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.
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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Last updated on: November 28, 2019 at 3:27 pm By GFA Staff Writer
Gospel for Asia (GFA) News, Wills Point, Texas
Imagine. You’re a woman in Asia with no rights.
You’ve just been married to a man who wants to use you to get rich. You really don’t have the money he’s looking for, yet you’re family’s required to provide a “wedding gift” — a dowry. Your father takes out a loan to pay the groom and his family, yet it’s still not enough. The husband’s family demands even more while your family is left impoverished with nothing more to give. Now your fate is to be burned in a blazing fire because what your family had to offer him didn’t make the cut.
Sound unbelievable? Bride burnings and dowry deaths still occur in Asia, even today.
Imagine. You wake up one day to find your husband went to work one morning then suddenly went missing. Days pass and you find out he was mauled by a fierce tiger, or lost his life in a work-related accident. You’re a widow now. But instead of getting support from your family during your grief, everybody who loved you before now abandons you and no longer cares for you, because they believe you have bad Kharma, which makes you responsible for your husband’s death. Is there any hope for you now?
Sound incredible? Millions of widows in India suffer alone and abandoned due to this social stigma.
Is there any hope for the women of Asia who find themselves living out these scenarios?
After the movie was finished, people wanted to know how they could help the suffering women in Asia.
Movie Night at Local Church Raises Awareness
On Nov. 10, a few Gospel for Asia (GFA) staff and members of a local church came together to watch GFA’s documentary film, “Veil of Tears.” One couple who came to view the film was so shocked at the treatment of women in Asia that they covered their mouths throughout the movie as they considered what could be done to help these precious women that God loves so much.
Mary, a member of the local church, was overwhelmed by the reality that many women in Asia face.
“It’s overwhelming. You wonder how you can help,” Mary explained. “I’m just one person.”
Pastor David Cartwright, senior pastor of the local church, was gripped by compassion seeing the way some women are treated.
“My heart breaks when I see how deep evil and sin go in our world,” Pastor Cartwright said. “It’s hard to believe groups of people are so unloved and despised and treated like they are. It is beyond anything we see in our culture.”
Sisters of Compassion takes care of the lowest of the low and listen to their stories.
Gospel for Asia-supported Workers Bring Hope to Suffering Women
Near the end of “Veil of Tears,” the mood of the movie turns from the abuse and violence against women in Asia to hope as Gospel for Asia-supported women missionaries and Sisters of Compassion—women who are specifically trained to minister to the least of the least—enter the scene.
These national workers are changing the lives of hundreds of thousands of women in Asia simply by ministering to and loving them. They also offer programs that help improve a woman’s quality of life. One of those programs is literacy classes, which will keep a woman from signing bad contracts or being cheated at the marketplace.
“I’m really impressed with the literacy of the children and the women, because I think that changes lives,” Mary explained. “I think that’s one thing that no matter what country you’re in or who you are, literacy changes lives.”
The film also shows the ministry Sisters of Compassion have on an island that is home to millions of widows who have been overlooked and abandoned by their family and friends.
“When I stand before my God,” one Sister of Compassion explained, “He’ll say to me, ‘You’ve done a good job, and because of you, these widow mothers are in heaven also.’”
One Person Can Make a Difference for Women in Asia
After the film ended, a Gospel for Asia staff member stood before those who were in attendance and pointed out that we may not be able to do everything, but all of us can do something.
“If God cares about our personal struggles,” she said, “certainly He cares much more about the bigger things.”
Then everyone gathered in groups to pray for women missionaries and those women who are suffering. Mary was impacted by the call to prayer.
“It’s going to make me think and pray differently, and hope I don’t get callous,” Mary said.
The question I’m going to leave with you is a question I asked before: Is there hope? Through people’s prayers and support of the women missionaries and Sisters of Compassion, many women who have no hope will finally find it.
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For more details on the powerful documentary movie, Veil of Tears, go here.
Last updated on: December 4, 2019 at 3:15 am By GFA Staff Writer
Gospel for Asia (GFA) News, Wills Point, Texas
Jagat isn’t a super hero. He isn’t a genius. In fact, he dropped out of school early. Yet he is a mighty man of God. Through him flows the Spirit of the Living God, and within him dwells the One who gives all wisdom and strength. But it wasn’t always this way.
Jagat is a Gospel for Asia-supported national missionary. Because of Jagat’s willingness to be used by God, many people in South Asia have started intimate relationships with Jesus. But each one of their glory-filled stories exists because of Jagat’s own story of finding Jesus.
Pastor Jagat and his family. Jagat’s life took a dramatic turn from drugs and irresponsibility to serving God as a Gospel for Asia-supported missionary.
Form of Godliness Fades Away
Jagat grew up in a Christian home, but he had many of the characteristics James 3 warns against. He held a form of godliness—he obediently followed his family to church services, Sunday school and other activities—but he did not know Jesus personally or live in His power.
