Gospel for Asia Helping to Move Poverty Out of the Picture

Last updated on: November 3, 2022 at 9:21 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, which inspired numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada – Discussing the desperate poverty that still afflicts millions upon millions worldwide and the hope that lies beyond through gifts of hope.

Tavish’s father died when he was just a small boy. His death not only created a hole in their family unit, but it plunged them into a state of financial crisis.

Young Tavish and his mother cultivated the land they owned, leaving the boy with no opportunity to go to school. Their survival was dependent on his toil—his situation mirrored that of more than 200 million children worldwide who are involved in labor.^[1]

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) – Discussing the desperate poverty that still afflicts millions upon millions worldwide and the hope that lies beyond through gifts of hope. — Tavish worked alongside his widowed mother. Like this woman in Sri Lanka, Tavish’s mother labored in fields to keep her family alive.

Much of Tavish’s childhood consisted of trying to make ends meet, but he came up dry. Sometimes crops didn’t produce enough, and this caused one financial tragedy after another.

When Tavish grew older, he married, and he and his wife were blessed with two children. Tavish continued to labor in fields around his village with barely anything to show for his backbreaking work. It was as if all his efforts were one single drop in the midst of a vast ocean of needs and wants.

Faced with a Difficult Choice

Though Tavish was doing all that he could by working multiple jobs, he felt helpless to provide for his family and mother. He never gained ground on their desperate poverty. He was then faced with a difficult decision: Stay in their village and watch his family starve, or deprive his children of education and a stable home to keep them alive.

Tavish and his family, like many in his region, traveled to a neighboring country to live and work for six months out of the year, in sugarcane fields.^[2] The conditions were primitive—no toilet facilities, no home, no privacy and no school. The future for his children looked as bleak as his own childhood. The toil of poverty slowly stole away Tavish and his family’s peace and joy.

Tavish (not pictured) worked from the time he was a young boy. Because of his family's poverty, he missed out on school. He worked hard to provide for his family, but all his efforts seemed like a drop in the ocean. — Tavish (not pictured) worked from the time he was a young boy. Because of his family’s poverty, he missed out on school. He worked hard to provide for his family, but all his efforts seemed like a drop in the ocean.

Hope in the Midst of Crisis

It was during the off months of the sugarcane fields that Tavish encountered a glimmer of hope through a message of peace. Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Naimish visited Tavish and his family one day to ask if they needed prayer and to offer encouraging words. Tavish shared his life story, marked by desperate poverty and hardship, with the man of God.

Pastor Naimish could see the family was burdened by the weight of survival. He shared with them about the One who gives hope and new life to weary souls. Tavish and his family felt truth penetrate their hearts.

Faith in Jesus began to anchor the family, while a hopeful future stretched before them. A peace that poverty had stolen swooshed in as new life began to change Tavish and his family. The God who clothes lilies and keeps His eyes on the sparrow was taking care of this family, and they started trusting Him to provide in their lack.

A Gift that Changed the Future

The following year, Tavish was invited by Pastor Naimish to attend a Gospel for Asia (GFA) Christmas gift distribution program. Through the love and care of people across the globe who had provided gifts through GFA’s Christmas Gift Catalog, Tavish and his family received a cow.

As the cow grew, the family’s joy grew along with it. It was providing more than four liters of milk a day, and they were able to make and sell ghee, a type of butter, each month. The profit they made from this liberated them from needing to face the harsh conditions of desperate poverty.

Because of this, Tavish’s children were able to get a consistent education. Their future not only blossomed full of new life, but their new source of income also paved the way to escape poverty through education.

After Tavish received a cow through GFA's Christmas Gift Catalog, his family's financial status improved greatly! They become doubly blessed when their cow gave birth to a new calf, providing more hope for their future stability. — After Tavish received a cow through GFA’s Christmas Gift Catalog, his family’s financial status improved greatly! They become doubly blessed when their cow gave birth to a new calf, providing more hope for their future stability.

The family’s joy doubled as their cow gave birth to a calf, and the income from these two cows relieved burdens the family carried for many years.

“We came to know the true love of Jesus in our lives,” Tavish said. “He has removed all our burdens and sorrows.”

You can be part of delivering families from poverty’s grip by providing an income-generating gift, such as a cow, for a family in need. Give a gift of hope, and help blaze a path toward a promising future and a chance for new life!

