Gospel for Asia Women’s Ministry Brings Hope for the Hurting

Last updated on: July 22, 2022 at 2:28 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) – Discussing Sister Mary, one of a special number of women missionaries who open their hearts and homes for the sick and destitute, introducing them to the God who hears and answers prayers.

Sister Mary grew up in a small, remote village in Asia. She never went to school and has remained illiterate for 42 years. Despite her limitations, Sister Mary has seen God do impossible things. This is her story.

In the year 2007, Sister Mary traveled with her husband, a Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastor, and other national workers to meet many suffering people in need. One woman was pregnant and sick. She was close to delivering her baby, and both were in danger.

Seeing the power of God displayed through prayers, Sister Mary decided prayer would be the bedrock of her ministry.

Faithful Prayers: The Fount from Which Healing Flows

Back in her own village, Sister Mary did not want to stop praying for people, and with it, the privilege of seeing God move in their lives. So, she started a prayer group. They gathered weekly to pray for the sick and needy. News of their group spread, and many people made their way to it to receive hope and healing through the prayers of Sister Mary and her companions.

“There were many people from far villages who were affected by fatal sicknesses like cancer,” Sister Mary recalls.

“Many came for prayer, and many got healed … There were some who were blind, some were paralyzed, and the Lord healed them. … We read the Bible to them and prayed for them, and the Lord healed them.”

For many, it was the first time they realized there was a God who cares for them personally and answers prayer.

Those who sought Sister Mary’s prayer group were not the only ones ministered to. Sister Mary noticed a change in her as well. Love for the sick and destitute grew in her heart. She wanted to be with them and serve them. She wanted to share with them the God of power and love.

Eventually, so many people came to the prayer group that they met in Sister Mary’s house that she knew they needed a separate facility. Often, people would drop off their family member or friend to be cared for until healed. Some stayed weeks or months. Sister Mary did what she always does—she prayed.

“Those who came for prayer needed rooms,” she says. “We lacked sufficient facilities. … I started to pray and fast for 20 days, and the Lord answered my prayers.”

The new building was christened “Bethsaida Prayer Center,” inspired by Jesus’ healing of a man who had been sick for 28 years by the pool of Bethsaida. Bethsaida Prayer Center would eventually grow to see 3,000 to 4,000 people pass through each year.

Trusting God in Life and Death

Sister Mary stood in awe as God healed thousands of people in the Bethsaida Prayer Center through her simple prayers and those of her team. But not everyone rejoiced at the reports of miraculous healings.

One day, a man suffering from throat cancer, Kalpa, came to the prayer center. After a month, the Lord healed Kalpa. He and his whole family embraced the God of healing who came through for them in their moment of need. When the family returned to their village, news of their newfound belief stirred up trouble. When another family from the village wanted to join Kalpa in worshiping Jesus, the other villagers became enraged with Sister Mary and the prayer center staff.

“I told the villagers that the Lord did the healing [of Kalpa], and I told the family that the Lord loves them and offers eternal life,” Sister Mary shares.

“Hearing that made the village head furious, and he took a machete and tried to hack me. But the Lord protected my life miraculously. … I did not even realize [the machete] had touched my neck.”

A few months later, the very man who viciously attacked Sister Mary came to her for prayer when he was suffering from cancer. In His mercy, the Lord healed the man, which opened his heart to believe in the Lord Jesus.

Another time, Sister Mary was injected with a lethal poison by a violent man who opposed her ministry.

“I survived because my God is a living God, and He rescued me,” Sister Mary says.

“Yes, there are threats to my life in ministry, but I believe that God is always with me and protects my life … That incident did not douse my passion and desire to serve the Lord, rather it deepened my commitment to serve the Lord all the more.”

A Life Devoted to God

Prayer is the fuel for Sister Mary’s faith in the Lord. Her time with Him energizes her life, bringing the power to love and serving everyone she interacts with. Her trust in the Lord is the natural fruit of seeing Him perform so many miracles and answer so many prayers.

“I am so happy and glad that the Lord not only hears our prayers, but He also answers,” she says. “I know that the Lord is able to do what man is not able to do. … I always want to be surrounded by His presence.”

God, in His mercy, has seen fit to use the weak, despised and rejected—women like Sister Mary—to proclaim His glory around the world. Many women all throughout Asia serve as instruments of the Living God to bring the hope of Jesus into broken and suffering lives. Women have a unique opportunity to enter the secluded and often vulnerable lives of other women. The ministry and prayers of these mighty women are flooding communities in Asia with hope and joy in the name of Jesus.

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

*Names of people and places may have been changed for privacy and security reasons. Images are Gospel for Asia stock photos used for representation purposes and are not the actual person/location, unless otherwise noted.

Source: Gospel for Asia Reports, ‘The Lord is with Me When I Pray’

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

Gospel for Asia Disaster Relief: Rebuilding The Rubble

Last updated on: February 22, 2023 at 8:20 am By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) – Discussing the GFA-supported Compassion Services teams comprised of national workers and missionaries, and their commitment to bring disaster relief to where it’s most needed.

Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported Compassion Services teams grew in the wake of natural disasters, such as the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, that pummeled areas where Gospel for Asia-supported workers were ministering. National workers had always responded in times of crisis, but as the ministry grew—and disasters seemed to increase in ferocity—the need for coordinated relief effort took form.

Present the Moment After Tragedy

In the hours following a cataclysmic event such as a tsunami, cyclone or earthquake, stunned silence punctuated with grief-soaked sobs hangs heavy in the air. Compassion Services teams—often the first to arrive—bring provisions for survivors and listen to those who endured such horrific experiences.

These relief workers quickly erect emergency shelters and distribute food rations. Along with provisions for basic needs, survivors are given comfort and hope.

Kalei, a mother and grandmother who survived 2013’s Cyclone Phailin, which ravaged the coastal shore of Odisha, India, escaped the storm with nothing but the clothes on her body. Her family’s mud hut was washed away by torrential rain, along with all their possessions. Compassion Services came to her village with groceries and clothing to help the immediate need.

