WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, has been the model for numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada, to help the poor and deprived worldwide – Discussing the plight of those in extreme poverty who have little to no access to clean water, sanitation, and medical care, and the Gospel for Asia Sisters of Compassion that provide health care to the needy.
Parts of Asia are home to some of the world’s poorest individuals, as well as some of the world’s most challenging living conditions, making Gospel for Asia (GFA) Sisters of Compassion’s work invaluable to those who need it most.
The Sisters of Compassion are specifically trained to serve the most impoverished people groups in their regions. Some of the individuals they work with have little to no access to medical care, while facing various health challenges.
The majority of these regions’ citizens face underprivileged housing conditions, unclean drinking water, poor sanitation, pollution from heavy biomass fuel use and exposure to harsh environmental conditions—all of which increase the need for medical care.[1]
To make these individuals’ situation even more difficult, statistics from the Central Bureau of Health Intelligence state that over 75 percent of South Asian individuals do not have health insurance,[2] while the National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports that 95 percent of individuals classified as “poor” will avoid medical treatment due to cost, regardless of the medical treatment needed.[3]
For these individuals, medical care is difficult to come by and even more difficult to afford. Their dire need for medical attention often goes unnoticed, and their glaring need for care made invisible. But because of people like GFA Sisters of Compassion, these “invisible” ones are seen, cared for and helped.
Providing Medical Care for the ‘Least of These’
For World Health Day one year, Sisters Jadzia, Baara and Valeska and other Gospel for Asia (GFA) workers organized a free medical camp for those unable to afford proper medical care. The particular area where the camp was held had once been named one of the most undeveloped districts in the region, heightening the need for free medical care.
Following a word of prayer from Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Salus, medical examinations and treatments provided by four highly recognized doctors in the area began. More than 150 people gathered for the medical camp, many traveling a great distance to receive much-needed medical care, free of charge. The doctors performed thorough examinations, checking vital signs and offering recommendations for further treatment if needed. Many of the attendees received free medication for their illnesses.
Grateful Hearts, Tended Bodies
Though some participants may have come to the camp without much hope for their conditions, they left with great joy.
“I am thankful to the church from the bottom of my heart for their love and concern for others,” said Sabella, an attendee. “I have seen various programs conducted by [the church] for the wellbeing of needy people. And today the church has arranged medical camp too.”
Kaethe, another participant, also expressed her appreciation.
“I am thankful to the church for giving me free medicines,” Kaethe said. “These days no one thinks for others, but I am deeply touched by the social service of [the church].”
Sahkyo was another woman touched by the care provided at the medical camp.
“These doctors are not approachable due to their busy schedule, and we are unable to afford their consultancy fee,” Sahkyo said. “But the church has invited them for us. I am thankful to the church for their great support and concern.”
Through the Sisters of Compassion and local Gospel for Asia (GFA) churches, individuals who would never be able to receive proper medical care and treatment gained access to it. For many of these people, something so simple as receiving health care made an extraordinary impact on their health and their heart.
*Names of people and places may have been changed for privacy and security reasons. Images are Gospel for Asia World stock photos used for representation purposes and are not the actual person/location, unless otherwise noted.
Learn more about the Sisters of Compassion, the specially trained women missionaries with a deep burden for showing Christ’s love by physically serving the needy, underprivileged and poor.
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) issues an extensive Special Report on illiteracy, the dominant disabler to flourishing for millions around the world, and the miraculous potential of literacy that is able to change the lives of men, women and children for generations.
Perhaps it is easier to examine literacy and illiteracy through the lens of one country, the one many of us know best and consider one of the most literate in the world.
Since that data was collected, there has been a surge in states that aren’t normally considered high foreign population centers such as California, Texas, New York and Florida. The Center for Applied Linguistics also reports that since 2005, some 14 other states experienced a 30 percent greater increase in foreign-born residency.
36 million
adults in the U.S. cannot read, write, or do basic math above a third-grade level
They also state that the ESL (English as Second Language) population in the United States is diverse in terms of country of origin, education and individual language skills. In addition to Mexico and other Latin American countries, a growing number of non-native speakers of English come from China, the Philippines, India, Vietnam, Korea, Eastern Europe and African countries. Of these residents born outside the United States, 68 percent have a high school diploma in their native country or the U.S.
