Christmas Gift of Hope on Wheels saves a Family from Hunger

Last updated on: January 4, 2025 at 6:40 am By GFA Staff Writer

Gospel for Asia (GFA) News, Wills Point, TX

A bicycle can literally change the course of someone’s life. In Asia bicycles are a major form of transportation. The two-wheeled machine can often save hours of travel time, enabling much more productivity to the user.

One of our favorites gifts to give impoverished people in Asia are bicycles. Whether that be for a school-going child or a hard-working dad, we have seen how these simple tools have amazing effects. In Gospel for Asia (GFA) 2016 Special Report, there’s a story about a man named Tosa who received a bicycle through the kindness of donors and supporters across the globe.

Here’s a snippet:

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

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

Doors Begin to Open

Whenever Gospel for Asia-supported pastor Gobi visited Tosa’s village, he made it a point to check in with Tosa and his family. As they saw the genuine love and care Gobi had for them, they decided they wanted to learn more about Jesus, the One who deeply loved the world.

bicycles to go travel from village to village - KP Yohannan - Gospel for Asia — Those who receive bicycles are able to go travel from village to village faster.

Christmas Give Brings Hope on Wheels

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

Breakthroughs in the Village

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

Can you imagine being in Tosa’s shoes?

He no longer has to helplessly stand by watching his family suffer from hunger. This thoughtful gift made such an impact on Tosa’s family that now their village has hope in the love of Christ.

It is pretty amazing to watch the Lord work through practical things like a bike. The compassion of Jesus is alive today as it motivates us to action when we see someone suffering. And Tosa’s life is living proof of that unending compassion.

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Father’s Day Without My Father

Last updated on: June 20, 2025 at 4:04 pm By GFA Staff Writer

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WILLS POINT, TX – Bishop Daniel, President of GFA World, reflects on his father KP Yohannan’s legacy, a life devoted to Christ, inspiring faith and mission.

My father, KP Yohannan, went to be with the Lord one year ago. I remember him every single day since then — wishing he was here and wishing we could continue some of the conversations we started. As I’ve looked back, I’ve come to realize what a tremendous blessing it was for me to witness how he lived out his faith daily.

One of the most impactful things he modeled for me was how to live a life of integrity. He was the same person at home as he was in public. That consistency is rare, yet it’s one of the most powerful ways a parent can love their children. Every day, my father lived out for my sister and me what it meant to genuinely follow God. Growing up in our home, sharing the Gospel wasn’t just a job; it was a way of life.

I watched how, as he got older, his pursuit of God didn’t fade — it deepened. His heart and passion for those who had not heard about Christ only strengthened. He didn’t grow tired of the mission; he grew more consumed by it. And that passion wasn’t just in the gifts he gave or the words he spoke — it was in the life he lived, day after day.

That genuine life is the greatest gift a father can give his children. It’s something we can carry with us and then pass on to our own children, which they will then pass down to their children. Loving our kids means making faith tangible and practical for them. It means showing them what it looks like to live with a passion for those living and dying without Christ and a deep love for God.

That means in the everyday moments — in the car, over coffee, during our prayers — that we live a simple, faithful life by loving God and loving others. In this way, our lives glorify God.

When I think about my father, as much as I miss him, as much as I wish he were still here sitting next to me, there’s also a peace that carries me forward. The same God who was with him is with me. I now have the privilege of continuing this life of love that my father exemplified.

If there’s one thing I wish people would remember about my father, it’s this: He would often say to everyone he met, “Add 100 years to your life — where are you, and what matters in light of that reality?” It was his way of challenging us to invest our lives in eternal things, knowing that only what we do for Christ will last.

He would also urge us not to waste our time. He would tell us, “Don’t give up so easily.” Especially young people — he would plead with them not to wait to serve God. Simplify your life. Use your time. Use your resources. Pray. Give. Go. There’s a world out there that still needs to hear about Christ.

And then he’d often ask the question: What are you now going to do about it?

I hope, by God’s grace, to lead my own children in the same way my father led me. Not by being perfect — my father wasn’t perfect. But by being able to genuinely say to my children, “Follow me as I follow Christ.”