Then there were the side-by-side earthquakes in Nepal during the Spring of 2015. It was the worst disaster in the nation’s history. The 7.8 and 7.3 magnitude earthquakes, occurring two weeks apart, toppled cities and villages across the rugged landscape of the nation, whose northern border runs through the Himalayan Mountain range.

With a wide reach of established pastors and national workers in the country, Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported disaster-relief teams partnered with the government of Nepal to search for survivors and rescue people stranded in the mountains.

Committed to Long-term Rebuilding

Fast forward one year: Displaced victims of the Nepal earthquakes returned to their villages and schools. Compassion Services teams switched from food rations to household items and school supplies. Simple items like mugs, buckets and salt brought relief and hope. Villagers who did not have the means to replace what the earthquake stole rejoiced at gifts of warm blankets and coats.

In 2013, the receding flood waters from Cyclone Phailin revealed the full impact of the storm. Homes and farms that were completely washed away left hundreds of thousands of people like Kalei without permanent shelter or a means to support themselves. National workers surveyed the damage and committed to the long-term rebuilding needed in decimated villages.

Christmas gift distribution programs provided survivors with sewing machines, carpentry tools and livestock—the means to build a new source of income. Plans developed to rebuild more than 1,000 homes—houses made of brick and cement and able to weather future storms.

Kalei stood at the door of her newly constructed brick-and-cement home with tears in her eyes.

“We were not able to build a house [for ourselves, especially one] made of bricks and cement,” Kalei said. “We are so thankful to our God for his mercy and to our church for their help.”

My Neighbors: Disaster Relief Specialists

When catastrophic disasters strike Asia, national workers are in the perfect place to respond immediately. Already part of the culture and community, Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported response teams arrive on the scene within days or even hours, providing hope and relief.

In August 2018, floodwaters deluged the South Indian state of Kerala. Across the state, roads became rivers, and hundreds of thousands of people were stranded on rooftops, searching for higher ground.

Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported workers—filling the ranks of Compassion Services teams—cruised flooded streets in boats, rescuing those surrounded by rising waters. In the boat, team members gave bottled water and food to passengers and took them to emergency shelters.

“Because we have brothers and sisters living and serving in Kerala, we will be with these flood survivors for the long haul,” said Dr. K.P Yohannan, founder of Gospel for Asia (GFA).

“We will help them clean their homes, rebuild their houses and provide them with income-generating gifts to restore their lost livelihoods. We will minister hope in the name of Jesus and share His love in word and deed.”

Offering hope and help in the name of Jesus during great suffering is the heart of Gospel for Asia-supported ministry. Compassion Services teams are present in the tragic moments following catastrophe with the love of Christ to help survivors journey into joy.

Learn more about the need for Disaster Relief Work, Gospel for Asia’s “Compassion Services” with relief teams who love the Lord who are focused to help victims of natural disasters find a firm foundation.

Source: Gospel for Asia Reports, Rebuilding The Rubble

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

Kidnapped Girl Finds God’s Grace

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

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

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

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

Waida’s Story Begins

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

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

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

A Shocking Request

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

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

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

Praying Her Home

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

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

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

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

A New Beginning

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Danger of Widowhood

Last updated on: September 17, 2022 at 6:06 am By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) – Discussing the life of Kuvira who, like many widows in asia, are exposed to the dangers of isolation, discrimination, hopelessness, and the women missionaries who take it upon themselves to bless the lives of countless women they encounter.

June 23 is an inauspicious date for many in America. But at Gospel for Asia (GFA), it is much more than just another day. June 23 is International Widows’ Day and is celebrated annually to help spread awareness of the plight of widows across the world. Many widows, especially those in Asia, face abuse, neglect or poverty.

In many parts of Asia, social stigma and prejudice surrounds women bereft of their husbands. If their husband died of illness or an accident, the widow might be blamed. Any possessions they had may be taken from them—they may even be forced out of their home by their late husband’s relatives. In Kuvira’s case, it was only the love and courage of a dear friend that kept a roof over her head.

The Loss of a Loved One

GFA-supported workers like Latha (not pictured) provide comfort and hope to women like Kuvira during their darkest hour. Many widows in Asia today are experiencing the same love Kuvira now holds in her heart. — Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported workers like Latha (not pictured) provide comfort and hope to women like Kuvira during their darkest hour. Many widows in Asia today are experiencing the same love Kuvira now holds in her heart.

Kuvira’s husband, Ratan, was at death’s door. Fearing for her wellbeing, Ratan gave Kuvira instructions on what to do after his passing.

“Go to the church,” he said, “because no one else will take care of you and our children.”

Near Ratan and Kuvira’s home a local church gathered for worship. One of the Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported workers who served there was a woman named Latha, who also happened to be Ratan and Kuvira’s neighbor. During Ratan’s kidney failure, Latha ministered to him and Kuvira, offering what comfort and encouragement she could provide.

After a month of constant ministering, Ratan’s time had come. Fearing Kuvira would suffer the same struggles as millions of other widows in asia, Ratan asked that she remain close to the church.

“Apart from Sister Latha, I cannot trust other individuals,” the ailing man said.

Before he passed away, Ratan accepted God’s love into his heart. Finally, Ratan died from his kidney failure, leaving Kuvira and their two children alone.

Never Alone

But Kuvira was not quite alone. She began attending church services and building stronger relationships with local believers. Latha stayed close to her grieving friend, continuing to encourage Kuvira and her children through their struggles. Latha was specially equipped to provide Kuvira with much-needed counsel and guidance because she also was a widow.

Much of what Kuvira was experiencing now, Latha had gone through. The loss of a husband, the uncertainty and worry for the future—those things were very familiar to her. Her comfort and advice touched Kuvira’s heart, and the young widow came to understand the love of God.

In the Face of Adversity

Ratan’s final worries for his wife came to pass, when his relatives attempted to force Kuvira and her children out from their home. But Latha would have none of it.