Soon, the form of godliness faded away. In its place, selfishness, lack of self-control, disobedience to his parents, recklessness and a love for pleasure rather than a love for God filled the young man’s heart. Jagat welcomed wild boys and girls into his life, and with them, drugs. Abandoning his studies, Jagat started working with a carpenter, but he soon lost interest in that as well.
One day, a local pastor named Narain visited Jagat at his home. Jagat’s reputation preceded him, so Pastor Narain dedicated a portion of his day to sit down with the young boy. Jagat still bore the title “Christian,” so Narain asked Jagat several questions about Jesus. Although Jagat had spent years in church, he had never paid much attention, so he was unable to answer Pastor Narain’s questions. Narain opened his Bible and spoke truth into Jagat’s life. He asked Jagat to read a portion from Revelation—and that was the turning point in Jagat’s heart.
Jagat realized that the way he was living was absolutely against the way God desired him to live. Recognizing his wrongdoing, Jagat soon prayed, asking to be brought near to God and cleansed by Jesus’ blood.
A New Man
The next several years of Jagat’s life looked quite different than his previous years. Jagat attended a Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported Bible college for three years, strengthening himself in the Lord and in the foundations of his faith. He abandoned his reckless, irresponsible ways and married a godly young girl, assuming the responsibilities of husband and of father of their soon-to-follow sons. A passion burned within Jagat, no longer for drugs but for helping his neighbors and others in distant places understand the mercy and grace of God.
And God moved through Jagat to help others delight in Christ too.
As years passed, gatherings of new believers sprinkled the map around Jagat. In one community, a family experienced God’s powerful answer to prayer and were delivered from several problems in their lives. They joyfully opened their home to anyone who wanted to praise Jesus with them. Over time, their house filled with men, women and children whose hearts held love for Christ.
Jagat’s own home grew crowded when he tried to organize prayer meetings or worship services. In addition, Jagat’s landlord didn’t like so many people entering the house. With no place to worship in their area, they had to make due with crowded rooms or divide up to meet in smaller groups.
Then in 2013, Jagat and the believers around him experienced the generosity of GFA friends from around the world: A building was constructed to house the struggling congregation!
Pastor Jagat and his congregation received a permanent place of worship through the help of GFA friends.
The 65 believers could now freely gather to pray, sing, fellowship and disciple one another. Jagat—who as a child tried to escape his house whenever a prayer meeting was scheduled—eagerly lead the thriving congregation in their new building.
This fellowship stands as a testimony of the power and love of God. Each one in the congregation carries a unique story of how God touched their heart and adopted them into His family. Jagat’s own story also intersects with Dr. KP Yohannan Metropolitan, who envisioned the movement of national missions in Asia and founded Gospel for Asia (GFA) so many years ago.
Our God is in the transforming business. Gospel for Asia’s website and reports website are filled with stories of how God is using missionaries like Jagat to impact the lives of farmers, daily laborers, parents, widows and children. Those stories evoke praise for what God is doing, and they also testify of God’s mercy already poured out in the lives of so many. Praise the Lord today for what He has already done!
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Last updated on: November 28, 2019 at 1:22 pm By GFA Staff Writer
It’s time to talk about one of Gospel for Asia longest-standing traditions: Tuesday night prayer meeting!
The very first Tuesday night prayer meeting began in a time of Dr. KP Yohannan’s life when his passion was suddenly rekindled for the people in his homeland to know Christ’s love. Eager to do anything he could, Dr. Yohannan and his wife, Gisela, called a few friends together one Tuesday night and began to pray in their living room. They spread maps around the room and used them to pray for the nations God loves so dearly.
The decision—made more than 30 years ago—to start a simple prayer meeting has since shaped the direction and mindset of the ministry birthed not long after: Gospel for Asia.
“As days went by,” Yohannan recalls, “things became more and more clear about what we must do [to move forward in ministry]. Not that God unfolded the entire plan, no; He would just say one thing and we did that, and then the next thing. Life was suspense. But one thing was consistent: prayer. Now, as the work began to grow, that became the trademark of our movement.”
One of Gospel for Asia first staff members recalls, “In those early days, back in the ‘80s, we met in Brother K.P.’s living room. We didn’t know what God was going to do, but we sure wanted Him to do something.”
This photo, taken in the mid 1990s, shows the growth God brought to Gospel for Asia. What started as a small prayer meeting with four or five people grew to a group that filled Dr. KP Yohannan’s small home.
‘Not By Might, Nor By Power’
“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord of Hosts.” —Zechariah 4:6
Throughout Gospel for Asia’s history, we’ve held fast to this significant verse. We are frequently reminded to acknowledge that although God has given us gifts, abilities and resources to do ministry, it is only His Spirit that can bring the increase or transform lives. It’s about dependence upon the Lord and humility, which Dr. KP Yohannan Metropolitan writes about in some of his booklets.