Source: Gospel for Asia Features, Moving Poverty Out of the Picture

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Far-Fallen Man Finds Faithful Friend in Gospel for Asia Pastor

Last updated on: December 6, 2021 at 11:55 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, which inspired numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada – Discussing Lahar, his struggles to fight alcoholism and provide for his family, and finding a faithful friend in Gospel for Asia Pastor who shared the redemption of Jesus for their lives.

When Pastor Chanchal and Lahar met, Lahar was uninterested and even hostile toward what Pastor Chanchal had to say. Lahar had his own religious beliefs, a family to take care of and an inner battle to wage—a battle between leading a responsible life and giving in to the addiction that threatened to destroy that life.

Even though Lahar often grumbled at Pastor Chanchal’s words and sometimes even scolded him, the two men continued to talk with one another. For years, Pastor Chanchal spent time with Lahar and his family once or twice a week. As their relationship deepened, Lahar gradually became interested in what the pastor had to say, and Pastor Chanchal had opportunities to tell the family about Jesus’ love.

Man Struggles to Fight Alcoholism, Provide for Family

Lahar’s life had always involved struggle: When Lahar was young, his father neglected his family, blinded to their needs by his alcoholism, so Lahar bore the burden of providing for his parents and siblings.

Unfortunately, Lahar began walking in his father’s shoes: He became addicted to alcohol at the age of 18. After Lahar married, his alcoholism brought much grief to his wife, Lajja, and drove her away to her parents’ home for three years.

Discussing Lahar, his struggles to fight alcoholism, & the friend in Gospel for Asia Pastor who shared the redemption of Jesus for their lives. — Lahar had been a heavy drinker since he was 18 years old, and his addiction even drove his wife to move in with her parents for three years.

With effort, Lahar eventually stopped drinking and reunited with his wife. Together, the couple worked to provide for their growing family. Eventually, they started a business; it seemed their lives were getting better.

An Unlikely Friendship Develops

Meanwhile, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) pastor Chanchal had started ministering in Lahar’s village. Like most of the other villagers, Lahar didn’t want to hear the message of hope Pastor Chanchal had to share. But Lahar did allow Pastor Chanchal to continue visiting his family, and over the course of several years, a friendship grew.

Pastor Chanchal’s words touched the heart of Lahar’s mother, and she started attending the local worship place. But because Lahar’s father was the elder of their village, people criticized the family for her interest in Christ. Under society’s pressure, Lahar and his father told her she couldn’t attend services for more than a year. But Lahar’s mother continued walking with Jesus, and soon the source of family turmoil shifted from her to Lahar.

Man Hits Rock Bottom

Lahar slipped back into the grip of alcoholism, throwing away the hard work he had invested to quit drinking, reunite with his wife and start a business. Not only did Lahar waste his days drinking with friends, but he also started stealing things at night. He, like his father, stopped providing for his family.

During this time, Lajja and her children experienced Christ’s love through Lahar’s mother, who helped take care of them. Seeing this love led Lajja and her children to the feet of Jesus too. Soon Lajja began joining her mother-in-law in praying for Lahar’s life to change.

As they prayed, Pastor Chanchal continued reaching out to Lahar. The pastor told him of Jesus’ grace and invited him to the place of worship. As God responded to prayer and spoke through the Pastor’s encouraging words, Lahar’s life began to change. He stopped stealing and drinking alcohol, and he joined the service one Sunday.

After Lahar (not pictured) returned to his drinking habit—and started stealing things—Gospel for Asia (GFA World) Pastor Chanchal continued being a friend to the young man. Eventually, Lahar’s heart opened to the love of Christ.

There, as Lahar stood among the believers worshiping, he felt as if a burden had been lifted from him. With a new peace and joy in his life, he decided to entrust his life to Jesus, and he has continued to change from the inside out! Now Lahar takes care of his family, and they rejoice in the redemption Jesus has worked in their lives. Lahar even supports his friend, Pastor Chanchal, as he continues ministering the grace of Jesus in the village.

Many Find Friendship with Jesus

in Gospel for Asia (GFA World) Pastor Chanchal’s commitment to befriend and share hope with Lahar and his family, Lahar found the best friend of all, Jesus Christ.

Millions more people wait to know friendship with the God who makes all things new, but you have the opportunity to give not just one but many people that chance. Sponsor a national worker like Pastor Chanchal to reach more families with Jesus’ love.

Sponsor today and get a packet including their photo and testimony, along with exclusive updates from the mission field that let you see how your sponsorship makes a difference.