“Where were you when her husband was sick?” she boldly asked. “Why didn’t you take care of him in his time of trouble?”

Backing down, Ratan’s relatives never bothered the widow again.

Now, Kuvira happily continues to attend services, rejoicing in the fellowship of the church and the love of God. She is particularly thankful for Latha and her abundant love and compassion.

“If [Sister Latha] had not come to our house, we would not have seen this day today,” Kuvira said.

Without Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported workers like Sister Latha, Kuvira would have been like many other widows in Asia—suffering with no love or hope in their lives. But by the grace of God, there are thousands of workers like Latha who passionately want to help these women.

Learn more about GFA-supported women missionaries like Latha, and how they bless the lives of countless other women and widows in Asia.

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

Click here, to read more blogs on the plight of widows in asia on Patheos.

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

Tuning In to the Power of Radio

Last updated on: September 23, 2022 at 2:52 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) – Discussing the impact Gospel ministry through radio in Asia continuously brings to more than one million listeners each year, bringing them hope in the love of Jesus.

I can’t remember the last time I owned a stand-alone radio. I remember evenings as a child, sitting on my grandfather’s lap and listening to the stories, the news and the music emanating from the speakers in that mysterious piece of furniture.

I remember hearing the choir singing “Jesus Saves” as Dr. Charles E. Fuller and the Old-Fashioned Revival Hour came onto the air. Rudy Atwood was at the piano and the Old-Fashioned Revival Hour Quartet was always ready with an inspirational song. The entire congregation singing “Heavenly Sunshine” was a treat every week.

I was once in New York listening to the uplifting music and Bible lessons aired across the entire continent from Pasadena, California.

But today, technology has lured most of us away from anything as “old-fashioned” as radio. There are just too many other things to occupy our times and our minds. Who needs radio?

People in Asia Need Radio

Radio is one of the least mentioned but most enduring ministries supported by Gospel for Asia. Gospel for Asia (GFA) has been producing and airing radio programs in Asia since 1986, speaking hope and truth into areas with extreme need.

Religious, social, and political barriers often make ministry challenging in various regions. Rough terrain can also hinder national workers from bringing aid and comfort to the residents of rural villages. Even illiteracy, which is high in many regions of Asia, can make it hard for people to learn about Christ. But a family doesn’t need to know how to read to listen to their radio, and radio broadcasts can cross treacherous terrain to share with people who are hungering for a love greater than the world can offer. Walls cannot keep this faithful messenger away, so hope-filled programs can be heard within prisons, hospitals and even brothels.

Even in the most remote areas, radio waves can bless whoever tunes in. And in Asia, it is still one of the most cost-effective tools for sharing the message of Christ’s redemptive hope. For so many people, a radio program may be their first and only exposure to the love of Jesus.

Gospel for Asia’s radio ministry supports broadcasts in more than 100 different Asian languages. Each year, more than one million listeners contact Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported radio teams to ask questions about Jesus Christ or about how to live for Him.

While many of us may consider radio a thing of the past, to those in Asia whose lives are being transformed by the hope it brings, radio is helping shape their future—even their eternal future.

Now is a good time to reflect on the global impact of radio when used by followers of Christ. It’s not time to tune out. It’s time to tune in and pray.

Sources:

The Road to Reality, Official Website
Gospel for Asia, Radio in Asia
Gospel for Asia, Facts about Radio in Asia

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

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

Jesus Well Relieves Water Crisis

Last updated on: August 25, 2022 at 10:57 am By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) – Discussing the great need for solutions like Jesus Wells to combat the water crisis that millions suffer under.

Vimal grew up in an agrarian village where most of the locals were farmers, relying on small ponds to irrigate their fields and sustain their livestock. Women relied on the single water well in the village, almost a mile away, for their daily cooking, bathing and cleaning needs. To get enough water for these tasks, they and their children made four or five trips to the well every day, carrying heavy buckets of water on their heads.

Drought, Death Are Frequent Visitors

“Please pray for several other villages that are going through water crisis,” Vimal shares, “that we will be able to install Jesus Wells like this, in such places … Pray that through this Jesus Well many will see how God loves them and they will experience … God’s faithfulness and God’s loving kindness.” — Vimal

Every March through May, drought settled in Vimal’s area, exasperating their water crisis by drying up the small ponds and turning the fields to dust. No longer able to water their cattle in the little streams and ponds in the fields, Vimal and the other farmers of the village brought their livestock to join the women and children at the well, swelling the line waiting for water.

Bickering often broke out in these long lines because villagers were convinced their own needs were greatest. During the dry season, there was not enough water to go around, and villagers had to forgo bathing and limit cooking. The lack of access to clean water filled the village with tension and illness.

Several years ago, Vimal’s relative became sick because of the unsafe water coming from the well.

“[My relative] complained of stomach pain,” Vimal shares.

“He suffered for more than two months, and the problem started to grow even worse. After two months, he passed away because of stomach pain and, I believe … consuming unsafe water.”

Other families suffered loss too. A young boy around 5 years old developed severe diarrhea because of the contaminated water. Not having a hospital close by, the family had to wait until the next morning to see a doctor. The boy was too sick, and the doctors were not able to help him. He passed away.

These difficulties soaked into the fabric of the community, infusing it with a great sense of need.

The First Drops of Hope

Pastor Bharit began ministering in Vimal’s village, praying for people and sharing God’s love. He knew the troubles of this community intimately because he grew up there. He brought comfort to deathbeds and encouragement to the weary.

Vimal became the first in his village to join Pastor Bharit in worship and prayer. As Vimal’s heart for the Lord grew, so did his burden for his community. He began asking God to provide good, clean drinking water for the village. As Pastor Bharit’s congregation grew, they joined Vimal in praying for abundant, safe water, trusting God to take care of them in their crisis.

Jesus Wells Pour New Life into Village

After years of praying to the Living Water to provide the daily water they needed, Vimal’s village was scheduled to have a Jesus Well drilled. Vimal was thrilled.

