Gospel for Asia Brings Hope in a World Where a Baby Girl is Nothing to Celebrate

Last updated on: September 3, 2022 at 6:34 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) – Discussing the despair of women, and even baby girls, victims of discrimination and acute gender imbalance, and the missionaries who bring hope, healing, and salvation through the grace of God.

At last, the baby began to crown, and with him came the fulfillment of his parents’ wishes. Five years of barrenness, five years of bitter arguments—this baby would put it all in the past. He would bring pride to the family, reap a dowry from his bride and help provide for the family. He would restore his family’s joy.

As the baby took his first breaths, however, something wasn’t right, and hopes built up over the last nine months quickly died away.

Mayuri and Rafat’s little boy turned out to be a little girl—and that was nothing to celebrate.

Drunken Father Abuses Family, Steals Wages

Five years earlier, Mayuri’s hope hadn’t been for a baby boy but for a harmonious family life. While Mayuri’s father, Ekaling, spent his days drinking, gambling and chasing after women, Mayuri went to work every day with her mother, Olimani. Together, they earned enough to feed the family of five—except for when Ekaling demanded their wages.

If Mayuri and Olimani refused, Ekaling would beat them. Sometimes, he’d beat Olimani without any excuse.

Olimani worshipped all the deities she could, especially the local goddesses, in hopes that they would change her husband, but Ekaling remained the same. Finally, she decided to give 14-year-old Mayuri the escape she couldn’t have herself and arranged Mayuri’s marriage and a new life for her.

The abuse women face for bearing daughters is so great that many have resorted to gender-selective abortion and infanticide, resulting in millions of “missing girls” in Asia. Discover more about this and other issues facing South Asian women in Gospel for Asia’s new film documentary, “Veil of Tears.”

But before Mayuri’s 20th birthday, she would wish for a second escape.

Husband Abuses Young Wife for Infertility

Life with Mayuri’s new husband, Rafat, seemed promising in the beginning, but within a few years, the young couple’s infertility created tension in the family. In South Asian cultures, women are blamed when a couple can’t produce children. For more than four years, Mayuri bore the couple’s failure alone.

When Mayuri finally became pregnant, happiness returned to the home, but it only lasted nine months. Rafat expected a son, and when a daughter came, he refused to celebrate. He made certain to fully punish his 19-year-old wife for their child’s gender.

A few years later, a second daughter followed, and Rafat’s abuse doubled, and his mother joined in on the torment. Rafat spoke badly about Mayuri in front of the family, and just like Mayuri’s father, he began beating his wife.

Rafat threatened to leave the marriage, but in the end, it was Mayuri who fled. Her in-laws rejoiced at her departure.

Daughter Returns Home, Finds Questionable Work

With nowhere else to go, Mayuri returned home. After all Olimani had dreamed for her then-14-year-old daughter, she grieved to see Mayuri now. The child had years of marital abuse to match her own, and now she had two daughters to provide for alone.

Mayuri’s father was gone. He had married another woman, and now both his wife and daughter could cross off the men who abused them from the long list of struggles they faced.

Mayuri set out to find work and came across a liaison who said he could get her work as a maid in another country, as long as she paid her own way there. The cost was more than she had, so she found people to lend her the money. Once again, however, Mayuri’s hopes were crushed.

The man was a fake, and after he took Mayuri’s money, he left her carrying a load of debt—with interest. Like her mother did before, Mayuri begged every deity she knew to save her life, but night after night, she and her daughters went to sleep hungry. She only saw one option left: become a prostitute to keep her children from starving.

Although Olimani didn’t approve of the new job, she could hardly tell Mayuri to stop—not with her two daughters to provide for and large debt to pay off. The neighbors, however, were less merciful and made clear how much they despised the whole family.

Years later, when a doctor discovered a tumor in Mayuri’s abdomen, she had no one to tell but her gods, and if history was any indication, they would offer her nothing.

Daughter Agrees to Visit Church

In search of healing, Mayuri visited many temples and offered sacrifices, but her condition continued to worsen. One day, however, Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Patakin offered her the chance to pray to a different God.

It wasn’t the first time Pastor Patakin had told Mayuri about Jesus. While other villagers did their best to avoid her, Pastor Patakin had dared on numerous occasions to visit the prostitute’s home. Normally, Mayuri ignored the pastor’s words, but when he invited her to a Christmas service at his church, she decided to go.

