’s hunger relief efforts in Asia, should go to: http://www.gfa.org/press/covid-19.

Media interested in interviews with Gospel For Asia should contact Gregg Wooding at InChrist Communications @ 972-567-7660 or [email protected]

About Gospel for Asia

Gospel for Asia (GFA World, www.gfa.org) is a leading faith-based mission agency, helping national workers bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across Asia, especially to those who have yet to hear about the love of God. In GFA’s latest yearly report, this included more than 70,000 sponsored children, free medical camps conducted in more than 1,200 villages and remote communities, over 4,800 clean water wells drilled, over 12,000 water filters installed, income-generating Christmas gifts for more than 260,000 needy families, and spiritual teaching available in 110 languages in 14 nations through radio ministry. For all the latest news, visit our Press Room at https://press.gfa.org/news.

Learn more by reading these Special Reports:

KP Yohannan has issued two statements about the COVID-19 situation found here and here.

GFA’s Statement About Coronavirus

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

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

Source: Gospel for Asia: Digital Media Room

Gospel for Asia Pastor’s Wife Discovers Love That Casts Out Fear

Last updated on: May 13, 2021 at 6:29 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing Prina, the wife of a Gospel for Asia pastor, the struggles and poverty in the slum, her heart made willing by God to serve alongside her husband – in slum ministry and Gospel for Asia Bridge of Hope center.

Fear crept into Prina’s heart as she took in her surroundings. Before her stood thousands of tiny shacks, crammed tightly together in long rows. Large piles of garbage covered the same streets where children played. Accustomed to village life, Prina knew when she married Martin that moving to one of the largest cities in the country would bring change. But what she saw upon her arrival was nothing like what she had ever imagined.

A New World

Prina married her husband when she was 18 years old and left her rural village and all that was familiar. She didn’t realize that moving to the big city would mean living in one of Asia’s many slums—Martin’s childhood home. The depressing nature of the new surroundings intimidated Prina. Simple, everyday experiences in the slum were foreign to the young woman.

To add to the culture shock, Prina faced a major barrier: She didn’t speak the same dialect. When she found she couldn’t communicate with anyone in the slum other than Martin, the young newlywed kept to herself inside their house, hidden away from the unfamiliar world around her.

Husband Leaves for Bible College

Martin, also known as Marty, was a believer and hosted prayer meetings in their home. Then, after four years of marriage, Marty told his wife about his desire to attend a two-year Bible college.

“I was not sad, but I was overcome by fear,” Prina says. “I [was] still new to the city. I had my [oldest] son. I did not know how I was going to face the world and cope [with] the situation.”

With the help and encouragement of her in-laws, Prina said goodbye to Marty and sent him off to attend Bible college. Meanwhile, she and their son lived with Prina’s mother for two years.

A Willing Heart

When Marty graduated in 2006, God led him to stay in the slum where he grew up and start a Gospel for Asia Bridge of Hope center. Even though living in the slum was still somewhat foreign to Prina, she encouraged Marty to do what the Lord told him to do.

“He was born and grew [up] in this place, and he knew the environment and life of those people,” Prina explains. “So I encouraged him not to go elsewhere but [to] come back to the same area and do ministry.”

Serving As a Team

Nearly a decade later, their ministry has flourished. Now there are two Bridge of Hope centers and three churches led by Gospel for Asia pastors in the slum where Marty and Prina’s family lives. While she used to be afraid to leave her house, today Prina goes out into the slum with her husband and speaks to people about the love of Jesus. Marty is very supportive and encourages her often.

“My wife plays a significant role in my ministry,” Marty says. “Women are more open to listen to her than to me as a stranger. … When she shares [about Christ’s compassion], she becomes an icebreaker. She talks to them and we start building a little bit of relationship where we can share more about Jesus.”

Beginning ministry with her husband wasn’t something Prina was prepared for, though. But then she started praying.