*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, Far-Fallen Man Finds Faithful Friend

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

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

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

Gospel for Asia, Chick-fil-A, Brookshire’s Bring Christmas Relief to Hunger-Hit Texans

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

WILLS POINT, TX — Chick-fil-A and Brookshire’s are joining a leading aid agency to deliver Christmas relief to Texas families hit hard by the pandemic. As America experiences another spike in coronavirus cases, one in four children aren’t getting enough food and face a bleak Christmas, says Wills Point-based humanitarian agency Gospel for Asia (GFA World – founded by K.P. Yohannan, has been the model for numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada) according to Feeding Texas statistics.

Chick-fil-A, Brookshire’s, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) & Body of Life to give hundreds of hungry Texas families relief this Christmas — **SPREADING CHRISTMAS CHEER:** Chick-fil-A, Brookshire’s, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) and Body of Life (www.bodyoflife.org) are joining forces to give hundreds of hungry Texas families a helping hand this Christmas. The organizations will stage a Christmas grocery, sandwich and water giveaway Sat. Dec. 19 from 10 a.m.–12 p.m. — or until food boxes run out — at GFA World’s campus at 1116 St. Thomas Way, Wills Point.

Feeding Texas — the state’s network of food banks — says hunger in Texas has doubled during the pandemic.

Now Gospel for Asia (GFA World) — an organization that has been helping feed tens of thousands of starving people in Asia — is stepping up efforts to help make sure families on its own doorstep don’t go hungry this Christmas.

The agency — headquartered in Wills Point, 50 miles east of Dallas — will distribute hundreds of holiday food boxes Saturday, Dec. 19, to families struggling with job losses and reduced income.

And Chick-fil-A of Sulphur Springs will help spread the festive cheer, handing out hundreds of free sandwiches, along with Brookshire’s of Wills Point who will distribute water bottles.

Families ‘Loved By God’

“We know many families are struggling this Christmas, and we’re thrilled to join with Chick-fil-A and Brookshire’s to help them,” said Danny Yohannan, GFA World’s vice-president. “We want them to know they’re loved by us and by God.”

Also partnering with Texas nonprofit Body of Life (www.bodyoflife.org) and the USDA “Farmers to Families” program, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) and community volunteers will hand out hundreds of boxes of groceries at the organization’s campus at 1116 St. Thomas Way, Wills Point, on Sat. Dec. 19 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. or until supplies run out.

Over the past months, regular grocery giveaways hosted by Gospel for Asia (GFA World) and Body of Life have fed thousands of families from Van Zandt and neighboring counties in Texas.

Anyone interested can follow Gospel for Asia / GFA World online to stay in the loop about upcoming local food giveaways and the organization’s humanitarian work overseas.

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

Headquartered in Wills Point, Texas, 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

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

Source: Gospel for Asia: Digital Media Room

Gospel for Asia Supplies 37 Million with Safe Water in ‘Thirstiest’ Continent

Last updated on: December 8, 2021 at 2:10 am By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, has been the model for numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada – Faith-based agency has drilled more than 30,000 ‘Jesus Wells,’ distributed 58,000-plus water filters A leading mission agency revealed it has provided safe drinking water for a staggering 37.5 million people in Asia, the world’s “thirstiest” continent. The number of people helped by Texas-based Gospel for Asia (GFA World) is roughly equivalent to the entire population of California.

Gospel for Asia (GFA World) reported millions of water-deprived families across Asia — home to six out of every 10 people on the planet — now have safe, reliable drinking water thanks to the organization’s deep wells and BioSand filters.

In the past two decades, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) and its partners around the world have provided more than 30,000 wells and 58,000 filters.

Gospel for Asia reports it has provided safe drinking water for a staggering 37.5 million people in Asia, the world's thirstiest continent. — **QUENCHING THE THIRST OF A CONTINENT:** Gospel for Asia (GFA World) revealed it has provided safe drinking water for a staggering 37.5 million people in Asia, the world’s “thirstiest” continent. The faith-based mission agency released a new report titled Don’t Drink The Water (Unless You Know What’s In It).

In 2019 alone, the faith-based organization — manned entirely by local workers, many traveling from village to village on foot — helped drill 4,856 new “Jesus Wells” and distribute 12,243 new water filters in communities, many of which were stricken by waterborne diseases.

“In the world’s thirstiest continent, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) workers and churches are committed to meeting people’s most vital physical need — safe drinking water,” said the organization’s founder Dr. K.P. Yohannan, as the mission agency released a new report titled Don’t Drink The Water (Unless You Know What’s In It).

