2022-02-01T10:13:01+00:00

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. YohannanDiscussing Digvastra and his family, the opposition of his father toward his new found faith, and the answered prayer through a practical gift – tin sheets from Gospel for Asia gift distribution.

Sunlight filtered through a hole in the ceiling onto the back of a teenaged boy who had too many chores to do. The boy, Digvastra, longed to be at church, joining the saints for Sunday worship, but his father had given him a long list of chores to complete by sunset.

Digvastra’s father, Hemendu, had decided he could stamp out his son’s new faith by preventing him from going to church.

Discussing Digvastra and his family, his father's opposition, and the answered prayer through Gospel for Asia providing tin sheets.
Hemendu gave his son a long list of chores each Sunday to stop him from going to church, hoping to snuff out the flame of faith growing in Digvastra’s heart.

Son’s New Faith Provokes Father’s Anger—and Eventual Curiosity

When Digvastra had put his trust in Jesus and had started going to the local church meetings, Hemendu became furious. He chided Digvastra, telling him not to go out on Sunday mornings, but Digvastra would sneak out. Then Hemendu decided to start giving Digvastra a long list of chores each Sunday morning to stop his son from attending church. Digvastra, still a teenager, honored his father by doing as he was told.

Chandira and Yahvi, two Gospel for Asia (GFA) women missionaries who had shared Christ’s love with Digvastra, befriended Digvastra’s family and had opportunities to tell Hemendu about Jesus. Gradually, Hemendu’s heart grew curious about the new faith, but he was not yet willing to risk the scorn his neighbors and relatives would heap on him for believing in Jesus.

Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan: Two women missionaries, Chandira and Yahvi, shared with Hemendu about Christ. He became curious, but he still wasn’t ready to believe in Jesus.
Two women missionaries, Chandira and Yahvi, shared with Hemendu about Christ. He became curious, but he still wasn’t ready to believe in Jesus.

Prayer Answered Through Practical Gift

Digvastra kept praying to God to speak to his father, and Chandira and Yahvi prayed about a way to bless Digvastra’s family and show Christ’s love to them. The two missionaries felt the Lord was leading them to give the family a gift in their next Christmas gift distribution, but there was one problem: They didn’t know what to give them.

Then, one day, Digvastra shared a prayer request with Yahvi and Chandira. He explained that the roof of his family’s house had a hole and needed a major repair. Digvastra knew his family desperately needed financial provision to fix the leaky roof.

Amazed by and grateful for God’s clear direction, Yahvi and Chandira knew what to do. They put in a request to their leaders, and when the day of the Christmas gift distribution came, they were able to give Digvastra some tin roofing sheets!

Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan: The young man received tin roof sheets through the Gospel for Asia Christmas gift distribution program!
Digvastra asked Chandira and Yahvi to pray that his family’s roof would get repaired. Soon, the young man received tin roof sheets through the Christmas gift distribution program!

Gospel for Asia Tin Sheets Gift Overwhelms Son and Father Alike

Overcome by God’s love and goodness, Digvastra could find no words to express his gratitude for the gift that his family had desperately needed.

That night, Digvastra told his father,

“The Lord has been helping us in so many ways and has not only known our needs but has provided us with our needs. How can you still harden your heart? … The Lord is good to us. He has changed my life.”

“God is good to us, and I know that, but it is hard for me. … I need time,” Hemendu replied.

Even though Hemendu still wasn’t ready to put his trust in Jesus, the gift—a gift that would protect his family from inclement weather for years—impacted him. He was grateful to God for knowing his family’s needs and using the Church to meet those needs. Hemendu’s attitude toward Jesus and His followers completely changed. Instead of opposing his son’s faith, Hemendu became supportive. Digvastra can now spend his Sunday mornings worshiping with the local congregation instead of doing chores.

“I am thankful to you for teaching and showing the right path to my son,” Hemendu told Yahvi and Chandira one day. “I can see that his life is transformed, and I am happy as a father to know that my son has chosen the right thing.”

After seeing how Jesus provided for the needs of his family, Hemendu’s heart brimmed with gratitude. Now, instead of opposing his son’s faith, he supports him.
After seeing how Jesus provided for the needs of his family, Hemendu’s heart brimmed with gratitude. Now, instead of opposing his son’s faith, he supports him.

God is using Christmas gifts to reveal His grace and love to many more families in Asia. By giving a gift, you may impact lives for eternity.


*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 Featured Article, Tin Sheets Help Teen Go to Church

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

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

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Notable News about Gospel for Asia: FoxNews, ChristianPost, NYPost, MissionsBox

2022-04-22T06:00:38+00:00

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. YohannanDiscussing Maliha, alone and abandoned, the unfolding of her history, and the Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor who helps this abused woman find hope.

T

he clamor of bargaining could be heard above the bustling crowds. Stalls displayed beautiful fabrics of bright colors and patterns, while the aroma of food wafted in the air. In the midst of all this excitement, a mysterious woman strolled aimlessly down the street of the bazaar.

The woman was a stranger to the village. Her pitiful condition quickly became the dialogue of the bazaar. “Who is she, and where did she come from?” the villagers and venders alike whispered among themselves. No one knew. Some said she was mentally insane and did their best to avoid her. Others had compassion and tossed a few coins her way. She tried to tell them her story, but only a few listened, and no one tried to help her.