“Lord,” she prayed, “I do not know what my future holds. But definitely, if you want me to serve you among the women I surely am open to it, but You have to give me strength and energy.”

Now Prina leads a Gospel for Asia Women’s Fellowship.

Her Confidence Is in the Lord

As Prina continues to help her husband in ministry, many times people ask her and the Women’s Fellowship group for prayer. Before going to visit, Prina and the Women’s Fellowship spend a whole day fasting and asking the Lord for guidance. Then they visit with and pray for the people, giving a listening ear to their problems and telling them about the hope found in Christ.

“I am still not very confident in serving the Lord,” Prina admits, “but somehow God has touched my life, and He is using me to do ministry among women.”

God’s work in Prina’s heart is evident through her acts of love and sacrifice. Christ has replaced her fear of the unknown with His love for the brokenhearted around her.

“We don’t want to leave this place. But tomorrow, if the Lord calls us to do ministry elsewhere, then definitely we are open to that call. It’s all in God’s hands,” Prina says.

Learn more about the need for slum ministry, uplifting the lives of slum dwellers. Gospel for Asia began supporting ministry in the slums in 1999. Through this work, many people have found hope and strength in God.

Source: Gospel for Asia Featured Article, Love That Casts Out Fear

Read more of Pastor Marty and Prina’s story.

Learn more about Dr. KP Yohannan’s book, No Longer a Slumdog, where real children living in slum conditions in Asia share their real stories of need and how our loving God intervened to redeem them with His love. You will be astonished as you read how God is powerfully moving in hearts right now.

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

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Francis Chan, Hank Hanegraaff, K.P. Yohannan Challenge Western Church in Roundtable Conversation

Last updated on: May 13, 2021 at 6:19 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada, founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan) releases new video featuring Francis Chan, Hank Hanegraaff, and K.P. Yohannan – three of America’s high-profile influential church leaders – urging Christians to shun divisiveness and work towards greater unity and humility in the church. Christians everywhere need to place less emphasis on “charismatic personalities” and “popularity contests” and focus more on humility and unity, agreed the three influential leaders, who’ve often challenged the status quo. The trio — author and pastor Francis Chan, Gospel for Asia founder Dr. K.P. Yohannan, and radio show host Hank Hanegraaff, known as the “Bible Answer Man” — are featured in a new roundtable video discussion, titled The Keys to Christian Unity Unlocked.

Francis Chan, Dr KP Yohannan, and Hank Hanegraaff, are featured in a new video discussion, titled The Keys to Christian Unity Unlocked. — **LEADERS CALL FOR CHURCH HUMILITY, UNITY:** Three of America’s high-profile influential church leaders are urging Christians to shun divisiveness and work towards greater unity and humility in the church. The trio — author and pastor Francis Chan, Gospel for Asia founder Dr. K.P. Yohannan, and radio show host Hank Hanegraaff, known as the “Bible Answer Man” — are featured in a new roundtable video discussion, *The Key to Christian Unity Unlocked.*

Click here to watch the roundtable discussion.

Former California megachurch pastor and best-selling Crazy Love author Chan, who now lives and ministers in one of Hong Kong’s poorest neighborhoods, acknowledged “sound bites” from the nearly hour-long discussion would likely ignite controversy.

“(People will say) Francis is teaching some weird stuff, and K.P. is dressed really weird, and Hank… we all know (he) went off the deep end,” Chan said, referring to Hanegraaff’s embrace of Eastern Orthodox teachings.

Quest for ‘Deep Faith Beyond Personalities’

Describing the church in America as “splintered,” Chan said he’s being challenged to discover a deeper faith beyond 21^st century American evangelicalism — which, he said, often focuses on personalities and theological squabbles.

Yohannan — who describes his own personal trials in his new book Never Give Up: The Story of A Broken Man Impacting A Generation — challenged believers of all theological stripes to practice humility and follow the example of the early church in the Book of Acts.

