WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, which inspired numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada, to assist the poor and deprived worldwide, discussing Raimon’s physical ailment, two years of near-constant pain, and how God heals through the power prayer.
Like the pastor pictured, Pastor Seamus brought hope and help to families in need through the love of God.
When pain first flared in Raimon’s stomach, he immediately journeyed to the hospital. But the doctors could find no remedy for the pain that beset the 31-year-old father of four. When medical treatment didn’t take away the pain, Raimon turned to spiritual treatment.
Two Years of Near-constant Pain
Raimon; his wife, Perley; and their four children lived in a rural village without basic amenities such as clean water. The roads to their village were rough and unpaved, making necessary trips difficult. With the nearest hospital 18 miles away, only an emergency—like Raimon’s sudden pain—could persuade the family to make the trip.
Once Raimon made it to the hospital, however, the doctors had only bad news for him: They had no idea what was affecting him, and they could not offer any help.
So Raimon turned to the local witch doctors, but they could offer no help either, only the pronouncement that the unfortunate father was likely under the spell of black magic. And with that, the family gave up hope. For the next two years, Raimon lay in his bed, enduring the pain and writhing in hopelessness.
The Pastor’s Prayers
As Gospel for Asia (GFA World) pastor Seamus wound his way through the area he served, he came to Raimon’s village. There, the pastor did as always: He offered words of love and encouragement to any who wanted to hear, and he listened to the people’s troubles and prayed for them. Perley, hearing of a man in their village offering prayers for the sick, immediately tracked the pastor down.
After explaining Raimon’s mysterious sickness, Perley begged the pastor to come and pray for her husband. They had tried everything, she said. Nothing had worked.
Pastor Seamus followed Perley to her home. He saw Raimon lying in his bed, writhing in pain. Taking his hand, Pastor Seamus prayed for the ailing man.
Later, the family visited Pastor Seamus’s church for more prayer. Pastor Seamus and the other believers welcomed the family with open arms and prayed for Raimon’s healing. From that day on, Raimon did not suffer from any more stomach pains; he had been totally healed!
After Raimon’s miraculous healing, he and his family expressed to Pastor Seamus that they wanted to learn more about his God. When all other avenues of finding healing and peace had failed, and there was no hope, the Lord had intervened and sent Pastor Seamus to bring healing for Raimon.
*Names of people and places may have been changed for privacy and security reasons. Images are Gospel for Asia World stock photos used for representation purposes and are not the actual person/location, unless otherwise noted.
Learn more about the GFA World national missionary workers who carry a burning desire for people to know the love of God. Through their prayers, dedication and sacrificial love, thousands of men and women have found new life in Christ.
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, which inspired numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada, to assist the poor and deprived worldwide, discussing Nala, a widow, the desperation her sickness and pain brought, and God’s work through the prayer of a Gospel for Asia (GFA World) pastor that brought healing and transformation.
Nala, her son and daughter-in-law are grateful for the prayers, encouragement and friendship of Pastor Chinua. Their lives will never be the same.
Nala lay helpless in bed. The pain in her spine stubbornly refused to relent, and the widow didn’t have the energy to fight it anymore. For a long time, Nala’s son, Abebe, dutifully escorted her to see various doctors and local religious leaders, looking for a way to relieve her back pain. But the proposed remedies failed to improve Nala’s condition. Nala grew weaker and her family grew poorer as her condition and the expense of seeking a cure took their toll.
Pastor Chinua lived in Nala’s village. When word of her declining health reached his ears, Pastor Chinua decided to visit Nala and offer her encouragement and hope. Nala and Abebe welcomed Pastor Chinua and a few people from his church into their home. During their visit, the group prayed fervently for Nala’s healing and shared with the despairing woman good news from Scripture.
“Jesus said, ‘Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me,’” Pastor Chinua told her. “Therefore, if you believe in Jesus, He will heal you and bless you. Trust in Him.”
Miraculous Healing
The day after Pastor Chinua’s visit, Nala noticed a decrease in her pain. She told her son, “Through prayers, my health is improving.”
Abebe was surprised by his mother’s quick change in health. He had been by her side as they tried medication after medication, ritual after ritual, to no avail. Now, just one day after Pastor Chinua and his friends prayed, she already experienced a visible improvement.
Watching the effect of prayer evidenced in his mother’s body, Abebe and his wife recognized the power of God. They invited Pastor Chinua to return to their home to pray and answer their questions about this God named Jesus.