“Prayer is a foundation of everything that we do,” another Gospel for Asia (GFA) leader shares. “You can’t build a building without a foundation—well, you could, but it wouldn’t last very long. This ministry was founded on prayer and is sustained by prayer.”
As years passed, the room where Gospel for Asia (GFA) staff met to pray began bursting at the seams as more and more prayer warriors joined them in lifting up peoples whose languages had no Bible translation or praying for more national workers in Asian countries.
Gisela Yohannan remembers how the entire house would be used for the prayer meeting. People sat on the floor because every chair was already filled, and bedrooms became temporary nurseries for young children to sleep in. Hosting dozens of people in your home every week is not an easy thing for a lot people, but it was worth it to Gisela.
“Everything we wanted to do, we had to pray for,” she says. “Even the stamps for our first mailing. We didn’t have any reserve. We prayed, and God answered.”
“Auntie Gisela time” at a Tuesday night prayer meeting in her home in the late ‘90s, Gisela Yohannan gives special prayer requests to staff children.
Prayer Meeting from the Perspective of GFA Staff Kid Now Staff
As I write this, memories of prayer meetings roll through my mind. GFA’s Tuesday night prayer meetings have always been a part of my life. I remember being 5 or 6 years old and hurrying to help my mom microwave our bean and cheese burritos before rushing off to go pray for Asia. I’m sure the E.L. Fudge cookies “Auntie Gisela” set out after most prayer meetings helped excite me about Tuesday prayer—but even without cookies, it was the highlight of the week.
By participating in prayer meetings throughout my childhood, I learned you can talk to the Lord about anything—nothing was too small or insignificant, and nothing was too big either.
During “Auntie Gisela time,” when Gisela Yohannan gave us children some prayer requests to pray for, she often said something along the lines of, “A missionary came to a village and saw someone who was so sick they could not leave their bed. And so he prayed for the person, and can you guess what happened?” We all shouted the answer we knew it must be: “They got healed!”
At prayer meeting, we learned about people who were sick and were healed miraculously by God. We heard about missionaries who were rejected by their families because they decided to love Jesus, and we prayed for their comfort. We learned there were many people who didn’t grow up going to Sunday school and who didn’t have parents who knew Jesus, so we learned to pray they would have a chance to hear about God’s Son.
That was years ago now, but “Auntie Gisela time” still happens every week during Tuesday night prayer. I love seeing a new generation of children experiencing those things that had a part in shaping my own life. Things have changed since I sat in Brother K.P.’s and Gisela’s living room with 20–30 adults and kids listening to prayer requests.
Our prayer meetings are now in a chapel on Gospel for Asia’s administrative campus, and we use microphones and PowerPoints instead of plastic lyric sheets on an overhead projector—but the power of God has not changed. He is answering prayers in powerful ways today just as He was 30 years ago when it was just a handful of people praying with Brother K.P. during that very first Tuesday night prayer meeting.
Today, GFA’s Texas home office staff gather for prayer meetings in a chapel on GFA’s administrative campus in Wills Point, Texas.
Prayer Changes Things
Each one of us at GFA and around the world can testify to the power of prayer—the power of God. If you have an answered prayer you want to share, we’d love to hear it!
Writing this post reminds me again of the significance of prayer. It makes me ask, How might I incorporate more prayer into my life?I encourage you to ask yourself that question too! You may find Dr. KP Yohannan’s prayer resources helpful, such as “Guidelines for Effective Prayer Meetings,” “Learning to Pray” or GFA’s monthly prayer page, which provides prayer requests for areas of ministry in Asia. Operation World is also a valuable prayer resource.
And if you are ever near a GFA office on a Tuesday evening, we’d love to pray with you!
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It’s Throwback Thursday! We’re going back to 2005 to a group meeting in Gospel for Asia’s old office in Carrollton, Texas, where people are discussing potential opportunities to help meet more needs on the field. A question is raised, “What if we made a catalog with high-impact gifts donors could give to families in Asia at Christmastime?”
The project was something new for the leaders at Gospel for Asia (GFA). Providing farm animals and sewing machines was so different from what the ministry was doing at the time—supporting and equipping national missionaries, educating underprivileged children, drilling water wells—but helping impoverished families in Jesus’ name truly complimented the ministry’s vision.
“The next year, we worked with the field with the idea of animals and other gifts,” said John, a Gospel for Asia (GFA) staff member since 1992. “It was exciting because it would give donors a whole new and completely different opportunity to minister to the poor while still sharing the love of Christ.”
In 2006, Gospel for Asia’s first Christmas Gift Catalog was printed. It’s aim? Encouraging believers in the West to celebrate Christmas by giving life-changing gifts to families in Asia that break the cycle of poverty and provide hope. As John says, “The gift of hope, I believe, is one of the greatest gifts we can give, as it comes directly from the Father.”