The mission pioneer — whose Texas-based organization Gospel for Asia (GFA World) transforms millions of lives across Asia with God’s love — said God was teaching him humility and “to die to my reputation.”

“(In America), we think we are the ch\urch, and we’re to sit on the top of the mountain and lead the whole world,” Yohannan said.

The church, Yohannan said, should not consist of fragmented groups following charismatic individuals. “The early church fathers taught not to (the) individual, but to the Body (of Christ).”

Hanegraaff, author of Truth Matters, Life Matters More, agreed the church today has much to learn from the early church’s teachings and practices. “Christ is building his (church) and the gates of hell will not prevail upon it,” he said. “We are new creations in Christ. Because the Holy Spirit has empowered me for service, I have the ability by God’s grace to be a transformational agent in the world.”

Media interested in interviews with Gospel For Asia should contact Gregg Wooding at InChrist Communications @ 972-567-7660 or [email protected]

About Gospel for Asia

Gospel for Asia (GFA World) is a leading faith-based mission agency, helping national workers bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across Asia, especially to those who have yet to hear about the love of God. In GFA’s latest yearly report, this included more than 70,000 sponsored children, free medical camps conducted in more than 1,200 villages and remote communities, over 4,800 clean water wells drilled, over 12,000 water filters installed, income-generating Christmas gifts for more than 260,000 needy families, and spiritual teaching available in 110 languages in 14 nations through radio ministry. For all the latest news, visit our Press Room at https://press.gfa.org/news.

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

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

Source: Gospel for Asia: Digital Media Room

Gospel for Asia Helps Release Thousands from COVID-19 ‘Jaws of Hunger’

Last updated on: January 25, 2022 at 6:31 am By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Texas-based Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada, founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan) and Body of Life are leading hunger relief efforts to help thousands of families in Texas struggling with COVID 19 hardships. Humanitarian agency Gospel for Asia (GFA World) — a faith-based organization headquartered in Wills Point, 50 miles east of Dallas –has rushed to help starving people on the other side of the world as the pandemic spreads.

But after the coronavirus hit hard in its own backyard, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) jumped into action to help its Texas neighbors, too.

The organization — partnering with Texas-based ministry Body of Life — is helping to feed hundreds of Texas families every month by distributing “Farmers to Families” fresh produce boxes.

Every month, more than a thousand Farmers to Families boxes — supplied by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) — are being handed out to Texans in need at GFA World’s Wills Point campus.

The organization’s Texas hunger response has caught the attention of local leaders.

Mayrani Velazquez, a member of Terrell City Council, described the COVID-19 food relief as a “blessing,” adding: “We’re all grateful for GFA World’s willingness to host these events.”

Texas based humanitarian agency Gospel for Asia (GFA World) is releasing hundreds of thousands of families from jaws of hunger amid COVID 19 — **OUT OF THE JAWS OF HUNGER:** Texas-based humanitarian agency Gospel for Asia (GFA World) is releasing hundreds of thousands of families from the jaws of hunger amid crippling COVID-19 hardships at home and overseas. Food relief efforts are under way in Texas and across Asia.

Help, Hope for the Hurting

“Our desire is to bring help for today and hope for tomorrow wherever we are,” said K.P. Yohannan, founder of Gospel for Asia (GFA World) that’s also feeding hundreds of thousands across Asia in the throes of the pandemic.

In Asia — the world’s most populated continent, home to six out of every 10 people on earth — many families face starvation as COVID-19 has shuttered factories and other businesses, leaving desperate parents with no income or safety net.

Thousands more would be in dire straits without grassroots food relief efforts, led by local churches. One aid recipient said: “I will never forget such an act of kindness in my life.”

Gospel for Asia Rescuing People Out of the Jaws of COVID 19 Hunger

The organization’s Bridge of Hope program and local church-run efforts in Asia continue to release thousands from the jaws of hunger — children like Samsundar, an orphan, and Sunita, whose mother hasn’t been able to work for months.