Pastor Chinua willingly returned, sharing hope from God’s Word and inviting them to church.
Not only did the family begin attending Pastor Chinua’s church, but they also began hosting a prayer meeting in their home.
“If the pastor did not come to my home, I might have died,” Nala said. “Though I went to consult with many doctors for my health and also sacrificed many animals … for my healing, nothing helped me. Now I understand that it was God’s plan to save my life, and I am getting better day by day.”
Thanks to a compassionate pastor willing to visit his neighbor, Nala and her family are forever changed by the power of prayer to a God who hears and answers.
*Names of people and places may have been changed for privacy and security reasons. Images are Gospel for Asia World stock photos used for representation purposes and are not the actual person/location, unless otherwise noted.
Learn more about the GFA World national missionaries who carry a burning desire for people to know the love of God. Through their prayers, dedication and sacrificial love, thousands of men and women have found new life in Christ.
Learn more about the GFA World Widows Ministry, and how you can help alleviate the many struggles widows face.
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, has been the model for numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada, to help the poor and deprived worldwide, discussing how through GFA World gift distribution, a water filter was able to meet a family’s needs and ignite a father’s faith.
With a BioSand water filter like this one, Kadience (not pictured) and her family are able to have clean water and experience God’s love for them.
A wave of embarrassment crashed over Kadience as she handed Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Laszlo the murky glass of water. Kadience could barely see through it. Shocked by the quality of the water, Pastor Laszlo glanced up at Kadience.
“Is there not a bore well from where you can get good water?” he asked.
Kadience looked at her husband, who reflected her embarrassment.
“We have only one hand pump fixed in a public place, but the water is not clean,” they replied.
As difficult as it may be to imagine yourself in Kadience’s position, her situation is not uncommon. In South Asia, it is estimated that 68 to 84 percent of water sources are contaminated, resulting in more than 134 million people lacking access to clean water.[1] For these individuals and families like Kadience’s, the chance for clean water is life-changing.
A Hardworking Family
Kadience lived with her husband and son in a small village in the hills of South Asia where she grew up following the traditional religion of her culture. But after God miraculously healed her son of pneumonia, Kadience put her trust in Jesus. Since then, Kadience had regularly attended her local church led by Pastor Laszlo, who had prayed diligently for her son’s healing.
Kadience and her husband worked as daily laborers, constructing mud houses. Despite the income they generated from working, the family struggled to access clean water, putting them at high risk for a host of waterborne diseases.
Clean Water at Last
After seeing the family’s dire need for clean water, Pastor Laszlo shared his concerns with church leaders and was able to give Kadience and her family a BioSand water filter. The family was overjoyed to receive the water filter! They immediately began using it and enjoying their clean water with gratitude.
“I am grateful to God, who provided us with a good water filter,” Kadience said. “We do have a small hand pump in our village. We are collecting water from there and putting it into the BioSand water filter. Through this filter, now we are getting clean and pure water.”
*Names of people and places may have been changed for privacy and security reasons. Images are Gospel for Asia World stock photos used for representation purposes and are not the actual person/location, unless otherwise noted.
Learn more about the GFA World national missionaries who carry a burning desire for people to know the love of God. Through their prayers, dedication and sacrificial love, thousands of men and women have found new life in Christ.
WILLS POINT, TX – GFA World (Gospel for Asia) founded by K.P. Yohannan, has been the model for numerous charities like GFA World Canada, to help the poor and deprived worldwide, issued this second part of a Special Report on Malaria – new vaccine heralds a game-changing development.
Tricking Mosquitoes With … ‘Toxic’ Beetroot Juice?
In the seemingly never-ending quest to wipe out malaria—responsible in 2019 for the deaths of more than 400,000 people worldwide, roughly equivalent to wiping out the entire population of Miami, Florida—scientists are experimenting continually with new ideas to combat “the enemy” … the pesky mosquito.[17]
Perhaps one of the most unusual ideas involves “toxic” beetroot juice.
Researchers at Sweden’s Stockholm University have been preying on mosquitoes searching for their next tasty blood meal. They’ve shown that it’s possible to mimic a blood feast using beetroot juice laced with a “toxic” plant-based solution that kills mosquitoes but doesn’t harm other species, such as bees.[18]
Until the malaria vaccine usage is widespread, there are still a number of simple but highly effective solutions to combat malaria. One is mosquito bed nets. Another in process, is toxic beetroot, which kills the female carriers.
Beetroot is part of a simple “pink juice” mixture which mimics mosquito’s food drawing in the pest and safely dispatching of it without harming other organisms.