Years of being shunned had taught Mayuri to expect the worst when she walked into the church. But instead of condemnation, the believers gave her true, unflinching love. Mayuri left full of joy, and she eagerly returned each Sunday afterward.

During one Sunday service, Mayuri was touched as Pastor Patakin shared Psalm 91:15-16: “He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation.”

Pastor Patakin spoke of many women whom Christ had healed from deadly diseases.

“If you pray to God, He will heal you and give long life to you,” he said.

Mayuri believed and put her trust in God. Then, like all the women Pastor Patakin had talked about, she experienced the Lord’s healing touch.

Treasured after 35 Years

As Mayuri watches her two daughters grow older, she is grateful to know their lives will be very different from the first 35 years of her own life. Their father is gone, but they have an entire church congregation that loves and supports them. And as they attend Sunday school each week, they are growing in their relationship with a heavenly Father who provides for every need.

After God healed Mayuri’s cancer, she continued to see His faithfulness as He provided respectable work as a daily wage laborer, which lets her send her daughters to school.

“Today, I am living; that is only by the grace of God,” Mayuri said. “I was totally healed from my sickness by the blood of Christ. … Now I am living by faith in Jesus Christ.”

By the grace of God, Mayuri’s life has been transformed, but millions of women in South Asia still wait for a glimpse of hope. Bring these women hope by sending a woman missionary.

*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 Report, A Baby Girl is Nothing to Celebrate

Learn more by reading the GFA Special Report: 100 Million Missing Women — and the Aftermath of Acute Gender Imbalance.

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

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

Gospel for Asia: The Many Blessings of a Cow

Last updated on: September 3, 2022 at 6:46 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) – Discussing Rajvi and her husband, Parash – the all to common story of a family gripped by poverty – and the untold blessing a cow brings to lift an entire family from poverty.

Discussing Rajvi and her husband, Parash – the all to common story of a family gripped by poverty – and the untold blessing a cow brings to lift an entire family from poverty. — Much like the cow with this woman pictured, the cow Rajvi and Parash received at a Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported gift distribution blessed their family in significant ways, providing milk to sell or drink and manure to fertilize their crops.

A dilemma lay before Rajvi and her husband, Parash: either sell their cows—a significant part of their livelihood—or endure sicknesses without medicine. Ultimately, Rajvi and Parash sold their cows, but the consequences of that decision would haunt them for years to come.

A Family in Need

Rajvi and Parash lived as farmers along with their four young children in a rural Asian village. After illness forced them to sell their cows—a primary source of money for farmers like them across Asia—just to afford medical care, their income suffered. Rajvi and Parash took up any labor jobs they could find in tandem with farming. Yet still, the money the couple earned couldn’t feed the entire family. Each passing day, poverty tightened its grip around the family.

Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastor Mairava, serving in the local village, knew of Rajvi and Parash’s struggles. The family was part of his church, having attended services for quite some time. But Pastor Mairava didn’t know how he could help them.

A Life-Changing Gift of a Cow

After much prayer, the Lord provided Pastor Mairava with a solution for Rajvi and Parash’s struggles. Through a Gospel for Asia-sponsored gift distribution, Rajvi and Parash received a cow!

The couple was ecstatic. This cow was a chance for them to bring much-needed income back into their household.

Almost immediately, the cow brought blessing to Rajvi and Parash. The cow provided fresh milk for the family, as well as dung to use as fertilizer for their crops and vegetables, saving money they typically spent on chemical fertilizer. In addition, the cow further blessed the family by giving birth to two calves!

No more shortages of food or income—through one cow, an entire family was lifted from poverty.

Learn more about how Gospel for Asia helps provide income-generating gifts to break poverty’s hold on families.

Source: Gospel for Asia Reports, The Many Blessings of a Cow

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

Stitching to Survive

Last updated on: September 3, 2022 at 6:50 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) – Discussing the lives that are trapped in a seemingly endless cycle of poverty, and the gift and hope that a sewing machine can bring, opening doors to a better life.

Poverty is one of the greatest physical burdens facing modern humanity, if not the greatest. The World Bank, a main source of information on poverty, considers a person to be in extreme poverty if they make less than $1.90 a day.

Those in Need and Those Who Help

The United Nations, in its fight to end global destitution, set specific development goals in its 2030 Agenda. By 2030, the aim is to have no more than 3 percent of the world’s population—255 million—living below the poverty line.