Gospel for Asia mailed out its first Christmas Gift Catalog in 2006! Here’s an array of the catalogs we’ve designed and mailed since then.
What People Thought of the Catalog
When the catalog started landing in mailboxes, Gospel for Asia (GFA) friends had the opportunity to give toward dozens of items, such as chickens, goats, water filters, rickshaws, winter clothing and church buildings.
“We were not totally sure what to expect, but our donors totally grabbed the vision and ran with it,” John recalls. “It was amazing to see the huge number of gifts that came in. We had to reorganize the work load just to manage it all.”
Heather, another Gospel for Asia (GFA) staff member, remembers the flood of donations received through the catalog.
“I didn’t anticipate such an overwhelming response! It was so exhilarating to watch the Body of Christ all come together for this endeavor. …
“That first year, I talked with someone who had given a Jesus Well. It was his first gift to the ministry, so I was curious how he’d heard about it. As it turned out, he was a postman and had been delivering catalogs all week. He was waiting for one to be undeliverable so he could look at it himself (standard procedure for catalogs and magazines), and when he finally got to see the inside of a catalog, he was so impacted that he responded by providing a well. I think that’s when I really realized this was something special.”
By God’s grace, the response to the catalog has continued to increase—with more than 1.7 million families in Asia receiving life-changing gifts over the years.
Christ-centered Celebrations
We’ve all been there. On Christmas morning, the toys and the presents are so exciting! And then one day the new toy monster trucks loses a wheel. Or the mechanical puppy starts to wheeze as its battery dies.
At a Christmas gift distribution in 2010, this man received a cow that would help him and his family overcome poverty.
Hope, who now serves on staff with Gospel for Asia (GFA), remembers how her family incorporated the Christmas catalog in their celebrations during her childhood.
“Every year when I received the catalog growing up, my favorite thing to give towards was the Widows and Abandoned Children’s fund. My family would save money in a mason jar, and we would fill it up throughout the year with our change. And then the day we had been waiting for came…the catalog arrived! Down from the shelf came the now quite-heavy mason jar, and we would dump out the coins and count them excitedly to see what we could buy that year! My family really loved to give Bibles, and I think one year we gave a sewing machine and chickens…always chickens.”
Seeing the Impact Firsthand
After years of donating toward the catalog, Hope and some other Gospel for Asia (GFA) staff members made the long journey to Asia. There, she saw a glimpse of the impact her family and thousands of other families are making through the Christmas Gift Catalog.
“When I was able to travel to Asia and see things like blankets and sewing machines [being used], it was like a light bulb flashed on,” she says. “I could see the benefit of these gifts in a new way. Through that experience, it has made the catalog and the prayers and the hard work everyone puts into it so much more exciting and beautiful.”
The gifts in this catalog are simple—yet their impact far exceeds their cost. Even a blanket or a pair of rabbits can make a lasting difference for a struggling family.
“I was staggered to learn about the impact of blankets,” Heather shares. “Such a simple and humble gift, but one that seems to have an overwhelming response. I remember hearing about GFA-supported workers going out on wintery nights and laying blankets down on those who were sleeping unprotected on the street. The workers said simply, ‘These people went to sleep never expecting to wake up. Instead, they’ll wake up and know that someone has seen them.’ What an incredible way to communicate that the overlooked and neglected are noticed and cared for by the Heavenly Father.”
In places where the poorly clothed, the malnourished, the bedraggled and the hopeless are extended little kindness, giving income-generating gifts or gifts that improve people’s quality of life carries a powerful message: You are valuable.
“I think that’s the thing I love about the catalog gifts: restoring dignity,” Heather explains. “Reinforcing innate human worth. Demonstrating to everyone in sight that this individual is so highly valued, so cherished and so very special in God’s eyes.”
This man and his family experienced the joy of giving after receiving a pig through Gospel for Asia’s Christmas Gift Catalog. Read his story.
Gifts Help Givers to Celebrate Christmas in Missional Way
A beautiful thing about this ministry project is how we’ve learned these gifts not only change the circumstances of the gift recipients, but they also impact the givers.
GFA’s gift catalog doesn’t simply provide opportunities for families in Asia to receive practical help, it also gives families in the U.S. and around the globe the chance to celebrate Christmas in a missional way.
“These gifts can be so much fun to give,” Heather says, “and the gifts each year are the result of many ‘cheerful givers.’ But what’s really amazing is that many of these gifts will actually position the recipients to be givers themselves, perhaps for the very first time.”
As you anticipate this Christmas and the many joys of the season, may you remember the amazing love God has shown toward you and know His will in how to show that love to others.
We hope you’ve enjoyed going back with us to the origins of our Christmas Gift Catalog and the impact it’s made over the years!