According to an October 2021 report in ScienceDaily, the Swedish team tested four different ingredients in a beetroot juice cocktail. All the mosquitoes feeding on the “fake blood” died within a few hours.[19]
“This mixture, [which] we call ‘pink juice,’ is a harmless … eco-friendly solution, but it is naturally toxic for female mosquitoes,” said Noushin Emami, a professor in the university’s Department of Molecular Biosciences.[20] The Stockholm researchers hope to see their “feeding trap” tested in the field and eventually used alongside other effective mosquito control measures.
“There are a number of … approaches targeting mosquitoes … but I believe that there is a lot of potential in developing very simple but highly effective solutions,” Emami said. “We used beetroot in this study to demonstrate exactly this point.”[21]
Molecular Attraction team. From left: Johan Paleovrachas, Co-founder and Chairman, Noushin Emami, PhD, Co-founder and CSO, Aleksandra Gromnicka, Project Manager, Lech Ignatowicz, PhD, Co-founder and CEO. Photo by Molecular AttractionPeople typically get malaria after being bitten by an infective female Anopheles mosquito.
Facing a Global Emergency
Despite recent breakthroughs and progress, malaria remains one of the biggest threats to children’s lives on the global stage. “Every two minutes, a child dies of malaria,” said UNICEF’s Stefan Swartling Peterson.[22] According to the agency, nearly half of the world’s population is at risk. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says the mosquito is the most deadly creature in the world—killing more people each year than sharks, wolves, lions, crocodiles and snakes combined.[23]
USAID’s indoor residual spraying activity has protected almost 7 million Ugandans from malaria, and contributed to reducing malaria infection rates in targeted districts by 55 percent.
In a June 30, 2021 news release from the World Health Organization, it was stated that “Globally, 40 countries and territories have been granted a malaria-free certification from WHO—including, most recently, El Salvador (2021), Algeria (2019), Argentina (2019), Paraguay (2018), and Uzbekistan (2018).”[25]
In June 2021—following a 70-year battle against malaria—China joined the coveted list of malaria-free countries. WHO described it as a “notable feat” for the world’s most populous nation.[26]
In the 1940s, China reported 30 million cases of malaria each year.[27] According to a CNN report, during the Vietnam War, more Chinese soldiers died from malaria than bullets in the mosquito-ridden jungles.[28] China is the first country in more than 30 years in the Western Pacific region to rid itself of the disease.[29]
Many nonprofits are on the frontlines, operating health clinics, providing medicine, and distributing lifesaving bed nets in even the most isolated places.
WHO credits China’s success in eradicating malaria to aggressive government action to wipe out mosquito breeding grounds, develop better antimalarial drugs and pioneer preventive measures. In the 1980s, China was one of the first countries to test insecticide-treated bed nets on a large scale—showing that widespread use of bed nets at night could significantly reduce mosquito bites and malaria cases.[30]
China has a long history of malaria, but it has now maintained zero indigenous malaria cases for four years running, down from an estimated 30 million cases and 300,000 deaths per year in the 1940s. This malaria free certification by WHO in 2021 is a significant life-saving achievement for China, showing the potential for real progress in the fight against malaria. Photo by WHO/C.McNab
The Battle On the Frontlines: Mosquito Nets
Science and facts tell part of the story. But the real-life impact of malaria is unfolding right now in the rural villages of sub-Saharan Africa, the teeming cities of Asia and the Amazon rainforests of South America.
Many global nonprofit organizations—including World Vision, Save the Children and GFA World—are on the frontlines, operating health clinics, providing medicine, and distributing lifesaving bed nets in even the most isolated places.
“Some of their communities are in such deep trouble fighting this disease, our workers were dealing with thousands of cases,” said Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founder K.P. Yohannan. In one malaria-prone area of Asia, workers climbed a mountain on foot to reach a remote, mountaintop community caught in a malaria death cycle, Yohannan said. “The people of this community, extremely isolated … didn’t know how to prevent or treat malaria.”
Sikkim: Because of mountainous terrain in many parts of India, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) teams often hand carry critical provisions, like mosquito nets, on their backs while climbing mountains to reach the villages in need of supplies.
Gospel for Asia (GFA World) missionaries—driven by the belief that every human life is precious to God—distributed some 200 mosquito bed nets they’d carried up the mountain, as well as malaria medicine, and showed the local people how to protect themselves and halt the deadly wave.