The strides made toward ending global poverty have been monumental. In 1990, 1.85 billion people lived in extreme poverty, but today that number is down to 600 million, or 8 percent of the global population.

More work yet remains. Despite the progress made, millions remain burdened in a destitution that is passed down—generation to generation—forming a seemingly unending cycle of absolute poverty. Gospel for Asia (GFA) seeks to uplift families and individuals in situations such as these with income-generating gifts.

An income-generating gift can be anything from a cow to a trade-related tool. In Nalah’s case, it was a sewing machine.

Caught in a Cycle

All Nalah knew growing up was poverty. His father, a poor laborer, worked hard to provide for his family, but he earned barely enough money for food, let alone for education. So, Nalah didn’t go to school, but he learned enough of his father’s work to follow in his footsteps as a daily laborer.

As an adult, Nalah found himself in the very same position his father once held—working in the fields, making barely enough money to support his wife and four children. Unable to properly provide for his burgeoning family, Nalah turned to the only source of happiness he could find: drink. Nalah drank and gambled his sorrows away, while the poverty and problems he and his family faced only grew worse.

Given a Gift, Given Hope

One day, Nalah happened to meet a traveling evangelist who shared with him of God’s love. When Nalah heard he was loved and cherished despite his failures and inadequacies, he found a spark of motivation to change his ways.

“I want to live a good life for my family,” Nalah thought to himself. That very moment, Nalah decided to readily welcome God into his heart.

Some days after this miraculous meeting, Nalah met Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastor Gunesh. The pastor began encouraging and visiting Nalah, rejoicing in his newfound faith. During his visits, Pastor Gunesh saw the financial struggles Nalah and his family experienced. Poverty hung over them like a cloud. Determined to help this family, Pastor Gunesh requested Nalah receive a gift at the next gift distribution his leaders organized.

To his surprise, Nalah received a sewing machine during the next distribution! Through this gift, Nalah, and his son, began stitching clothes, and soon they were making enough money to not just survive but also to thrive.

“I did not just receive a sewing machine,” says Nalah. “But I have received a source of income.”

Nalah and his family join the many who’ve been helped with income-generating gifts through Gospel for Asia (GFA) or other organizations. They now have the opportunity to better their lives and the lives of their children, and work to eliminate generational poverty.

Learn more about how generosity can change lives. Gifts like pigs, bicycles and sewing machines break the cycle of poverty and show Christ’s love to impoverished families in Asia. One gift can have a far-reaching impact, touching families and rippling out to transform entire communities.

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

Gospel for Asia Helps Provide Medicine for Children’s Home

Last updated on: September 3, 2022 at 6:52 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) – Discussing the work of national missionaries in their communities, partnering with local hospitals to help provide for the need for medicines and supplements of those in need, children in particular.

Before coming to stay at a children’s home in Sri Lanka, many of the children were alone, with no one to properly care for them and give them the love they needed. But at this privately-run children’s home, the children found a place where they belonged, a place where they knew they were loved and cared for.

Then, through extenuating circumstances, the children’s home lost a lot of their funding. The staff worked diligently to raise the necessary resources, determined to still provide the children with shelter and an education.

Even with all the fundraising, money was still tight. They struggled to pay for maintenance costs and had to reduce the number of new children they took in their care.

Then one day, Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported workers heard about their financial struggles and were moved to do something to help them.

Partnering with the local hospital, they donated medicines and vitamin supplements to help care for the health needs of the children living at the home. A doctor also instructed the staff on the proper use of the medicines.

“It is a great blessing to receive this special gift of free medicines through [the church] on behalf of all the children in our home,” said the director of the children’s home.

Through the compassionate hearts of Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported workers, God provided for the children’s home. Now, with this gift, the staff are better able to care for the health of the children without being burdened with the expense of medicine.

Discussing the work of national missionaries in their communities, partnering with local hospitals to help provide for the need for medicines and supplements of those in need, children in particular. — A Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastor gives a box of medicines to the director of the children’s home.

Source: Gospel for Asia Reports, GFA Helps Provide Medicine for Children’s Home

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

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

The Power of Prayer

Last updated on: September 3, 2022 at 7:02 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) – Discussing the power of prayer in the lives of those who serve in the Mission Support Team, the crucial link that connects the mission field to the western church, first and foremost through their prayers.