To see our current Christmas Gift Catalog, go here:
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Last updated on: December 3, 2019 at 3:21 am By GFA Staff Writer
After a long day’s work, you are probably ready for a hearty dinner, a refreshing drink and maybe even a hot shower. Perhaps you have a book propped open on your table to enjoy before you curl up on your comfortable bed for a good night’s sleep.
Since its formation 25 years ago, the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty calls for global awareness of the unacceptably high number of people living in poverty—and for action to remedy the situation.
Although they laborer from sun up to sun down, millions of families in Asia still live in extreme poverty.
What is Poverty?
The World Bank sets the extreme poverty line at living on $1.90 per day or less. Poverty is a lack of money, but it is so much more than that. Poverty means children grow up malnourished; it means parents can’t give their children new clothes when they outgrow their old ones; poverty means illiteracy will likely pass from one generation to the next, as children work in fields instead of studying in classrooms.
In an interview originally published in The Christian Century, Ana Revenga, the Deputy Chief Economist for The World Bank Group, explains how the needs of those living in extreme poverty go beyond what can be described in simple monetary terms like $1.90 per day.
“We can monetize a lot of the aspects of poverty,” she states, “but there is a legitimate debate about the multidimensional aspects of poverty. When you talk to the poor, they will talk about a sense of dignity and about having a job, not just receiving money. How do you monetize that?”
Poverty can sometimes cause “poverty of spirit,” as discouragement, shame and crushed hopes wear down the hearts of parents who are trying everything they can to earn enough for their families.
Gifts that Change Everything
We at Gospel for Asia see firsthand the poverty and struggle experienced by families in the nations we serve, and we’re committed to empowering these families to improve their circumstances.
Every year, we launch a ministry-wide campaign through our Christmas Gift Catalog to help provide income-generating gifts for families in need. Since beginning this Christmas gift campaign, we’ve seen thousands of times how simple, inexpensive gifts like rickshaws, sewing machines and goats radically transform the life of a family.
In 2016 alone, 600,989 families in Asia received life-changing gifts like the ones found in our gift catalog. Many of those gifts are income-generating and will continue to perpetuate hope and new opportunities for families, as one gift did for Prabhal’s family.
Rickshaws are a common mode of transportation in many Asian nations. Some carry cargo while others are designed for transporting passengers.
Hardworking Father Struggles to Provide
Prabhal strove to care for the family God entrusted to him, yet even with the hours of hard work he put in every day, he barely earned enough money to feed his wife and two children. He owned no land, so he toiled in others’ fields, earning just enough to buy rice and vegetables. The meager meal, split between four people, hardly satisfied the hearty appetite Prabhal developed after laboring in the sun all day, but there was nothing else he could do. As hard as he tried, his family’s situation didn’t improve. The high cost of living swallowed up everything Prabhal earned and locked his family into a pattern of living from hand to mouth.
The lack of income affected more than their mealtimes—clothing was hard to come by, too. Purchasing inexpensive clothes just once a year for his wife, son and daughter was problematic. Even worse, Prabhal’s son had to drop out of school, caught in the same cycle of poverty that grips millions of people in Asia. Without receiving an education, obtaining a well-paying job is unlikely, so financial struggles continue from generation to generation.
Extending a Helping Hand
Prabhal and his family are part of a congregation led by Gospel for Asia-supported pastor Nand. Pastor Nand observed the poverty Prabhal’s family endured, and his heart went out to them. His opportunity to help the needy family came through the generosity of believers who had never even met Prabhal.
Some gifts like those in GFA’s Christmas Gift Catalog were directed toward Pastor Nand’s area. While helping organize the distribution, Pastor Nand suggested Prabhal be selected as one of the recipients.
His Rickshaw: An Unassuming Treasure
Overjoyed and filled with gratitude, Prabhal received a new rickshaw at the gift distribution. Rickshaws are a common mode of transportation in many Asian nations, and they provide a steady profit for those who own them. After years of financial difficulty, this simple gift brought new hope for Prabhal’s family!
He quickly redirected his diligence from his field labor jobs to driving his rickshaw. Soon, the income he earned was more than enough to provide for his family’s needs.
Although Prabhal’s son had dropped out of school because of poverty, this new source of income meant Prabhal’s daughter could receive an education. Even after meeting his family’s needs and sending his daughter to school, Prabhal was able to start setting aside savings—yet another thing that had been impossible for him to do before receiving the rickshaw.
“After getting the rickshaw, it is easier for me to earn money,” Prabhal shared. “Now I do not have to go in search of labor work. Moreover, I can easily maintain my family, and we do not worry about what to eat in the morning and in the evening.”
Prabhal’s bicycle rickshaw will probably never be called “sporty.” There’s nothing exotic about it—no shiny chrome, no eye-catching leather interior. But this functional vehicle means the world to Prabhal because he no longer worries about how to feed his family.
“I am so blessed by this rickshaw,” Prabhal continued, “and thankful to the Lord for His blessings and to all the church leaders for thinking about my family.”