GFA founded by Dr. K. P. Yohannan: Discussing Maliha, alone and abandoned, the unfolding of her history, and the Gospel for Asia pastor's help this abused woman find hope.
Maliha (not pictured) wandered around the bazaar. She didn’t know where she was, and some people whispered about her. She was a stranger, lost, disheartened and alone.

She Needed a Hand to Hold

The woman established a spot near the roadside and under a tree. There, she silently wept and slept. She had with her all her belongings: a small bundle of clothes. During the day she begged, and when the night sky descended, she was alone. But the Lord knew her story and sent His servants to help rescue this precious woman He created.

Our pastor Chhiring and his wife, Gunita, had caught word about the stranger at the bazaar, and they wanted to see how they could help her. They found the woman with dirty clothing and a troubled face begging in front of a tea shop.

Pastor Chhiring gently talked to her and asked if she needed anything. She looked at him but said nothing. Then Gunita placed her hand in the woman’s, a small expression of love, and the woman allowed them to lead the way to their home.

Stranger Reveals Her Story

Pastor Chhiring told the woman she could stay with them as one of their own family members. He encouraged his wife and other believers not to pressure the woman to talk, but only help her feel comfortable. She would talk when she was ready. In the safety of Pastor Chhiring and Gunita’s home, trust grew in the woman’s heart. The next day she confided in Gunita and told her story.

Gospel for Asia founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: Maliha eloped with a man she thought loved her and would give her a happy life. But one day all this changed, and he would beat her for no apparent reason.
Maliha (pictured) eloped with a man she thought loved her and would give her a happy life. But one day all this changed, and he would beat her for no apparent reason.

Her name was Maliha, and she came from a distant village. As she matured, many people in her village noticed her beauty and tried to tempt her to run away with them. For a year, she resisted, but a young man eventually lured Maliha after he declared his love for her and promised he would give her a happy life and never leave her. Maliha eloped with this man and moved away from her widowed mother.

After Maliha had two young children, she noticed her husband started to change. He became violent, physically and verbally abusing Maliha. Maliha’s mother, siblings and even her neighbors asked her to make a stand against her husband’s violence, but they never dared face him themselves.

Exposing Her Husband’s Secret

These sudden changes left Maliha with many questions. She didn’t know why her husband seemed to suddenly hate her when he had promised to love her before.

Then she discovered the secret he was hiding: Maliha’s husband had been unfaithful to her.

When Maliha gathered the courage to ask him about it, he beat her and yelled at her and the children. He announced his intention of bringing another woman into the house. Shocked and hurt, Maliha and the children cried loudly. The neighbors heard the awful commotion and ran to their house. They saw poor Maliha’s swollen face and blood streaming down her head from her husband’s beating. When her husband saw a crowd forming, he declared with a booming voice that his wife had gone mad.

A week later, Maliha’s husband said he would take her to the doctor, but instead he dumped her in a village she didn’t know, in a place where she could never find her way back. Deserted, lost and wounded in body and heart, Maliha found herself alone in the bazaar—until she met Gunita and Pastor Chhiring.

Gospel for Asia founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: Maliha found love and rescue when Pastor Chhiring and his wife, Gunita, welcomed her into their home as one of the family. Now, Maliha has hope in Jesus, and He is healing her past.
Maliha found love and rescue when Pastor Chhiring and his wife, Gunita (pictured), welcomed her into their home as one of the family. Now, Maliha has hope in Jesus, and He is healing her past.

Church Welcomes Abused Woman

Gunita’s heart welled with deep love and compassion for Maliha as she listened to the broken woman share her story. She relayed the story to her husband, and he prayed and shared with his congregation. The entire church listened when he asked them to welcome Maliha into their hearts as one of their own sisters. Together as a church, they all prayed fervently for her and received her with love. Maliha grew under the care of her church family as they displayed Christ’s kindness toward her.

Although she was unable to return to her family, Maliha now has learned to pour out her heart to Jesus. She knows He loves her and desires her to call upon Him. She has a new life in Christ and a heavenly Husband who cares deeply for her and heals her wounded past.

Whenever her heart aches for her children and husband, she is reminded by Pastor Chhiring that her life is secure in Jesus’ hands. The woman who was once beaten, abused and abandoned now has a family and has been found and held by Jesus!

Gospel for Asia founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: Women in Asia are often abused and forgotten. You can tell her she is loved and precious in the sight of Jesus!
Women in Asia are often abused and forgotten. You can tell her she is loved and precious in the sight of Jesus!

Be a Voice of Hope

Many women in Asia suffer from being abused, overlooked and forgotten by the men in their lives. Maliha opened up to Gunita and was able to share her heart. We at Gospel for Asia (GFA) desire to show these precious women that they are valued and loved by God. You can be part of this, too, by donating to a Gospel for Asia Women’s Ministry today. 


Learn more about the GFA national 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.

*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 Featured Article, The Stranger at the Bazaar

Learn more about the Women Missionaries and their heroic efforts, dedicating their lives to bringing hope and God’s love to the women of Asia.

Learn more about Gospel for Asia’s programs to combat the 100 million missing women reality by helping women through Vocational Training, Sewing Machines and Literacy Training.

Read Gospel for Asia’s Special Report on An Imaginative Exercise in Empathetic Fear — Think about Living in a Community with Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women

Read another Special Report from Gospel for Asia on 100 Million Missing Women.

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

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2025-11-11T22:30:38+00:00

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. YohannanDiscussing Sakshi, the pain and suffering she went through from contracting leprosy as a teenager, and the calling she now lives in sharing healing and compassion for leprosy patients as a Gospel for Asia-supported Missionary.