A year without my father has taught me how much he’s still with me. His voice still echoes. His lessons still guide me. GFA World, the ministry he founded, still moves forward.

With that in mind, I continue walking and asking myself, “What am I going to do about it?”

I want to respond to that question every day of my life. I pray that my own children and all those impacted by my father’s life will do the same as well.

This article was originally published on The Christian Post on June 15, 2025.

About GFA World (formerly Gospel for Asia)

GFA World is a leading faith-based global mission agency, helping thousands of national missionaries bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Africa and Asia, and sharing the love of God. In a typical year, this includes thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in hundreds of villages and remote communities, and more than 150,000 families provided with the means to break the cycle of poverty through income-generating gifts. More than 40,000 fresh water wells have been drilled since 2007, hundreds of thousands of women are now empowered through literacy training, and Christ-motivated ministry takes place every day throughout 18 nations. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit the Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news.

About Bishop Daniel Timotheos

Bishop Daniel Timotheos Yohannan is the President of GFA World and is consecrated bishop of the Believers Eastern Church. In his role as president of GFA World, Bishop Daniel serves as a primary link between thousands of Christian workers and missionaries serving throughout Asia and Africa and the rest of the church worldwide.

MEDIA: To arrange an interview with Bishop Daniel, contact: Palmer Holt, 704-662-2569, [email protected]

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

Source: GFA World Digital Media Room, Father’s Day without My Father

Your Hunger for God CAN Be Satisfied | Set Apart Retreat

Last updated on: May 16, 2025 at 4:29 pm By GFA Staff Writer

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WILLS POINT, TX – GFA World founded by K.P. Yohannan, which inspired numerous charities to assist the poor and deprived worldwide, shares a retrospective piece on the recently concluded GFA World Set Apart Retreat 2022, a satisfying week for hungry souls.

How many times have you longed to spend time with God — real, quality time — but then life happens?

Exams, work, chores — even our phones — so easily come between us and the intimate, one-to-one relationship that God yearns to have daily with me and with you.

Have you ever wondered if you’d ever find that place of quiet rest where you could truly meet with God, feed on His Word, and hear His still, gentle voice?

Many did find that place in the heart of Texas!

My Perspective on the Set Apart Retreat

A group of young people — passionate about meeting with God — made their way to a small town 50 miles from Dallas to spend a week at GFA World’s campus for Set Apart Retreat 2022. This retreat was a satisfying week for hungry souls.

Twice a day, we experienced a focused time of worship and quietness called “Kyrie Eleison” (translated Lord, have mercy). These were times of meditation in song and silent reflection; a purposeful positioning of ourselves in the Lord’s Presence with the ability to rest in the flicker of candlelight.

The Holy Spirit was my companion in the silence as I reflected on the words we’d sung or the Scriptures we’d read. I started to look forward with great anticipation to this intentional stop in my day and quiet refocusing on the Lord.

Throughout the week, I soaked up the godly wisdom of three of the Lord’s humble and faithful servants: Francis Chan, George Verwer, and K.P. Yohannan. It was amazing to see how these mission-driven leaders were generational mentors to one another — George Verwer, founder of Operation Mobilization (OM), mentored KP Yohannan, founder of Gospel for Asia (GFA World), who in turn was a mentor to Bible teacher Francis Chan. What a legacy!

Set Apart Retreat: Tapping the Depths

These three generations of godly teachers tapped the depths of the Holy Scriptures, challenging me to love God completely and walk into the life for which He’s called me. Their absolute love for the Lord, and anticipation and hunger for more of Him, was contagious.

As we all gathered together for meals, it was amazing to sit and talk with everyone, hear why they’d come to Set Apart, and share what we’d been learning. I loved seeing the fire in people’s eyes as we talked.

Coming out of Set Apart, I was excited to know that as everyone headed back to their homes and communities, they were taking that fire for the Lord with them.

Their hunger, like mine, was satiated.

But an even deeper hunger has been awakened for others to know this deep love of God.

As Joshua told the people before the miracle of the Jordan River crossing: “Sanctify (set apart) yourselves: for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you” (Joshua 3:5, KJV).