Technically, I’m both a pastor’s kid and missionary’s kid. My father, an ordained pastor, and my mother have been working as behind-the-scenes missionaries at Gospel for Asia (GFA) for decades. Ministry has been an integral part of my life since childhood.

Over the years, I have had a front-row seat to countless stories of ministry. It’s a unique position, especially among my generation. Almost every aspect of my life revolved around Gospel for Asia (GFA) growing up. Weekly prayer gatherings and church meetings—I was there. I even sometimes joined my parents at conferences to represent the ministry.

The fact that I can call myself a “missionary’s kid” despite having never left the country is certainly somewhat unconventional. But still, my parents are missionaries, plain and simple. Though they may live and work here in the States, they enable those laboring on the field to change lives for eternity.

As I grew older, I realized more what kind of environment I had grown up in. It was one of personal growth, encouragement and above all—prayer. Prayer is what this ministry is founded on, and it is something my parents and all the staff members take very seriously. Conversing on a consistent basis with the Lord, interceding on behalf of the millions in Asia, or just simply bringing worries before Him, prayer is an important part of their—our—lives.

Kevin and Diane, a couple serving as behind-the-scenes missionaries, agree wholeheartedly with this sentiment.

“At Gospel for Asia (GFA), we are always reminded to keep prayer a priority above the tasks of our jobs,” Diane says. “Prayer is a pillar of the ministry. GFA was started by prayer and is sustained by prayer.”

What Prayer Truly Does

Even as I write this piece, gatherings for prayer are happening! If I hadn’t grown up in this ministry, I don’t think prayer would be as interwoven into my life as it is now.

Ralph and Sandy, also on staff as part of the Mission Support Team, say,

“Of everything we do at Gospel for Asia (GFA), prayer has impacted our lives the most. We pray as individuals, pray in the halls and offices and pray as a staff. No matter what is happening, prayer is what we do first. … To this day, it is still mind-boggling, humbling and overwhelming to think that the God of the universe bends His ear to hear our prayers.”

If I’ve learned anything in the years growing up in Gospel for Asia (GFA), it’s that prayer is powerful. Each one of us serving behind-the-scenes knows that prayer is what helps transform lives in Asia.

Learn more on how you can change lives in Asia through supporting a behind-the-scenes missionary.

Learn more about how for nearly 40 years, behind-the-scenes missionaries, the Missions Support Team have functioned as a crucial link between the mission field and the Western Church.

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

Kidnapped Girl Finds God’s Grace

Last updated on: September 6, 2022 at 6:32 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) – Discussing the real struggles and discrimination women and girls face, and the difference missionaries can make, whether young or old, to rescue the hurting, poor and needy.

Since 2012, the world has celebrated International Day of the Girl Child on October 11. According to the United Nations General Assembly, the day was established to shine a spotlight on “the need to address the challenges girls face and to promote girls’ empowerment and the fulfillment of their human rights.”

For far too many girls in the world, the process of growing into womanhood can not only be difficult, but it can also be dangerous. Unfortunately, danger played a role in Waida’s story.

Waida’s Story Begins

Discussing the real struggles and discrimination women and girls face, and the difference women missionaries can make, whether a young girl or old, to rescue the hurting, poor and needy. — Ziah’s gift of friendship, as shown between these girls, has made a world of difference in Waida’s life.

Waida was born into a happy family that worked hard to meet their daily needs. Sadly, Waida’s father died when she was young.

Eleven years after her father’s passing, Waida’s mother, Gitu, married a man she met at work. At first, Gitu’s second marriage was a happy one, like her first. However, her new husband’s attitude soon changed.

A Shocking Request

One year after they were married, he admitted he wanted to marry his teenage stepdaughter and asked Gitu to give Waida to him. Gitu was shocked by his confession. She refused his request and asked him to leave.

Later that evening, he left as she asked—but he took Waida with him.

When Gitu learned her daughter had been kidnapped, she fainted. Onita, a believer from the local church, heard what had happened and took Gitu to the hospital. Onita also told the local Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastor, Kasu, about the situation.

Praying Her Home

The community of believers sprang into action. Onita stayed with Gitu, offering comfort through prayer and God’s Word. Others joined Pastor Kasu to search for Waida, but they could not find her or her stepfather anywhere. When there was nowhere else to look, they continued to pray fervently for Waida’s safe return.