Through Gospel for Asia’s Christmas Gift Catalog, thousands of families have received income-generating gifts that will help halt the cycle of poverty in their lives.
‘The Love of God Compels Us’
Now, Prabhal’s family lives above the poverty line, in stark contrast to their situation just a few years ago. Recognizing God’s provision in his life, Prabhal rejoices in the care his faithful Provider demonstrated toward his family.
That’s why we do what we do. We love God, and God loves the farmers, fishermen, daily wage laborers, housewives, child laborers and grandparents who are hungry, cold and wondering if anyone sees them. Through these gifts, we can meet their pressing needs and give them dignity, and in so doing, show them that people see their needs, and Someone cares.
That’s what this day is about.
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Last updated on: December 3, 2019 at 3:15 am By GFA Staff Writer
God is using Gospel for Asia-supported national workers and the prayers of people all over the world to transform communities through His love.
Pastor Tamang has been serving the Lord since 2003. Throughout those years he’s experienced heartache in losing his wife, the devastation of a natural disaster and opposition from the ones he longs to serve. Yet through all this, he remains steadfast, depending on the power of prayer to help him overcome.
A Widower in the Wake
The earth rumbled. The ground shook. The walls rattled. Pastor Tamang and his houseguests rushed out of his home as the earthquake grew in strength. But before everyone could make it out, the walls crumbled under the intensity, crushing Tamang’s wife, Nirmala, beneath the wreckage of their home.
After the earthquake’s final tremor, Pastor Tamang found his wife lying lifeless in the rubble.
Many others perished in the 6.8-magnitude quake that shook parts of South Asia on September 18, 2011. Houses and churches also fell that night, leaving survivors without shelter to guard from monsoon rains or the coming winter.
Pastor Tamang lost his wife, home and church all in one night.
“I can never forget such a great incident, which changed my life completely,” Pastor Tamang says.
Tamang was left to carry on the ministry alone. The days were difficult—especially when he’d return home, half-expecting to see his wife’s encouraging smile. Nirmala actively worked alongside him, ministering to the women and children in their community.
Deep down, Tamang had a feeling the Lord had a purpose in taking Nirmala, and he knew he couldn’t give in to his loneliness. He knew he had to persevere, for there were still people living their days without knowing the One who sustains. He had been called here, and he would remain.
“It was the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the prayer support of my believers that helped me to stand firm after the death of my wife,” he says. “God comforted me so I can continue my ministry.”
In the years that followed, Tamang pressed onward. His congregation, made up of 66 believers, helped him whenever he’d go out for ministry. They’d talk to people and build relationships, hoping to introduce them to the love of the Savior. It wasn’t easy. Most people in the remote, mountainous region where Pastor Tamang serves aren’t open to hearing about Jesus.
“Because of the resistance we face from the people here, ministry here does not grow fast,” he says. “Because of this problem, we feel that by flesh and blood, we cannot conquer this. … I urge you to pray for our ministry here.”
Why Pastors and Missionaries Need Prayer
Pastor Tamang’s plea for people to pray for his ministry is a plea many pastors and missionaries in Asia can echo. They’re serving in territories long held captive by the spiritual powers of darkness.
They face resistance. As Pastor Tamang experienced, hearts harden at the mention of Jesus’ name. They believe that to embrace Christ would be to lower their social standing. It would also mean turning their backs on their ancestral faith.
They face persecution. Angry neighbors accuse them of disrupting the peace. Some missionaries end up beaten or thrown in prison for years.
They also face personal struggles. Many Gospel for Asia-supported workers have been disowned by their families that are staunchly against their decision to love and follow Jesus. There are others who have lost loved ones, like Pastor Tamang. Then there are others going through significant health problems.
Yet these brothers and sisters in the Lord willingly enter into the sufferings of Christ. And through the power of prayer and fasting, GFA-supported national missionaries and pastors are seeing tremendous breakthroughs in their ministries!
We Stand Beside National Missionaries
Gospel for Asia links believers from all over the world through prayer and its support program. For nearly 40 years, people have stood beside GFA-supported workers as they seek to share the love of God through word and deed with their fellow countrymen.
These national workers overflow with deep compassion for the people around them. They bring comfort, hope and peace to those who are searching for these very things. They provide income-producing gifts to poor and destitute families. They pray for healings, breakthroughs, deliverance—and they see God answer those prayers!
Like Pastor Tamang, GFA-supported workers know that their ministries are not founded in “flesh and blood.” They are founded in the power of Christ and prayer in His name. As men, women and children across the globe join them in prayer, they see breakthroughs in their ministries.
The Apostle Paul knew the truth of this mystery. He asked the body of believers in Colossae to pray for him: “Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains…” (Colossian 4:24).
He also asked the believers in Thessalonica to pray for him: “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you…” (2 Thessalonians 3:1)
Will You Join Us in Fervent Prayer?
