Turned Away at Heaven’s Door – Gospel for Asia Missionaries See Woman’s Reality Changed

Last updated on: March 22, 2022 at 2:42 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 Laija and her search for peace, and the Gospel for Asia women missionaries who shared friendship and the grace and love of Jesus.

Laija awoke with a start, confused by the strange events in her dream. Why had she been refused passage through the door that led other people to a better place? Her mind kept going back to what the man at the door had told her: “This is not for everyone, but only for a selected few.”

Woman Lives Without Peace

Laija faithfully worshiped her family’s gods and delighted to participate in the religious ceremonies, yet her life was devoid of peace. She and her husband raised seven children and watched several of them marry, but love did not reign in their home. Financial struggles created a tense atmosphere, and her family quarreled continually.

Laija had heard about Jesus’ life and had visited worship services led by Gospel for Asia (GFA) missionaries, but like most people in her community, Laija had little room in her heart for anything other than her own beliefs.

Discussing Laija and her search for peace, and the Gospel for Asia women missionaries who shared friendship and the grace and love of Jesus. — Laija (pictured) hungered to know Jesus the way her two missionary friends did, but she lacked the courage to embrace Him as her Savior.

Wife Befriends Beacons of Hope

Then one day, Laija met Vivaan and Abeyma, the Gospel for Asia (GFA) women missionaries ministering in her area. Laija heard again about the love of Jesus and the transformation He freely offers, but the seeds of faith still fell on the roadway of her heart and found no good soil in which to grow.

Laija’s friendship with the two missionaries did grow, however, and she soon confided in her new friends, explaining her family’s problems and the thoughts of her heart.

“I do not know who to believe,” she shared. “There is no peace in my life, and I am fed up with everything.”

Vivaan and Abeyma prayed for Laija and visited her often to share words of encouragement. Laija recognized the grace of Jesus being lived out in her two friends, and an earnest hunger to experience that same grace developed in her heart. The two women’s testimonies of God’s hand in their lives inspired Laija, but although she understood the goodness of the Lord, her dedication to the gods she had worshiped for all of her 47 years made Laija hesitant to embrace Jesus.

Dream Bewilders, Explanation Illuminates

Then Laija had a dream. In her dream, she saw a long line of people waiting to pass through a door. When she asked what was happening and why so many people were standing in a line, someone in her dream replied, “Everyone is getting ready to go to a cool and better place because it is becoming hotter here.”

“Oh, that is good,” Laija responded. “I also want to go there.”

But when Laija reached the door, a man stopped her and said, “This is not for everyone, but only for a selected few.”

She woke up, bewildered by her dream and the rejection she experienced in it.

The next day, Laija visited her missionary friends and told them about her strange dream. While Abeyma listened to Laija, she remembered Jesus teaching in Matthew 7 that only those who do the will of His Father will enter the kingdom of heaven.

Abeyma and Vivaan prayed for their friend and spoke into Laija’s life again by sharing passages from the Word of God. Gradually, Laija understood the meaning of her dream, and the many seeds that God had been sowing in her heart finally found good soil. She longed to know Jesus personally, so that day, she decided to follow Him.

Gospel for Asia founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: Laija grew in her knowledge of God while Abeyma and Vivaan shared from the Word of God, just as these women learn by reading their Bible. — Laija grew in her knowledge of God while Abeyma and Vivaan shared from the Word of God, just as these women learn by reading their Bible.

An overwhelming peace and joy immediately followed Laija’s decision to embrace Jesus as her Savior. But her husband quickly tried to squelch her new hope.

Faith Holds Fast Under Opposition

“At this age, how can you be so serious about [following a different god]?” he demanded. “I do not believe a single word about whatever you are telling me. The sooner you take back your words, the better. I do not want to hear nonsense.”

When Laija stood firm in her faith in Christ, her husband’s aggression reached beyond verbal abuse. He began hitting her frequently, and when he observed her praying before eating her meal, he would take away her food and taunt her, telling Laija to ask her Jesus to give her food. Even Laija’s children began mocking and disrespecting her.

Although her husband and children turned against her, Laija steadfastly clung to her hope in Christ. She knew Vivaan and Abeyma cared deeply for her, and she went to them often for comfort, prayer and encouragement.

“God gives me the strength,” Laija said, grateful for the prayer support of her friends.

Today, even in her difficult situation, Laija holds fast to her Prince of Peace, and she prays her family may one day also experience the joy she found in Christ.

Share Seeds of Faith

Laija grew in her knowledge of Christ while her missionary friends shared from the Bible. The Word of God is living and active, and still transforming lives.

Learn more about the Sisters of Compassion, specialized Gospel for Asia women missionaries, who have hearts that ache for hurting women and those deemed as poor and needy.

*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, A Dream: Turned Away at Heaven’s Door

Learn more how you can share the Word of God with the millions of people in Asia — either as complete Bibles or New Testaments — which will enable many to grow and learn more about Jesus.

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

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Seeking Death but Finding Life Through Gospel for Asia Radio Ministry

Last updated on: March 22, 2022 at 2:46 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 Jinsy, the trauma of abuse and the struggles with suicidal thoughts and deep despair, and the Gospel for Asia radio program that brought healing and transformation to her life.

Jinsy stared at the container of liquid fertilizer. It had failed her—she was still breathing, still living in shame and anguish, still looking for a way of escape. Her mind rolled through her options. Hanging herself seemed a guaranteed method of suicide, but could she steel her nerves enough to make a second attempt?