“From the day they brought the medicine and nets, not a single person in that community died of malaria,” Yohannan said. “What does this tell us? In remote, malaria-ridden places across Asia, a mosquito net can change an entire community.”
West Bengal 1-4-22: These four motherless sisters were very happy to receive a bed net for their family to keep them safe from mosquito bites and other insects. The oldest daughter works to make ends meet, but earns less than 100 rupees a day.
One Less Thing to Fear
Living in an area with high rates of malaria, Bahman and his wife, Salli, were terrified they’d lose their two young daughters to the disease. They knew a mosquito net—costing about $10—would be a potential lifesaver. But they were too poor to afford one.
Increasing their fear, one of their daughters had been paralyzed for three years. If she contracted malaria, would she survive?
That’s when a local Gospel for Asia (GFA) missionary realized the dilemma facing the couple and their neighbors. He took action—and 100 families, including Bahman’s, were given bed nets. “You helped us by providing a piece of mosquito net in our lives, though you never knew us before,” Bahman said. “We are touched with your love.”
West Bengal 8-17-16: Gospel for Asia (GFA World) national missionary, and helpers, and the local village head, distributed some eight hundred mosquito nets to local villagers from economically poor and underprivileged backgrounds.
Making It Personal Makes a Difference
For $10, about the cost of morning coffee, you can gift a life-saving mosquito net to an Asian parent, like this father in West Bengal, India, who earns just $3/day, and cannot afford to buy one himself. He can then safeguard his loved ones from harmful mosquito bites that carry vector-borne diseases like malaria. His family will be forever grateful to you.
For many of us born and raised in a malaria-free country, malaria is not something we worry about. It’s a “tropical disease” that’s a long way from affecting our lives. Mosquito bites are an itchy annoyance—that’s all.
This was certainly true for me—until the day I watched malaria’s deadly fever grip my African friends in Uganda. That’s when it became personal for me. They were suffering on the edge of death because they couldn’t afford a basic bed net or antimalarial tablets that cost just a few dollars—things that were readily available, and that I took for granted.
For $10, you can place a life-saving bed net into the hands of a family at risk, a family—like Bahman’s—who will be forever grateful. So far, GFA World’s national missionaries have given out more than 1.3 million mosquito nets. They’d love to hand out millions more.
China has shown us it’s possible to obliterate malaria from the world’s most populated country. And now—with an effective vaccine—the end is finally in sight around the globe. If we all work together, we can see malaria eradicated everywhere.
One simple way to fight mosquito-borne diseases like malaria, is to consider giving a needy family a simple Mosquito Net. For only $10, Gospel for Asia’s field partners can distribute one of these effective nets to an at-risk family in Asia and provide them with safety from insects during the day and at night.
About GFA World
Gospel for Asia (GFA World) is a leading faith-based global mission agency, helping national workers bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Asia and Africa, and sharing the love of God. In a typical year, this includes thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in more than 1,200 villages and remote communities, over 4,800 clean water wells drilled, over 12,000 water filters installed, income-generating Christmas gifts for more than 260,000 needy families, and teaching to provide hope and encouragement in 110 languages in 14 nations through radio ministry. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit the Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news.
Read the rest of this GFA World Special Report: Malaria – It’s Time to Buzz Off!New Vaccine Heralds a Game-Changing Development—Part 1
Learn more how to save families from the sickening agony or death from malaria through the gift of Mosquito Nets that offer protection from the sting of an infected mosquito and help to give their owner a restful nights sleep.
WILLS POINT, TX – GFA World (Gospel for Asia) founded by K.P. Yohannan, has been the model for numerous charities likeGFA World Canada, to help the poor and deprived worldwide, announces: Nearly 40 years after his landmark book Revolution in World Missions shook the evangelical world, K.P. Yohannan — founder of Gospel for Asia (GFA World) — hosts the brand new radio series, GFA Minute (www.GFAMinute.org).
60 SECONDS OF HOPE:K.P. Yohannan, founder of Gospel for Asia (GFA World), has launched a brand new radio series, GFA Minute(www.GFAMinute.org), to encourage crisis-weary believers and inspire a generation searching for hope and purpose.
A new series of rapid-fire radio broadcasts aims to inspire a generation searching for hope and purpose as the pandemic drags on and America faces crises on several fronts.
“People are desperate for encouragement right now and want to know their lives really matter,” Yohannan said. “We’re all looking for hope and purpose.”
He aims to encourage America’s crisis-weary believers and challenge the “digital generation” to “live every minute in the light of eternity.”
