Gospel for Asia Pastor Brings Hope to a Grieving Widow

Last updated on: December 10, 2021 at 7:54 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, which inspired numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada – Discussing Gulika, the shame, rejection and despair she lives through as a widow, and the life changing hope through a Gospel for Asia pastor.

Manan sprang onto the railway tracks, hurrying to get across. The next few steps he took changed the lives of his wife and three children forever. As he crossed the tracks, he wasn’t aware of the train coming his way. Suddenly his body lay crumpled on the railroad tracks. Now his children were without a daddy, and his wife would bear the name of the despised: widow.

Young Widow Suffers Grief, Harassment

Gulika’s life drastically changed the day her husband died. Although she and Manan were not well off, Manan worked faithfully as a tailor, and they managed to have just enough to live on. Now Gulika and her children were left helpless, and they took on the burden of deep, unforgettable sorrow.

Bearing the title “widow” was a heavy weight to carry too. The sharp, condemning words of the villagers stung Gulika’s already broken heart. Because of this, the pain of losing her husband increased all the more. It seemed that every time she stepped out of her home she wasn’t safe from their harsh criticism.

The villagers believed Gulika was cursed. They were even afraid that if she passed them on the street, she would bring them bad luck. This shame and rejection, on top of the reality of her husband’s death, grew unbearable. Soon Gulika fell into deep emotional despair.

Water: A Daily Burden and Fear

Although Gulika suffered from despair, she had certain duties to uphold as a daughter-in-law: Gulika had to get water for the family. Unfortunately, the nearest source of water in the village was an old well that was a-third-of-a-mile walk from her home.

In Gulika’s village, collecting water was a grueling chore, one which involved much fear and danger for women and young girls. Even as a widow, it was dangerous to go out alone because men would take advantage of their vulnerability.

Pastor Comforts Family in Trouble

When Pastor Gobhil heard about Gulika and her family, he visited their home, hoping to bring them comfort and encourage them through God’s Word. He said there was hope for their helpless situation and shared about a faithful God who could heal Gulika’s suffering heart. Over the course of time Gulika, was completely restored! Through the power and love they experienced in Christ, Gulika and her in-laws found hope in the midst of their sorrows.

Pastor Gobhil encouraged Gulika (not pictured) to start sewing women’s clothing, and soon the church was able to supply her with a sewing machine.

Pastor Gobhil encouraged Gulika to start sewing women’s clothing, and soon the church was able to supply her with a sewing machine. Gulika began to earn a respectable living through this vocation, and despite the way the villagers treated her, she knew God did not condemn her but rather valued her life.

Bringing Safety Through Clean Water

But even with her new income and life in Christ, Gulika still faced harassment from her neighbors, especially when she went out to fetch water for the family. There were days when she didn’t come home with enough. Pastor Gobhil noticed Gulika’s and the villagers’ struggle for water. Eventually, Gospel for Asia (GFA) drilled a Jesus Well right in front of Gulika’s house. She now can get water easily without fear or disturbance. The other villagers were very grateful for the Jesus Well.

Now when people use the Jesus Well near Gulika’s house, she shares with the villagers about the sweet love of Jesus and how He has given her hope and security. She is thankful for the believers and Pastor Gobhil because of all the help and love they have poured into her life.

“In my time of trouble, when my husband died, [the pastor and believers] helped me to be strong and have confidence to work and earn an income,” Gulika says.

Discussing Gulika, the shame, rejection and despair she lives through as a widow, and the life changing hope through a Gospel for Asia Pastor. — The villagers are very grateful for the Jesus Well, and they respect the Christians after seeing their love and care for the widows and the needy.

Help Reach Those Society Despises

More than 40 million widows live in South Asia. For them, life is a desperate struggle for survival, as it was for Gulika. The heart of Christ is to look after these precious women in need. As He says in James 1:27; “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit the orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”

You can be part of reaching these women practically with items such as sewing machines, food, clothing and hope. Give toward the Widows Fund today and help tell a woman she is dearly loved!

*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, Through a Widow’s Tears

Learn more about how generosity can change lives. Through Gospel for Asia (GFA World) and its 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.

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.

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

Failing Kidneys and Answered Prayer: How Gospel for Asia Ministered to a Family in Need

Last updated on: December 10, 2021 at 7:58 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 – Discussing Rajasi, the sorrow and loss that invaded her life, the hope of Jesus that sustained her through widowhood, and God’s love and compassion shared as Gospel for Asia ministered to her family.

Rajasi’s relatives blamed her for the death of her husband. “All these [problems] happened in your life only because of your faith in Jesus,” they said. These wounding words stung Rajasi’s lonely, grieving heart. How different they were from the soothing words spoken by her neighbor about her Savior months earlier. But now who could she turn to? With her husband dead and her own relatives and community speaking against her—who would help her?