“It was such a blessing that the Lord answered our prayers and gave us this Jesus Well in our village,” shares Vimal.
“I was so happy.”

As the congregation, which had grown to more than 100 people, began planning for the Jesus Well, they looked for the best place to put it. They wanted a good location that would be convenient to all the villagers, eliminating the several miles traveled each morning and evening to fetch water.

Vimal’s neighbor heard about the planned Jesus Well. Though not a member of Pastor Bharit’s congregation, he donated a portion of his land for the well. Being alongside the road in a central location, it was the perfect spot.

“Because of this Jesus Well we are helped so much,” Vimal says. “My family doesn’t have to walk a far distance … Now the time [spent] fetching water can be invested in any other work.”

The health of the community has improved tremendously. When the Jesus Well was first installed, the community had it tested, at the direction of the local authority, for safety. After testing the water in a lab, the report came back that the water was very pure and safe to drink.

Because of the depth that the Jesus Well was drilled, it did not run dry—even deep into the drought season. The fresh clean water was available to the villagers year-round, right on the roadside in the middle of town.

Blessings Flow to Nearby Villages

Word spread to other villages about the pure water available from the Jesus Well, and people now travel several miles to get water from Vimal’s village. As Vimal sees the needs beyond his village, he has begun praying for more Jesus Wells for surrounding communities, so everyone can share in God’s blessings.

“Please pray for several other villages that are going through water crisis,” Vimal shares, “that we will be able to install Jesus Wells like this, in such places … Pray that through this Jesus Well many will see how God loves them and they will experience … God’s faithfulness and God’s loving kindness.”

Give to help relieve the water crisis

Source: Gospel for Asia Features, Jesus Well Relieves Water Crisis

Read the “Dying of Thirst”: The Global Water Crisis Special Report — The Crucial Quest for Access to Clean Water.

Learn more about how to provide clean water to families and villages through Jesus Wells.

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

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‘More of a Lifestyle, Less of a Job’

Last updated on: October 29, 2022 at 5:18 am By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) – Discussing about the behind-the-scenes missionaries who, although they are far from the mission field, are vital to make ministry possible in Asia.

The morning sun shines over the Mumbai slums. It is the beginning of a new day, and Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastor Marty reaches into his bag and pulls out some literature. He scans the dirty faces of slum dwellers and realizes today might be the day they could understand how completely they are loved by God. Across the globe, as the sun shines on the small town of Wills Point, Texas, Jonathan stares at his computer in front of him.

He glances over at the pictures on his office wall and remembers the masses around the world who are waiting to know they are loved. Both men have completely different tasks and roles, but they understand something profound—they couldn’t do their job without each other.

Living a Fairly ‘Normal’ Christian Life

When the eldest of their four daughters was 4 years old, they welcomed Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported Bridge of Hope children and missionaries into their lives through prayer and sponsorship. Jonathan and Erica wanted their children to grow up understanding the needs of others.

When you link your life with behind-the-scenes missionaries, you get the opportunity to stay more connected with the Lord's work in Asia. Someday in heaven, we all will worship the Lamb of God together, and we will see fully how Christ has connected our lives with our brothers and sisters around the world! — Ever since their four beautiful daughters were young, Jonathan and Erica have led their family in pursuit of serving the Lord together.

“They were familiar with the idea,” Jonathan says, “that there are people outside of [their] own little world who have a totally different set of challenges, and people who don’t know about Christ.”

This worldview found its way into their family’s everyday life and holidays, shaping rich family traditions. When the Christmas season came around each year, their daughters would pour over the pages of GFA’s Christmas Gift Catalog, flipping through the pages filled with pictures of chickens, goats, Bibles and blankets. Their house stirred with excitement as each bright-eyed girl got to choose an item to bless a person or family in Asia.

A Change in the Norm

As the Lord continued to press missions on Jonathan’s heart, a revelation struck him: Why not serve in the place where they had already been investing for the past nine years?

After raising monthly support for their livelihood, Jonathan and his family packed up their home and moved to Texas to join GFA’s staff as behind-the-scenes missionaries. They were ready to serve the Lord together once again and in an even greater capacity.

A Beautiful Link Between Two Worlds

With passion and excitement, Jonathan started serving in the IT department at the Gospel for Asia (GFA) office in Wills Point, Texas. Through his work, he was able to equip his fellow behind-the-scenes missionaries with the computer systems they needed to accomplish their jobs in helping missionaries in Asia, like Pastor Marty.

As Jonathan helped equip the Texas office with the systems needed to communicate with donors and sponsors, Pastor Marty and many other Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported workers talked with broken families about the love of Jesus. With Jonathan and the other behind-the-scenes missionaries doing their part in their work, Pastor Marty and fellow ministry workers could more effectively do their part.

Much the Same, yet So Different

Although Jonathan worked with people and computers as he had in his secular job, the differences of working in a ministry impacted his walk with the Lord. Whereas before he never thought to pray for a broken computer server or start a meeting in prayer, he now found himself doing these very things.

Once, when Jonathan had broken the entire office’s email system, it disabled the behind-the-scenes missionaries for several hours. To his amazement, Jonathan didn’t receive the same kind of treatment he would have experienced in the business world, with his bosses telling him how much money and time he was wasting. Instead, people stopped by his office to encourage and reassure him that they were praying for him. When Jonathan finally got the system working again, a slew of emails filled his inbox. They were from folks around the office thanking him for all his hard work on getting the problem fixed.

It was this kind of grace that Jonathan had never experienced before, and it occurred to him that the Gospel for Asia (GFA) office had a completely different atmosphere. Instead of pressures to do everything correctly the first time, there was love and grace shown by his coworkers. Instead of stress, there was peace as problems were brought to the Lord in prayer.

“I realized I am in a different world here,” Jonathan says.

“Everything matters so much more, but mistakes are handled with so much more grace. And both are tied to the heart and the attitude behind it.”