With all this in mind, consider these additional facts on adult literacy in the U.S.:
“36 million adults cannot read, write, or do basic math above a third-grade level.
“68 percent of programs are struggling with long student waiting lists, and less than 10 percent of adults in need are receiving services.
“Children whose parents have low literacy levels have a 72 percent chance of being at the lowest reading levels themselves. These children are more likely to get poor grades, display behavioral problems, have high absentee rates, repeat school years, or drop out.
“One in six young adults—more than 1.2 million—drop out of high school every year.
“2 million immigrants come to the U.S. each year, and about 50 percent of them lack high-school education and proficient English language skills
“Low literacy costs the U.S. $225 billion or more each year in non-productivity in the workforce, crime, and loss of tax revenue due to unemployment.
“43 percent of adults with lowest literacy levels live in poverty.
“$232 billion a year in health care costs is linked to low adult literacy skills.
“75 percent of state prison inmates did not complete high school or can be classified as low literate.”
According to the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy in the United States, research shows that the single greatest indicator of a child’s future success is the literacy level of his or her parents:
“A child from a highly educated family will experience 30 million more words by the age of three than a child from a low-literate home.
“Almost half of all children born to a mother lacking a high school diploma are not ready to start kindergarten.
“Students who do not read proficiently by the third grade are four times more likely to leave high school without a diploma.”
Their ambitious goal is to invest in the lives of at least 15 million children by 2020.
Although challenges of global illiteracy and gender inequality in education and their repercussions are enormous, Room to Read feels they have the tools to eradicate them.
According to their website,
“Children in grade two in our Literacy Program in India, Laos and Nepal can read three times as many words per minute and correctly answer more than twice as many comprehension questions as their peers. More than 4,800 girls have graduated from our Girls’ Education Program, and 78 percent of our 2016 graduates enrolled in tertiary education or found employment within one year post-graduation.”
Book Aid International is a UK based charity that provided nearly 1.3 million books in 2018 to people in 25 countries in Africa, the Middle east, the Caribbean, and others locations around the world. They are focused on addressing illiteracy by getting books to people who need them most though “thriving partnerships with library services and NGO’s who make books available to their communities.”
Shetal, an 8 year-old Bridge of Hope student, sits on the floor with his BOH book bag during the morning session. He attends from 9 to noon.
Recognizing that 1 out of 5 people in the world cannot read or write, the World Literacy Foundation is operating in over 80 countries worldwide to lift young people out of poverty through the power of literacy. Two mentionable projects they have in Australia alone include the Indigenous Learning App meant to close the literacy gap between indigenous and non-indigenous children, and the ROOP Project (Reading Out Of Poverty) designed to “enhance literacy skills and reading levels of children from low-income backgrounds. ”In The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction, author Meghan Cox Gurdon makes the point: “As we shall see, listening to stories while looking at pictures stimulates children’s deep brain networks, fostering their cognitive development. Further, the companionable experience of shared reading cultivates empathy, dramatically accelerates young children’s language acquisition and vaults them ahead of their peers when they get to school.”
After that premise, who wouldn’t want to read to their children or to their grandchildren or to their neighbor’s neglected kids on the block? But wait, according to Gurdon, there’s more.
“The rewards of early reading are astonishingly meaningful: toddlers who have lots of stories read to them turn into children who are more likely to enjoy strong relationships, sharper focus, and greater emotional resilience and self-mastery. The evidence has become so overwhelming that social scientists now consider read-aloud time one of the most important indicators of a child’s prospect in life.”
All well and good (and let’s admit it, also amazing), but what happens when the adults in a child’s life don’t read to them? What if they don’t read to their children because they can’t read? They can’t read books or newspapers or signs or legal documents or school papers or homework assignments or medical reports. Again: What if they don’t read to their children because they can’t read?
While searching for a significant role to champion while serving as First Lady of the United States, Barbara Bush decided that a whole society could be impacted for the better if enough folk were given the skills of literacy. There is less crime among the literate, more educational advancement and better opportunities for success. She not only started the Foundation for Family Literacy, but she pushed hard for the National Literacy Act, which was passed in 1991 while her husband was president.