“The pandemic, steep price increases in the stores, and deep divisions in our country have left many in America demoralized and disheartened,” said Yohannan, who has seen his Texas-based mission organization grow into one of the largest in the world, serving millions of the poorest families in Asia, and now Africa as well.
GFA Minute challenges listeners to share their faith passionately and practically with a world in chaos. “Today, 2.7 billion people are heading toward eternity without Christ. The One who came to seek and save the lost is now looking for us… to pray, fast, send missionaries, and go serve the poor,” said Yohannan.
60 Seconds of Hope
Yohannan’s 60-second radio broadcasts call listeners to avoid materialism and instead live a Christlike lifestyle of compassion, simplicity, and humility.
“Gospel for Asia (GFA World) has always been about equipping people to impact their world with Christ’s love,” said Yohannan.
OM International founder George Verwer described Yohannan as a leader with “a pure heart (and) great passion.”
GFA World’s national missionaries minister in 12,000 parishes — or local churches — across Asia. The organization is also expanding into Africa.
Visit www.GFAMinute.org to listen to the broadcasts and download free media files.
About GFA World
Gospel for Asia (GFA World) is a leading faith-based global mission agency, helping national missionaries bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Asia and Africa, and sharing the love of God. In GFA World’s latest yearly report, this included thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in more than 1,200 villages and remote communities, over 4,800 clean water wells drilled, over 12,000 water filters installed, income-generating Christmas gifts for more than 260,000 needy families, and teaching providing hope and encouragement in 110 languages in 14 nations through radio ministry. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit our Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news/.
Last updated on: February 22, 2023 at 8:57 am By GFA Staff Writer
STONEY CREEK, ONTARIO – GFA World was founded in the US by Dr. K.P. Yohannan in 1979 as a worldwide mission movement dedicated to raising awareness and support for national missionaries serving the needy in Asia and now in Africa. In a recent interview,Dr. K.P. Yohannan said “Our calling as a ministry has always been and will always be to share Christ’s love with people who have never heard. That will never change.” The Gospel for Asia (GFA) community is made up of people from different denominations, backgrounds, and from all walks of life, with one mind and heart: to minister to those in great need with Christ’s love.
GFA World Canada, located in Stoney Creek, Ontario, celebrates their 37th anniversary of working to see communities transformed by God’s love.
GFA World Comes to Canada
The mission of Gospel for Asia (GFA) first began in Canada in the fall of 1982, when GFA was invited by Last Days Ministries to represent the national missionary movement at the Keith Green Memorial Concert tour. The concerts were a call to mission, in honour of the passion of musician Keith Green, who had died earlier that year in a plane crash. The concert tour included 17 Canadian cities, where GFA staff members set up booths and shared special editions of the SEND! magazine (now called GFA World Magazine), sharing about the work. Many new sponsors for national missionaries were raised up at that time, and the Canadian office of Gospel for Asia (GFA) officially opened on November 19, 1984. The office is currently located at 245 King St East in Stoney Creek, ON.
The Mission Grows
Since it first began, the work of Gospel for Asia (GFA World) has grown to include radio and film ministry, child sponsorship, providing practical and income generating gifts to impoverished families, digging wells and providing clean water, disaster relief, special ministry to women and those afflicted with leprosy, and the mission has recently expanded into the continent of Africa! Gospel for Asia (GFA World) also provides discipleship opportunities for young people in the West, and in June of 2022Gospel for Asia (GFA) in the US is hosting their first ever Set Apart youth conference. Some of the GFA staff are former students whose lives were forever changed when they came to GFA’s Discipleship Program.
The staff at GFA World celebrated the 37th anniversary with special Danish Butter Cookies, a longstanding tradition, and a staff photo was taken. The staff are incredibly grateful for all that the Lord has done in the last 37 years and thank God for the many faithful donor and sponsors who have risen and joined with us to bring practical help and Hope to thousands of needy people. We are very thankful to our volunteers who have stood with us through thick and thin, sharing about the ministry in their churches and at conferences, and even helping in the office.
Gospel for Asia (GFA World) is thankful for all that the Lord has done in the past 37 years and look forward to all that God will do in the years to come.
About Gospel for Asia – GFA World
GFA World (www.gfa.ca) is a leading faith-based global mission agency, helping national missionaries bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Asia and Africa, and sharing the love of God. In GFA World’s latest yearly report, this included thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in more than 1,200 villages and remote communities, over 4,800 clean water wells drilled, over 12,000 water filters installed, income-generating Christmas gifts for more than 260,000 needy families, and teaching providing hope and encouragement available in 110 languages in 14 nations through radio ministry. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit our Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news/.