Serving Together in Joy and Hardship

But serving the Lord is not always simple or pleasant, and ministry is no easy journey. Just as Jesus warned His disciples about the trials and troubles that would come their way if they followed Him, Jonathan and his family have experienced this reality as they have labored with Gospel for Asia (GFA). National workers like Marty have experienced trials and troubles, too. Although persecution may look different in Asia, brothers and sisters around the world face opposition together, knowing that serving the Lord does not come without a heavy price at times.

“It had never occurred to me,” Jonathan reflects,

“That when you give your life at a ministry, you are not just doing the glorious and admirable thing of becoming a missionary, and everyone is going to applaud you. You are joining yourself to a ministry that will, at some point, be the target of criticism, and when it is, you also will be the target of criticism. … That was both the hardest thing for me to swallow and the source of most growth for me. … I had to learn, it’s more about obeying God and trusting Him to bring fruit out of it than it is the applause of people.”

The Eternal Purpose

With an understanding of their calling and a commitment to the Lord, Jonathan, Erica and their family stand together as one with Pastor Marty and other missionaries around the world, serving others for the sake of Christ.

“It’s more of a lifestyle and less of a job,” Jonathan says.

Even when they feel tired, weak and unworthy or when criticism comes their way, Jonathan and Erica remain faithful to where God has led them.

“We are here because we are about the business of allowing people who have never heard the hope of Christ to hear of Christ,” Jonathan states.

“We are also here specifically because this is the place that God connected us to 13 years ago and kept us connected to and specifically led us to. So, it’s both the eternal purpose and the specific circumstances working together. But it’s not a matter of preference, or we wouldn’t last.”

When you link your life with behind-the-scenes missionaries, you get the opportunity to stay more connected with the Lord’s work in Asia. Someday in heaven, we all will worship the Lamb of God together, and we will see fully how Christ has connected our lives with our brothers and sisters around the world!

Be a part of changing the world today by aiding the needs of our brothers and sisters here in the United States.

Source: Gospel for Asia Features, ‘More of a Lifestyle, Less of a Job’

Learn more about the Mission Support Team – the behind-the-scenes missionaries who serve in Gospel for Asia’s administrative offices. Although they serve in offices far from the physical mission field of Asia, their role is vital to the ministry.

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Trapped Within the Twin Evils of Poverty and Alcohol

Last updated on: October 29, 2022 at 5:28 am By GFA Staff Writer

The first time Tanul tried alcohol, it must have burned his throat and boiled in his belly. Unpleasant as it was, it would not be the last time he put his lips around the bottle. In fact—like the poverty he was born into—it became his constant companion. By the time Tanul was a teenager, he drank regularly. Like most young men in his rural village, Tanul filled his body with alcohol to erase the shame of poverty from his heart and mind. This destructive habit would follow Tanul as he began to build a life for himself.

When Tanul married, he did not lay aside his drinking. As the burden of caring for a family increased, so did his time with the bottle. Children came, and Tanul was unable to provide adequate food for his family or cover school fees—making a hopeful future for them impossible. Tanul was stuck in a vicious cycle, and the more he drank, the less hire-able he became.

Tanul’s journey is not an isolated incident. It’s a problem all over the world; alcoholism and poverty go hand-in-hand. Though it is not proven that one always leads to the other, there is an ugly, symbiotic relationship. As alcohol consumption increases, employability decreases. While employment dries up, many use drinking to ease the shame, which exacerbates the cycle. Often, the only work left for alcoholics in Asia is manual labor for which they are hired on a day-by-day basis. Because of the difficulty—and sometimes the impossibility—for the poor to rise above these employment options, many turns to alcohol to ease poverty’s sting. The stress of not knowing if you will find work each day inflates the problem.

Abuse Multiplied: Poverty, Alcohol, and…

As Tanul’s family fell apart, another near relation to the twin problems of alcoholism and poverty arrived: domestic violence. Coming home intoxicated and angry, Tanul began abusing his wife and children daily. The little money he earned went to supporting his addiction. This family, plagued by poverty, alcoholism and domestic violence, was living out the well-worn path blazed by many of the world’s extreme poor.

In the village pictured, 80 percent of the rice crop is used to brew homemade alcohol— resulting in a high consumption of alcohol. This leads to frequent occurrences of domestic violence.

Step One on the Road Out of Poverty

Pastor Teja, who has a church in a nearby village, met Tanul’s family one day when he was offering prayer for families in need. The Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastor saw the pitiful condition of this family, and his heart was heavy. The family invited him back to pray for them, and a friendship began. Tanul’s family began to attend Pastor Teja’s church. Then members of the church continually prayed for Tanul’s deliverance from alcohol—the thing that bound them to the poverty they lived in. Through their faithful prayers and Pastor Teja’s counseling, Tanul overcame his addiction to alcohol. The Lord completely transformed Tanul’s heart!

For the first time, Tanul’s family experienced freedom—freedom as a gift from God above that trickled down into their hearts and flowed toward each other in love. This freedom from bondage gave them hope for the future. But in the present, they are still stuck in the poverty trap.

This predicament of the extreme poor—not being able to find work that will support a family’s daily needs—is one of the basic issues addressed by world leaders and organizations dedicated to alleviating poverty around the globe. One expert working with the Borgen Project, a non-profit dedicated to fighting global poverty, is convinced the first step^[1] in reducing extreme cyclic poverty is helping the poor create their own businesses. This is the very thing many Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastors and missionaries can do with income-producing gifts provided by donors all over the world.

Pastor Teja knew that Tanul needed a way to earn enough income to support his family. He arranged to hold a gift distribution and presented Tanul with a rickshaw—something he never could have afforded on his own. Tanul was overcome with gratitude at God’s provision.

Tanul's whole family has been transformed since the Lord entered their lives. — Tanul’s whole family has been transformed since the Lord entered their lives.