While Gitu was surrounded by support from believers in the community, she conversely faced intense ridicule from some of her neighbors. The verbal abuse she endured while waiting, hoping and praying for her daughter to come home was almost too much for Gitu to bear. She nearly left her home to escape the hurtful words of some in her village. Thankfully, Pastor Kasu and a few believers from the church encouraged Gitu to stay.

Two months after being kidnapped, Waida miraculously returned home. Her stepfather brought her back, and then he left the village. The distressed mother’s tears turned into smiles at the sight of her daughter.

Although the mother and daughter were reunited, they were alienated by many in their village. Waida was troubled by the way her neighbors now looked at her, and her mother continued to face condemning words.

A New Beginning

Not everyone acted this way, however. One girl from the local church, Ziah, befriended Waida. She told Waida stories of Jesus’ love and His forgiveness. Soon, she invited her new friend to the Sunday school class at church.

“I thank my friend, Ziah, because when I was in a painful situation, she became a good friend for me,” Waida said. “Though she knew about the situation, she didn’t hesitate to make a friendship with me. She encouraged me a lot; I could see the love of Jesus Christ through her attitude. Now, I have peace listening to the stories from the Bible. So, I believed in Christ. Please pray for me that I would walk in His path constantly.”

Waida’s mother also chose to begin a relationship with the God in whose words she found comfort while her daughter was missing. However, she fears the villagers who already mistreat her will harass her even more if she attends church. Please pray for God’s favor and courage to rest upon her.

Waida’s story depicts the very real struggles some girls face around the world. By the grace of God, this story also shows the power girls possess to be a friend even when it isn’t popular. It can change someone’s world.

Discover another life-changing story of friendship between two women in Bhandura’s story.

Source: Gospel for Asia Reports, Kidnapped Girl Finds God’s Grace

Learn more by reading the GFA Special Report: Widows Worldwide Face Tragedy, Discrimination — Some Find Hope to Overcome the Challenges of Widowhood.

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

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

Pointed Towards a Bright Future

Last updated on: September 6, 2022 at 6:34 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) – Discussing the reality of millions of children in Asia, a life strangled by their circumstances of poverty, denied also of a better future, the opportunity for education.

I want you to close your eyes for a minute. Picture your childhood, where you grew up and where you went to school. Remember the experiences and adventures you had as a child. Now take all of those cozy memories and change where they took place. Playing with your favorite toy in your bedroom? Now you’re playing with it in a dirty alleyway. Doing your homework at the kitchen table? Replace the kitchen table with a dirty floor. Helping your dad or mom with a project around the house? Now you’re working alongside your parents under the hot sun, doing any labor job you can find to help the family earn money.

Bir’s World

For millions of children in Asia, that is their reality: playing in the dirt, struggling in school and laboring alongside their parents. Some don’t even possess the opportunity to go to school, let alone the ability to afford it. For others, like Bir, their circumstances strangle their education.

At 6 years old, almost all of what Bir knew was poverty. He scavenged for plastic bags his parents could sell while they labored in the fields. It was a struggle to make ends meet. What little money they had left over sent Bir to school—but learning did not come easy for the young boy.

Every subject whether it was math, English or the sciences, Bir simply could not understand. Bad grades hounded the young boy. What hope Bir had for a good future began to ebb away. If this trend continued, Bir’s dreams would soon be out of reach.

Light at the End of the Tunnel

Then by the grace of God, a Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported Bridge of Hope center was established in Bir’s village. Hearing of the benefits offered by the program; Bir’s parents decided to enroll him. Almost immediately, a change began to take place. Thanks to the tutoring and encouragement of the staff, Bir’s grades improved rapidly. Before, Bir could not understand anything his teachers were saying. Now with the extra training at Bridge of Hope, the subjects came easy to him.

Any school supplies Bir needed were provided. Notebooks, workbooks, pens, pencils, backpack, school clothes, soap, toothpaste—you name it, the young boy was given it. With better tutoring and better supplies, Bir’s future began to brighten.

The help he received completely turned around Bir’s mindset. The young boy vigorously did his work, shedding any doubts or misgivings he had about himself. As the years passed, Bir reached the top of his class. By the time he graduated, Bir’s goal was to enter a local college to continue his education.

Looking to the Future

Bir no longer has to worry about his future—thanks to Bridge of Hope, the poverty of his past will no longer shackle him. The destitution he faced is now overshadowed by memories of warmth and love from his Bridge of Hope teachers.