Abused Girl Tries to End Life

Jinsy’s family shared a house with her uncle’s family. Although she was the youngest of three children, she was far from being the doted-on baby of the family. By the time Jinsy was in her early 20s, she carried a heart filled with pain and agony.

For one year, Jinsy had repeatedly suffered sexual abuse from a relative. Filled with shame and humiliation, she hid the terrible fact from the rest of her family, too mortified to talk to anyone about her situation. In her helplessness, she tried to handle the problem herself, and she decided to end the overwhelming shame she felt by drinking liquid fertilizer. Somehow she survived—it seemed even death would not grant her plea for escape.

Discussing Jinsy, the trauma of abuse & the struggles with suicidal thoughts, & the Gospel for Asia radio program that brought healing & transformation. — This woman failed in her attempt of suicide, just like Jinsy did. Tragically, every year in Asia thousands of other women succeed in committing suicide.

But Jinsy would later realize that a compassionate God was watching over her during her attempted suicide and offered her the true path to healing.

Hope Instead of Suicide

In the midst of her agony, Jinsy still found enjoyment in listening to the radio, a favorite pastime of many in Asia.

One particular day, the loving God who saved Jinsy from the effects of poison also led her to a radio program she had not heard before. The radio speaker, Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Harichandra, spoke about the purpose of life. His words brought deep encouragement to Jinsy’s raw heart, and she felt God was speaking specifically to her. The light of hope pierced the darkness she was living in, driving out the thoughts of suicide that had plagued her so persistently.

Escaping Her Shame

At the end of each program, Pastor Harichandra gave a phone number for any listener who wanted to contact him in response to the program. Our radio broadcasters commonly share a phone number to provide people with an opportunity to request more information. As listeners narrate their heartbreaking situations, Gospel for Asia (GFA) radio staff do everything they can to help each person, whether that means praying for them, offering encouragement and counsel, or connecting them with pastors in their area who can meet with the listeners and pour into their lives.

Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: Radio staff personally reply to communications received from radio listeners and help listeners in any way they can. — Gospel for Asia (GFA) radio program staff personally reply to communications received from radio listeners and help listeners in any way they can.

As the program Jinsy listened to came to a close, she was unable to write down the contact number, so she tuned in another day to hear the next broadcast from Pastor Harichandra. That message was just as encouraging as the first broadcast she heard. This time, Jinsy excitedly dialed the number and talked with Pastor Harichandra.

After Pastor Harichandra prayed for her and offered more encouragement, Jinsy felt as though a heavy burden had rolled away. She kept in touch with the radio staff, and Jesus did His transforming work in her heart.

Jinsy’s shame melted away, and she found courage to talk about her situation. Moreover, Jinsy read literature and a New Testament she received from the radio staff, and her heart soon urged her to welcome Jesus as her Savior.

Transformation for the Family

Jinsy’s parents noticed the change in their daughter’s life. They wondered why she spent so much time listening to that specific radio program and talking on the phone. Jinsy introduced them to the radio program that ministered to her in her time of deep need, and soon her other relatives joined her in listening to the broadcasts. Through the radio messages, her relatives learned how they could start their own journeys of transformation.

Radio Team Provides Fellowship and Support

Like many villages in Asia, Jinsy’s village lacked a local fellowship of believers. No one who knew Jesus was present to comfort Jinsy during her time of anguish, but Christ’s love healed her heart through a Gospel for Asia (GFA) radio program.

Even though she had no mature believers nearby to speak into her life, Jinsy was equipped to grow in her knowledge of God through the broadcasts she and her family listened to and through her New Testament, which was given to her by the radio correspondents. The new friends at the radio station knew her story and helped her overcome shame and speak up about her abuse. The radio staff were always there for her, as was her compassionate Savior.

While Jinsy’s life story could have ended in tragic death, it is still being written today as she lives her life unto the Lord, free from shame and filled with hope. She knows she is valued in God’s eyes and rejoices in being called His daughter.

Gospel for Asia Radio Program Ministers to Millions

GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan — Uninhibited by social or geographical barriers, radio programs enable millions of people across Asia to hear of God’s love.

Each year, our radio teams receive more than 2 million pieces of correspondence from listeners like Jinsy, many of whom share about their struggles with suicidal thoughts or deep despair. Through your prayers and support, you can help provide life-giving programming for those needing hope in their darkest hour!

Learn more about the Gospel for Asia Radio Ministry in Asia, through which the Holy Spirit is moving powerfully in the hearts of listeners, reaching across geographical and political barriers, establishing fellowships in isolated areas yet to be reached by missionaries.

Source: Gospel for Asia Featured Article, Seeking Death but Finding Life

Learn more by reading the Gospel for Asia Special Report on 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.

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Gospel for Asia Missionary Shares, “Love is the Most Powerful Weapon We Have”

Last updated on: April 2, 2021 at 5:53 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 Myo Zaw, a gospel for Asia missionary, and family who, despite the struggle and difficulty, through a burning love & desire for God, poured out their lives in love for others.

fire burned inside Myo Zaw. It was lit the day the Lord redeemed him, and it grew hotter and more intense every single day. He was like the prophet Jeremiah, unable to keep the love of Christ hidden within himself. If he tried, he felt restless, he felt sick.

Weary of holding it in, Myo Zaw shouted from the roadsides and in market places, “Christ [redeemed] me, and He will [redeem] you also!”

People thought he had gone mad. Those in his community already knew him as a hot-blooded drunkard who fought with people and beat his wife and children, and now he proved his insanity.