A New Reputation

With his new gift, Tanul loaded vegetables onto his rickshaw and began selling throughout the village—even delivering produce to customers’ homes. God blessed Tanul’s diligence and hard work, enabling him to earn a good income selling vegetables. Setting his own prices and being able to keep all his earnings, Tanul had enough money to send Maahir to school to learn a skilled trade. Maahir completed his education and started working as a carpenter. The two men now adequately support their growing family, including Maahir’s wife and two children.

Self-employment frees those trapped in the cycle of poverty from discrimination, unfair business practices and job insecurity — circumstances to which the poor and uneducated are vulnerable. Gifts like rickshaws, sewing machines and water buffalo are the means to break free from the bondage of poverty and to set thousands of families on a new course of self-sufficiency and hope for future generations.

Income producing gifts, like these goats, help lift impoverished families in Asia out of the trap of poverty.

Join the Global Effort to End Extreme Poverty

The fight against extreme poverty is not finished—736 million people in 2015 were still living on less than $1.90 a day.^[2] Almost half of these people reside^[3] in the countries where Gospel for Asia (GFA) supports national workers. Gospel for Asia (GFA) believes that together, we can make a lasting difference in the lives of those caught in the extreme poverty trap.

Join GFA in providing pastors, missionaries and other national workers with tools to lift those in their communities out of the harsh poverty trap.

^[1] The Borgen Project, Top 10 Facts about Poverty in India

^[2] The World Bank, Decline of Global Extreme Poverty Continues but Has Slowed: World Bank

^[3] Our World in Data, Tree Map of Extreme Poverty Distribution

Source: Gospel for Asia Features, Rickshaw Unlocks a New Path

Learn more on Gospel for Asia’s Special Reports on:

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

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Leprosy: Misunderstandings & Stigma Keep it Alive (Gospel for Asia #2)

Last updated on: February 15, 2023 at 10:06 am By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) Special Report – Discussing the misunderstandings and social stigma that are kept alive toward leprosy patients, despite the disease being a curable worldwide problem.

Leprosy: Misunderstandings & Stigma Keep it Alive (Gospel for Asia #2) - KP Yohannan - Gospel for Asia — Sakshi, who ministered to leprosy patients, once had leprosy herself before Jesus healed her.

Misunderstanding Leprosy: ‘I Deserve This Disease’

Sakshi was rejected by her family when, as a teenager, she found out she had leprosy. Read her story »

“Don’t open my bandage!” the leprosy patient cried out. For years the patient believed it was because of their sin that the destructive disease controlled their body. Now, they thought they must suffer and settle with bearing it alone.

But after the leprosy patient’s exclamation, Sakshi, a Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported missionary, revealed her own hands and feet to the patient, deformity clearly marking what leprosy’s nerve killing illness left behind.

“No, no, this is not some sin,” Sakshi said. “I myself have gone through this.”

This conversation, shared by Gospel for Asia (GFA) in 2017, gives a glimpse into the despair and belief of personal guilt many leprosy patients carry.

Sakshi understood only too well the shame and grief of those she served. Leprosy was detected in her body when she was only a teenager. Dreams of living life as a normal young woman shattered with that diagnosis. Her disease barred her from visiting her neighbors or from making friends, and it even estranged her younger siblings.

“[My brother and sister] used to love me so much, but when I got this sickness, they hated me, and they don’t want to come to me for anything,” Sakshi recalls of her early days as a leprosy patient.

Acceptance and kind words from her community were replaced with rejection and accusations. People said it was her fault she contracted leprosy, and over time, that lie took hold of her heart. Guilt and hopelessness consumed her, and she began wondering why she should endure life.

In her hopelessness, Sakshi tied a noose to hang herself.

Although Sakshi’s story does not end here, many leprosy patients’ stories end on a tragic note of despair. Whether they choose to end their lives or plod through the rest of their days alone and abandoned, the moment they discover leprosy in their body is the moment society defines them by their disease—not by their value as human beings.

Gospel for Asia calls Leprosy Patients ‘Friends’

In 2007, Gospel for Asia-supported workers began ministering among leprosy patients with an aim to change that definition.

“We thought we would name the ministry differently,” says Pastor Tarik, who helped start the leprosy ministry,

“Where they won’t have to remember their sickness or feel the stigma of it. So, while praying and discussing, we thought, ‘Let us call them “friends” because they have been created in the image of God, like us. It is only the sickness that keeps them different, but let us not make that a barrier. Let us accept them as friends.’”

And so, Reaching Friends Ministry began. What started in 2007 as a handful of men and women pursuing opportunities to care for outcasts of society has since expanded to minster to patients in 44 leprosy colonies. Each colony is home to as many as 5,000 patients. Through this ministry, thousands of hurting hearts have found a glimmer of love and hope to cling to.

Let us call them “friends” because they have been created in the image of God, like us.

Sakshi’s testimony proves the impact of even one kind word in the midst of isolation. Although Sakshi planned to end her life, today her story continues. On that pivotal day, her father saved her from suicide and spoke words of life into her weary soul. He told Sakshi she was a precious child and urged her to strengthen her heart through the pain and hardship.

After the conversation with her father, Sakshi gave up trying to end her own life, but she still felt alone and worried.

Sakshi's feet still bear the marks of leprosy, though she is now cured. — Sakshi’s feet still bear the marks of leprosy,
though she is now cured.

After the conversation with her father, Sakshi gave up trying to end her own life, but she still felt alone and worried. Leprosy still disfigured her limbs and even threatened to remove one of her legs to amputation.

But then she met some Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported missionaries who prayed for her and shared with her about the Great Healer. She joined them in faith and asked Jesus to heal her body. God moved on her behalf; she was miraculously healed of leprosy!

Like Sakshi, many leprosy patients are discovering that physical healing—through both prayer and medical treatment—is possible. Now, it is time for communities around the globe to be healed of the negative mindset toward those with leprosy.

Changing the Mindset Toward Leprosy

Over the passing of time, leprosy has drawn increased attention around the globe. The last Sunday in January has been observed as World Leprosy Day for more than 60 years. But while most countries have been freed from the grip of leprosy as a result of leprosy elimination programs, other areas are still high in battle against the disease.