“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.

With love and deep understanding, 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.”

Gospel for Asia founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: Discussing Sakshi, the suffering from contracting leprosy, & the calling she now lives in sharing healing and compassion for leprosy patients as a Gospel for Asia-supported Missionary.

The unique compassion for leprosy patients came from Sakshi’s own storehouse of experience. She too had wrestled with the same hurts, rejection and suffering from this disease. It came the hard way, but God used leprosy for Sakshi’s good and for the healing of many broken and lonely people.

Gospel for Asia founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: When Sakshi was only a young girl, she found out she had leprosy. After others heard about it, they kept their distance, and she endured rejection
When Sakshi was only a young girl, she found out she had leprosy. After others heard about it, they kept their distance, and she endured rejection—even among her own family members.

Contracting the Feared Disease

As a teenager, Sakshi found out she had leprosy. Being the oldest child, it was a sudden shock when her brothers and sisters, who usually looked up to her, abruptly pulled away and wanted nothing to do with her. It was a harsh transition she had no control over.

Many thoughts of what life would be like from now on flooded Sakshi’s mind. Now she wouldn’t be able to visit neighboring homes, and no one would want to be her friend anymore. The sorrow of rejection enveloped her and put her in a place of deep depression. She began to wonder why she should live any more. Who would love her and care for her now?

In her hopelessness, Sakshi tried to hang herself. Thankfully, her father saved her 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.

“So my papa was becoming so much a comforter to me and he comforted me and even my brother and sister, they used to hate me, and they don’t want to talk with me, they were not in home at that time when I was doing all these things,” Sakshi shared. “So my father, he saw me and he pulled me from there, and he made me understand everything, and after that I became ok.”

After the conversation with her father, Sakshi gave up trying to end her own life, but she still felt alone and worried. Others said it was her fault she contracted the disease, and Sakshi began to believe it.

Gospel for Asia founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: When Sakshi experienced complete healing from leprosy, she dedicated her life to serving the Lord and helping others. She attended Bible college and served in leprosy ministry after graduation.
When Sakshi experienced complete healing from leprosy, she dedicated her life to serving the Lord and helping others. She attended Bible college and served in leprosy ministry after graduation.

Finding Healing and Ministry

As days, months and years went by, the leprosy in her body grew worse. One of Sakshi’s fingers bent in an awkward position, and she had terrible pain in her leg. Doctors encouraged her to go through with amputating her leg, but that frightened Sakshi. It was this time in her life when she met a few Gospel for Asia (GFA)supported missionaries who encouraged her and prayed for her. They shared about the love of the Healer, and Sakshi began to pray in faith and ask Jesus to heal her own body. By God’s power and grace, a miracle happened and Sakshi was healed from leprosy!

Immediately after she was healed, Sakshi decided to serve the Lord full time. She attended a Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported Bible college, and after graduation, her heart’s desire was to serve in the leprosy ministry.

Gospel for Asia founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: With Christ’s compassion and love, and with true understanding received from her own experience with leprosy, Sakshi served the patients as though they were her own relatives. She touched those whom others would dismiss away in fear.
With Christ’s compassion and love, and with true understanding received from her own experience with leprosy, Sakshi served the patients as though they were her own relatives. She touched those whom others would dismiss away in fear.

Touching the Untouchable and Despised

“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.”

With Christ’s compassion and love and with true understanding from her own experiences, Sakshi served the patients as though they were her own relatives.

“By seeing them, 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.”

The Lord healed the wound of rejection that had cut into Sakshi’s heart as a teenager. She suffered pain and hardship, but she could later tell her story to those who are walking in shoes she once walked in.

By helping them with housework, giving hugs, washing clothes and combing hair, Sakshi helped these precious patients see they are not forgotten by God and are created in His image. These simple acts of kindness mean the world to these who are often forgotten or thought of as being void of emotions and feelings. Sakshi understood this, and God has used her testimony to display the hope and true unchanging love of Jesus to the unloved.

“I know that God will love them,” Sakshi said. “As God loved me and He healed me, in the same way I want to love them.”

Gospel for Asia founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: Jesus’s compassion for those with leprosy is found clearly in Scripture. Together we can be the hands and feet of Jesus and show the unloved they are indeed loved by the Healer!
Jesus’s compassion for those with leprosy is found clearly in Scripture. Together we can be the hands and feet of Jesus and show the unloved they are indeed loved by the Healer!

Display the Compassion of Christ

In Mark 1:41, Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand to a man with leprosy and healed him. You too can be part of ministering to these precious people who will hear, some of them for the first time, that Jesus loves them and is not afraid to touch and hold them. Show Christ’s compassion through Gospel for Asia’s leprosy ministry!


Learn more about the GFA-supported leprosy ministry, or the Reaching Friends Ministry, helping remind people affected by leprosy that, despite the stigma of leprosy, they have dignity and are valued by God.

*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 Featured Article, I Will Be Their Daughter

Read the GFA special report update on the leprosy problem where global leprosy-elimination leaders are making exciting advances both medically and socially that are worth noting: Progress in the Fight Against Leprosy: Leprosy Prevention is Key to Elimination

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

Learn more about Gospel for Asia: Facebook | YouTube | Instagram | LinkedIn | SourceWatch | Integrity | Lawsuit Update | 5 Distinctives | 6 Remarkable Facts | 10 Milestones | Media Room | World Water Crisis | Endorsements | 40th Anniversary | Lawsuit Response |

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2022-04-29T04:42:35+00:00

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. YohannanDiscussing a despised widow Bidya and her daughter, the disaster that rendered them utterly helpless, and the Gospel for Asia Compassion Services teams that displayed Christ’s love in action.