The report comes as the World Health Organization (WHO) says one in every three people in the world doesn’t have access to safe drinking water, and the United Nations predicts that by the year 2050 up to 5.7 billion people worldwide could be affected by water shortages.

Finding safe drinking water is not just a problem in Asia. In the U.S., as many as 63 million people — nearly one in every five Americans — have been exposed to potentially unsafe drinking water, GFA World’s report says, citing lead and arsenic contamination.

Demand for Water to Skyrocket

In the next 20 years, global demand for water is expected to surge by more than 50 percent, according to the U.N.

“This desperate situation is especially acute in Asia, where millions of families get their drinking water from the only source available to them — often a dirty river or stagnant pond, which are breeding grounds for parasites and deadly bacteria,” Yohannan said.

Drinking contaminated water can lead to fatal diseases such as typhoid, hepatitis A, and diarrhea. Globally, diarrhea kills almost 2,200 children every day, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

By providing safe water, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) hopes people who’ve never heard about God’s love will see “love in action.”

In one community, the local pastor began praying for a new well when the old village water source dried up, forcing villagers to trek every day to the river. Days later, a team arrived to drill a new Jesus Well. Although skeptical at first, locals soon realized the new well was heaven-sent, the report says.

Going Deep, Finding Lasting Solutions

Beginning with the first well in the year 2000, Jesus Wells — up to 1,500 feet in depth — tap deep underground reserves and bring year-round, clean water to thousands of villages across Asia, each well supplying hundreds of people on average and providing a central community gathering place.

Because local people receive training to maintain the wells, the water keeps flowing. One team recently found a Jesus Well still going strong after 20 years.

Meanwhile, portable BioSand filters — another clean-water solution, costing around $30 each — remove most contaminants, making water 98 percent pure.

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

About Gospel for Asia

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

Read the Special Report on Solving the World Water Crisis … for Good — Lasting Solutions Can Defeat an Age-old Problem

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

Source: Gospel for Asia: Digital Media Room

Gospel for Asia Pastor Brings Hope to a Grieving Widow

Last updated on: December 10, 2021 at 7:54 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, which inspired numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada – Discussing Gulika, the shame, rejection and despair she lives through as a widow, and the life changing hope through a Gospel for Asia pastor.

Manan sprang onto the railway tracks, hurrying to get across. The next few steps he took changed the lives of his wife and three children forever. As he crossed the tracks, he wasn’t aware of the train coming his way. Suddenly his body lay crumpled on the railroad tracks. Now his children were without a daddy, and his wife would bear the name of the despised: widow.

Young Widow Suffers Grief, Harassment

Gulika’s life drastically changed the day her husband died. Although she and Manan were not well off, Manan worked faithfully as a tailor, and they managed to have just enough to live on. Now Gulika and her children were left helpless, and they took on the burden of deep, unforgettable sorrow.

Bearing the title “widow” was a heavy weight to carry too. The sharp, condemning words of the villagers stung Gulika’s already broken heart. Because of this, the pain of losing her husband increased all the more. It seemed that every time she stepped out of her home she wasn’t safe from their harsh criticism.

The villagers believed Gulika was cursed. They were even afraid that if she passed them on the street, she would bring them bad luck. This shame and rejection, on top of the reality of her husband’s death, grew unbearable. Soon Gulika fell into deep emotional despair.

Water: A Daily Burden and Fear

Although Gulika suffered from despair, she had certain duties to uphold as a daughter-in-law: Gulika had to get water for the family. Unfortunately, the nearest source of water in the village was an old well that was a-third-of-a-mile walk from her home.

In Gulika’s village, collecting water was a grueling chore, one which involved much fear and danger for women and young girls. Even as a widow, it was dangerous to go out alone because men would take advantage of their vulnerability.

Pastor Comforts Family in Trouble

When Pastor Gobhil heard about Gulika and her family, he visited their home, hoping to bring them comfort and encourage them through God’s Word. He said there was hope for their helpless situation and shared about a faithful God who could heal Gulika’s suffering heart. Over the course of time Gulika, was completely restored! Through the power and love they experienced in Christ, Gulika and her in-laws found hope in the midst of their sorrows.

Pastor Gobhil encouraged Gulika (not pictured) to start sewing women’s clothing, and soon the church was able to supply her with a sewing machine.