Mostly, illiteracy is cured by an army of tutors. The opportunities to volunteer and serve to erase illiteracy (to spread the miracle of reading and writing) are numerous.
61,880
women were taught how to read and write, in one year, by GFA-supported workers
According to UNICEF, literacy rates have shown a positive trend in recent years, due to the multitude of programs and outreaches around the world to erase one of the root causes—if not the major root cause—of illiteracy, which would be a lack of educational systems.
GFA-supported Bridge of Hope centers put an ax to this root cause by providing impoverished children free educational help. Staff at these centers provide each student with the academic tools they need to excel in their studies. If they see a student struggling in a specific area, they take measures to help them learn and overcome their challenges.
I am an avid reader. It is nothing for me to go through some 35 books a month. Partly this is because of my writing profession; I am generally finishing a research deadline of some kind. The other part is that I just love to read. Reading has formed my character; exposed me to different kinds of thinking; enthralled me in the adventures of real and imaginary characters; improved my marriage and parenting capabilities; enhanced my housekeeping and gardening skills; and stimulated my intellectual, spiritual and psychological growth.
Zambia: Five desk mates share a book during a reading lesson in class. Although challenges of global illiteracy and gender inequality in education and their repercussions are enormous, non-profits like Room to Read feel confident they have the tools to address and eradicate illiteracy. Photo by Jason Mulikita, Room to Read
So in an attempt to have personal encounters with illiteracy, to develop an understanding I admittedly lack, I looked up literacy programs in my area for the purpose of considering what I, a solo person (who loves to read), could do to contribute to raising the literacy level of my hometown region, even if only by one or two individuals. I took a volunteer orientation class, an introductory evening of training to be followed by in-depth literacy tutor training this coming season. My $40 registration fee also bought the substantial workbook Teaching Adults: An ESL Resource Book, which I am reading. This, of course, deals with teaching those who are illiterate in writing and reading English. What gift could be more wonderful than coaching an eager English-language learner in the intricacies of speaking and writing English as a second language?
My husband and I live in the far western suburbs of Chicago. Our town is 52 percent non-white, mostly Hispanic. I can only relate to the immigrant experience of not knowing the language of an adopted country—e.g., not knowing how to read the road signs or the newspapers or the graphics that crawl across a television screen—by the times I have been plunged into a foreign culture overseas. Then I attempt to extrapolate those small and temporary situations into a lifetime of confusion due to the inability to read or write.
Obviously, knowing I would soon be returning home, or having a translator and guide shepherd me through the incomprehensible language and customs of a foreign country, renders these plunges only superficial. Due to our high Spanish-language speaking population, however, I run into literacy issues frequently enough—my own lack of Spanish-speaking facility as well as others’ lack of English comprehension. For instance, the name of the Lyft driver often sent to our door for a trip to the airport is Mariana. She makes sure we know she speaks “only little English.” I inevitably worry that she will take us to the wrong airport, but somehow, through a translation dispatcher system, we have so far been delivered to O’Hare or to Midway when needed.
While searching for a significant role to champion while serving as First Lady of the United States, Barbara Bush decided that a whole society could be impacted for the better if enough folk were given the skills of literacy. There is less crime among the literate, more educational advancement and better opportunities for success.
After my hairstylist’s departure to another state, I determined I would be part of the “new localism”—the grassroots effort of supporting the businesses and shops established by local entrepreneurs. “Oh, Lord,” I prayed. “Help me to find a decent stylist.” I walked into a hair salon in downtown West Chicago. There were five chairs and one person in the shop. “Do you cut hair?” I asked. “Si, si,” the woman responded. “Speak little English. Un pocito.”
“OK, OK,” I said, and signed an inch with my thumb and forefinger. “One inch off. All over.” Which is exactly what she did. She cut my hair one inch long all over my head. Without a doubt, it has been the easiest summer hairdo I have ever had. I wash it. Apply mousse. Then mess my hair up as it dries. No problem. But the experience gave me a baseline to imagine if every day and in every way these gaffes large and small would be part of the agony and effort of living. After time, one might just withdraw, choose silence, stop trying.