Gospel for Asia founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: Discussing a despised widow & her daughter, the helplessness, and the Gospel for Asia Compassion Services teams that displayed Christ's love in action.

Wind and rain swooshed across the Asian landscape, as a fierce cyclone raged through the village. A small bamboo hut collapsed. Now the poor and despised elderly widow, Bidya, and her unmarried daughter had less than they ever had before. Just as their dignity left them years before, now their shelter disappeared, too.

After Cyclone Phailin hit Bidya’s home, it was completely demolished, much like this home was destroyed by the cyclone in 2013.

Living Through the Worst Storm

In 2013, Cyclone Phailin devastated the southeast region of India. Around 38 people lost their lives and it left another million people wondering about their future. Cyclone Phailin was the worst storm the people of this region had seen in 14 years, but its destruction left a pathway of God’s mercy behind as Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported Compassion Services teams ministered to the suffering.

Workers provided cyclone survivors with food rations, clothing and cleaning supplies. They stayed behind for many months to help rebuild thousands of homes that were lost or greatly damaged. Together, they strived to bring relief to the victims of the disaster—people like the widow Bidya.

Rejected Widow Receives Aid

The villagers despised Bidya after her husband died. Impoverished and alone, she had to earn her living by working as a daily wage laborer. Because of her situation in life, no one would marry her daughter. They both toiled hard every day, finding whatever jobs they could to simply keep themselves alive. When Cyclone Phailin roared through their village, their bamboo house couldn’t withstand the high-speed winds. After it was destroyed, Bidya and her daughter were helpless. They had no means to build a new house for themselves.

Surprisingly, when a Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported Compassion Services team surveyed their area, the entire community, even the leaders, requested that Bidya have her home rebuilt. The team went to work and built Bidya a more substantial home than she had in the beginning—a cement one.

Gospel for Asia founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan: A new home for a widow
Bidya was given this home after Cyclone Phailin ruined her bamboo house. She and her daughter are very poor and were unable to rebuild a home for themselves. But Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported Compassion Services built her a brand new one, this time one made of cement!

Villagers are Blessed by Gospel for Asia Compassion Services

When the villagers saw what the believers had done to help the poor widow, their minds began to change. Before, they strongly opposed Christians and were very unhappy when a church was built in their area. But now, they thought maybe Christians weren’t so bad after all. Maybe the God they worshiped really cared for the world, and maybe the church building in their village wasn’t the curse they once thought it to be.

Maybe Christians weren’t so bad after all. Maybe the God they worshiped really cared for the world.

Bidya and her daughter were so blessed by the new house. After her home was constructed, the villagers grew to respect Bidya, and her daughter has even received a marriage proposal. Bidya and her daughter also have grown curious about Jesus, and have attended special services at a local Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastor’s church. They are learning more about the compassionate God who provided them with shelter and a sense of worth.

Gospel for Asia founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan

Christ’s Compassion Put in Action

God is using Compassion Services to extend hope to those who have endured much destruction and heartache. Just like Bidya was helped and the villagers were impacted through the love of Christ, many others in desperate need have observed the gentle and practical love our brothers and sisters pour out in Christ’s name to help alleviate their suffering.

Recently, Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported Compassion Services teams provided food, pots and pans, cleaning supplies, tooth brushes and soap to flood survivors in Sri Lanka. You can be part of helping in times of crisis like this. By giving of your resources and by praying, you can be the hands and feet of Christ in troubled times.


Learn more about how to bring practical help in Jesus’ name to the suffering and needy, relieving the burdened, rescuing the endangered and revealing God’s compassion to the people of Asia through Gospel for Asia Compassion Services.

*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 Featured Article, Rebuilding a House, Building Trust

Learn more about the Widows Ministry, how you can help widows not only hear that Christ cares for them, but that they may also experience His love firsthand and see how He gives them dignity, peace and eternal life.

Learn more by reading the GFA special report titled “An Imaginative Exercise in Empathetic Fear: Think About Living in a Community with Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women

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

Learn more about Gospel for Asia: Facebook | YouTube | Instagram | LinkedIn | SourceWatch | Integrity | Lawsuit Update | 5 Distinctives | 6 Remarkable Facts | 10 Milestones | Media Room | World Water Crisis | Endorsements | 40th Anniversary | Lawsuit Response |

Notable News about Gospel for Asia: FoxNews, ChristianPost, NYPost, MissionsBox

2022-06-02T06:19:19+00:00

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA)Discussing the life of a widow, and many like her, robbed by illiteracy, and the gift and blessing the door of literacy unlocks even to learn about the Great Physician who heals and gives new life.

Jeni studied the curling lines and shapes on her grandson’s homework paper. With a sigh, she handed it back, knowing a great treasure lay within those squiggles and loops, but she lacked the key to unlock it.

Robbed by Illiteracy

This woman, like Jeni, also never learned to read. She hungered for God's Word but could only stare at the pages of her Bible, unable to read them.
This woman, like Jeni, also never learned to read. She hungered for God’s Word but could only stare at the pages of her Bible, unable to read them.

Years earlier, poverty had hindered Jeni from attending school, leaving her illiterate in a world filled with written information. While many children took education for granted, Jeni longed for the opportunity to attend school.