“But I knew I was not mad,” Myo Zaw says. “The love of God just would not simply keep [quiet] in my heart. I wanted to pour it out and share it.”

Independently Ministering

Consumed by a fire that could not be put out, Gospel for Asia Missionary Myo Zaw traveled throughout his region, walking from place to place, sharing the Word of God. He told people “how a sinner like me was found by God.” In three years, he visited 100 communities. His wife, Shway, sent him letters while he was away to encourage him.

“If your life can [be changed] by Christ, there is no one who cannot be changed by Christ,” she’d say. “So wherever you are going and sharing the Word of God, we are here to pray for you. I believe people will be changed by the love of Christ.”

And people were—350 of them. They heard of His great love and saw it lived out in His child, and it changed them.

Following Like Jesus: Gospel for Asia Missionary Network

Not long after, a man visited Myo Zaw’s village and shared about the different places in their country and how Jesus went to a foreign land, though heaven was His home.

The fire inside Myo Zaw intensified. He knew without any doubt that his life needed to be about sharing the Lord’s love with others. It was a powerful love that transformed him, and he knew others needed it, too.

Nearly 10 years later, God sent them to the southern region of their country through Gospel for Asia. — Myo Zaw (pictured) with his wife, Shway, and youngest son.

He told himself, “It is better that I go and give my life for the people in foreign lands.” So he and his wife prayed and prepared themselves to live in an area where people were unfamiliar with the Lamb of God.

Nearly 10 years later, God sent them to the southern region of their country as Gospel for Asia missionaries.

Forced Out of Community

In their new community, people quickly realized Myo Zaw and his family were Christians and decided they would have nothing to do with the new arrivals.

“We were [forced] out of community,” Pastor Myo Zaw says, “and it is very difficult to live without community.”

People threw stones at Myo Zaw’s home and threatened to penalize others if they spoke to the Christians. Even Myo Zaw’s young children faced discrimination at school because of their faith.

“Sometimes, when we would go to the market,” Pastor Myo Zaw recalls, “they’d look at us as if we were enemies. All these things we faced, but the Lord showed His grace upon us through which we are still OK now.”

Gospel for Asia Missionary: Love Turning Hearts

Myo Zaw, Shway and their children trusted Christ throughout the hardships, and with the Spirit’s fiery love pulsating within them, they learned how to love the people in their new community.

Myo Zaw’s wife, Shway, leading Sunday School in one of the local fellowships.

The pastor started with film ministry, showing people movies they enjoyed and also the film of Jesus’ life. The local children felt Myo Zaw’s and his wife’s warmth and began visiting them. Myo Zaw and Shway would give the young boys and girls treats, teach them songs and bathe the ones that came looking haggard.

The community watched how they cared for their children and wondered why this man and his wife loved them so much. Soon, people talked to them at the market, and Pastor Myo Zaw and Shway were able to reveal Christ’s love to them.

They cared for the sick and took people to the hospital when needed. When floodwaters destroyed homes and livelihoods, they and other Gospel for Asia workers helped provide relief. Pastor Myo Zaw frequently visited people to encourage them and offer words of life and hope in Christ Jesus. And people visited him as well.

God’s Most Powerful Weapon

“What I have found in my life is that love is the most powerful weapon we have from God.” —Myo Zaw

The fire God kindled within Myo Zaw on the first day of his redemption continues to burn brighter and hotter as the years pass.

“My love has become deeper for them. I care for them more,” he says of the people who are now his friends. “That’s why I don’t want to go back to my hometown. That is why I would like to sacrifice my whole life for them.”

After 14 years of displaying Christ’s love, people feel and understand Myo Zaw’s love for them and many return it. They’ve come to know that “everything I do is for them,” he says. And he does it because of Christ.

“What I have found in my life,” Myo Zaw says, “is that love is the most powerful weapon we have from God.”

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.

Source: Gospel for Asia Featured Article, Love on Fire

Learn more about Film Ministry in Asia, as films on the life of Jesus have proven to be one of the best ways to let people in Asia know about the sacrificial love and deliverance of God.

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

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Hope in a Bucket of Water: Gospel for Asia Pastor Brings Jesus Well to His Village

Last updated on: September 11, 2022 at 8:37 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 struggles many experience with having no access to clean water, the waterborne diseases they are exposed to, and the Gospel for Asia Pastor that brought a Jesus Well to his village.

orning came early for the villagers. They trudged down a dusty path as the heat began to rise with the sun, dawning a new day. The morning light exposed strange yellow and red stains inside the pots they carried by hand, or had lifted above their shoulders or they placed atop their heads. Those stains revealed an immense struggle in the villagers’ daily lives.

Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: Poor communities are in need of pure water. — The families in Pastor Sahay’s village, struggled to find good water, like these women. The pumps in their village brought forth dirty water and caused them to have health issues.

Muddy Water Leaves Marks on Vessels and Stomachs

The water in the village was not safe to drink. Hand pumps installed years prior gushed forth muddy, red-colored water. It was obvious this was the culprit to the stains inside the water pots. But it wasn’t just the villagers’ vessels that bore the mark of the undrinkable liquid; their continual stomachaches and kidney problems made the statement loud and clear. If they wanted clean water to drink, they had to wake early to search for it outside their village.

Pastor Brought a Jesus Well that Impacted a Village

Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Sahay served in this village. He and his congregation distributed food once a month to the slum nearby. This impacted the community greatly, and many saw the love of Jesus through their simple acts of kindness. Pouring his life out faithfully unto the Lord, Pastor Sahay tried to help the community as much as he could. He was not unaware of the urgent and crucial need for clean water. Because someone gave to Gospel for Asia (GFA) to help provide clean water for people in Asia, Pastor Sahay could take action; he introduced a Jesus Well to the village he loved so well.