Last updated on: January 12, 2022 at 3:29 am By GFA Staff Writer
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, has been the model for numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada, to help the poor and deprived worldwide – Discussing Sherwynn, the sudden sickness of his daughter, and the healing that God brought through the prayers of a Gospel for Asia (GFA World) pastor and his church.
Sherwynn sat by his 33-year-old daughter’s bedside, muted hospital sounds in the background. It had been several days since Chantiel’s admission, and yet a solution for her immense leg pain and swelling had not been found. There had to be some way his daughter could be healed, Sherwynn thought.
No Answers for Sudden Sickness
Through meeting a Gospel for Asia (GFA) worker, Sherwynn, like the father and family pictured above, found hope and healing for his daughter, Chantiel.
Chantiel was a mother of three and often joined her husband as a daily laborer to help provide for their children. One night, after returning home from a long day of work, Chantiel awoke from sleep with pain shooting up and down her left leg. Chantiel’s husband immediately took her to the hospital using what little funds they had. Doctors prescribed some medicine, but the pain only increased and was accompanied by intense swelling. Her family took her to a second hospital for better treatment, but still she found no relief.
Chantiel’s father, Sherwynn, visited her during her stay at the hospital. Seeing his daughter in the hospital bed made his heart sink. The medicine wasn’t working, and the doctors didn’t have any other solutions. Was there anything he could do?
Then Sherwynn remembered something: Maybe there was a place where he could find some help, where sick people went and left healed. The doctors couldn’t help, so Sherwynn took his daughter home and decided to pay one of his neighbors a visit. After listening to Sherwynn’s woes, the villager picked up a phone and dialed the man he knew could help.
GFA World Pastor Help in Finding Relief, Hope
Soon after, Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Sanbourne visited Sherwynn. The elderly father told the pastor of Chantiel’s sudden mysterious illness. As Sherwynn shared his story, he broke down into tears.
“Please pray for my daughter,” he pleaded. “I cannot see her [in] pain.”
An hour of fervent prayer later, Chantiel felt the pain leave her.
“I felt as if someone touched me,” she explained. “There is no pain in my leg anymore.”
Sherwynn and the entire family immediately rejoiced; finally, some good news after weeks of crushing worry. A week later, Pastor Sanbourne received a call from Sherwynn: Chantiel was completely healed. The pain and swelling had vanished, and she could walk and go back to work.
The entire family began attending Pastor Sanbourne’s fellowship and were welcomed with open arms.
“I am so thankful to Pastor Sanbourne and [the believers] for their precious prayers and for helping me to know God,” Chantiel said. “I am truly grateful to merciful God, who gave me complete healing. Due to my sickness, I was unable to go for labor work, but now I am so happy because now I am going for my work and supporting my husband.”
The anxiety and fear Sherwynn had borne during the days Chantiel lay sick were gone, chased away by seeing his daughter healed through the ardent prayers of Pastor Sanbourne and the believers.
“I am indeed thankful to God for healing my daughter completely,” Sherwynn said. “Now we as a family will follow God.”
*Names of people and places may have been changed for privacy and security reasons. Images are Gospel for Asia World stock photos used for representation purposes and are not the actual person/location, unless otherwise noted.
Learn more about the GFA World national missionaries who carry a burning desire for people to know the redemptive fatherly love of God. Through their prayers, dedication and sacrificial love, thousands of men and women have found new life in Christ.
Last updated on: December 27, 2021 at 6:19 pm By GFA Staff Writer
WILLS POINT, TX — COVID-19 has triggered a “shadow pandemic” of sexual abuse, violence and exploitation against girls, a shocking new report reveals on International Day of the Girl Child, Oct. 11. More than ever, girls face multiple threats to their safety, including sexual predators online, sex trafficking, and forced child marriage, says the report Young Victims Remain Hidden in the Pandemic’s Shadow (http://www.gfa.org/press/girls) by mission organization Gospel for Asia (GFA World). International Day of the Girl Child is an annual awareness event.
GIRLS FACE ‘SHADOW PANDEMIC’ OF SEXUAL ABUSE: COVID-19 has triggered a “shadow pandemic” of sexual abuse and exploitation against girls, a new report reveals on International Day of the Girl Child, Oct. 11. The report — Young Victims Remain Hidden in the Pandemic’s Shadow (http://www.gfa.org/press/girls) — by Gospel for Asia (GFA World) gives shocking insights into child marriage and online exploitation.