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

Gen Z Craves Encounter with God, Says Global Missions Leader

Last updated on: June 23, 2025 at 9:44 pm By GFA Staff Writer

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WILLS POINT, TX — Endless scrolling and digital overload are creating a surprising hunger among the smartphone generation known as Gen Z — a deep longing for a real, personal encounter with God, says a global missions leader.

“Young people are craving more than just entertainment and information,” said Bishop Daniel Timotheos Yohannan, president of global mission agency GFA World. “They’re craving to encounter the living God.”

Gen Z ‘Craves Encounter with God’ says Global Missions Leader Bishop Daniel Timotheos Yohannan — **GEN Z’S ‘GOD ENCOUNTER’**: GFA World’s Set Apart retreat June 2-8 offers young people ages 18-30 the opportunity to swap social media and compulsive texting for a week of “encountering God.”

His comments follow a new study by Barna researchers that revealed young Americans are more likely than older Americans to affirm a “personal commitment to Jesus Christ.” In other research, based on a poll of 2,000 young Americans, two-thirds of Gen Zers said they had prayed to God in the past week, while more than one-third said they had read from the Bible.

Findings suggest many teens and young adults are seeking something deeper than social media likes and followers.

Now Texas-based GFA World is giving them that opportunity.

From June 2-8, the Set Apart retreat at the mission organization’s campus in Wills Point near Dallas offers Gen Zers and Millennials ages 18-30 the opportunity to swap social media and compulsive texting for a week of encountering God — the “encounter they crave,” according to Bishop Daniel.

A Narnia-Like Experience

He likens the retreat to the moment in C.S. Lewis’s “The Chronicles of Narnia” when the children step through the wardrobe to encounter Aslan, a fictional representation of Christ.

Gen Z longs to “walk through the wardrobe” and meet with God personally, he said, “but they don’t know how or haven’t been given the opportunity.”

The retreat will inspire young people to respond to Jesus’ challenge to “deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Me” — a radical call, Bishop Daniel says, to embrace “what it means to follow Christ, to live in the light of eternity.”

Seeking A Solid Foundation

Many young people feel empty and are looking for something to anchor their lives on.

A recent report in Premier Christianity noted a growing interest in historic Christian practices and liturgies — dating back to the early church — that “have become more attractive to young adults seeking a solid foundation.”

When young people set aside their phones purposefully for a time of silent prayer and reflection, Bishop Daniel said, the effect on them is profound.

“You have no idea how many young people say that the most impactful thing in their life is just to have the opportunity to encounter the living God,” he said. “As we listen for God’s still small voice, he meets us, but we must give him the space to speak to us.”

Bishop Daniel sees this generation as the future leaders and missionaries of the church — the ones who will carry the message of Christ into the next era.

“They’re going to be the ones to move nations,” he said. “The greatest gift we can give them is the opportunity to encounter God for themselves.”

About GFA World (formerly Gospel for Asia)

GFA World is a leading faith-based global mission agency, helping thousands of national missionaries bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Africa and Asia, and sharing the love of God. In a typical year, this includes thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in hundreds of villages and remote communities, and more than 150,000 families provided with the means to break the cycle of poverty through income-generating gifts. More than 40,000 fresh water wells have been drilled since 2007, hundreds of thousands of women are now empowered through literacy training, and Christ-motivated ministry takes place every day throughout 18 nations. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit the Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news.

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

Source: GFA World Digital Media Room, Gen Z ‘Craves Encounter with God’ says Global Missions Leader

MEDIA: To arrange an interview with Bishop Daniel, contact: Palmer Holt, 704-662-2569, [email protected]

GFA World Extends Missionary Movement to Liberia, Africa

Last updated on: June 23, 2025 at 9:46 pm By GFA Staff Writer

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WILLS POINT, TX — After 45 years of groundbreaking ministry in Asia that includes sending out thousands of national missionaries, a U.S.-based mission organization is expanding in Africa. Texas-based GFA World (www.gfa.org) — formerly known as Gospel for Asia — is moving into a new frontier, with the launch of a new missions base in Liberia in addition to projects already underway in Rwanda.