Gospel for Asia founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: After the Jesus Well in Pastor Sahay's village was completed (pictured), it was dedicated to the Lord. This well pours out clean water freely to those who come to it for a drink. — After the Jesus Well in Pastor Sahay’s village was completed (pictured), it was dedicated to the Lord. This well pours out clean water freely to those who come to it for a drink.

Once the drilling was underway, happiness filled the villagers who passed by, as they saw the church once again taking care of the community. This meant that soon, they wouldn’t struggle with waterborne illnesses, and they would have clear water coming from the hand pump.

The Jesus Well was placed in a convenient spot: right by the road, in a public area where anyone could acquire clean water. The Jesus Well was also right by a school, hospital, auto shop and the local market. A man named Tunava who ran a small food stand close by the well said, “I used to bring water from far away to wash the vessels and for the customers…now, I can get pure drinking water at any time, and it’s very close to my shop.”

Today, around 200 people drink refreshing, pure water from this well every day and are able to read God’s Word inscribed on the well’s plaque that speaks about the Living Water offered freely to all, taken from the passage found in John 4:13–14.

Gospel for Asia founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: A local woman pumps water for her daily use from the new well on the day it was dedicated. Her family is no longer threatened by waterborne illness that had been impacting her community. — A local woman pumps water for her daily use from the new well on the day it was dedicated. Her family is no longer threatened by waterborne illness that had been impacting her community.

Jesus Well Stands as a Beacon of Hope to Community

Because of this act of kindness, many hearts have been touched, and families have desired to hear more about the love of Jesus. This opened doors for Pastor Sahay and his congregation to display more of the hope of Christ to those around them and share about the God who offers living water for their souls. The village chief was very grateful to Pastor Sahay and said, “I could not help my villagers by providing them with a hand pump. But thanks [to the church] for providing a Jesus Well for my community.”

A local man in the village was very touched by the gift of the Jesus Well and expressed his thanks saying, “I appreciate the work of the church for the community. These days, no one thinks of others, but the work the church is doing is really appreciable.”

Gospel for Asia founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: Pure waterbrings hope — By receiving a Jesus Well in their community, many people get the chance to learn about the Living Water. One clean bucket of water could be a bucket full of hope!

The Living Water

This village now has a tangible reflection of the Living Water that Jesus offers every time they pump the clean, fresh water from the Jesus Well. No longer do they have to fear waterborne illnesses when they take a glass of its water. They’ve also had the opportunity to learn about God’s tremendous love. You can be part of giving hope in buckets of water by giving a Jesus Well today.

Learn more about how to provide pure, clean water to families and villages through Gospel for Asia Jesus Wells and BioSand Water Filters.

Source: Gospel for Asia Featured Article, Hope in a Bucket of Water

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.

Read the Solving the World Water Crisis for Good special report — Lasting Solutions Can Defeat an Age-old Problem.

Learn more by reading The Global Clean Water Crisis special report — Finding Solutions to Humanity’s Need for Pure, Safe Water.

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Gospel for Asia Medical Camp Witnesses Move from Danger to Good Health

Last updated on: March 31, 2022 at 7:18 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 Ekanga and his wife, Pallivini, the challenges they face with her sickness, and God’s work through national missionaries and Gospel for Asia Medical Camp.

kanga was worried about his wife. Though Pallavini took local remedies for healing, nothing helped. Many of the so-called treatments only made her worse. For more than a year, her bleeding continued, leaving her weaker and weaker as the months drew on. Ekanga feared Pallivini would die.

To make matters worse, the family lived in a notoriously dangerous village—one populated by robbers, thieves and bloodthirsty men. Every month, villagers would hear a report of someone being killed and robbed by the people of Ekanga’s village.

Ekanga had good cause to be worried.

When They Met the Pastor

A few months before Ekanga’s wife became sick, he met Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Jacob. Although Ekanga called himself a Christian, he and his wife hadn’t been living like it. As Pastor Jacob and Ekanga talked, Ekanga told him plainly he wanted to start going to church. In July, Ekanga started attending Pastor Jacob’s church in the nearby village, and by December, he moved the family to that village, further away from the danger of their previous town.

Pallavini, whose medical issues started the month before they moved, wasn’t happy with the idea of her husband going to church. But God was working in her heart, and a year later, she went with Ekanga to church.

“Now I understand that God still loves me and my family,” she shared in front of the congregation that day. “That’s why today we, as a family, came here and worshipped the Lord together with you all.”

At the end of her testimony, Pallivini asked the congregation to pray for her well-being.

Gospel for Asia founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: Pallavini received life-changing multivitamins at a Gospel for Asia medical camp led by a Women’s Fellowship team. — Pallavini received life-changing multivitamins at a Gospel for Asia (GFA) medical camp led by a Women’s Fellowship team.

Medical Camp Helps Bring Healing

The next day, the Women’s Fellowship team at Pastor Jacob’s church had planned a medical camp. Pallivini went with about 30 other women. They each received multivitamin tablets and learned a few basic things about health.

One week later, Pallavini could hardly contain her joy.

“Thank you for the medicine that you have given to me,” she said.

“After taking those vitamin tablets, I feel better. I have started to feel hungry and eat more. The bleeding and pain have even gone from my body. From the day I took those vitamin tablets, I also could sleep well at night, without any pain.”