Pastor Gobhil encouraged Gulika to start sewing women’s clothing, and soon the church was able to supply her with a sewing machine. Gulika began to earn a respectable living through this vocation, and despite the way the villagers treated her, she knew God did not condemn her but rather valued her life.

Bringing Safety Through Clean Water

But even with her new income and life in Christ, Gulika still faced harassment from her neighbors, especially when she went out to fetch water for the family. There were days when she didn’t come home with enough. Pastor Gobhil noticed Gulika’s and the villagers’ struggle for water. Eventually, Gospel for Asia (GFA) drilled a Jesus Well right in front of Gulika’s house. She now can get water easily without fear or disturbance. The other villagers were very grateful for the Jesus Well.

Now when people use the Jesus Well near Gulika’s house, she shares with the villagers about the sweet love of Jesus and how He has given her hope and security. She is thankful for the believers and Pastor Gobhil because of all the help and love they have poured into her life.

“In my time of trouble, when my husband died, [the pastor and believers] helped me to be strong and have confidence to work and earn an income,” Gulika says.

Discussing Gulika, the shame, rejection and despair she lives through as a widow, and the life changing hope through a Gospel for Asia Pastor. — The villagers are very grateful for the Jesus Well, and they respect the Christians after seeing their love and care for the widows and the needy.

Help Reach Those Society Despises

More than 40 million widows live in South Asia. For them, life is a desperate struggle for survival, as it was for Gulika. The heart of Christ is to look after these precious women in need. As He says in James 1:27; “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit the orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”

You can be part of reaching these women practically with items such as sewing machines, food, clothing and hope. Give toward the Widows Fund today and help tell a woman she is dearly loved!

Source: Gospel for Asia Featured Article, Through a Widow’s Tears

Learn more about how generosity can change lives. Through Gospel for Asia (GFA World) and its Christmas Gift Catalog, gifts like pigs, bicycles and sewing machines break the cycle of poverty and show Christ’s love to impoverished families in Asia. One gift can have a far-reaching impact, touching families and rippling out to transform entire communities.

Learn more by reading the GFA special report titled “An Imaginative Exercise in Empathetic Fear: Think About Living in a Community with Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women”

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

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

Gospel for Asia Worker Helps a Widow Find Life After 65 Years

Last updated on: December 15, 2021 at 10:20 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, has been the model for numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada – Discussing Fumnaya, an elderly widow, living her days in sickness and boredom, and the female GFA workers who shared the hope of Christ.

“At this old age, why do you worship [this other] God?” Fumnaya’s son scolded her. His anger stiffened the air. Despite his harsh words, Fumnaya would not give up this love and hope she had found. In her old age, she could see more clearly now than ever.

Discussing Fumnaya, an elderly widow, living her days in sickness and boredom, and the female GFA workers who shared the hope of Christ. — Fumnaya (not pictured) embraced the love of Christ and holds prayer meetings in her son’s home. She desires above all things that her son would come to know Jesus personally.

Widow Faithful to Tradition

Fumnaya had dutifully served her gods. She, much like her son, had believed people should be faithful to their traditional deities. Night and day, she devoted her life to the gods and goddesses her family had worshiped for decades. When she became sick and weak, she kept an image of her god by her bedside and cried out to it, hoping it would ease her suffering.

Friendship Blossoms Between Widow and Female GFA Workers

Meanwhile female Gospel for Asia (GFA) workers, Talia and Nanini faithfully served in Fumnaya’s village, sharing the unveiled beauty of Christ. When they heard about the elderly widow, they sought to comfort her.

As soon as they began sharing about Christ, however, Fumnaya disregarded their words. She had her god, and she would continue to worship him.

Even though Fumnaya didn’t care for what they had to say, she desperately wanted the women’s company. Being a lonely widow living in her married son’s house, Fumnaya lived her days in pain and boredom. Her sickness had left her with a swollen left leg so she was unable to walk properly, and she was frequently too weak to do much else but remain indoors.

Whenever Talia and Nanini visited her house, it greatly eased the boredom Fumnaya felt. Eventually, she found true friends and companions in the two women. They prayed for her often and continued to visit and encourage her with God’s Word. As time went by, their relationship blossomed.

Widow Finds Faithfulness in Christ

Over time Fumnaya realized the faithfulness of God in her life. The words the national workers shared began to sink deep into her heart. She soon embraced the offer of new life in Christ.

But her son became enraged. How could his 65-year-old mother leave her faith now to follow after this unfamiliar God? Fumnaya’s son scolded her.