Literacy — One of the Great Miracle Cures:Part 1 | Part 3
Last updated on: December 4, 2019 at 2:40 am By GFA Staff Writer
Gospel for Asia (GFA) News, Wills Point, Texas, Throwback Story
It is always amazing to me when small moments in your life have more significance than you realized at the time. When Gospel for Asia’s Bridge of Hope Program started, I did not imagine how many tens of thousands of lives would be changed by it. To sponsor the second Bridge of Hope child in GFA’s history was quite an honor for me and my wife.
I remember the excitement and enthusiasm of everyone had when the entire staff met to witness Dr. KP Yohannan select the first child to be sponsored.
Starting a child sponsorship ministry was embarking into unknown territory for Gospel for Asia (GFA). We were primarily known for our national missionary sponsorship emphasis, and there was concern of how a child sponsorship program would be received by our supporters.
The staff waited enthusiastically for Dr. KP Yohannan to sponsor the first Bridge of Hope Child.
The Lord was growing the ministry at a tremendous rate. Would we be up to the challenge of providing all the infrastructure needed for a quality program?
We weren’t sure how everything would turn out, but we walked in faith believing it was direction from the Lord. And we have witnessed His faithfulness to our obedience.
Through the years, GFA has sought to be faithful in small beginnings, and we have experienced the joy of seeing the Lord grow the work. Bridge of Hope has been very successful. Thousands of our national missionary donors also began sponsoring children as soon as we shared with them the details of the program. On the field, our field partners were able to set up Bridge of Hope centers in many locations, despite the hard work.
I remember shortly after the program started, I had the privilege to visit one of these centers. Being surrounded by about 125 energetic, joyous children was a real treat. After we were seated and before the program started, I looked out on a sea of serious faces staring at these strange people from a foreign land. I am sure they were told to be on their best behavior for these visitors.
At the precise moment before the program began, I was able to exercise one of my “spiritual gifts.” I caught the eye of a curious little boy who was staring at me. I then proceeded to make a funny face. At first, he resisted the urge to laugh. His friends sitting next to him looked at him to see if he would crack. He did and then they all started to laugh. They expressed pure joy that did not need a translator. I have exercised that “gift” at more than 100 Bridge of Hope centers over the years and have never tired of the merriment and happiness of the children.
Dr. K.P. Yohannan and staff prayed over the first Bridge of Hope children sponsorship packets.
Because of the multiplier effect of sponsorship, which ends up affecting the lives of entire families, our sponsorship is important. Together, with thousands of other sponsors across the world, hundreds of communities are seeing their lives and the lives of their children transformed. Education brings opportunities that parents and other relatives could never have imagined would be available to their children.
Many times, while visiting a Bridge of Hope center and sitting in a plastic chair in hot and humid conditions, staring at the rows of hopeful faces of the children, I hearken back to the memory of the day in the office when we sponsored our first Bridge of Hope child. It is amazing when small moments in your life have more significance than you realized at the time.
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For more blogs on Patheos from Gospel for Asia, go here.
To prayerfully consider sponsoring a child in Asia, go here.
Last updated on: March 18, 2025 at 8:19 pm By KP Yohannan
Since 1979, Gospel for Asia (now GFA World) has been committed to serving the “least of these” in Asia, often in places where no one else is serving, so they can experience the love of God for the first time. GFA 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.
Gospel for Asia is about changing communities—both for this life and for eternity. GFA is present in India, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Laos, and Thailand, Rwanda and Liberia.
Programs
National missionaries
GFA’s main focus is to train and equip national missionaries who come from different cultures and languages rather than nation-states. This selection provides GFA with people within a single nation-state who are specialized in the particular village that they are ministering to. Some of these missionaries actually belong to these villages which makes it easier for them to share the love of Christ. In 2018 GFA reported that they have over 16,000 missionaries and church planters in 18 Asian nations.
Church buildings, Bibles, and gospel literature
Part of GFA’s program for discipleship is the establishment of Christian worship centers in small villages. These centers also provide a visible meeting place for Christians. In major cities, GFA builds large cathedral-type buildings to cater to bigger congregations. Similarly, GFA distributes native-language bibles and evangelical Christian literature to the region.