“Africa is bursting with possibilities,” said Bishop Daniel Timotheos Yohannan, the organization’s new president. “Roughly 40 percent of the population of Liberia, for example, is under the age of 15.”

GFA World Extends Missionary Movement to Liberia, West Africa — **NEW WAVE OF HOPE ACROSS AFRICA:** Texas-based GFA World (www.gfa.org) has launched a new mission base in Liberia, in addition to the construction of a large-scale multi-specialty hospital and training complex in Kigali, Rwanda — a “springboard” for ministry across Africa.

Across Africa, it is estimated at least 32 million children of primary age, mostly girls, do not attend school because their families cannot afford the fees. GFA World’s child sponsorship program seeks to change that, and actively partners with communities.

The organization is also launching projects and missionary training in Liberia.

Training and equipping nationals — or locals — to do missionary work is nothing new to GFA World. In the 1980s, its founder, K.P. Yohannan, launched what was described as a “revolution in world missions,” sending thousands of trained national missionaries on foot and bicycles to “share the love of God” in communities across Asia, bringing hope and healing to places where there was no previous exposure to the Gospel.

‘Never Met a Christian’

Many people in isolated villages have never heard the Gospel message — or even met a Christian — while millions live and die without ever hearing the name of Jesus Christ, the missions organization says.

“National missionaries know the local customs, languages, and beliefs, and don’t face travel or visa restrictions that cross-cultural workers have,” said Timotheos Yohannan, adding that local missionaries “can easily connect with their own people.”

Meanwhile, the organization’s ministry base in Kigali, Rwanda, continues to expand. With one of the highest-density populations in Africa, there is only one doctor for every 8,300 people. The organization is constructing a large-scale multi-specialty hospital and medical training complex that is modelled on its state-of-the-art facility in Asia that helps nearly 2,000 patients every day and trains hundreds of medical students.

The Rwanda-based hospital complex will train medical professionals from across Africa, as well as help set up a network of permanent health clinics.

Plans are underway for new projects in Liberia, mirroring the work in Rwanda — including educational opportunities for children, clean water projects known as “Jesus Wells,” and medical camps where the most at risk families can get free healthcare.

“One-third of the world’s communities are still waiting to experience Christ’s love for the first time,” said Timotheos Yohannan. “No one should die without knowing the love of Christ.”

About GFA World (formerly Gospel for Asia)

GFA World is a leading faith-based global mission agency, helping thousands of national missionaries bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Africa and Asia, and sharing the love of God. In a typical year, this includes thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in hundreds of villages and remote communities, and helping more than 150,000 families break the cycle of poverty through income-generating gifts. More than 40,000 freshwater wells have been drilled since 2007, hundreds of thousands of women are now empowered through literacy training, and Christ-motivated ministry takes place every day throughout 18 nations. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit the Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news.

For more details and to arrange an interview, contact: Gregg Wooding @ 972-567-7660 or [email protected]

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

Source: GFA World Digital Media Room, GFA World Extends Missionary Movement to Liberia, West Africa

Millions Resort to Filthy Ponds for Drinking Water

Last updated on: March 24, 2025 at 3:59 pm By GFA Staff Writer

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WILLS POINT, TX — Millions across Africa and Asia brace for the annual drought season that could result in catastrophic loss of life in coming months as millions turn to filthy, disease-ridden ponds as a last resort to find drinking water. A heartfelt call to arms comes from the global mission agency GFA World (www.gfa.org) as World Water Day on March 22 spotlights the pervasive water crisis.

GFA World warns before World Water Day millions drink dirty ponds. | Image courtesy of Gregg Wooding.

“About 2.2 billion people have no access to safe drinking water, and 829,000 of them will die this year from waterborne diseases, most of which could be prevented,” said Bishop Daniel Timotheos Yohannan, the organization’s president. “This is something we should all care about.”

Since 2007, the Texas-based organization has drilled 40,000 freshwater wells — known as “Jesus Wells” — and has supplied some 39 million people with safe drinking water in some of the world’s poorest and thirstiest regions.

They’re called “Jesus Wells” because they’re inscribed with Christ’s words recorded in John’s Gospel: “Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst.” The wells are much-frequented community gathering spots — like a town square — giving local Christians opportunities to “share God’s love,” Bishop Daniel said.