Praise God for moving in Ekanga’s and Pallavini’s lives! Their testimony is just one among many who have been touched and blessed through the ministries of Gospel for Asia (GFA), which you are part of through your prayers and donations. Thank you so much for standing with us to impact lives around the world.

Learn more about the need for Medical Ministry. GFA’s medical ministry is helping thousands who are in need of medical care and attention, all while displaying the love of Christ.

Source: Gospel for Asia Newsletter, From Danger to Good Health

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.

Learn more about the 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.

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

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A Light in the Slum Through Gospel for Asia Bridge of Hope Center

Last updated on: April 5, 2022 at 10:48 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 children and their families in abject poverty, and the Gospel for Asia (GFA) Bridge of Hope center that help give the children of Asia the light of a brighter future.

As the Bridge of Hope administrative staff walked through the area, they saw many crude shanties lining dirty streets where hungry children roamed. They talked to poor mothers and sick fathers, people who expressed their needs and hopes for themselves and their children. Wanting to start a new Bridge of Hope center, the staff had asked a local official for his suggestion.

“If you can bring goodness to this area,” he told them, “the children will have a future.”

Sometime later, with the lighting of a lamp and the cutting of a ribbon, a new Bridge of Hope center opened its doors for 100 boys and girls in this community of downtrodden slum dwellers.

Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: Vela a BOH student — Vela 2013

A Girl Without a Mother

Among those 100 faces was 9-year-old Vela. Vela’s mother had abandoned the family some time before, fleeing the abuse of her alcoholic husband. A few days after his wife left, he fell ill and couldn’t leave his bed. So Vela’s grandmother, Paramita, became the family’s sole provider.

Despite their abject poverty, Paramita wanted her grandchildren to get an education—and through Bridge of Hope, Vela had a chance.

Gospel for Asia founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: Tamal a BOH student — Tamal 2013

A Boy Acting as a Father

Elsewhere in the crowd sat 9-year-old Tamal, a boy with a heavy burden. While his parents worked, Tamal ran the home and cared for his younger siblings, including a 1-year-old. After feeding them breakfast, Tamal would leave the children in a room so he could go to school for a few hours. Returning at noon, he would feed them again. When he could, Tamal collected glass and plastic bottles from the roadside to sell.

“Thank you so much for the special care toward me from Bridge of Hope,” he shared on opening day. “This will really be a hope to my life.”

Gospel for Asia founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: BOH student Tamal — Tamal 2016

A Light Through Three Years of Challenges

Three years since opening, Bridge of Hope has been one of the few consistent things in Tamal’s life. In 2014, Tamal’s father divorced his mother. She moved the family out of the slum, only to return some months later, at which point Tamal reenrolled in Bridge of Hope. Since then, he continues to receive steady love and care through the Bridge of Hope staff.

Through the staff’s tutoring, Tamal’s grades are improving in school, and he is receiving a meal every day.

Gospel for Asia founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: Vela attended a Bridge of Hope center — Vela 2016

Vela’s life has not come without challenges either. Her dad often needed to be taken to the hospital for medical treatments, so she wasn’t always able to go to school or to the center. But in the midst of this, God showed His grace through the prayers of the Bridge of Hope staff.

As is customary with all Bridge of Hope students, the staff regularly visited Vela’s home to encourage her family, talk about her education and even pray for the family’s needs. Vela saw God’s power and love when He answered the prayers of the Bridge of Hope staff and restored her father to full health. Vela’s grandmother wants to know more about the Jesus who healed her son.

Through the Love of the Bridge of Hope Center Staff

From early on, Vela and Tamal’s lives have been full of responsibility as caregivers for their families. Even so, the staff at their Bridge of Hope center has helped them succeed through tutoring, prayer and encouragement.

Vela continues to attend Bridge of Hope to this day, and now that her father is better, she is able to come consistently. She is in 8^th grade, where she enjoys studying her native language and has developed a special talent for public speaking.

“I never thought that there are people who really think about life in the slums, but now I understand Christians have caring and compassionate hearts,” Vela’s grandmother shared. “There are many children who were wandering around without meaning in this slum, and now we will see a bright future in their lives. I am really thankful to all those [who] are supportive of this center.”

That gratitude is for you. No matter what ministries of Gospel for Asia (GFA) you pray for and support. God is using you to make a difference in the lives of boys and girls like Tamal and Vela and their families. Thank you for working with us to help give the children of Asia a brighter future.

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 Field Report, A Light in the Slum

Learn more about the Discarded, Abandoned and Abused Children, and how, through partnership with Gospel for Asia you can help them and be a part of changing their lives forever.

Learn more by reading the Gospel for Asia Special Report on Child Labor: Not Gone, but Forgotten – Millions of Children Trapped between Extreme Poverty and the Profits of Others

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

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Gospel for Asia-supplied Mosquito Net Helps Free Man from Addiction

Last updated on: April 9, 2021 at 7:44 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 Baharupa, his alcohol addiction, the struggle with poverty in providing for his family, the sicknesses they are exposed to, and the Gospel for Asia supplied mosquito net used as an instrument of God’s love.

What began as a small indulgence slowly enveloped Baharupa’s life. The 55-year-old farmer and father of three felt pressured to drink the alcohol given to him at the many village-wide celebrations. But again and again, he ended up drunk. Even with his acquired addiction, Baharupa made sure to take care of his wife and sons, but there were some things he couldn’t provide them with.