Aid packages — including rice, cooking oil, salt, and other essentials — have been a lifeline for nearly 200,000 people, including children.

In northeast India’s tea-growing region of Assam, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) workers are delivering aid in the midst of a “double disaster” — COVID-19 and devastating floods. They use homemade paddleboards to get around their rain-lashed communities, where some churches are under several feet of floodwater. In one area, church members also gave out face masks.

In India’s densely populated West Bengal region, people are calling the church-led relief effort a godsend. “It’s as if the Lord suddenly sent manna from above,” one parent said.

Read another story on how the Lord is using Gospel for Asia to bring relief to those in need during COVID 19.

Those interested in supporting GFA World’s hunger relief efforts in Asia, should go to: http://www.gfa.org/press/covid-19.

Media interested in interviews with Gospel For Asia should contact Gregg Wooding at InChrist Communications @ 972-567-7660 or [email protected]

About Gospel for Asia

Texas-based Gospel for Asia (GFA World) is a leading faith-based mission agency, helping national workers bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across Asia, especially to those who have yet to hear about the love of God. In GFA’s latest yearly report, this included more than 70,000 sponsored children, free medical camps conducted in more than 1,200 villages and remote communities, over 4,800 clean water wells drilled, over 12,000 water filters installed, income-generating Christmas gifts for more than 260,000 needy families, and spiritual teaching available in 110 languages in 14 nations through radio ministry. For all the latest news, visit our Press Room at https://press.gfa.org/news.

Learn more by reading these Special Reports:

KP Yohannan has issued two statements about the COVID-19 situation found here and here.

GFA’s Statement About Coronavirus

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

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

Source: Gospel for Asia: Digital Media Room

Once Addicted, Now Transformed: How a Gospel for Asia Pastor Changed an Alcoholic’s Life

Last updated on: January 25, 2022 at 6:33 am By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing Vaj, a once hardened man by alcohol addiction, now transformed when a Gospel for Asia pastor shared with him the love of Christ.

Vaj was a changed man. It was difficult not to notice it. His family members and friends marveled at his transformation. The once careless drunkard, who spent all of what little he earned on his addiction, now was faithfully working and able to provide for his family. He hadn’t touched a bottle in weeks. Instead he spent his time behind a pull cart laden with vegetables or food to sell. His family, who once toiled under the shadow of discouragement, was now filled with joy.

Discussing Vaj, a once hardened man by alcohol addiction, now transformed when a Gospel for Asia Pastor shared with him the love of Christ. — Pastor Samuel shared the love of Christ and prayed with Vaj, to be free from his addiction.

What was the secret? How could such a hardened man become so gentle? How could he leave the very essence of who he had been?

Pastor’s Counsel Helps Man Overcome Addiction

The change began when Vaj met Pastor Haatim. The Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor shared with him the love of Christ and prayed with Vaj. He also invited him to church, and Vaj willingly went to a prayer meeting one night. There, the heartfelt prayers of the pastor and the believers touched his heart.

“I felt very good,” Vaj told the pastor. “We will be coming back continually for the prayer meeting.”

The power of God’s Word began to transform Vaj’s life. He met regularly with the pastor and received counsel. Eventually, the grip of alcohol on Vaj’s life loosened—and Vaj decided he would quit drinking altogether. And he was true to his word.

Gospel for Asia (founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan): Vaj regularly met with Pastor Haatim, who counseled him. Eventually, Vaj decided to give up alcoholism. — Vaj regularly met with a Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor, Haatim, who counseled him. Eventually, Vaj decided to give up alcoholism.

Vaj’s neighbors and family marveled at the change that took place. He took care now to live his life in a more honorable way. He labored hard to provide for his family. He used his money to take care of their needs. As happy as Vaj’s family was at his transformation, they still struggled in their finances.