“If this God heals you completely, then we will also worship Him,” he challenged.

He forbade Talia and Nanini to openly talk about Jesus when they visited, thinking they had misled his mother. But Fumnaya encouraged them to have prayer meetings in her home, unafraid of what her son might say.

“I know that the Lord loves me,” Fumnaya said, “and He is faithful to me. He has saved my life, and I know I will go to heaven after I die.”

Fumnaya longs to see her son come to the Lord. Even though he acted in anger toward her, she desires more than anything that he will grasp the peace of Christ.

She continues to be encouraged by the friendship and earnest prayers of the women missionaries. Through Talia and Nanini’s love and care, Fumnaya has found the hope of Christ and takes comfort and rest in His complete love.

Female Gospel for Asia (GFA) workers like Talia and Nanini share Christ’s redemption to many women—young and old. Imagine being part of sharing hope with these precious souls and telling them about Christ for the first time. Some like Fumnaya have waited many years. You can sponsor a woman today and become part of God’s work in Asia!

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

Source: Gospel for Asia Featured Article, Finding Life After 65 Years

Learn more by reading the GFA special report titled “An Imaginative Exercise in Empathetic Fear: Think About Living in a Community with Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women”

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

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

Gospel for Asia Christmas Program Helps Woman Find Peace

Last updated on: December 15, 2021 at 10:26 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, whose heart to love and help the poor has inspired numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada – Discussing Anja, the devastating discord in her family, and the peace and hope that started through a Christmas program invitation at a church led by GFA pastor.

A play on words has become a popular quote: “No God, no peace. Know God, know peace.” For Anja, this is more than a saying; it is a statement of truth. During a Christmas program at a church led by a Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor, Anja learned about the One who brings the peace her family so desperately needed.

Discussing Anja, the devastating discord in her family, and the peace and hope that started through a Gospel for Asia Christmas program invitation. — Through a Christmas program led by a Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor, Anja found the peace she was looking for.

Anja lived with her husband and their two adult sons, Hetu and Dash. Her husband and Dash struggled with an addiction to alcohol. As a result, the family often lived in turmoil. Anja’s husband did not work. Dash fought with his older brother, Hetu, and they did not speak to one another for months.

A Plea for Change

Devastated by the discord in her family, Anja visited local temples and asked her gods to change her husband and younger son. Unfortunately, she saw no difference in their behavior, and peace continued to allude the family.

One day, Anja’s neighbor invited her to a Christmas program at the local place of worship. When the program ended, Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Madhu prayed for the people in attendance. Anja, along with several other people visiting for the first time, welcomed Pastor Madhu’s prayer.

An Unexpected Answer

Two days after Pastor Madhu prayed to conclude the Christmas program, Anja began seeing God’s provision in her life. She received a job in a cloth factory, which surprised her because she had been job searching for a long time to no avail.

Following the example Pastor Madhu set the day of the Christmas program, Anja began to pray for her sons. Soon, she was rewarded with seeing Hetu and Dash resolve their conflict, and Hetu began attending church with her.

As they attended the local worship place, Anja and Hetu learned more about God and the hope and peace He provides. Like his mother, Hetu began to pray to God, asking for a wife. It wasn’t long before he met a woman, and they were soon married.

A Hope for the Future

Together, Anja, Hetu and his new wife continued to grow in their faith and knowledge of God. Occasionally, Pastor Madhu visited them at home, encouraging them from God’s Word. Eventually, they each decided to put their trust in His Son, Jesus. Anja even began to see changes in the behavior of her husband and younger son, Dash.

What began with a neighbor’s invitation to a Christmas program became the answer to Anja’s desperate prayers for her family. Peace was no longer a distant hope. It was a reality in her heart.

Read the story of a young woman who discovered a love she had never experienced at a Gospel for Asia Christmas program.

*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 Field Report, Christmas Program Helps Woman Find Peace

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

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Gospel for Asia Fulfills a Last Wish

Last updated on: January 1, 2022 at 5:18 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, which inspired numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada – Discussing a widow, mother & a female GFA worker — Malati, the difficulty, pain & opposition, her husband’s last commission & the promises in God’s Word.

“After my death, there will be many people—even my relatives from our own house—they will reject you. They will say [unkind] words to you; they will oppose you, but never forget the love of Jesus,” Jyan’s words pierced through Malati’s heart.

Malati and her husband had endured much together, and now he commissioned her to stand—without him. Even as he lay weak from heart disease, the four years he spent committed to the Lord gave him strength to endure through the end.