Gospel for Asia founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: Discussing Baharupa, his alcohol addiction, the poverty, the sicknesses , & the Gospel for Asia supplied mosquito net used to show God's love — Baharupa attended a distribution event for mosquito nets like this one, where he experienced the love of God firsthand.

A Village’s Struggle

In Baharupa’s village, Gospel for Asia pastor Satyam oversees a congregation of 72 believers. The pastor and believers had been seeking ways to bless their community. They saw the poverty that clung to Baharupa and many of their fellow villagers despite countless hours of hard work and labor. The believers also saw how vulnerable villagers were to diseases because they possessed no way to protect themselves. And they wanted to help.

God’s Love Exemplified

Of the many burdens weighing on impoverished families in Asia, health concerns rank high on the list. Our initiatives include health awareness programs that help individuals learn how to shield themselves against sicknesses. Gospel for Asia missionaries also distribute practical gifts, such as mosquito nets, to help people put what they learn at awareness programs into practice.

Mosquito nets provide ample protection against the disease-carrying pest—a boon for poor, rural villages like Baharupa’s. Pastor Satyam organized a gift distribution event to give out 4,000 mosquito nets.

As Baharupa sat with the other recipients, the farmer could not comprehend why Pastor Satyam and the believers had put together a gift distribution event. But when his name was called and a mosquito net was placed in his hands, Baharupa began to understand. This was love and compassion at work.

“Who can give us mosquito nets without money?” Baharupa wondered. “This shows [the believers’] love towards us. I have never seen such kind of love among our society people.”

Intrigued, Baharupa attended worship service the next Sunday, and he started coming every week. Pastor Satyam counseled the farmer, sharing more of God’s vast love and forgiveness. Baharupa realized he didn’t need the bottle; he now possessed something infinitely greater: the eternal love of God.

Baharupa and his entire family began to walk with Jesus. They became members of the congregation, rejoicing in the newfound love of Christ and in Baharupa’s freedom from addiction.

Read how another family was blessed thanks to a Gospel for Asia-supplied mosquito net.

One simple way to fight mosquito-borne diseases like malaria, is to consider giving a needy family a simple Mosquito Net. Most households need several nets to protect everyone in the family. Help save them from sickening agony or death from malaria.

Source: Gospel for Asia Field Report, Mosquito Net Helps Free Man from Addiction

Learn more about how generosity can change lives. Through Gospel for Asia (GFA World and it’s affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) 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 these Special Reports from Gospel for Asia:

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When Hard Work Wasn’t Enough Gospel for Asia Stepped In

Last updated on: April 6, 2022 at 4:36 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 Khadim, the discouragements and grinding poverty, and the income-generating gifts from Gospel for Asia’s Christmas Gift Catalog that brought hope, encouragement and joy.

Khadim plodded toward home, weary from his diligent efforts to provide for his wife and two children. He had spent the entire day looking for labor jobs—anything that would put food on the table and care for his family—but he came home disappointed with the wages of his hard work. It just wasn’t enough.

Meager Meals and an Unstable Income

The families in Khadim’s community depended on agriculture for their livelihoods and diligently cultivated their crops. But Khadim didn’t own farmland and couldn’t get a stable job, no matter how hard he tried. The 35-year-old father went from place to place seeking daily labor jobs, but some days he couldn’t find any work, and he struggled to provide for his family.

Gospel for Asia founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: Discussing the grinding poverty in Khadim's life, and the income-generating gifts from Gospel for Asia's Christmas Gift Catalog that brought hope and joy. — Khadim, like this man, struggled to provide for his family. His income relied on unpredictable labor jobs, until he received a gift that changed his life.

Khadim’s life held little joy, and he often fought disappointment and discouragement. He somehow managed to provide some food for his wife and kids, but nothing enabled him to meet all of their needs.

Experiencing the Compassion of the Body of Christ

Khadim began his relationship with Jesus many years ago, and his love for Christ was strong, despite his troubles. He worshiped the Lord at a fellowship led by Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Udyan. He tried to participate in the church activities, but searching for work every day meant Khadim often missed the fellowship gatherings.

His troubles did not go unnoticed by his church family. Pastor Udyan saw the diligent efforts of the young father to care for his family, and he thought of a way to help relieve Khadim’s burden.

Through the generosity of believers living many miles away, Pastor Udyan had the opportunity to bless people in his community with income-generating gifts from Gospel for Asia’s Christmas Gift Catalog. When the time came to distribute the gifts, Pastor Udyan knew exactly which families needed help the most—and Khadim’s was one of those families.

Hardworking Father Equipped to Thrive

As a practical demonstration of God’s love and care, the careworn father received a gift that changed his family: a brand new bicycle rickshaw! With this new, consistent source of income, Khadim’s hard work began to pay off.

Hope provided through Gospel for Asia's Christmas gift catalog Gospel for Asia (founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan) — Farmers hired Khadim to cart their produce to market, which enabled him to consistently support his family. Rickshaws provide a stable income for their owners, as this other young rickshaw driver can testify.

Bicycle rickshaws are versatile modes of transportation in Khadim’s area; some carry passengers, while others transport cargo. Pedaling bicycle rickshaws can be physically demanding, but Khadim wholeheartedly thrust his energy and strength into his new occupation.

Farmers in Khadim’s community began hiring Khadim to bring their produce to the market, while other families wanted him to bring their groceries home for them. Khadim’s rickshaw even enabled him to start working at construction sites, where he was able to haul bricks and bags of cement.