We at GFA pray constantly and fervently for our brothers and sisters in Asia, never faltering to drop to our knees so that the word of God may run swiftly and be glorified. Will you join us in praying fervently for our brothers and sisters in Asia?
We would love to know how you are praying for God’s work in Asia and around the world. Share your prayers in the comments below so others can join with you as we partner together to see the Lord’s name glorified.
* “A Widower in the Wake” first published in GFA’s magazine GFA World, March 2016.
Last updated on: December 3, 2019 at 3:39 am By GFA Staff Writer
Oct. 11 marks the International Day of the Girl Child. According to the United Nations, it’s a day meant to bring awareness to the “challenges girls face and to promote girls’ empowerment and the fulfillment of their human rights.”
Worldwide, girls are more likely than boys to be illiterate, to experience higher levels of physical and sexual violence, and to be targeted for infanticide.
Ruth, a Gospel for Asia-supported missionary, knew the struggles of being a girl since the day of her birth.
Once a Beggar for Love
“I don’t want this girl. If it’s possible, you kill her,” the man fumed.
Before him stood his wife and, in her arms, their newborn daughter. This child was a disgrace to them—especially because she was their fourth girl. In their culture, daughters are deemed worthless, only bringing financial burden to their families.
Father Devastated by Daughter’s Birth
When the father realized this child was not the son they desired and had sacrificed to their gods for, he erupted. Their newborn daughter, Ruth, survived that day but would live her entire childhood paying them back for the son she was not.
Ruth began working in her parents’ fields when she was 5 years old. She watched her older sisters wear nice clothes while she dressed in rags. Her father wouldn’t let her eat, so her mother had to smuggle her food.
Hope Rises in Abused Girl
When Ruth was 14 years old, she met a Gospel for Asia-supported pastor and some women missionaries in her village. They visited Ruth’s family often, discussing spirituality with her parents. Afterward, they would spend time with Ruth, showing her something she had never known before: love.
‘You Should Have Been a Boy’
One night, Ruth was allowed to eat dinner in her father’s presence, and she mustered up courage to ask the question she had been wondering about for years.
“Why are you not loving me?” she asked.
Her father exploded, “You should have been a boy!”
He threw his dinner at Ruth and got up, shouting abusive words at her. Afraid for her life, Ruth hid behind the house the entire night.
Ruth Finds the Father
When she told the women missionaries what happened, they comforted her and invited her to a worship service. While there, Ruth listened to the pastor share John 1:12 and John 3:16.
“These two verses touched me so much,” Ruth shares. “I cried out . . . ‘This many days I was like a beggar for love, [hoping] somebody may love me, somebody will care for me, somebody can ask me, “How are you?” . . . but [they] never did.’ After knowing these [missionaries], I came to know Somebody loves me.”
That day was the beginning of a new life for Ruth. She grew in knowledge and spiritual understanding of her Heavenly Father, the one who faithfully loved her and desired her when her earthly father did not.
Woman missionary Ruth (pictured) knew the struggles of being a girl since the day of her birth.
Hated Before They Are Born
There are many others who come from similar situations as Ruth’s. Thrown away, cast out, unloved just because they were born a girl. The United Nations once estimated that more than 200 million girls worldwide go “missing” due to gendercide, the systematic killing of members of a specific sex.
Before they take their first breath, the girl child is hated and unwanted.
If they survive the nine months in their mother’s womb, they enter a world where their very existence is deemed worthless. Daughters are unable to carry on the family name. They require a dowry for their marriage. They’re another mouth to feed when there’s just not enough to go around. It’s the sons who provide and take care of the families, the sons who carry on the family name, the sons who bring pride and joy.
In an article for Mission Frontiers, Elizabeth Reno, founder and president of Give Her Life, wrote, “Every year millions of daughters are strangled, suffocated, drowned, lethally neglected, or aborted simply because her family wanted a boy and not a girl.”
Made in the Image of God
We at Gospel for Asia (GFA) know that every child—son and daughter—is precious in the eyes of God. He created them in His image and gave them worth from the day of their conception, as it reads in His Word:
“For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.” —Psalm 139:13–16
Motivated by the truth of these holy words, Gospel for Asia-supported workers share God’s life-giving love with people who believe killing their baby girls is OK. And we’re seeing destinies changed.
Thankfully, Ruth escaped murder at the hand of her parents. When she grew older, she was able to leave home—and her father’s hatred—to attend a Bible college. And when the day came to visit her family again, she encountered a miracle.
Ruth Visits Her Family
As the bus pulled up to the stop in her hometown, Ruth felt the old fear. She walked toward her father and knelt down to touch his feet, a cultural tradition of respect and to receive blessings. The last time she had done that, her father kicked her. But this time, instead of kicking her, Ruth’s father caught her by the arms and, for the first time in her life, hugged her.