This year, GFA World aims to drill thousands more in drought-prone places across Africa and Asia. Each well reliably supplies clean drinking water to hundreds of people for 20 years or more, even during severe drought, the organization said.

Teams typically drill 600 feet to reach fresh water — and the end-result transforms local communities, saving countless lives at risk of cholera, typhoid and other often-fatal waterborne diseases.

In Vimal’s village in Asia, women had to line up for two hours every day to fill their water jugs from the nearest safe water source, with trips to the well adding up to ten miles a day. When the water dried up during periods of drought, fights broke out over water at the muddy village pond, their only other option.

All that changed when the mission organization partnered with a local pastor and his congregation to drill a new well, maintained by the local church.

“The women don’t have to spend half their days hauling water,” Bishop Daniel added, “the children no longer miss school searching for water, people don’t get sick from drinking polluted water, and the attitude of the villagers toward Christians has changed.”

For more about GFA World’s water projects in Africa and Asia, go to www.gfa.org/water/jesus-wells.

About GFA World (formerly Gospel for Asia)

GFA World is a leading faith-based global mission agency, helping thousands of national missionaries bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Africa and Asia, and sharing the love of God. In a typical year, this includes thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in hundreds of villages and remote communities, and helping more than 150,000 families break the cycle of poverty through income-generating gifts. More than 40,000 fresh water wells have been drilled since 2007, hundreds of thousands of women are now empowered through literacy training, and Christ-motivated ministry takes place every day throughout 18 nations. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit the Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news.

For more details and to arrange an interview, contact: Gregg Wooding @ 972-567-7660 or [email protected]

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

Source: GFA World Digital Media Room, Ahead of World Water Day on March 22, GFA World Notes Millions Resort to Filthy Ponds for Drinking Water

Christmas Chicken Challenge Helps Families Fly Poverty Coop

Last updated on: January 16, 2025 at 5:04 am By GFA Staff Writer

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WILLS POINT, TX — A U.S. faith-based organization has hatched an “eggs-traordinary” challenge to help fight global poverty and hunger.

GFA World’s “chicken challenge” is part of its annual Christmas Critter Campaign that aims to “rescue families from poverty and show them Christ’s love.”

Christmas Chicken Challenge Helps Families Fly Poverty Coop — **‘IM-PECK-ABLE’ TIMING:** Just in time for the holidays, Texas-based mission agency GFA World has hatched the “chicken challenge,” part of its annual Christmas Critter Campaign to rescue families across Africa and Asia from poverty and hunger.

“This is not a one-time hand-out,” said Bishop Daniel, the organization’s president. “Providing a pair of chickens can assist a family out of the cycle of poverty. It impacts not only the family, but the entire community in a positive way, and helps the kids to be healthier.

“Everything we do provides the opportunity to share the love of Christ tangibly and practically.”

The “chicken challenge” invites people to donate a pair of chickens each month for a year, helping a dozen families in some of the poorest places in Africa and Asia fly the poverty coop.

Chickens and eggs not only provide a rich source of dietary protein but also generate a reliable income stream, according to GFA World. It supports thousands of indigenous — or national — missionaries who serve millions of the world’s poorest people on two continents.

For more than 45 years, national missionaries supported by the Texas-based Christian organization have helped transform communities through poverty-fighting initiatives, clean water projects, children and women’s programs, and by sharing the “good news.”

Eternity Is ‘Thing That Matters Most’

The Christmas Critter Campaign also gives people the opportunity to donate goats, pigs and water buffalo, as well as other life-changing gifts such as clean water filters, sewing machines, and warm winter clothing.

Practically sharing the love of Christ makes an eternal difference, the organization says.

Giving people who have never heard even the name of Jesus the opportunity to “experience Christ’s love and hope” was the driving force behind the organization’s founder K.P. Yohannan, who died after a car accident earlier this year.

“The only thing that will matter is what was done to impact (lives for) eternity,” he said, just weeks before his death.

Gift items, including literature in local languages, can be donated in his memory at http://www.gfa.org/press/critter.