Heart and Home Impacted by Gospel for Asia’s Christmas Gift Catalog

Now, Khadim uses his rickshaw for labor work between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., and then he goes out again during the evening to transport parcels for villagers. Thanks to his new source of income, Khadim’s children don’t have to worry about whether they will have food or not, and Khadim’s wife has the resources she needs to run the household.

Gospel for Asia founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: The rickshaws given to this man and to Khadim bring smiles to their faces and remind them of God’s love and care for their families. — The rickshaws given to this man and to Khadim bring smiles to their faces and remind them of God’s love and care for their families.

Khadim still works hard to care for his family, but the generous gift from the Body of Christ brought a greater stability to his financial situation and removed the burden of discouragement that weighed on his heart.

“I am really thankful to Almighty God and to the Church for having concern [for my family] and providing me with a cycle rickshaw,” Khadim shared. “It was timely help when I was struggling in my life, and the Church took care of me.”

Khadim’s family no longer lives hand-to-mouth. Khadim even faithfully tithes his earnings—just one of many ways he expresses his gratitude to the Lord for His provision and grace.

Although Khadim’s rickshaw is a simple tool of metal and wood made to carry things like vegetables and bricks, it also carries hope, encouragement and joy for him and his family. It is a continual reminder of their Savior’s loving care, and it inspires praise and thanksgiving.

To the Lord and to those who helped lift him out of discouragement and grinding poverty, Khadim gratefully says, “Thank you, very much.”

Gospel for Asia founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: Whether it’s a heavy-duty cargo rickshaw or a festive passenger rickshaw, these useful gifts can bring a family out of despair and poverty. — Whether it’s a heavy-duty cargo rickshaw or a festive passenger rickshaw, these useful gifts can bring a family out of despair and poverty.

You can give other struggling parents, like Khadim and his wife, the ability to provide for their children, and remind them of God’s great love. Give an income-generating gift today through Gospel for Asia’s Christmas Gift Catalog.

Source: Gospel for Asia Featured Article, When Hard Work Wasn’t Enough

Learn more by reading the Gospel for Asia Special Report: Poverty: Public Enemy #1 – Eliminating Extreme Poverty Worldwide is Possible, But Not Inevitable

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

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A Dying Widow is Introduced to Jesus and Gospel for Asia Women’s Fellowship

Last updated on: April 6, 2022 at 4:38 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 a widow named Sahana, the sickness & grief, and God’s instruments bringing life through believers & Gospel for Asia Women’s Fellowship.

Gospel for Asia founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: Discussing a widow named Sahana, the sickness & grief, and God's instruments bringing life through believers & Gospel for Asia Women's Fellowship. — These ladies from Women’s Fellowship pray for a woman’s healing, just as Carina prayed for Sahana during her illness.

Carina watched her neighbor Sahana walk down the road to clean yet another house. Sahana’s frail frame hardly looked capable of helping in someone’s home, yet the determined—and desperate—young woman pushed herself to wash dishes, sweep and tidy up six or seven homes every day.

Sahana had married at 13 years old, brought two children into the world and kept house for her husband. However, her husband contracted tuberculosis and also developed a serious drinking problem, which burdened the family and eventually plunged them into grief. At 21 years of age, Sahana became a widow and the sole provider for her two children.

She had no family and no one to turn to, so Sahana rallied her courage and did all she could to meet her young family’s needs. She worked tirelessly day and night, exhausting her body. Eventually, she contracted typhoid, but she couldn’t afford to stop working. Nobody would pay her for taking care of herself, so she worked relentlessly until she lost every ounce of strength. Dangerously ill, Sahana finally ended up in the hospital.

Loving Neighbor Goes the Extra Mile

Carina worried about her struggling neighbor and asked Jesus every day to help the young widow. She knew Sahana tried to please various deities and faithfully performed religious rituals in her home, but Carina also knew Jesus lovingly gave Himself for Sahana and offered her eternal life.

When Sahana’s illness forced her into the hospital, Carina made it a priority to visit Sahana and pray over her in person. At the hospital, Carina found an extremely frail woman whom the doctors worried would not recover. The medical staff had not yet given up on Sahana, but her situation looked grim.

The bleak diagnosis did not squelch Carina’s faith in Christ’s healing power, however. She explained to Sahana who Jesus is and how He came to give life in full. Carina’s testimony of God’s mercy brought hope to Sahana. Faith stirred in her heart, and Sahana asked Jesus to do His saving work in her life.

Gospel for Asia founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: Women's Fellowship — After Sahana experienced God’s restoring power in her life, she met Prisha (pictured) the leader of the Women’s Fellowship in Sahana’s area. Together, the women glorified God for His work, and Sahana learned more from Prisha about her Savior.

Full Restoration & Gospel for Asia Women’s Fellowship

From that day onward, Sahana prayed in Jesus’ name for her complete recovery—and God, full of grace and power, answered those prayers in a miraculous way. Sahana moved from the brink of death to full health in a matter of days. Astonished at the woman’s recovery, the doctors discharged her.

Carina introduced her living-miracle friend to church, where Sahana met Prisha, the leader of the local Gospel for Asia (GFA) Women’s Fellowship. Prisha helped Carina and the other women to strengthen their walks with Christ, and that day, she entered Sahana’s life as a new friend too. Sahana shared the story of God’s healing in her life, and all the women praised God for His restoring work.

Sahana could go back to work again, and although she still had to work hard, she wasn’t alone anymore. Because of Carina’s concern and loving ministry, Sahana found a group of women who cared about her and her children, and she has a personal relationship with the powerful God who saved her from death and promises her eternal life in heaven. Despite the hardships Sahana has walked through and still faces as a single mother, her renewed heart declares that Jesus is enough for her.