In more than 130 countries — including the U.S. — it’s legal for girls to marry under the age of 18. In North Carolina and Alaska, a girl can marry at 14 if she’s pregnant. In North Carolina, a 57-year-old man applied to marry a 17-year-old girl, the report says.
Worldwide, COVID-19 is accelerating a “global crisis for girls,” with surging joblessness and poverty putting pressure on struggling parents to marry off their daughters in their mid-teens or younger, the report says.
Millions of Girls ‘Exposed to Exploitation’
Globally, national lockdowns have disrupted schooling for millions of girls, and left them exposed to exploitation and greater risk of getting pregnant.
Save the Children predicts a “dramatic surge in child marriage and adolescent pregnancy.” The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that complications in pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of death in girls and young women ages 15-19.
Governments around the world must do more, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) says, to protect girls from forced marriage so they can finish school and choose their own path in life when they become adults.
‘Protect Innocent Girls Now’
“If we fail to protect innocent girls now, we’ve failed an entire generation,” said Gospel for Asia (GFA World) Founder K.P. Yohannan (also known as Metropolitan Yohan).
The Dominican Republic — a Caribbean island nation — recently banned marriage under the age of 18, a move it’s hoped will protect girls there and could encourage other nations to follow.
In the U.S. and other countries, girls are increasingly victims of online sexual exploitation. A 14-year-old girl who sent a classmate a naked video of herself attempted suicide after it was posted on a porn website and viewed by other students. “Failing to stay safe online could entrap a girl in years of abuse,” the report says.
Lifeline for Girls at Risk
In developing nations, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) and other organizations sponsor thousands of girls at risk, enabling them to go to school, making sure they don’t go hungry, and mentoring them. Gospel for Asia (GFA World) says it helps girls “to show them God’s love.”
“It’s more vital than ever to provide girls with safe, nurturing environments and to bring justice and aid to those who’ve been abused,” says the report. “The pandemic will have years of consequences but, with God’s help, we can prevent it from destroying girls’ lives.”
About Gospel for Asia – now GFA World
Gospel for Asia (GFA World) is a leading faith-based global mission agency, helping national missionaries bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Asia and Africa, and sharing the love of God. In GFA World’s latest yearly report, this included thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in more than 1,200 villages and remote communities, over 4,800 clean water wells drilled, over 12,000 water filters installed, income-generating Christmas gifts for more than 260,000 needy families, and teaching providing hope and encouragement available in 110 languages in 14 nations through radio ministry. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit our Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news/.
Last updated on: September 22, 2021 at 7:18 pm By GFA Staff Writer
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, whose heart to love and help the poor has inspired numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada, to serve the deprived and downcast worldwide – Discussing Manal, his quest of faith, and the Gospel for Asia pastor who helped him discover who God is through Scripture.
Who was this living God? Manal heard of Him through reading literature and by word of mouth, but he never grasped or understood who Christ is and what He has done for us. Manal began his search to find out what the Word of God meant. Though his culture and religious background consider Christians as lowly, Manal never could shake off his deep desire to understand their God.
Driver Finds a Church
While many impoverished people in Asia seek provision for their physical needs, their hunger for spiritual answers is often even greater. Manal searched for years before finding answers in Scripture through a Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor.
One day, as Manal was working as an automobile driver, he learned from his passengers about a local church. Hungry to gain more knowledge, he attended the church.
Gospel for Asia pastor Kalap welcomed him, and after hearing Manal share about his longing to know more about God, Pastor Kalap began to teach Manal through God’s Word, the Bible. Much like Philip and the eunuch, Kalap guided Manal and answered his questions, helping him understand the uniqueness of Jesus in ways he could understand. Pastor Kalap prayed earnestly for him, asking the Lord to reveal His deep love and truth to the man’s heart.
After that, Manal regularly visited the pastor. Pastor Kalap shared with him a copy of Scripture, which Manal gratefully began reading every day.
Soon Manal’s quest came to an end as he found the love of God for himself through the Scriptures. His face shone with joy. Not only had Manal found what he was searching for, but he found the eternal life his soul longed after!
Serving the One He Sought
Manal is now strong in his faith and determined to follow the Lord regardless of the comments of others or of the persecution that may come along the way.
“Now I know for sure that there is only God who can give eternal life, and I want to serve Him with my life,” Manal says.
Praise God for fulfilling the desire of Manal’s heart!