“I was addicted to alcohol, but after meeting with Pastor [Haatim] and praying to God, I could get rid of it,” Vaj explained. “Now I have experienced a new life in the Lord Jesus. Also there was no peace in my life because of my behavior, but thank God for changing me. I give glory and honor to Him.”

Pull Cart Brings Hope, a New Future

Seeing Vaj’s need, Pastor Haatim applied for Vaj to be included in the Christmas gift distribution. As a result, Vaj received a pull cart.

Vaj no longer hires himself out for manual labor, but has his own business of selling vegetables in the mornings and prepared food in the evenings. His family members have even begun to help him in his business.

Gospel for Asia (founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan): Seeing Vaj’s need, Pastor Haatim applied for Vaj to be included in the Christmas gift distribution. As a result, Vaj received a pull cart. — Seeing Vaj’s need, Pastor Haatim applied for Vaj to be included in the Christmas gift distribution. As a result, Vaj received a pull cart.

Vaj doesn’t struggle to provide for his own family any more. By earning $4 per day, Vaj can even give his children education, and the cart’s profits have been more than enough for his family’s daily needs. He gives to the church faithfully, too, sharing his blessings with others.

Vaj’s life is a testimony to all those around him.

“After accepting Jesus in his life, there are lots of improvements in Vaj’s life,” Vaj’s neighbor explains. “He left drinking alcohol and runs his business well. Now, he takes care of his family, which he could not do before.”

Vaj was delighted when he received the cart. He no longer works as a laborer but is selling vegetables in the morning and prepared food during the evening.

Gifts That Change Lives

A simple gift and a mighty God can do so much in one man’s life. Beyond Vaj’s life, a ripple effect has reached out to all those around him. You can be part of bringing hope to more families in need this year. Check out the Christmas Gift Catalog and make an impact for eternity.

Source: Gospel for Asia Featured Article, Once Addicted, Now Transformed

Learn more about how generosity can change lives. Through the Gospel for Asia 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.

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

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

God’s Peace Comforts a Widow’s Heart through Gospel for Asia Pastor

Last updated on: April 8, 2021 at 5:42 am By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing Ruhae, the grief and hardships of an aging widow, the last living relative for her grandchildren, and the Gospel for Asia Pastor that brought God’s peace and comfort.

Her son was murdered. Her daughter-in-law and husband both succumbed to illnesses. Ruhae was the last living relative for her grandchildren but at 77-years-old, she knew she wouldn’t live much longer. Who would take care of her young grandchildren, only 12 and 8 years old, when she passed?

Gospel for Asia (founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: Discussing Ruhae, the grief and hardships of an aging widow, and the Gospel for Asia Pastor that brought God's peace and comfort. — Ruhae (pictured) had become her grandchildren’s sole caregiver, and she often worried for their futures.

Hardened by the World

That question kept Ruhae up at night as she agonized over the fate of her precious grandchildren. Even at 77 years old, she worked in the fields to scrape together enough money to feed her grandchildren. It was hard, menial labor, but Ruhae did it. How else would she provide for them?

The grief and hardships the aging widow had faced over the years hardened Ruhae’s heart. There is no place and no one who can give me peace, she thought.

Reigniting a Spark of Hope

Gospel for Asia pastor Shirom led a small fellowship of believers in Ruhae’s village. The temporary building his congregation met in was close to Ruhae’s home. Occasionally, the pastor and a few believers visited Ruhae, offering prayer and encouragement.

On one particular visit, Gospel for Asia (GFA) Pastor Shirom encouraged the widow to give all her cares and burdens to the Lord because He could give her the peace she was searching for. He could remove the anxiety she felt when she thought of her grandchildren’s future. He could lighten her burdens. The thought intrigued the widow, who had almost given up hope of finding relief for her and her grandchildren. Desiring to know more, Ruhae began attending services at Gospel for Asia (GFA) Pastor Shirom’s church.