Learn more about how Bridge of Hope changes the lives of children in Asia.

Learn more about how to sponsor and help the children from families stuck in generational abject poverty who need a Bridge of Hope.

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

Equipped to Succeed

Last updated on: September 6, 2022 at 6:36 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) – Discussing Pastor Roshan, from alcoholism, to being filled with the Spirit, through limitation and imprisonment, and the impact a bicycle can bring, maximizing the effectiveness of national missionaries to reach people for Christ.

Pastor Roshan slung his bag over his shoulder and helped his wife onto their bicycle. They had a lot of ground to cover. As they cycled out of their village, Roshan found a sustainable pace for the trip. His muscles might be tired by the time he reached his destination, but that didn’t matter. Teaching from God’s Word in the distant forest villages and seeing believers grow in their love for Christ made the trip seem like a small sacrifice.

Roshan didn’t always have a bicycle—or ministry in any of these villages. In fact, just a few years earlier, his relationship with Christ was anything but exemplary.

An Alcoholic Sunday School Teacher

Roshan grew up in a nominal Christian environment. He attended a church and was even assigned roles of prominence within the congregation, but in reality, everyone knew his heart’s affection was for alcohol, not Christ. He neglected his wife and children and often squandered all his earnings on drink. While intoxicated, he roamed his village and intimidated those he met, even threatening to kill them. Then on Sunday, he went to church and led Sunday school, teaching action songs and Bible stories.

“People knew I was of not-good character,” Roshan says. “Still, nobody minded, and I was given all these responsibilities in the church.”

However, Roshan’s brother, a Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported worker, counseled Roshan often and prayed he would leave his destructive ways and pursue Christ. Slowly, Roshan’s conscience began to awaken within him.

One day, Roshan jolted awake at 3 a.m. Conviction washed over him as he felt the Lord working within his heart. He realized he could no longer continue in his selfish life.

“I knew it was the Holy Spirit who told me that going out with friends and involving in drinking, gambling and quarreling and fighting with people is not going to give me life,” he says. “The Lord touched my heart that early morning. That was the turning point of my life.”

Strong Character, Limited Body

After years of letting alcohol rule his life, Roshan (pictured) realized his responsibility to his family, and God empowered his weak body to labor hard to provide for them. Later, Roshan’s heart became burdened for those in his community who didn’t know Christ, and he dedicated his life to ministering to them.

Roshan bravely turned toward a new life as a God-honoring husband and father. He recognized his duty of providing for his wife and children, but the only work he could find was manual labor. At that time, he weighed barely 80 pounds. Years of drinking and irresponsible behavior had left him ill and weak. Even so, he woke up early every day and walked around four-and-a-half miles to his jobsite, where he carried and hoisted sacks of coal weighing as much as he did. Then he walked all the way home.

Life was tremendously difficult, but Roshan’s determination held fast through the strength of God’s favor.

He labored this way for three-and-a-half years, until he felt God impressing ministry upon his heart. In obedience, Roshan equipped himself for ministry at a Bible college and then returned to his home village.

His passion to see his own family thrive grew to include every individual he met. The same energy and courage he applied to his manual labor job now found an outlet in his ministry. The needs within a cluster of villages tucked in a forest several miles from his hometown gripped his heart, and he began making the journey regularly. Years before, Roshan had walked nearly five miles to his job in order to care for his family, and he was prepared to do the same for other families so they could know the love that transformed his life. Thanks to the generosity of believers around the world, he didn’t need to spend hours walking anymore: He owned a sturdy bicycle that allowed him to travel much faster and easier. He could even bring his wife with him to minister to the ladies they met.

Thanks to the generosity of believers around the world, he didn’t need to spend hours walking anymore: He owned a bicycle that was sturdy and allowed him to travel much faster and easier.

Faithfulness Despite Imprisonment

During the next three years, God worked through Roshan in powerful ways. Several families in each village began gathering for prayer and Bible study, and soon it became clear they needed a permanent place where they could worship together. God provided yet again through His children in various places, and construction for a church building began.

But the construction activity disturbed some of the community members. They started believing Pastor Roshan received the funds for the building through an insurgent group that haunted their area. Under these false accusations, Pastor Roshan spent the next 18 months of his life behind bars.

Shock and discouragement cast a shadow over Roshan during the first few days of his imprisonment, but he quickly aligned his heart with the peace of Christ. He still carried a deep desire to see troubled lives transformed—and there were many troubled men in the prison around him.