*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 Rejoice! Newsletter, The Quest
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, which inspired numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada, to assist the poor and deprived worldwide – Discussing the empty heart present in children and adults alike apart from Jesus, and the comfort and love of God discovered in Gospel for Asia Sunday School.
Dacia was known to be an obedient and joyful daughter, but now she had once again defied her parents’ explicit demands. Angered at their daughter’s out-of-the-ordinary actions, Dacia’s parents laid out harsh punishment for the 12-year-old. She was not to attend the meetings, not to mingle with her friends and she was certainly not to read that Book. But all Dacia wanted was to learn more about Jesus.
An Empty Feeling Within
Children all around the world attend Sunday school just like Dacia (not pictured) was able to do thanks to Gospel for Asia (GFA) workers and others serving in this way.
Dacia grew up in a household that revolved around tradition. She and her three siblings learned to follow in their parents’ and grandparents’ footsteps, holding to the rituals passed down from generation to generation. Life for the family was good. Thanks to her hardworking father, Dacia was able to attend school, where she excelled in all her subjects. Respectful and obedient to her parents, she heeded all their teachings. But Dacia still felt as though she were missing something; an empty feeling in her spirit grew and grew.
Dacia often listened to her friends talk about songs, dances and stories that were unfamiliar to her. Curious, the young girl would ask her classmates where they had learned these things.
At the Sunday school, they replied. Her schoolmates explained that every Sunday, children met at the local church led by Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Marek. There, they were taught songs and stories related to events in God’s Word. Hearing her friends’ constant enthusiasm, Dacia wanted to attend and, the stories and songs stirred a desire to know more.
Some days passed, and still, Dacia thought about Sunday school. Then one of her classmates said something about a week-long event filled with games, stories, songs and other activities open to all children. Dacia asked her classmates if she could also go to this event. They happily invited her, but there was a problem: Dacia needed her parents’ permission to attend.
Finding Love and Joy through Gospel for Asia Sunday School
At first, Dacia’s parents would not let her go, but Dacia begged them. After near-constant imploring, Dacia’s parents relented to their daughter’s desire.
The week-long church event was full of excitement for Dacia. The days sped by, each one full of fun games, songs and dances that taught children about Jesus. Here, Dacia finally found what she had been missing: the loving arms of God.
After the event, Dacia’s heart burned to know more. She began attending the Sunday school and eventually bought her own copy of God’s Word so she could read and meditate on it every day. Months passed, and Dacia continued to grow in her love for Jesus, but when the young girl shared her newfound faith with her parents, they responded in anger. They did not think her trips to the church or her time spent in God’s Word would leave a permanent mark on their child, yet they had. And now Dacia’s mom and dad needed to put an end to it. They forbade Dacia to attend church or read the Holy Scriptures.
Faith in the Midst of Fire
Dacia could not get rid of her cherished copy of God’s Word, so she hid it at a friend’s house, where she could still go and read it. She also found a way to secretly attend church services whenever she could, but it didn’t stay a secret for long. When her parents found out Dacia had ignored their demands, they were furious and punished her severely. The emotional and physical pain Dacia endured because of her faith drove her to tears on multiple occasions.
Despite the ire and disapproval of her parents, Dacia could not separate her heart from Jesus. She found strength in reading the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit inspiring and molding the young girl’s faith. Dacia had come to truly understand just how much Jesus loves her.
Pastor Marek and her friends also encouraged her and stood with her in prayer. In the midst of strong opposition and discouragement, Dacia was able to keep her eyes fixed on Jesus. Today, she prays for her family hoping they, too, will one day find what she did: God’s unfailing love.
Please pray for Dacia, that God will give her the strength and grace she needs to not lose heart and that she will grow deeper in her relationship with Jesus. Pray her parents will recognize God’s love for them.
*Names of people and places may have been changed for privacy and security reasons. Images are Gospel for Asia World stock photos used for representation purposes and are not the actual person/location, unless otherwise noted.
Learn more about the GFA World workers who carry a burning desire for people to know the love of God. Through their prayers, dedication and sacrificial love, thousands of men and women have found new life in Christ.
Learn more about the Sunday School Ministry that can pioneer ministry work in a village, where sometimes when missionaries go into a village, the only ones willing to listen to the Good News are the children.
In the seemingly never-ending quest to wipe out malaria—responsible in 2019 for the deaths of more than 400,000 people worldwide, roughly equivalent to wiping out the entire population of Miami, Florida—scientists are experimenting continually with new ideas to combat “the enemy” … the pesky mosquito.[
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