Widow Learns The Peace That Passes Understanding through Gospel for Asia Pastor

Little by little, Ruhae’s heart opened up. The widow realized that no matter what had happened in her life and no matter what the future held, God loved her and He provided.

“I get peace worshiping the Lord,” Ruhae remarked. “When I worry, I tell everything to God. … Before knowing the Lord, I worried, but when I heard about the Lord, I began to call upon Him. In spite of all problems, I feel peace of mind and pray more and trust in the Lord alone.”

Ruhae embraced God’s love into her heart fully. The calm Ruhae now feels knowing her grandchildren will be looked after dwarfs the worries she felt before.

“I am not scared of what the future holds,” Ruhae declares. “God is there to take care of my grandchildren.”

Read a story of how one widow touched another with God’s unfailing love through Gospel for Asia.

Learn more about the GFA national missionaries 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.

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

Source: Gospel for Asia Feature Article, God’s Peace Comforts a Widow’s Heart

Learn more about how you can help alleviate the many struggles widows face through the Gospel for Asia supported Widows Ministry, providing them with basic essentials, sources of income and opportunities to find peace in Christ.

Learn more about the Widows Ministry, how you can help widows not only hear that Christ cares for them, but that they may also experience His love firsthand and see how He gives them dignity, peace and eternal life.

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

An Imaginative Exercise in Empathetic Fear — Think About Living in a Community with Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women
Widows Face Uphill Battle After Losing Spouses — The plight of widows, whether in affluent or developing nations, can be a desperate struggle

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

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

GFA Missionaries gave Hope When Doctor Becomes Helpless

Last updated on: November 11, 2025 at 8:36 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing the Gospel for Asia Women Missionaries who care deeply for the sick and suffering around them, ministering to them through prayer and encouragement.

One evening as Gospel for Asia women missionaries Pakhi, Heerkani and Sabeena stood on the terrace of their house overlooking their city neighborhood, they saw an old man lying down on a cot outside his home. The man looked very sick as his family members hovered around him, taking care of his needs.

The three women missionaries went to their room and began to pray for the man. There they asked the Lord for His help to minister to their neighbors.

A Doctor’s Plight

The man’s name was Bilva—and he couldn’t move. A doctor by trade, he was usually the one to look into the faces of the ill as they rested on their sickbeds. But now he rested on his. Paralysis had taken him by surprise months before, leaving him completely helpless.

The medicines he took did nothing to improve his condition, and Bilva lived the same routine over and over again, until a visit from three unfamiliar women changed things.

A Change of Mind through Gospel for Asia Women Missionaries

When Pakhi, Heerkani and Sabeena introduced themselves to Bilva and his family, they learned about his paralysis. Pakhi shared hope from God’s Word and told them about the One who heals. At first, Bilva’s family didn’t respond very positively—they didn’t know anyone named Jesus. But as the women patiently explained the healing power of the Son of God and offered to pray for Bilva, the family changed their minds.

The sisters prayed for and visited the family regularly. As time passed, Bilva’s body began to improve, and he started to move his hands and legs. The family rejoiced at his improved health, and Bilva’s daughter chose to love Jesus. Now she prays with the missionaries and spends time reading God’s Word.

Thanks for being a part of stories like this through your prayers.

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

Source: Gospel for Asia Newsletter, When a Doctor Becomes Helpless

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

Love & Compassion Bring Redemption – Gospel for Asia Sisters of Compassion

Last updated on: April 2, 2021 at 6:16 am By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing Prisha and the Gospel for Asia Sisters of Compassion, women missionaries who dedicate their lives to bringing hope and God’s love to the most needy and disenfranchised.

The place was filthy. The people who lived there struggled daily to subsist. Their situation was desperate. They needed help, but it would have to come from someone willing to sacrifice their own comfort to come alongside and provide the relief the disenfranchised needed.

What would motivate someone to do that? Only love and compassion. Love can compel you to go. Compassion will compel you to dwell among them.