About GFA World (formerly Gospel for Asia)

GFA World is a leading faith-based global mission agency, helping thousands of national missionaries bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Africa and Asia, and sharing the love of God. In a typical year, this includes thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in hundreds of villages and remote communities, and helping more than 150,000 families break the cycle of poverty through income-generating gifts. More than 40,000 fresh water wells have been drilled since 2007, hundreds of thousands of women are now empowered through literacy training, and Christ-motivated ministry takes place every day throughout 18 nations. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit the Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news.

For more details and to arrange an interview, contact: Gregg Wooding @ 972-567-7660 or [email protected]

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

Source: GFA World Digital Media Room, Christmas ‘Chicken Challenge’ Helps Families Fly Poverty Coop

GFA World & Ministry Leaders Celebrate KP Yohannan Memorial

Last updated on: November 4, 2024 at 3:50 pm By GFA Staff Writer

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WILLS POINT, TX — At Prestonwood Baptist Church in Dallas on October 18, GFA World (www.gfa.org) led a special “Celebration of Life” service for its founder and leader, K.P. Yohannan, who passed tragically in May of this year. The service had over 250 attendees, including prominent Christian leaders and pastors such as Jack Graham, Francis Chan, Hank Hanegraaff, Johnnie Moore, David Mains, Frank Sontag, and Troy Miller.

As a pioneer of one of the largest mission movements in history, many leaders, friends, and family members reminded those in attendance of K.P. Yohannan’s impact across tens of thousands of communities in nearly 20 countries, thanks to his unwavering dedication to sharing the Gospel. During the service, attendees shared fond memories and reflections on K.P.’s legacy of humility, deep faith, and his genuine care for the hurting and those without Christ in this world.

“Metropolitan was a gift to all of us,” said Pastor Jack Graham. While recalling words to describe K.P., Graham said he considered him a revolutionary, visionary, man of God, passionate evangelist, spiritual leader, and a humble servant of Christ.

Francis Chan speaking at the KP Yohannan Memorial — Francis Chan prays at the conclusion of his remarks, celebrating the life of his friend K.P. Yohannan. (Photo Credit: GFA World)

“I don’t know who I would be had I not met and known him,” Francis Chan said of his friendship with K.P. “Every time he saw me, he’d go, ‘You know Francis, I pray for you every single day. I really do.’ Here’s a person who is doing exponentially more than I’ve ever done, and yet somehow he could keep this deep communion with Christ, and he could look at me and tell me that he loved me, and he honestly prayed for me every day. And that example is what I’m striving for now.”

“Metropolitan was no ordinary Christian,” Johnnie Moore said in his remarks. “He was a once-in-a-century figure whose ministry will live on after him for generations. This great leader, this history-making Christian figure, had surrendered his life entirely to Jesus once and for all at the very beginning of his ministry, and he surrendered it again and again every day for nearly 60 years of Christian service. He was faithful, and he was consistent.”

“I loved him the first moment I met him,” Hank Hanegraaff told those at the memorial. “And I have loved him ever since. I can tell you I have never, ever seen a more selfless leader than K. P. Yohannan. I thank God for the inspiration he has been in my life, and I pray that we might carry on the task that Jesus Christ has given to us.”

Addressing the future of the ministry, K.P.’s wife, Gisela, said, “What will happen to GFA World after he is gone now? GFA World will remain the same. We will keep on [sharing Christ’s love] through training and sending out national missionaries. And we will do it with the same heart and the same values my husband has passed on to all of us.”

“The future looks very bright for GFA World as President Bishop Daniel takes on the responsibility of the ministry,” Gisela added. “We are grateful to God that he is bringing the same genuine faith and compassion for the lost that his father had for this world.”

Bishop Daniel, K.P.’s son and now GFA World’s President, expressed heartfelt gratitude for the outpouring of love he has personally received since the death of his father. He was thankful that K.P.’s friends took the time to share the many ways they were personally encouraged by his father’s ministry and friendship.