Brazil, India and Indonesia account for more than 80 percent of new cases detected globally, and areas of Africa also detect leprosy in high numbers. The transmission of leprosy is slowly decreasing, but more must be done, especially regarding the elimination of stigma.

These efforts have strong obstacles to overcome. The UN notes,

“Historically held fears and assumptions about leprosy continue to promote the pervasive exclusion of persons affected by leprosy from mainstream efforts to include them in society and development.”

The transmission of leprosy is slowly decreasing, but more must be done, especially regarding the elimination of stigma.

In 2016, The World Health Organization launched their new Global Leprosy Strategy. Included among the increased effort to detect and care for new patients is a high emphasis on the removal of stigma and discrimination toward those with leprosy.

Gospel for Asia wholeheartedly desires to see the plight of leprosy patients improve, and its work in Asia is helping make strides in both the emotional and physical healing of those affected by leprosy.

Sisters of Compassion are specially trained to minister to the hurting, rejected and downtrodden of society - KP Yohannan - Gospel for Asia — Sisters of Compassion are specially trained to minister to the hurting, rejected and downtrodden of society—ministering to both their physical and spiritual needs in the name of Christ.

While you’ve been reading this article, national workers, including around 500 specially trained women called Sisters of Compassion, are helping care for leprosy patients throughout the Indian Subcontinent as part of Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported leprosy ministry.

Sakshi herself became one of those faithful workers. After she experienced God’s healing, she dedicated her life to serving Him and enrolled in a training course. Her passion for ministry among leprosy patients soon placed her alongside other Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported workers serving in a leprosy colony. Through Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported Reaching Friends Ministry, she became part of bringing hope to others still trapped in the desperation she felt when she held the rope in her hand.

“Nobody is there to comfort [the leprosy patients] and to give any kind of encouragement,” Sakshi explained.

“Nobody wants to love them, hug them or to come near to them to dress them. … They have so many inner pains in their heart, because they also are human beings. They also need love, care and encouragement from other people.”

Sakshi shared about her love for the leprosy patients she serves - KP Yohannan - Gospel for Asia — “I will become their daughter, I will become their grandchildren, and I will help them and encourage them and I will love them.” —Sakshi shared about her love for the leprosy patients she serves

She and other servants of God serve these precious patients in practical ways, such as by cleaning wounds, doing housework, cooking meals and helping with personal hygiene. Through every sweep of a broom and touch of their loving, helpful hands, these workers convey how much God values His creation—even those abandoned by their own families.

“By seeing [the leprosy patients], I am thinking that I will fill the gap,” Sakshi said.

“I will give that love, which they are not getting from their grandchildren and daughters… I will become their daughter, I will become their grandchildren, and I will help them and encourage them, and I will love them.”

Through love like Sakshi’s, many leprosy patients are finding new hope and lasting joy that helps carry them through their troubles.

KP Yohannan, founder and director of Gospel for Asia, wrote about his experience of witnessing leprosy ministry take place.

Sisters of Compassion to clean the wounds of leprosy patients - KP Yohannan - Gospel for Asia — Gospel for Asia founder KP Yohannan worked alongside Sisters of Compassion to clean the wounds of leprosy patients during a recent trip in November 2017.

“I recently got to visit one of the many leprosy colonies where Sisters of Compassion are working,” he writes.

“As I joined these Sisters of Compassion in giving out medicine and bandaging wounds, I was once again amazed by how these precious sisters embrace those afflicted by leprosy, serving them so faithfully in the name of Jesus. These leprosy patients, some without fingers or nose or ears, have faced so much rejection in their lives. But now they are finding hope, knowing that someone cares about them.”

These workers, like Sakshi, are diligently bestowing love, medical care, assistance and dignity to those suffering with Hansen’s Disease. Some specialize in making customized shoes for leprosy patients, carefully measuring each individual’s feet to accommodate the sores or disfigurement the person has experienced. Other workers make warm meals for those who cannot cook—or even eat—by themselves; clean homes; wash and comb the tangled hair for those who can no longer perform even these most basic functions for themselves.

GFA-supported workers minister in whatever way is needed - KP Yohannan - Gospel for Asia — GFA-supported workers minister in whatever way is needed—here, a Sister of Compassion cleans a leprosy patient’s wounds, and a man makes custom shoes for leprosy patients.

Workers serving at a GFA-supported leprosy hospital offer tender care for patients afflicted with Hansen’s Disease. Beyond addressing the physical needs of medication, procedures and bandages, this hospital gives its patients emotional support, acceptance, respect and genuine concern for their holistic well-being.

Hospital staff members routinely visit neighboring leprosy colonies to examine patients and determine who should go to the hospital for medication or treatment. They also host events to increase awareness of basic health and hygiene practices, as well as speak words of truth and life to those who feel overcome by their sorrowful plight.

Leprosy: Misunderstandings and Stigma Keep it Alive: Part 1 | Part 3

This Special Report article originally appeared on gfa.org

To read more on the experience of leprosy patients on Patheos, go here.

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For Victims of Slavery and Child Trafficking There is Hope

Last updated on: March 2, 2023 at 10:40 am By GFA Staff Writer

Proverbs 22:6 tells us to “train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” This message is a sincere promise that guides the hands and hearts of parents around the world. Children are a blessing and an enormous responsibility. They are also little sponges that quickly soak up knowledge and experience to apply in their lives. A child will not forget their upbringing; God promised it. But when children—the most innocent people on Earth—are abused, neglected or pulled into a life of slavery, that “training” also stays with them for life and will shape the person they will become.

Human trafficking is not just someone else’s problem; it’s everyone’s problem. It takes place in developing countries and in cities and small towns in the Western world every day. There are numerous reasons given, but they primarily distill one thing: Profits for their owners.

Make no mistake, human trafficking is a slightly more palatable term pasted over an age-old, ugly word: slavery. Some children are stolen away from their parents. Some are taken from the streets. And some are given away or sold by the very people who should care for them most.