Jeni’s lack of education impacted her childhood and adult life in a multitude of ways. Illiteracy deprived her of the joy of reading stories—both to herself and, later, to her five children. Unable to read newspapers, the current events of her nation had to reach her by word of mouth. Street signs were useless when finding her way around a new area. No reminder notes or shopping lists could be written. What’s more, Jeni could have looked straight at the written name of Jesus and never have known it.

Although Jeni was blessed with good health, her husband succumbed to an illness when Jeni was only in her 20s. As the sole provider for her children, she worked hard to learn tailoring and managed to earn an income through her stitching work. But without literacy and basic math skills, Jeni and other women like her were often cheated by dishonest shopkeepers, making already tight budgets even tighter.

As years passed, Jeni’s children married, and she became a grandmother. Even then, her illiteracy troubled her.

“Sometimes my grandson and granddaughter asked me to help with their school homework, but I did not know what to do.” — Jeni

Jeni felt ashamed of her inability to read or to sign her own name, and she had no idea the gift of literacy—and eternal hope—was just around the corner at a local church.

Answered Prayer Points Widow to Jesus

In addition to her problems caused by illiteracy, Jeni suffered from pain in her shoulders. Even after several doctor visits and treatments, she found no remedy for the pain—until she met a believer from a local church. Jeni accepted the believer’s invitation to attend a worship service and soon sat amidst a congregation of believers led by Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastor Ajay.

Just as Jeni received prayer, both believers and unbelievers can receive prayer at local churches in Asia.
Just as Jeni received prayer, both believers and unbelievers can receive prayer at local churches in Asia.

When Jeni shared about her painful shoulders, Pastor Ajay and the believers joined together to lift her up in prayer to the Great Physician. Faithful and mighty, God touched Jeni and set her free from the pain she was enduring. Jeni grew to love the Lord with all her heart and began faithfully worshiping Him alongside her new family in Christ, rejoicing in God’s demonstration of mercy and compassion.

Church Provides Literacy Classes

Now a fledgling believer in Christ, Jeni was again hindered by illiteracy. She had no way to read her Savior’s words or read the stories of God’s faithfulness toward His children in the Bible.

When three Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported women missionaries serving the congregation learned of Jeni’s difficulty, they encouraged her to join the literacy classes they taught for women in the community. Naturally a shy person, Jeni attended the first lesson timidly

“Don’t lose heart,” one of the sisters encouraged her. “Believe in God and do your best.”

The joy of literacy - Gospel for Asia-supported women missionaries gently guided Jeni (right) as they taught her to read and write.
Passing on the gift of literacy, the Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported women missionaries gently guided Jeni (right) as they taught her to read and write.

After the first lesson, however, Jeni’s excitement overcame her shyness, and she eagerly joined the other women learning to read. The skill she had longed to learn for so long was finally within reach!

“I am so thankful to God and our women missionaries for their help,” Jeni shared. “Though I had the desire [to learn], I never went to school.”

Jeni persevered in her lessons and diligently learned from the women missionaries. They guided her hand as she learned her letters, and soon the strange loops and lines she had seen on her grandson’s paper began to hold meaning.

Community Blessed Through Literacy

Other women in Jeni’s community observed her progress in her studies, and Jeni encouraged them to join the classes as well. Soon, a few more ladies joined the classes to decipher the same letters that had baffled Jeni for so many years.

No longer held back by illiteracy, Jeni (pictured) now reads her Bible for herself and can grow in her knowledge of God's Word.
No longer held back by illiteracy, Jeni (pictured) now reads her Bible for herself and can grow in her knowledge of God’s Word.

As these women worked through a Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported literacy curriculum used to educate thousands of other women across Asia, they soon found reason to rejoice. Utilizing Scripture as a foundation for teaching, the curriculum not only helps women enter the world of literacy, but it also helps them discover the love of Christ.

Within six months, Jeni could both read and write. Jeni’s children happily watched their mother’s progress and celebrated her ability to do simple things that had troubled her before.

“I am very happy that my mother is able to read and write now by the help of women missionaries,” Jeni’s daughter shared. “These days, she is able to negotiate with the shopkeepers and writes her signature.”

Jeni’s excitement over her new skill soars, and she thanks God for ending the struggle that troubled her for decades.

“Today,” Jeni declares, “I am proud to say I am not illiterate.”

Share the Gift of Literacy

Jeni’s new skills enable her to perform daily life activities that were impossible before attending the literacy classes, and she is now equipped to learn more about the Great Physician who healed her and gave her new life.

You can help other women discover hope and freedom of literacy by donating toward Gospel for Asia-supported Women’s Literacy today.


*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, Unlocking the Door of Literacy

Learn more about the Women’s Literacy Program, and how you can help over 250 million women in Asia who are illiterate.

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2023-02-22T08:20:17+00:00

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.


*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, Rebuilding The Rubble

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2022-09-03T18:31:32+00:00

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA)Discussing the discrimination leprosy patients experience, and the grace of God through leprosy ministry missionaries to help and heal the uncared for and shunned.

Discussing the discrimination leprosy patients experience, and the grace of God through leprosy ministry missionaries to help and heal the uncared for and shunned.

Bahula Rajal couldn’t ignore the woman lying on the ground in her own vomit. Other people walked past her, careful to keep a safe distance. Bahula could tell the woman had leprosy; even so she wouldn’t be like the others who looked away and pretended the woman didn’t exist. In Bahula’s heart, this woman was her family.