Radio and television broadcasts
GFA provides biblical content through its radio program, Athmeeya Yathra (Spiritual Journey) and its YouTube channel, Athmeeyayathra Television.
Bible colleges
GFA has established 56 bible colleges in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. These institutions train native missionaries within their own dialects and cultures so that they will be effective ministers. The program includes three years of instruction, including field instruction and experience.
Bridge of Hope
Bridge of Hope is a child sponsorship program for poor families in underserved communities, especially lower-caste families and Dalits. The program offers education, physical and spiritual care, including healthcare training and vocational training for women.
Wells
This is a Jesus Well in a remote village in Asia.
In response to water shortage problems in communities, GFA digs wells for long-term use near churches, bible colleges, or Bridge of Hope centers. These wells are turned over to the local church and are maintained by a local pastor.
Leprosy Ministry
This ministry is also called “Reaching Friends Ministry” to help people suffering from the disease through social and relief work, medical aid, and health and hygiene awareness.
Expansion to Africa
In 2020, GFA started World Child Sponsorship in the slums of Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. It also include training national missionaries, clean water projects, medical ministry, education for the underprivileged, women’s empowerment, and community development projects. In 2025, GFA World extends missionary movement to Liberia, West Africa.
Affiliate Offices
GFA has or had 14 known affiliated LLCs registered in Willis Point, TX as well as national offices in various countries in which they operate mission efforts.
Believers Eastern Church
Believers Eastern Church is administratively based in the state of Kerala in southwestern India. It was reorganizd in 2015 into 33 dioceses. Its membership includes over 3.5 million people in 10 countries speaking a hundred languages. The Church currently has 30 Bishops, and the current Metropolitan Bishop is Athanasius Yohan I.
GFA Canada
The GFA Canada office is registered with the Canadian government. It was established in 1986 and is located in Ontario. As a charity office, it provides disaster relief among other humanitarian efforts to communities.
History
Dr. K.P. Yohannan founded Gospel for Asia as a Christian NGO in 1978. In the US, the organization is located in Wills Point, TX. In 1981, a branch was established in Kerala, India. Another headquarters was set up in Tiruvalla in 1983. GFA has also established bible colleges, compassion and community development projects, and disaster relief operations. GFA is supported by donations and has been considered to be “one of the most financially powerful mission undertakings in India in the 1980s.”
What Others Are Saying About Gospel for Asia
George Verwer shares why he stands with Gospel for Asia
“Gospel for Asia is not a movement but a phenomenon. GFA has become one of the most significant mission organizations of this century.
“I praise God for the great love and commitment of K.P. and Gisela Yohannan for the people of Asia. Millions have received the Word of God because of them and the ministry of Gospel for Asia.”
—George Verwer, founder of Operation Mobilization and world missions advocate
Ajith Fernando, teaching director of Sri Lanka’s Youth for Christ
“I am grateful for the training that Gospel for Asia has given to many evangelists who are effectively reaping the ripe harvest fields of Sri Lanka.”
—Ajith Fernando, teaching director of Youth for Christ in Sri Lanka
Paul Louis Cole, president of Christian Men’s Network
“Dr. K.P. Yohannan is a missionary statesman, a pastor to pastors, a mission leader to mission leaders, and a father to the fatherless. At Christian Men’s Network, we look for deserving men around the world to highlight as role models for our Global Fatherhood Initiative. My introduction to Dr. Yohannan was reading Against the Wind, Finishing Well in a World of Compromise, which stirred me deeply. In a unanimous decision, the CMN board presented Dr. Yohannan with the first annual Reggie White Fatherhood Award, to honor his demonstration for over 40 years of what it means to be a father by providing leadership to compassionate workers of faith and hope to the defeated.”
—Rev. Paul Louis Cole, D.Th., president of Christian Men’s Network
Francis Chan, pastor and author
“K.P. has been a mentor to me for years. The way that he speaks to God and about Him is different from anyone else I know. His words and actions have led to me loving Jesus more consistently and deeply. He continues to be an example to me. For this, I am eternally grateful.”
Gospel for Asia is also a community inspiring others in the West to be committed to Christ
GFA’s first Core Value is knowing the Lord Jesus more fully and intimately. This value is lived out daily by GFA staff and since its inception; GFA has provided ways for people to live out their commitment to Christ.