That’s what happened after Prisha committed her life to serve Jesus with the Gospel for Asia Sisters of Compassion and volunteer to go to the people in the remote village of Punya Basti.

The people of Punya Basti lived in squalor and the stink of rotting animal carcasses, burning garbage and waste that littered the entire village. Outsiders would do their best to avoid the village because the stench was so onerous. The village had no electricity, no running water and no toilets. Prisha knew this, yet she chose to go there.

When she arrived, the reality exceeded her grimmest expectations. She found naked, hungry children, people covered in filth, mothers preparing meager meals in dirty pots and vessels, and drug and alcohol addiction rampant even among the children. The first drink of water offered to her in Punya Basti was in a glass so dirty that it broke her heart to realize what life was really like in the village.

Yet, when her Sisters of Compassion mentor suggested that she commute from another village where she would be safer, Prisha responded, “I don’t want to live in a different place. I want to stay in the midst of them, in the village, so I can understand their feelings … and they can understand the love we want to show them.”

Prisha’s story is more than one of compassion. It is one of redemption. Compassion is a feeling of empathy. Prisha knew that compassion motivated by love opens a way to redemption. She knew that the people needed to know that someone loved them and that those who loved them cared enough about them to help them learn how to live healthier and more productive lives. Living among them was the first step in demonstrating her love and compassion.

It was not a difficult decision for her to make, but there were times she wondered if it would be one that was difficult to keep. She and the Gospel for Asia Sisters of Compassion who joined her spent their first week in the village fasting and praying for the Lord’s guidance to show them how to build loving relationships with the villagers. They knew that they had to draw close to them in order to build relationships of trust.

As they cleaned the village streets—one of the lowliest of tasks for the lowliest of people in their country—and as they helped women with their daily chores, and as they helped take care of their babies, those relationships began to develop. Eating meals the locals cooked helped as well. Especially the mouthwatering tortoise and mongoose.

The relationships engendered the kind of trust that caused the people to listen to their advice. Prisha and the other Sisters of Compassion taught them how to bathe, brush their teeth, comb their hair and dress neatly and modestly.

Learning these valuable lessons led to the people accepting them as part of the family. As one of the villagers said, “We love them because they love us.”

Today, more than 1,000 Punya Basti villagers have been transformed by the love of Christ as it has been taught and demonstrated in the lives of the Sisters of Compassion. The village has been redeemed from the filth and squalor in which it was once lost. The transformation from darkness to light began with the love of Christ shining through one life committed to compassion. Now that love continues to transform individual villagers from the inside out as they, too, have come to accept His love and follow Him.

I can’t help but think about how Prisha and the seven other Sisters of Compassion so clearly demonstrated the love of Christ just as He loved us. He set aside His comforts to live among us in our world of filth and shame. He did it so that He would be able to completely understand our desperate situation and build a relationship with us based upon His sacrificial love. It was by doing so that His compassion opened the way for our redemption by having a personal relationship with Him.

Heavenly Father, help us to see the others as you see them. Give us a love for them like your love, a love that breaks our hearts with compassion. Give us a compassion that is willing to act sacrificially so that others will see you in and through us so that they, too, will come to know you and be blessed by your great love. Give us a love that compels us to go and tell others who will receive that love and who will, in turn, go and tell others. Thank you, Lord, for what you are going to do through us.

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

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

A Gospel for Asia Bicycle Prepares the Way

Last updated on: January 25, 2022 at 6:38 am By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing the labors national missionaries, the constant difficulties and opposition, and God’s work through them, and through a Gospel for Asia (GFA) bicycle gift.

Pastor Gobi knelt on the ground while the sound of his prayers filled the air. Soon he would begin his ministry distributing literature and praying for the sick and needy. On his knees he would find victory. Gobi didn’t know it then, but a long journey of faith and endurance awaited him.