Bearing the Name Widow

After Jyan died, Malati witnessed his dying words come true. Villagers and relatives asked why she was continuing to follow Jesus and live as she was when she should return to her old traditions. Malati’s pastor, Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Jaton, encouraged her, much like he had been doing the past four years. Now his encouragement was even more appreciated than before as she struggled with bearing the title “widow,” taking care of her two young children and desiring to pursue the Lord more.

“I will stand beside you, and I will pray on behalf of you,” Pastor Jaton said.

Journey of a Female GFA Worker

Malati wanted to serve the Lord and commit her life to ministry. But could she? Should a woman with two young children who was now living the life of a widow dare go this route? The vision, the passion…they were all there, and for Pastor Jaton and the leaders of the church, that was enough.

For one year Malati studied at a Bible college. With a burden searing her heart for others to know her Comforter, Malati spent a second year on the field doing a practical internship with a young woman who also attended Bible college. Pastor Jaton, during this time, took care of Malati’s two sons.

After graduation, Malati wanted to go back home and minister to her relatives, but the Lord had need for her elsewhere. There was a pastor who needed help reviving one of his churches. Willing to serve where the need was the greatest, Malati and her two sons moved.

Submission and Eternal Fruit

Today, Malati serves in three surrounding churches. She leads the children’s Sunday school and Women’s Fellowship. She also helps lead prayer meetings in believers’ homes and often travels with a few other women to nearby villages to share the love of Christ.

Malati’s journey as a female Gospel for Asia (GFA) worker, however, hasn’t been without pain. As a widow, she faces difficulties among those with whom she shares the love of Jesus. To bring down the barriers that hinder the message of hope she shares, Malati doesn’t always explain she is a widow.

“I know it is very difficult being a widow and being a woman,” she says. “Whenever I find that people are not genuine, . . . and they are going to treat me in a different way, . . . I did not disclose myself as a widow, knowing that they would reject me.”

It also causes her much heartache when she is scolded for not remarrying. People will tell her, “You are still young and you have children, . . . so now why do you continue your journey like this? It is better that you get married and have a husband.”

But as a faithful daughter of the King, Malati doesn’t let other people’s remarks or criticism keep her from serving Him. The love of Jesus propels her to continue. It is her one constant source of strength, and she keeps reaching out to the sick and stretching out her hand to the needy.

Whenever she faces discouragement, she kneels on the floor, tears streaming down her cheeks, asking God to help her bear the stinging remarks of others who don’t understand the Lord’s calling on her life. Being a widow, a mother and a female Gospel for Asia (GFA) worker doesn’t come without pain. But she clings to her husband’s last commission and the promises in God’s Word, and she is able to continue.

When she rises to her feet, she rises renewed and with a passion to reach more villages and proclaim with fervency the comforting love of the Savior. The road ahead may be long and hard, but Malati has decided to follow Jesus—there is no turning back.

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

Source: Gospel for Asia Featured Article, Fulfilling a Last Wish

Learn more by reading the GFA special report titled “An Imaginative Exercise in Empathetic Fear: Think About Living in a Community with Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women”

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Gospel for Asia Calls for ‘Lasting Solutions’ in Report on World Water Crisis

Last updated on: August 25, 2022 at 10:45 am By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, which inspired numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada – Two billion people worldwide struggle to find water every day, says ‘sobering’ GFA report in wake of World Water Day. A sobering report released by Gospel for Asia (GFA) reveals that two billion people globally are struggling to find enough water to survive.Approximately 40 percent of the world’s land surface is desert or semi-arid, placing about two billion people — one in every four people on the planet — in peril, says the report titled Solving the World Water Crisis for Good: Lasting Solutions Can Defeat an Age-Old Problem.

“In many places, there simply isn’t enough water, and the water that people do have is contaminated,” said Gospel for Asia (GFA) founder Dr. K.P. Yohannan, whose Texas-based mission has served the extreme poor in Asia for more than 40 years.

Millions of people rely on dirty ponds for drinking and washing, but the water often contains dangerous toxins or pathogens, says the report.

“People have to choose between drinking tainted water and going thirsty — it’s sobering,” Yohannan said.

Drinking contaminated water can lead to deadly waterborne diseases such as typhoid, hepatitis A, and diarrhea. Globally, diarrhea kills almost 2,200 children every day, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

“Despite the often devastating consequences, millions of people start each day with a long trek on foot to the nearest waterhole, possibly miles away,” Yohannan said. “Life for them becomes a dreary quest for survival.”