GFA School of Discipleship in Texas
GFA created an immersive, authentic discipleship program for youth ages 18 – 27. Daily students are challenged to “die to yourself” while living in a community of believers who love Christ and serve others.
The foundation of GFA’s ministry is prayer. We know nothing is accomplished without prayer, and therefore, we give it a place of priority. GFA-supported missionaries and GFA staff around the world pray consistently and with great fervor for those who have yet to comprehend the depth of God’s love and grace.
At first, the young girl did not know what to expect, and the new environment and teachers scared her. But it only took a few days for Shanie to get over her fear. The following days in the program were filled with joy for Shanie. Program staff ensured whatever she needed was provided—nutritious food, tutoring for lessons, school supplies and even health care. Every child enrolled in the program received the same love and care that Shanie did, and the workers ensured that children who most needed the help were enrolled.
*Names of people and places may have been changed for privacy and security reasons. Images are Gospel for Asia World stock photos used for representation purposes and are not the actual person/location, unless otherwise noted.
Learn more about the GFA World Child Sponsorship program and how you can make an incredible difference in the lives of children, bringing hope to their lives and their families, transforming communities.
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, which inspired numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada, to assist the poor and deprived worldwide, discussing how every year, VBS has a profound impact on countless children of all ages across the world. Children gather to play, learn and experience Jesus’ love and care in a safe, welcoming environment. Many of these children have never heard about God or His love before their VBS experience; others, like 12-year-old Samoset, experience God’s love in a new and profound way.
A Faithful Family
Samoset (pictured) is so grateful for Vacation Bible School and how it has helped him learn more about Jesus and His love for him.
Samoset lived with his parents and younger brother in a small village in South Asia. Their family had faced many struggles throughout their lives but had begun experiencing God’s blessing since receiving His love. His father even served the Lord in their local church. Seeing the transformation in his family and in his own life, Samoset was eager to learn all he could about God and His love for him and his family.
Hearing God’s Call
Samoset attended Sunday school every week, read God’s Word for himself and prayed daily. One Sunday, Samoset learned his church would be hosting VBS, and he excitedly anticipated attending.
As he participated in the activities at VBS, Samoset felt the love of Jesus and experienced God’s peace in his heart in a more profound way than he ever had before. While Samoset was praying, he heard a voice calling to him, “Follow me!”
Samoset knew this was Jesus, and he knew what he needed to do. Determined to answer this call upon his life, Samoset focused his attention on Jesus, choosing to have faith and trust God’s goodness in his life.
A New Direction
Responding to the call of God, Samoset resolved to serve the Lord all the days of his life. He began to diligently read and memorize God’s Word. He became even more actively involved in his church and began working alongside his dad during ministry opportunities. He shared with others his age that God loves them and cares for their lives. Samoset also began sharing with his friends and classmates about what God was doing in his life and the hope he has because of Jesus’ love.
Samoset continues working hard in school and hopes to always serve the Lord.
Samoset is so grateful for VBS and the impact it has had on his life.
“I am happy that I was able to learn more about God through [VBS],” Samoset said.
Like Samoset’s biblical role model Daniel, who had faith in every situation regardless of the circumstances, Samoset has faith in God’s call upon his life, and is willing to answer that call, trusting God to provide in all things.
*Names of people and places may have been changed for privacy and security reasons. Images are Gospel for Asia World stock photos used for representation purposes and are not the actual person/location, unless otherwise noted.
Learn more about how you can give toward GFA World VBS scholarships, where the gift of VBS materials for one of these precious children will guarantee that he or she will hear about Jesus’ love again and again through skits, Bible songs and teaching and will have colorful Gospel literature to take home.
Learn more about the GFA World Child Sponsorship and how you can make an incredible difference in the lives of children, bringing hope to their lives and their families, transforming communities.
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!
K.P. Yohannan
George Verwer
Francis Chan
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).
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’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.
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.”
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.
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.”
‘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.
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.
Parts of Asia are home to some of the world’s poorest individuals, as well as some of the world’s most challenging living conditions, making Gospel for Asia (GFA) Sisters of Compassion’s work invaluable to those who need it most.
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