Village Opposes the Good News

Early in the morning, Pastor Gobi felt the Lord’s prompting to share His love in one particular village, so he made his way there. But when he arrived, the pastor faced utter rejection. The villagers were worshiping their traditional deities, trying to find joy and peace in their hearts. They offered sacrifices to them, hoping to receive blessings, and they had no room for Pastor Gobi’s message of hope in Christ.

Some villagers snatched the literature Gobi offered them and tore the booklets. With threatening words, they told him to leave and not return.

The villagers snatched the literature Gobi offered them and tore the booklets. With threatening words they told him to leave and not return.

A Heart Committed to Prayer

Even though it was difficult, Pastor Gobi prayed and sought God’s face, asking Him to prepare the soil of the villagers’ hearts and minds to know the Lord’s grace. Because this matter burdened his heart, he began to fast and pray every Friday for the village—something he would do for three years.

As time went by, Pastor Gobi felt full of the Lord’s courage, so he once again visited the village that had harshly rejected the Good News. Gobi passed out literature and shared God’s love with the villagers. At the end of the day, he met a man named Tosa.

Tosa was known as the poorest man in his village. He struggled finically. Though Tosa and his wife both worked as much as they could, they were barely scraping by. If they couldn’t work, they didn’t eat that day.

Meeting a Troubled Man

As Pastor Gobi conversed with Tosa, he heard the man’s story in detail.

Tosa was known as the poorest man in his village. He struggled financially. Though Tosa and his wife both worked as much as they could, they were barely scraping by. If they couldn’t work, they didn’t eat that day.

Tosa knew that if he could get to the city, he would find better work and be able to feed his family. But there was a problem: His family owned only one bicycle, and his children needed it to get to school each day. There was no other means of transportation he could afford. So he stayed in his village—sometimes walking by foot to nearby villages—looking for work so his family could live.

Doors Begin to Open

Tosa was presented with a Gospel for Asia bicycle by Pastor Gobi. With this useful gift, Tosa travels to the city and earns a better living. — Tosa was presented with a bicycle by Pastor Gobi. With this useful gift, Tosa travels to the city and earns a better living.

Whenever Pastor Gobi visited the village, he made it a point to check in with Tosa and his family. As they saw the genuine love and care Gobi shared with them, they decided to learn about Jesus by attending church.

When it came time for Pastor Gobi to organize a Christmas gift distribution, he requested that Tosa be added to the list of recipients. Two months later, Tosa was presented with a bicycle. With this useful gift, Tosa traveled to the city and began to earn a better living. Soon his family could enjoy three meals a day, and he was even able to purchase more clothing for his family, including school uniforms for his children.

As Tosa and his family’s lives began to transform, the villagers watched them closely. Slowly their hearts began to soften. Their ideas about Pastor Gobi and God began to change. The villagers began to take the literature Pastor Gobi offered, and they read it with curiosity. They have begun to ask Pastor Gobi for prayer when they are sick or in need of peace.

As Pastor Gobi faithfully prayed, the Lord listened and answered the cries of his heart. Now Christ’s love is freely shared in a village that once rejected it. The bicycle was just one tool the Lord used to prepare the soil of hardened hearts!

Gospel for Asia bicycle prepared the way: As Tosa and his family’s lives began to transform, the villagers watched them closely. Slowly their hearts began to soften. They wanted to take the literature Pastor Gobi offered. — As Tosa and his family’s lives began to transform, the villagers watched them closely. Slowly their hearts began to soften. They wanted to take the literature Pastor Gobi offered.

The gift of a Gospel for Asia (GFA) bicycle can help break the bondage of poverty for a family just like Tosa’s, and a bicycle can also be given to a missionary to help him or her share the love of Christ farther and faster. Help many others to hear about the love of Christ by giving the gift of a bicycle.

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

Source: Gospel for Asia Featured Article, A Bicycle Prepares the Way

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

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

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What metaphor does Paul use in Galatians to describe the law's role before Christ came?