“No one can come personally here and tell [the inmates] about Jesus, live with them and show them what a Christlike life is,” Roshan remembers thinking early in his imprisonment. “So, I thought maybe this is how the Lord is going to use me.”

Even while imprisoned under false accusations, Pastor Roshan (pictured) poured his life out for the sake of those around him. By the end of his imprisonment, dozens of inmates wanted to know Jesus, including these two men.

And the Lord did use him. When Roshan’s release occurred 18 months later, dozens of inmates had expressed a desire of living for Jesus.

Even during Pastor Roshan’s absence, his ministry continued. His wife, Saachi, assumed her husband’s mantle of ministry while he was absent, using his bicycle to continue visiting believers and answering questions about Christ in various villages. She even traveled several miles to the construction site regularly and oversaw the completion of their place of worship for her husband. Through their teamwork as a couple, even while separated, lives changed within prison and without.

Maximizing the Effectiveness of Willing Workers

A bicycle played a vital role in Pastor Roshan (pictured) and his wife’s ministry. Bicycles offer reliable transportation and help many other national workers, breadwinners and schoolchildren alike to accomplish their day’s goals. — *A bicycle played a vital role in* *Pastor Roshan (pictured) and his wife’s ministry.* *Bicycles offer reliable transportation and help many other national workers, breadwinners and schoolchildren alike to accomplish their day’s goals.*

Pastor Roshan’s bicycle served as a tool to increase his effectiveness in ministry. Without it, he would have had to spend more time walking and less time ministering, and his ministry in distant villages would have been severely hampered. It even enabled his wife to minister in a greater capacity.

Transportation impacts the productivity of national workers and breadwinners alike. What a different Pastor Roshan’s heavy-labor days would have been if he had owned a bicycle then! He had to walk around nine miles round trip every day for one year, which is the equivalent of walking from Augusta, Maine, to San Diego, California—this was in addition to his grueling heavy labor and ill health.

Similarly, schoolchildren who live in remote areas often lack transportation and struggle to attend school. Walking several miles alone to class each day is unsafe in many areas, especially for young girls, and the wear on their bodies hinders their studies—and their futures.

Your donation today to provide national workers, breadwinners or school children with a sturdy, Asian-made bicycle will dramatically impact their lives. They are pouring diligent effort into their different roles—you can enable them to maximize their effectiveness!

Give a Bicycle!

Source: Gospel for Asia Reports, Equipped to Succeed

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

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

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Despite All Odds

Last updated on: September 6, 2022 at 6:38 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) – Discussing the life of a widow named, Amey and her family who, through a life exposed to lack, danger and desperation, found refuge in God’s grace who provides all that they needed, business, protection, peace and joy.

Riots swept through the small village, causing upheaval in every way. Those behind the riots began to extort every local business, attempting to further their cause. Gair, as a dry-fish vendor, was one of them. The activists gave him an ultimatum: Pay a sum upwards of $60,000 or face the consequences. Gair refused; he did not have the money. He was murdered in his own house. He left behind a wife and four daughters. Amey, Gair’s widow, wondered what to do.

Left Adrift, Unsafe

“I had to go through lots of problems after my husband passed away,” Amey recalled. “I had to protect my children.”

To ensure her daughters’ safety and future, Amey began to sell her belongings.

“Our economic situation went from bad to worse and most of our house belongings had to be sold,” Amey shared. “I was mentally drained …”

Another Attempt

When money ran out and there was no more to sell, Amey decided to revive her husband’s business. Things started to look up as the business began to thrive. But others businessmen looked upon her success with jealously. They harassed the widow, even attempting to kill Amey.

“One day, two men came on a motorcycle and followed my scooter while I was on my way to the market, and they shot at me,” Amey remembered. “The first bullet passed somewhere, and the second hit my scooter … and I fell on the road. This was a great escape, but I immediately decided to stop this business for the safety of myself and my daughters.”

Amey found herself back at square one. This time, she didn’t know what to do.

Truly Desperate

Anxiety, worry and uncertainty gnawed at Amey’s heart. What would happen to her and her daughters? Was there any hope at all? Who could help them?

A neighbor of theirs, who often helped the beleaguered family, suggested Amey and her daughters attend church services led by Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastor Maran. When they visited, the believers instantly welcomed the widow and her daughters. Amey immediately felt peace.