Bahula and her two companions helped the sick woman to her feet and brought her back to their home. After they washed her and gave her clean clothes to wear, they gave her something to eat and drink, and they prayed for her.

The following morning, the woman overflowed with love toward Bahula and the other Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported women missionaries, profusely thanking them for helping her in her most desperate time of need.

“God sent you to me,” the woman said. “No one was there to take care of me. No one was there to give me even one drop of water, but God sent you to me.”

Discussing the discrimination leprosy patients experience, and the grace of God through leprosy ministry missionaries to help and heal the uncared for and shunned.

Indifference Turns to Compassion

“No one was there to take care of me. No one was there . . .”

That’s something most people affected with leprosy can repeat over and over again. The chronic, infectious disease has left them shunned, cast out of their homes, without family, without friends, clustered in colonies with others suffering from the same disease.

Bahula herself grew up in a leprosy colony. One of her relatives lived with the skin disease, but Bahula never had compassion on those who were affected. She had been just like the others who had walked past the woman, not caring to help or get involved in their lives. But after she surrendered her life to Christ, Bahula found herself being sent to serve among leprosy patients time and time again. She wondered why God kept bringing her back to the same place—and especially to her own village—but now she sees it as His perfect purpose for her.

“Now, when we clean their wounds and I see the swelling and the blood, I feel like I am really doing God’s ministry,” Bahula says. “This is where God is present, and I feel that through this ministry, I’m really serving the Lord. I have peace in my life.”

A ‘Great Thing’ in His Life

Discussing the discrimination leprosy patients experience, and the grace of God through leprosy ministry missionaries to help and heal the uncared for and shunned.Bahula works alongside Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastor Jiva Giri, who pioneered Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported leprosy ministry in this area. The first time Jiva witnessed people cleaning leprosy wounds, he thought to himself, I could do a work like that. That would be a great thing in my life.

He could have easily turned his back, never again to set his eyes on the repulsive sight of decaying flesh. Instead, he found himself wanting to wash and bandage the mutilated hands and feet of these people. This desire grew in his heart, and he began asking the Lord when He would give him an opportunity to take care of those who had no one else to care for them.

With burdened hearts, Pastor Jiva and 12 others traveled to the different leprosy colonies, ready to minister. They washed the clothes of leprosy patients, cut their hair and nails and gave them baths. With each wound they dressed, they poured on the healing balm of Christ’s love. They testified of His grace, counseled, encouraged and prayed for them. They brought more than just physical healing—they brought a wellness to hearts and minds that comes from the knowledge one is cared for and loved.

Growing Ministry

That was the start of what is now the Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported leprosy ministry called Reaching Friends Ministry. Pastor Tarik Paul oversaw Reaching Friends Ministry when it first began in 2007. He thought it would only be a small effort to help a few people with whatever resources they had, but it has become one of the largest Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported ministries in this region.

“We never thought our ministry would expand so large or it would become so big,” Tarik says.

With a growing team of men like Pastor Jiva and women like Bahula who serve with committed hearts, thousands of people suffering from this disease are finding healing and wholeness to their once-marred lives.

“It is because of God’s grace that we have the strength, courage and motivation to work among these people, to share with them, to hug them, to love them and to care for them,” Pastor Jiva says.

Discussing the discrimination leprosy patients experience, and the grace of God through leprosy ministry missionaries to help and heal the uncared for and shunned.

Receiving Smiles in an Atmosphere of Love

As the missionaries persisted in their care, it became clear that long-term treatment was greatly needed. It was simple to clean and bandage the infected area, but this wasn’t ridding patients of the disease. These people needed medicine and professional care. So after years of praying, Gospel for Asia (GFA) helped open a hospital in this region.

Those with leprosy would often stay away from hospitals because of the unfair and unkind treatment they received from doctors and medical staff. Some had been neglected, even left lying on the hospital floor. Others had medicine thrown at their feet without any instructions. Some doctors said the only remedy to their disease was amputation, leaving them terrified. As soon as they stepped inside the hospital staffed by Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported workers, however, they felt a huge difference.

“When they go to a hospital, it’s all formality. No one is there to smile at them, care for them or help them. It’s a business,” Tarik explains. “But when they started coming to our hospital, they saw the care that we give, the readiness of our people to help them, and that we provide them with the best treatments. . . . Our sisters talk with them, smile at them and encourage them.”

People travel from neighboring states to get treatment at the hospital for all sorts of maladies. Tarik says it’s not only for the medical care they receive, but also to enjoy the atmosphere of love. The medical staff encourages each patient, telling them their sickness is not a big problem for their God who heals.

“Don’t worry!” they say. “We will be praying for you.”

“It is because of God’s grace that we have the strength, courage and motivation to work among these people, to share with them, to hug them, to love them and to care for them,” Pastor Jiva says.
“It is because of God’s grace that we have the strength, courage and motivation to work among these people, to share with them, to hug them, to love them and to care for them,” Pastor Jiva says.

And with people like Pastor Jiva and Bahula faithfully ministering to them and taking care of them as if they were their own mother or father, brother or sister, they know it’s true. They know they have family that cares for them, given to them by a God who loves them.


Learn how you can pray for those with leprosy and the missionaries working among them.

Give to Leprosy Ministry.

*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, Compelled by Love for Those with Leprosy

Learn more about the GFA-supported leprosy ministry, or the Reaching Friends Ministry, helping remind people affected by leprosy that, despite the stigma of leprosy, they have dignity and are valued by God.