“That was a very precious day for me!” Ruth shares. “I felt like heaven had come down!”
While Ruth was in Bible college, the pastor and women missionaries had kept visiting her parents. Eventually, they had also come to know God’s love for them.
The love of Christ had changed her father’s heart. Instead of hatred and resentment, Ruth’s father embraced her as his own. She was no longer the girl child that “should have been born a boy.”
At GFA, we know that life in Christ brings change. We see it over and over in the reports we get from the field. We’re thankful for days like International Day of the Girl Child, which brings awareness to the dark reality that millions of people live with. And we hope many others will see their baby girls as valuable and made in the image of God.
Watch this video of Ruth as she shares her story.
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What do you think the average pastor gets more of—compliments or complaints?
Are you thinking about your answer?
Again, does the normal man or woman in the clergy get more affirmation or criticism?
Let’s make it more personal. Do you think your pastor receives more compliments or complaints?
Can the scope of questioning be narrowed even more? Are your words about your minister more positive or negative?
Do you recall talking recently with someone about your home church and its pastoral staff? Were your words affirming? Could it be they were not as constructive as they were destructive?
America is badly in need of another sweeping revival. When the Church, nationally speaking, is in decline, it is easy for people to get discouraged and to fall into negative speech patterns. This is certainly true in settings where a congregation is shrinking for one reason or another. Negative words are especially disadvantageous in such situations. They can even bring about a congregation’s early demise.
Were you aware that in the United States, October is National Clergy Appreciation Month?
“Since when did that come about?” you ask.
Since 1992. The stated reason was to uplift and encourage pastors, missionaries and religious workers.
“That’s nice. Who thought that up?” you inquire further.
It was the Hallmark Greeting Card Company.
Don’t laugh! Gospel for Asia(GFA) is not going to question their motivation.
Instead, we are in favor of any efforts to encourage ministers. We believe that most ministers have a strong sense of being called by the Holy Spirit to be a spokesperson on the Lord’s behalf. This is not something these ministers take lightly. To them, they did not choose this vocation. They truly believe God chose them to work on His behalf. We find this to be the case whether the given person ministers in North America or Asia—or in any of the world’s continents, for that matter.
But too many American pastors, both men and women, are leaving the profession. Lots of them report being “burned out.” Many believe people are no longer interested in spiritual matters, and as church leaders, they feel incapable of turning things around. They have tried repeatedly and failed repeatedly, and they feel like losers.
This is unlike what Gospel for Asia GFA is observing in Asia. There we find pastors delighting in the opportunities open to them. This is in spite of hardships they face. We see new congregations springing up. We discover a great level of commitment and sacrifice and optimism on the part of the Gospel for Asia-supported ministers. However, that doesn’t mean there is no need for parishioners to still consistently encourage their leaders with words of affirmation. Positive comments are always in order!
But what about church leaders in America? Would a well-spoken word of support be something you could be sure to give during this Clergy Appreciation Month? Has it been a while since you have gone out of your way to do that?
The truth is, most of us function best when we are appreciated and affirmed.
Has anyone gone out of their way to pay you a compliment lately?
• I haven’t had a meal that good in I don’t know how long.
• We wouldn’t have made our goal without your contribution to the team!
• That outfit looks good on you.
• The words to that song you sang touched me deeply.
• You deserved that award, and it made me so proud of you!
• Your card came at just the right time. Thank you so much.
• You are the best mom in the whole world.
• Were you aware that you are one of my most valued employees?
• Bless you for being so incredibly generous.
• That sermon spoke right into my life and current circumstances, and it helped me a great deal!
What might the Holy Spirit be prompting you to say during this special month of October to your pastor? Can you stop reading for a moment and just think about that question?
When you sense what might be an appropriate comment from you to your minister, the next question starts with “when.” When would be a good time to deliver that message? And do you do it by email? Say it over the phone? Write it by hand? Use Twitter? Speak it as you are leaving a church service? Maybe even buy a card and add a personal note?
“Are there not some pastors who are deserving of constructive criticism?” you ask. Of course, there are! But please underline in your mind that word “constructive.”
How many positive comments about you would it take to make up for one that was quite negative?
Actually, it’s amazing how much damage a negative remark can inflict. And that’s true in general for pastors as well. Some clergy are able to deflect criticism like they had rhino skin, but they are the rare exceptions. That is why in the New Testament we are regularly called on to “encourage one another, and build each other up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11, NIV).
Gospel for Asia has been around long enough to experience the pain of negative criticism. Hopefully, we have also learned the reverse lesson of choosing our own words much more carefully. We know only too well the incredible damage that tongues can inflict. So we are highly motivated to speak that which is affirming and heals and builds up and is Christ-like.
That certainly includes letting those serving our Lord in high positions of responsibility know they are appreciated and affirmed. We strongly believe that is when such individuals function at their very best, and we are confident this will be true regarding your minister as well.
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