“When we went back home that day, I asked my daughters what they felt,” Amey said. “All of them felt so great as they could experience peace and joy.”

A New Business and Blessing

Soon after, the Lord inspired her to open a spice business. The new venture, blessed and prayed for by the pastor, brought in the much-needed income to support Amey and her daughters.

“I have no words to thank my Lord Jesus for the miracles that He has done in my life,” Amey says. “I am so thankful He has saved me and also protected me in order to be the strength for my daughters. Now we are living with God’s grace, and our lives have been blessed immensely.”

Think About It

Like Amey and her daughters, there are many women and their families left to pick up the pieces after their husbands pass away. If you would like to help them, visit gfa.org/gw/widows

Source: Gospel for Asia Features, Ministry Focus: Despite All Odds

Learn more about the 100 Million Missing Women and the Aftermath of Acute Gender Imbalance.

Learn more about how to sponsor and help the children from families stuck in generational abject poverty who need a Bridge of Hope.

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

Put on This Earth for a Purpose

Last updated on: September 6, 2022 at 6:40 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) – Discussing the effects of poverty, neglect or abuse on children who find their futures, identity and purpose lost, and the hope, love and acceptance programs like the Bridge of Hope center brings.

“Who am I? What is my purpose?” There are times I find myself asking these questions. However, unlike many in my generation, I can answer both.

Who am I? A son of God.

What is my purpose? To serve Him.

Identity and purpose are two subjects heavily discussed and debated among members of my generation. I am Gen Z, or Generation Z, the youngest and most technologically saturated of the current generations. For many of my peers, their lives and identity are defined by what social media dictates. Others exhibit extreme malleability in their identity, morphing into whatever whims suit them. My generation is fixated with establishing—or simply finding—their identity amongst the ruckus and clamor of this world.

Identity can lead to purpose and purpose to direction in life. For many, however, their future is clouded and uncertain, their identity in crisis.

Fountains of Joy

It’s easy for my generation here in the West to pursue whatever identity and purpose they want. But for many children in Asia, their futures were dictated to them before they were born. Caught amidst poverty, neglect or abuse, many Asian children find their futures—and identity—lost because there is no way of escape. They’re destined to follow in the footsteps of the generations before them who had their own futures wiped away because of poverty—or discrimination.

But there is hope. Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported workers work tirelessly to help these children. Through GFA’s Bridge of Hope Program, these workers pour love and encouragement into children’s lives. These children are given the opportunity of a future—and identity—of their own. They are given something many have never experienced before: Hope.

Sariah is one example of this.

Sariah’s Story

Gospel for Asia (GFA) – Discussing the effects of poverty, neglect or abuse on children who find their futures, identity and purpose lost, and the hope, love and acceptance programs like the Bridge of Hope center brings. — Sariah (pictured) has found love and acceptance through the staff at a Bridge of Hope center.

Sariah was born with malformed legs. Growing up, the young girl didn’t attend school because she feared being made fun of. Sariah’s insecurity only increased with her self-imposed isolation. So, she adopted a mask to conceal the loneliness within.

Her family members all followed the local traditions, but Sariah especially so. She would rebuke her siblings if they slipped up in some way. Sariah’s self-righteousness only served to deepen her self-derision, instead of alleviating it.

One day, staff members from the local Bridge of Hope center happened to meet Sariah and her family. Curious as to why Sariah was at home, they inquired.

“There is no one who loves and cares [for me],” Sariah replied, “so I do not want to go to school to study.”

However, the staff didn’t’ accept Sariah’s explanation. They told her that the Bridge of Hope center was a place of love and acceptance, not prejudice or judgement. As Sariah listened to the workers, her heart began to soften. Was this the answer to the loneliness holding her captive?

Soon, Sariah’s parents enrolled her at the center. There, instead of the mocking laughter and judgmental stares that Sariah expected, she found was love—love from the workers and love from her peers. They accepted her, despite her disability. The piousness that Sariah had adopted to protect her began to crumble, and her true heart shone forth.

An Identity Found

The love Sariah received at a Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported Bridge of Hope center transformed the sheltered, bitter young girl into a life-loving, joyful young woman. Sariah had once asked why she was born into this world, and who she is. Now, she does.

She is a beloved child of God, and her purpose is to love and to be loved.

Learn more about how to sponsor and help the children from families stuck in generational abject poverty who need a Bridge of Hope.

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