Read how another ill woman’s life changed because of a simple demonstration of love.

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 Field Report, Concerned Believer Prays for Dying Widow

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 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.

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Gospel for Asia Pastor Helps Love-Hungry Athlete Find the Love He Was Looking For

Last updated on: April 7, 2022 at 9:14 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 Safal, the loneliness and pain of growing up without guidance and love, and the Gospel for Asia (GFA) Pastor who shared the love of Jesus who can heal his pain and bring him peace.

Sweat rolled down Safal’s skin. He ran after the ball again, aiming for a goal. From the outside, Safal looked like an outstanding and accomplished young soccer player, but inside he felt alone and without peace.

The Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Jaitra understood where this young athlete was coming from. He once felt emptiness ravage his seeking heart. He once was searching, too. He once wasn’t satisfied with his life. But now he had something to share—something Safal would soon see and change the very course of his life forever.

Like the little boys in this picture, Safal played soccer from an early age.

Growing Up Without a Mom

Safal and his brothers grew up without their mother’s love and care. She left the family when her sons were just little boys and never returned. Her absence drove their father to the bottle in his attempts to cope with his life. His aim to drown out his sorrows resulted in him becoming a drunkard. As a consequence of his parents’ neglect, Safal grew up without guidance and love, and a cavernous void formed in his heart.

Just like these men are playing soccer on a team, Safal grew up excelling in the sport. Even though he was good at soccer and made it priority in his life, he never felt satisfied or completely fulfilled in it. He had deep void in his heart that never went away.

Using Soccer to Escape Pain

To fill the void in his life, Safal dedicated his energy and time to soccer. As a young boy, he was a natural and played the sport with distinction and great skill. He started off humble, but as he continued to excel, he became arrogant in his soccer pursuits. His love of the sport took priority in his life.

Many young boys respected and looked up to him, but the admiration they showed him did not heal Safal’s aching heart. Despite his popularity, he felt alone. He didn’t believe in God or the traditional rituals his family practiced. He had never been taught how to love, and though he succeeded in soccer, he was always discouraged and sad.

Faithful Friend Prays for Young Athlete

Among Safal’s best friends was a Christian young man who went to Pastor Jaitra’s church. His name was Balaraj, and he stood faithfully by Safal’s side. He shared the love of Christ with him often and prayed without fail for Safal, even when he rejected the message of hope he shared. Balaraj’s loving heart reflected Jesus, and he continued to pray constantly that Safal would truly understand God’s love.

One day, Balaraj noticed Safal looking especially depressed, so he asked his friend, “What happened to you?”

Safal didn’t reply right away, but later he said, “I am really sad and alone. I have no mother, and my father is a drunkard, so I have no peace in my heart.”

After hearing from Safal, Balaraj called his pastor to pray for him. Pastor Jaitra shared the hope and peace of Jesus with Safal and encouraged him from the Word of God. Pastor Jaitra knew as a young man what it felt like to have no peace, and he was able to share, deep from his heart, that there is hope for the seeking heart.

“Safal, don’t worry,” Pastor Jaitra reassured him. “Jesus loves you and cares for you. We are with you, and we, too, love you.”

Before leaving, Safal took some literature from Pastor Jaitra and said he would come to church if he had time.

Gospel for Asia founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: National missionaries share the love of Christ — God knew how much Safal needed his faithful friend, Balaraj. Just like these two good friends are enjoying tea together, Balaraj stood by Safal’s side and prayed for him continually, even when he rejected the hope of Jesus.

Entering Church for the First Time

Much to the joy and amazement of Pastor Jaitra, Safal arrived with Balaraj for the very next church service.

Safal stepped inside the building—it was the first time he had ever entered a church. Having never experienced a Christian service, he felt a little uneasy as he watched the believers worship Jesus. When the singing was over, Pastor Jaitra introduced Safal to the congregation to welcome him.

Gospel for Asia founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: The Gospel for Asia pastor Jaitra was there when Safal shared the longing in his heart for love. Safal found that Jesus can heal his pain and bring him peace. — The Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Jaitra (pictured) was there when Safal shared the longing in his heart for love. Safal found that Jesus can heal his pain and bring him peace.

Then the young athlete listened to the message Pastor Jaitra shared from God’s Word. He found himself deeply moved as the Lord began to work within him. At the end of the service, Safal told Pastor Jaitra, “Today’s message really touched my heart. I want to experience [Jesus’] abundant love in my daily life.”

With great joy, Pastor Jaitra prayed for Safal and encouraged him with Scipture. This was the beginning of their friendship. Through the mentoring of Pastor Jaitra, Safal has grown strong in the Lord, and his heart’s desire is to serve and love the Lord with his life.

Safal no longer focuses solely on sports, nor does he struggle with depression and feeling unloved. Instead, he wants to show Christ’s love to others by being an example to many who feel the emptiness in their hearts, as he once did. He knows God can fill hungry hearts with His everlasting love.

Messengers of Christ’s Hope

There are many people, like Safal, in the world today who feel lost and alone. Praise the Lord, Jesus has come to bring us hope and life in Him! Through faithful servants like Pastor Jaitra, Jesus is making Himself known to these precious people. You can be part of touching lives with the love of Christ by praying for and sponsoring a national missionary today.

Source: Gospel for Asia Featured Article, Love-hungry Athlete Finds True Love

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

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