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

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2022-09-11T17:38:51+00:00

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) – Discussing the family of Miba, the difficulties they face emotionally and physically, as they struggle against poverty and their circumstances, and the God they meet who can heal everything no matter the severity.

I grew up with my parents serving in Gospel for Asia (GFA). I have heard countless stories of countless Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastors and workers. Tales of healing, transformed hearts, God’s provision, and other similar stories. Here, at Gospel for Asia (GFA), I am surrounded by ministry-minded brothers and sisters, whose sole goal is to help bring God’s love to those in need.

I’ll admit, it’s difficult to remain continuously awed at what God is doing in Asia. My biggest threat—the greatest danger I face as a writer and a Christian—is the pitfall of indifference.

It is my prayer, both for me and for us here in the West, that the Lord would refresh our mindsets into ones of joy when we are reminded of what He has done in the lives of millions. Miba’s testimony is one story of God’s love that has brought a refreshed and renewed my mentality.

Gospel for Asia (GFA) – Discussing the family of Miba, the difficulties they face emotionally and physically, as they struggle against poverty and their circumstances, and the God they meet who can heal everything no matter the severity.

A Family’s Plight

Poverty and illness had befallen Miba’s family, and they were at the end of their rope. Miba’s husband had left her, despite her being pregnant with their second child. Miba’s brother, Seon, was disabled, suffering from damaged kidneys as result of a motorcycle accident. Talya, their mother, struggled mentally and emotionally; especially seeing her children suffer.

Seon’s illness had drained any funds they had left, leaving the family almost penniless. Miba and Seon’s younger brother had to find work, trying to provide for the struggling family.

The family needed something, anything to help them. It was then that Miba came to the local church led by Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastor Ezra. As the pastor listened to them share their struggles, he felt compassion. Here was a family that truly needed God’s love. Pastor Ezra then followed Miba to her home, where he met the rest of the family. The pastor shared how God can heal everything no matter the severity.

A Family Transformed

Pastor Ezra continued to visit Miba and her family, praying for healing and encouraging them from the Word of God. Slowly, God’s love began to work in their hearts, transforming the family from the inside. Miba, Seon and Tayla started to pray along with the pastor, believing God would bring healing—and He did. Miba’s husband returned, Seon was completely healed, and the depression caging Tayla’s mind was shattered. A marriage repaired, a body healed and a mind restored because of God.

Rejoicing in their new faith, the entire family now attend services at the local church, worshiping the Lord and fellowshipping with the believers.

I thank God for workers like Pastor Ezra, who bring the love of God to those who so desperately need it. Their fire and passion for the Lord renews mine, and I hope it renews yours.


*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.

2022-10-21T19:22:53+00:00

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA)Discussing the plight of missionaries come wintertime, who live barely protected from the elements, and the immeasurable blessing the gift of winter clothing brings.

Pastor Babar shivered under his thin jacket. He walked up to a group of villagers huddled around a blazing fire in the early morning hours. Warming his hands, the Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastor shared a story about Jesus to the chilled figures gathered around the heat of the flames. This joyful story constantly burned in his heart, no matter how cold the weather was outside.

Pastor Babar and the Bible college students felt deep inside their hearts a calling to carry their Lord's love to others, While they shared the love they knew, they encountered many families suffering during the wintertime with insufficient winter clothing and blankets.
Villagers in cold regions in Asia often can be found warming themselves by fires outdoors, as many do not have indoor heating.

Battling Winter Struggles

As the sun rose, villagers in the area where Pastor Babar served would gaze out their windows waiting for the sun’s rays to warm the outdoors. For those with meager winter clothing, it often wouldn’t heat up enough to travel until nearly 10 a.m.

Every morning, Pastor Babar opened his sleepy eyes in the early hours to pray over the day before him. In the wintertime, he read Scripture and prayed while tucked underneath layers of blankets to keep himself from becoming too cold.

“It is very difficult to get up in my house early in the morning because of the cold weather,” Pastor Babar shared. “And unless I have warm water, I cannot brush my teeth, nor can I take a bath or wash myself with cold water. So, I have to heat water…”

Even though there were days when the temperature would drop below freezing, Pastor Babar never stopped his ministry. During those days, he would pull on nearly every piece of warm clothing he owned to face the outdoors. He endured splitting headaches; dry, cracking skin; and the common cold to visit the men and women he pastored.

Pastor Babar and the Bible college students felt deep inside their hearts a calling to carry their Lord's love to others, While they shared the love they knew, they encountered many families suffering during the wintertime with insufficient winter clothing and blankets.
Pastor Babar reads his Bible and prays each morning before he starts his day ministering. In the wintertime he wraps up in a blanket, like this Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported national worker pictured.

Bible College Students Struggle in Winter

In nearly the same climate and region of Asia, Bible college students looked at the teacher in the front of the classroom. Giant puffs of air sporadically appeared throughout the room as the men exhaled. The temperature was freezing, and it was difficult to take notes, as fingers grew numb from the chill. Focusing on the lessons of the day was extremely difficult because of the brain fogginess and lack of solid sleep they experienced caused by the cold weather.

It was a long morning on campus for the students. For some, the sleepless night spent shivering meant they began their days already tired. Others who managed to sleep well enough, moved about in their rooms getting ready for the day. But when it was time to wash their faces and brush their teeth the water was frozen.

The students knew they must get up and serve, but there was a strong temptation to perform outdoor morning chores wrapped up in bedding. Later that day, maybe some of them would go into nearby villages to share the hope they held in their hearts—but not until the sun was fully up.