The life of a child enduring slavery bears no resemblance to a child safe in the loving care of their parents or guardians. It’s filled with physical abuse, psychological abuse, sexual abuse, hunger, disease and forced labor. But in all of this darkness, there is light.

Gospel for Asia supports many selfless workers who care for and help protect children rescued from a life of slavery and abuse. Every child who enters the safety of a loving, caring environment has an opportunity to dilute the effects of the past and build a future of hope.

Slavery Isn’t a Problem Relegated to History

In America, the word “slavery” brings to mind a horrifying low point in history with no redeeming qualities. The mere idea of “selling” and “owning” another human being is beyond comprehension for most of us today.

But slavery is not a historical problem.

Right now—today—many children around the world live the realities of slavery without any hope for rescue.

The United Nations calls human trafficking a “global, multi-billion-dollar enterprise, affecting nearly every country in the world.” In that quote lies the reason why, in the 21st Century, children are still at risk. There is money to be made in human trafficking, and the amount of money is non-trivial.

“Children are, by definition, vulnerable. They rely on the adults around them to care for and protect them. Who will intervene when those adults not only let them down, but plot against them for personal gain?”

Men, women and children are all affected by human trafficking. With men, the result is usually forced labor, physical abuse and virtual imprisonment. Seeking work, men—many of them refugees—may enter a situation believed to be employment but in reality is slavery. The brutality inflicted on men in forced labor is almost beyond imagination.

According to a report by Human Rights Watch, migrant workers held captive in the Thai fishing industry face excessive work hours, forced amphetamine use, little or no safety protections, no rights, little pay, severe abuse and even torture or death for workers who complain or try to escape. Bodies found floating in waters go unidentified, and the deaths are rarely investigated by authorities.

Women and children, however, make up a greater portion of those living in slavery. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime explains that more than 70 percent of victims are women and children.

Children may be sold or given by parents or guardians into slavery, either as payment for a debt or in the hopes of a better life for the child. A widow with no property, no rights, no source of income and several children to feed may send a child to live with a relative. But the same child may then live a life of abuse and neglect.

Certain predatory orphanages are also emerging as a shocking perpetrator. In Nepal, for example, a veritable fortune has been given to aid orphaned children who, in reality, are only orphaned on paper. And while these orphanages are charged with caring for children, real life is not the same.

Meals and care are withheld from these paper-orphaned children. Many are at risk of sexual abuse by the very people who operate the profit-seeking orphanages. A hungry, sickly, abused and frightened child garner more sympathy and more donations for the orphanage’s coffers.

Children are, by definition, vulnerable. They rely on the adults around them to care for and protect them. Who will intervene when those adults not only let them down, but plot against them for personal gain?

Children May Suffer Long-term Effects of Slavery

Any abuse can have lasting effects on a child. Moreover, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) asserts that all types of child abuse and neglect can spill over into other areas of the child’s life.

As an example of the chain reaction, physical abuse that injures the brain can lead to psychological, cognitive and emotional problems. Those problems may lead to depression and high-risk behaviors.

Not every abused child will have the same experience throughout life. The DHHS report goes on to explain that several factors can affect the outcome. For example, the relationship of the abuser to the child, the frequency and intensity of abuse, the type of abuse and the age of the child when the abuse happened work in concert to shape the child’s future. But any type of abuse lays the groundwork for a lifetime of pain and suffering.

“Proverbs 22:6 tells us that the life experiences of a child will form who they become. Although abused children have terrible life experiences, there is still space in the garden and time to sow the seeds of God’s love and compassion.”

Even when the abuse is stopped, children have ongoing needs. For some, love and support will help them heal, both physically and emotionally. For others, the scars are deeper. The National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being, Brief No. 7, shows that within three years of maltreatment, a “chronic health condition” is diagnosed in nearly 30 percent of children.

Some of the possible physical and psychological outcomes include:

Abusive head trauma leading to impaired brain development, spinal injury and death
Impaired language and cognitive development
General poor health
Isolation and fear
Inability to trust
Anxiety, depression and other psychiatric issues
Poor academic achievement
Antisocial behaviors
High-risk behaviors
Abusive behavior later in life

Action, Dedication and Prayer Can Save Little Lives

What would you do if you saw a little child in harm’s way? If you’re like most people, you’d try in some way to help. For scores of children around the world, even in America, there is no one to step in. Maybe no one cares. Oftentimes, no one notices. A lost or abandoned child is easy to victimize, and it happens more often than you think. A child given away or sold has suffered the ultimate betrayal.

Gospel for Asia (GFA) is dedicated to supporting those who help these little ones. The result can be transformative. Boys and girls who have lived a life of fear, hunger, hard labor and abuse can shed the past and just be children.

“Train up a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

Proverbs 22:6 tells us that the life experiences of a child will form who they become. Although abused children have terrible life experiences, there is still space in the garden and time to sow the seeds of God’s love and compassion.

GFA’s field partners take care of abandoned and orphaned children, where they can learn to live in safety—and learn to trust again. GFA-supported Bridge of Hope centers also help at-risk children in many ways.

Bridge of Hope workers offer nutritious meals, tutoring, medical care, school books, uniforms, special programs and an environment that’s conducive to learning. Where a child may have no one at home to help with schoolwork and no meal to count on, Bridge of Hope helps them succeed in their studies, which helps them succeed in life.

Bridge of Hope also helps prevent child trafficking before it happens. When parents have more options and a helping hand, fewer girls may be turned over to the abusive practice of child marriage. Fewer boys and girls may be sent into bonded labor or to live with abusive relatives. With a caring, watchful Bridge of Hope staff, children are less likely to vanish unnoticed into the hands of human traffickers.

Gospel for Asia (GFA) helps devoted missionaries and workers do the jobs that God has called them to do. Your support can save a child from the abuse of slavery and give them a real chance at life.

To read more on Patheos on the global problem of slavery, go here.

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