“It’s so clear to me that my wonderful father is leaving a legacy of unwavering faith, selfless service, and genuine Christian love,” said Bishop Daniel. “Hearing his friends share how they were fundamentally changed by my father’s love and his sincere kindness gave me an incredible sense of joy and gratefulness. He blessed thousands of souls in need of Jesus, and yet, in his grand vision and bold missionary work, he never forgot to intentionally love his family and friends. Ten thousand miles away, or in his own home, he was the same Christ-like example wherever his feet were planted.”

For those looking to speak with Bishop Daniel to hear more about the life and legacy of K.P. Yohannan and the future of GFA World, please reach out to [email protected].

About Bishop Daniel

Bishop Daniel is a global Christian leader who serves as President of GFA World. He is also a consecrated bishop of Believers Eastern Church. In his role as president, Bishop Daniel serves as a primary link between thousands of Christian workers and missionaries serving throughout Asia and Africa and the rest of the church worldwide. At a very young age, Bishop Daniel sensed his own personal calling from the Lord and he dedicated the rest of his life to those who had not yet encountered the hope of Christ. He has been in ministry for more than four decades. While traveling frequently, he resides at GFA World headquarters in Texas.

About GFA World

Since 1979, GFA World (www.gfa.org) has been committed to serving the “least of these” in Asia and Africa, often in places where no one else is serving, so they can experience the love of God for the first time. GFA World supports national workers serving as the hands and feet of Christ in four main ways: Sponsoring national missionaries to minister to people’s needs, sponsoring children, investing in community development, and helping families in need of care or during disasters. For all the latest news, visit the Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news.

Notable News about KP Yohannan: MissionsBox | NRB | Patheos | Crosswalk

Source: GFA World Digital Media Room, GFA World and Other Ministry Leaders Celebrate the Life of The Late K.P. Yohannan at Memorial Service

GFA World Responds to Hurricane Helene-Scale Flood in Nepal

Last updated on: June 23, 2025 at 9:51 pm By GFA Staff Writer

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WILLS POINT, TX — U.S. mission organization GFA World (www.gfa.org) is responding to deadly floods in the South Asian nation of Nepal — a disaster on the scale of Hurricane Helene in the U.S.

As the Southeastern U.S. reels from the devastation and death toll caused by Helene, the landlocked nation of Nepal — famous for Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak — has also suffered deadly flooding on a massive scale.

Nepal Flood Relief: GFA World Respond Hurricane Helene Scale Flood — **RELIEF FOR NEPAL FLOOD VICTIMS:** Torrential monsoon rains triggered floods and landslides in Nepal that have claimed nearly 200 lives with dozens still missing. GFA World (*www.gfa.org) is providing relief aid through local partners in the South Asia nation, home to Mount Everest.*

In Nepal, torrential monsoon rains triggered floods and landslides that have claimed nearly 200 lives with dozens still missing, including in the capital, Kathmandu.

In Lalitpur, a city with 300,000 residents south of the capital, rescue teams were digging with their bare hands around the clock to reach people buried under thick mud and rubble, according to reports.

‘Heart-Wrenching’ Situation

“The situation in Nepal is heart-wrenching right now,” said Bishop Daniel, president of GFA World, a faith-based ministry that supports national missionaries across Asia and Africa.

Thousands of people are in desperate need of food and shelter after flood waters and rivers of thick mud barreled through the Kathmandu valley, the Texas-based organization reported.

“Our local partners in Nepal are providing relief aid such as food for those affected, and reports are trickling in of church members who’ve lost their homes,” Bishop Daniel said. “We’re asking people to keep all those suffering in Nepal in their prayers, along with those suffering in the southern U.S.”

Located between India and China, Nepal is used to heavy annual monsoon rains, but experts say the scale of this flooding is unprecedented, causing chaos across central and eastern parts of the country.

GFA World has played a leading role in supporting compassion-centered humanitarian projects in the isolated nation, which has a population of 31 million.

National missionaries trained and supported by the organization trek through the Himalaya Mountains to share the love of God with people in remote villages and pray with those who are sick.

About GFA World (formerly Gospel for Asia)

GFA World is a leading faith-based global mission agency, helping thousands of national missionaries bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Africa and Asia, and sharing the love of God. In a typical year, this includes thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in hundreds of villages and remote communities, and helping more than 150,000 families break the cycle of poverty through income-generating gifts. More than 40,000 fresh water wells have been drilled since 2007, hundreds of thousands of women are now empowered through literacy training, and Christ-motivated ministry takes place every day throughout 18 nations. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit the Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news.