Going Deep, Finding Lasting Solutions to World Water Crisis

Gospel for Asia (GFA) teams have led the way in drilling deep wells — up to 1,500 feet in depth — to tap plentiful underground reserves and bring reliable, clean water to thousands of villages across Asia where families used to drink from filthy ponds.

These deep wells — known as Jesus Wells — supply year-round clean water to villages prone to drought and water shortages, with each well serving an average of 300 people.

Because local people receive training to maintain the wells, the water keeps flowing. One team recently found a Jesus Well still going strong after 20 years — transforming the lives of hundreds of villagers.

Another clean water solution — the portable BioSand filter, costing around $30 — removes most contaminants from dirty water, making it 98 percent pure, the report says.

In the past 12 years, Gospel for Asia (GFA) teams have distributed more than 73,000 of these household filters, changing the lives of impoverished villagers like Nirmala whose family often got sick drinking from a polluted pond.

“We had frequent stomach problems,” she said, describing life before getting a filter in her home. “Headaches, skin problems, pain… it was a very discouraging way to live.”

Even though improvements and advances in water-purification technology have been made, the report says much more needs to be done to solve the world’s water crisis. “The best solutions arise from cooperative efforts that involve (the local people),” it says.

“By God’s grace, Gospel for Asia (GFA) has been part of the solution for many years now,” said Yohannan. “People are experiencing the life of Christ because of the gift of clean water.”

About Gospel for Asia

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

Source: Christian News Wire

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Gospel for Asia Gives a Desperate Mother a Gift She Was Unable Give

Last updated on: January 1, 2022 at 5:22 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, which inspired numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada – Discussing Lopa and her family, the sickness and poverty, and the gift of education for her children that she was unable to give through the local Gospel for Asia Bridge of Hope center.

As Lopa watched her husband languish from a debilitating kidney condition, she struggled to work and provide for her three children. She couldn’t give her husband his health back, and she couldn’t afford to give her children the education they needed. She watched in defeat when one of her sons had to stop going to school. Would Vijul, her oldest child, be able to finish his education? The chances seemed slim.

Lopa earned only enough money to feed the family, not to pay for school fees. At that rate, Vijul would probably have to quit his studies one day, like his brother and like so many other children from poor families in Asia.

Timely Help for Struggling Mother

When Lopa’s husband got sick a few years before with a kidney condition, he couldn’t work anymore. Lopa then became the sole provider for the family. Eventually, one of her sons had to quit school because Lopa couldn’t pay the required school fees.

Vijul was interested in learning, but it seemed doubtful his mother would be able to continue affording the expenses that the nearest school entailed. Lopa was powerless to help her children escape the poverty that had them trapped.

But one day, the staff of the local Gospel for Asia (GFA) Bridge of Hope center met Lopa and her family.

“Jesus loves you and cares for you,” they said.

Lopa had never before heard such comforting words. Her heart touched, she gladly accepted the staff’s invitation to enroll Vijul in the Bridge of Hope center. Vijul would have the opportunity to receive a quality education, and Lopa would have the joy of knowing her son’s future would be brighter and more secure.

Son Receives Education, Mother Experiences Love

At the Bridge of Hope center, Vijul received a nutritious meal each day, which removed part of the burden Lopa had for feeding her family. And as the staff taught him in his academic disciplines, he began improving in his studies. Through Bridge of Hope, the chance that Vijul would finish school became not only possible but probable.

The Bridge of Hope staff visited Lopa and her family each week to encourage them. As Lopa saw the staff’s care and love, she began to see the truth in the words they’d told her: Jesus did love her.

Many Mothers Receive Priceless Gift

Lopa is filled with gratitude for all God has given her and her family through Bridge of Hope.

“Now my son is getting school materials like a school bag, books, free education and healthy food in the . . . Bridge of Hope center,” she says. “We are poor; I’m unable to fulfill my sons’ basic needs. But the Bridge of Hope is a great help and blessing for my family.”

Not only is Vijul receiving care through Bridge of Hope, but also his younger brother has been able to start going back to school. As Bridge of Hope lightens Lopa’s financial burden, God is paving a brighter future for all three of her children.

It’s through sponsors around the world that mothers like Lopa continue to receive a priceless gift: the joy of knowing their children will receive an education.

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.

Source: Gospel for Asia Featured Article, Desperate Mother Receives a Gift She Couldn’t Give

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