It has been reported that it is 20 times more likely for someone to die in the cold weather than from the heat. Insufficient winter clothing causes many of these deaths.
It has been reported that it is 20 times more likely for someone to die in the cold weather than from the heat. Insufficient winter clothing causes many of these deaths.

Willing Hearts to Serve No Matter the Temperature

Pastor Babar and the Bible college students felt deep inside their hearts a calling to carry their Lord’s love to others, even though they had to face the inconveniences of the cold. It was a love too good to withhold. While they shared the love they knew, they encountered many families suffering during the wintertime with insufficient winter clothing and blankets. For many laborers, winter made working for daily survival incredibly difficult, and oftentimes, they had no extra cash for buying winter garb.

But God saw the needs and difficulties of the villagers, Pastor Babar and the students in the Bible college. People across the world displayed compassion by giving resources for warm coats, hats, scarves and blankets. These warm items were given with joy to the Bible college students, Pastor Babar and other Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastors and workers, and some villagers during a Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported Christmas gift distribution.

Winter Clothing: No Longer Hindered By the Cold

With his thick, warm winter coat, Pastor Babar can now venture outdoors at any hour of the morning to meet with believers who need prayer. He can stay outdoors longer and doesn’t need to worry about his health or focus on rushing home each night before the temperature drops and becomes even colder.

The men at the Bible college can bundle up in their winter clothing in the classroom and study more comfortably. As they share the Christmas story with those around them, they don’t have to worry about catching sickness—their bodies are protected by the warmth of their coats.

“I am grateful to those brothers and sisters who saw me in need, who understood how it is difficult to serve the Lord in … cold weather and high altitude,” Pastor Babar said after receiving his new winter coat.

“I am thankful to them from the bottom of my heart. I would like to thank them for thinking about me and giving me this jacket. Now my prayer is that the Lord would bless them and the Lord would use them to encourage the people like us on the mission field.”

Support the faithful men and women who risk their lives in cold climates and also help bring winter clothing and blankets to needy families across Asia today.


Source: Gospel for Asia Features, Waiting for the Sun to Rise

Learn more about National Missionaries – the men and women the Lord God is raising up living in Asia to be His ambassadors.

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2022-12-10T14:34:00+00:00

“In our world, one in eight people live in slums. In total, around a billion people live in slum conditions today.”—UN-Habitat Slum Almanac 2015-2016.

Upon reading this fact, my mind almost shut down. An eighth of the world’s population?[1] It seems absurd, but apparently, it is the truth. The reality for those living in slums is harsher than what is reported.

One Story Among Millions Suffering in the Slums - KP Yohannan - Gospel for Asia
Maisie (not pictured) is among millions living in slums. Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported workers seek to bring them the love and hope of God.

The Slums: An Explanation

Firstly, what exactly are slums? Merriam Webster defines “slums” as “a densely populated usually urban area marked by crowding, run-down housing, poverty, and social disorganization.”[2] Little to no basic utilities exist in slums. Sanitation facilities, clean water, medical provision are inadequately present in these urban areas. Diseases run rampant, with little to no prevention.[3]

Slum dwellers suffer under these harsh and brutal conditions. These people endure the hardship and poverty around them. Entire families are caught in the endless cycle, with no visible way out. Hopelessness and despair rule their lives.

The Ministry of the Faithful

What is being done to help these people? By the grace of God, many Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported workers toil endlessly among the slums in Asia, bringing hope and love to those in need. Whether it be through prayer, medical care, literacy and vocational classes, gift distributions, water filters, toilets, etc., brothers and sisters minister to those living in these slums.

As I perused the many reports and stories about slums, one in particular caught my attention. The story is of one woman’s return from the brink of desperation and despair. This is Maisie’s story.

A Mother’s Heart Touched

Maisie lives in one of the many slums in Asia. Poverty and destitution were all she had known. Maisie’s husband, Abhaidev, was an alcoholic. Any money he received from his odd jobs went to fuel that addiction. No money for food was left for Maisie and their child. With her stomach empty and her body bruised from the physical abuse heaped upon her by Abhaidev, Maisie couldn’t take it anymore. She decided she would take her own life.

By the grace of God, the very same day she set out for suicide, a neighbor stopped by. This neighbor was a believer and shared Jesus’s love with the desperate woman. The believer gave Maisie a booklet, and the message contained within it transformed her heart.

After learning that she was truly loved, Maisie decided to attend the local church led by Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastor Mrithun. After sharing her story with him, Pastor Mrithun prayed for Maisie and encouraged her. That day, Maisie fully recognized the love of God, and no longer wished to end her life.

However, Abhaidev opposed her new faith. He beat Maisie and told her to never go to church again. Maisie refused and continued to pray for her husband. Little by little, the man’s heart softened. Not only did her let her go to church, but he eventually accompanied her!

The Millions Untold

Maisie’s story can be repeated in so many other slums. The destitution and addiction, coupled with abuse and hunger, affect not just the women, but men and children as well. The slums are unforgiving and harsh, but God’s love lifts up and transforms the hardest of hearts. Millions are suffering, but there is hope for them. To learn how you can provide those in slums with hope, visit www.gfa.org/compassion-services/slum-ministry.


[1] U.N. Slum Almanac

[2] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slum

[3] U.N. Slum Almanac


Source: Gospel for Asia Reports, Restored by the God Who Gave Her Breath

Image Source: Gospel for Asia, Photo of the Day

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