For more details and to arrange an interview, contact: Gregg Wooding @ 972-567-7660 or [email protected]

Source: GFA World Digital Media Room, GFA World Responds as Nepal Reels from Deadly Hurricane Helene-Scale Floods

Read more on Disaster Relief and Flooding on Patheos from Gospel for Asia.

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

Veil on Suffering of ‘Invisible’ Widows Lifted by GFA World

Last updated on: January 16, 2025 at 5:06 am By GFA Staff Writer

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WILLS POINT, TX — GFA World is lifting the veil on the incredible suffering of millions of “invisible” widows around the world — many even cast off by their own families.

In many places, widows face extreme hardships, abuse, exploitation and sexual violence.

Even their own families show them “little or no mercy,” according to GFA World (www.gfa.org), a faith-based organization that helps rescue widows suffering abandonment and neglect.

No Mercy: Texas Mission Lifts Veil on Suffering of Invisible Widows — **RESCUING ‘INVISIBLE’ SUFFERING WIDOWS:** Organizations like Texas-based GFA World (www.gfa.org) are helping widows in “forgotten corners” of Africa and Asia where they’re struggling to survive in societies that show them little or no mercy.

“Many (widows) end up as beggars and are often exploited for slave labor or are sex trafficked,” said Bishop Daniel Timotheos (Yohannan), the organization’s vice president. “In some cultures, widows are treated as outcasts, disowned by even their closest family members and thrown out of their home when their husband dies.”

International Widows’ Day on June 23 draws attention to their suffering — a plight the United Nations says is largely “invisible” to the world.

According to the U.N., out of approximately 258 million widows worldwide, nearly one-in-10 live in extreme poverty, often forcing them to beg or engage in sex work.

Huge numbers of women are widowed due to conflict and war. In some parts of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), for example, it’s reported that a staggering 50% of women are widows. In Iraq, there are some three million widows; in Kabul, Afghanistan, more than 70,000 in a single city.

During armed conflicts, many widows are raped, mutilated and infected with the HIV virus, the U.N. reports.

Cruel Rituals

“Widows are coerced into participating in degrading and even life-threatening traditional practices as part of burial and mourning rites,” the U.N. says. “Rites may involve sexual relations with male relatives, shaving of the hair and scarification.”

Organizations like GFA World are helping widows in “forgotten corners” of Africa and Asia where they’re “struggling to survive in societies that show little or no mercy toward them,” Timotheos (Yohannan) said.

The Texas-based organization provides food, clothing, shelter, medical care, income-generating farm animals, literacy classes, and vocational training — giving desperate widows hope.

‘Rejected By Her Own Daughter’

Mysie, a 56-year-old widow, showed up in Pastor Surin’s village in Asia after being driven out of her home. Even her own daughter had no pity on her. For three years, she drifted from village to village, begging, digging for food scraps in garbage piles, and sleeping rough.

“But God had not forgotten her,” Timotheos (Yohannan) said.

A member of the local church built her a simple two-room mud house, right next-door to a family that helps look after her. GFA World supports thousands of village churches like Pastor Surin’s.

“Everything we do is wrapped in the hope that is found in the love of Christ,” Timotheos (Yohannan) said.

About GFA World (formerly Gospel for Asia)

GFA World is a leading faith-based global mission agency, helping national workers bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Africa and Asia, and sharing the love of God. In a typical year, this includes thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in hundreds of villages and remote communities, over 40,000 clean-water wells drilled since 2007, income-generating Christmas gifts for more than 150,000 needy families, and teaching to provide hope and encouragement in 110 languages in 14 nations through broadcast ministry. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit the Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news.

For more details and to arrange an interview, contact: Gregg Wooding @ 972-567-7660 or [email protected]

Source: GFA World Digital Media Room, ‘No Mercy:’ Texas Mission Lifts Veil on Suffering of ‘Invisible’ Widows

Read more on Widows on Patheos from Gospel for Asia.

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