No Stranger to Sorrow

Even though Rajasi was only a young woman of 25, sorrow and difficulties were no strangers to her. Before she met Jesus, she and her husband, Mahasvin, were in anguish. Mahasvin worked faithfully as a laborer to provide for his two children and wife, until both his kidneys failed to function properly. At this devastating news, peace left the household, making room for fear to enter the young couple’s hearts.

Rajasi cried out in despair to all her gods, pleading with them to heal her husband. Mahasvin went to many hospitals and underwent treatments. But soon all their money was spent, and they had lost hope of him ever recovering. They heard no answers from their gods, and they were deeply discouraged. They had no one else to turn to.

They heard no answers from their gods, and they were deeply discouraged. They had no one else to turn too.

With Jesus, Everything Changes

The Lord used Pastor Victor (not pictured) and other believers to help Rajasi and encourage her husband during their times of struggle and heartache.

It was at this moment God sent a faithful believer to their home one day. She saw their grave condition and encouraged them with the Word of the Lord. Her gentle words of truth were like a healing balm to their wounded hearts, and they asked her to pray for them. After she prayed, she assured them of her continued prayers. Concerned for the couple, she brought their need to the attention of her Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor, Victor.

With compassion, Pastor Victor visited Mahasvin and Rajasi often, bringing words of encouragement to the couple. As time went by, Rajasi and her husband realized Jesus was the answer to all their problems. Together, they decided they wanted the everlasting love of Jesus to fill their lives.

But life did not grow easier when they made their decision to follow Christ. In anger, Mahasvin’s father turned against them and began to oppose them. But this never swayed their resolve to live in the hope and peace of Christ.

The Agony of Loss

After a few months, Mahasvin and Rajasi grew strong in their faith. But Mahasvin’s health continued to deteriorate due to his failing kidneys. Rajasi listened closely as her dying husband shared his last requests with her: Never forsake Jesus, but go to the worship place at any cost.

After Mahasvin’s death, Rajasi was heartbroken. She suffered through severe mental agony and pain, and to make matters worse, everyone placed the blame of her husband’s death on her shoulders.

Even though so many had forsaken her, Rajasi was not alone. Her church family stood with her during her bleak hours. They visited their sister in Christ and encouraged her to follow Jesus. Rajasi was strengthened by their words and upheld the plea of her husband to continue steadfast in the faith, even in the midst of opposition.

Gospel for Asia Ministered in Midst of Worry for Children’s Future

After Mahasvin’s passing, Rajasi was completely dependent on the income of her father-in-law, Farhat, to meet her and her young children’s needs—but so was the rest of the family. He worked in a small grocery shop, and many of her relatives became dependent on the income Farhat brought in.

Rajasi grew concerned about her children. She wanted them to have a good education, but her father-in-law would not give her extra money to send them to a good school. This troubled her deeply. Rajasi brought her worries before the Lord and the believers. Together, they all prayed for her need.

By God’s grace, Rajasi’s prayer was answered through a Gospel for Asia (GFA) gift distribution. On the happy distribution day Rajasi received a shiny, new sewing machine! The gift was such an incredible blessing in Rajasi’s life. She quickly began work by setting up a personal tailoring shop.

Gospel for Asia (GFA) ministered to Rajasi and she was so blessed to receive a sewing machine through a Christmas gift distribution. Through the help of believers around the world, women like Rajasi have the chance to earn a better income and experience the love of Jesus in a tangible way.

Within a few months, Rajasi was doing so well and received such a good income that she was able to buy a second machine to expand her business. Rajasi found a good school for her beloved children and is able to provide for their future.

Rajasi and her children weren’t the only ones blessed by the machine; her mother-in-law was also touched by the kindness of the believers. Although she was bedridden and unable to go to services, she longed to hear more about the God of love and compassion who provided for her daughter-in-law. God also worked in Farhat’s heart. While he still wants nothing to do with Jesus, he no longer opposes Rajasi for her faith.

Help ‘Sew’ into the Kingdom this Christmas!

God used a simple sewing machine and the love of His children to uplift Rajasi in her hour of need. Not only has it helped provide a way for her children to have a brighter future, but it also planted a seed of hope in her mother-in-law.

You can be part of answering a brother’s or sister’s prayer for God’s provision by choosing an income-generating gift in Gospel for Asia’s Christmas Gift Catalog! This year, make Christmas about ‘sewing’ into God’s kingdom, and spread the joy and hope of Christ!

Learn more about how Gospel for Asia has ministered through the 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.

Source: Gospel for Asia Featured Article, Failing Kidneys, Opposition and Answered Prayer

Learn more by reading the Gospel for Asia Special Report: Widows Worldwide Face Tragedy, Discrimination – Some Find Hope to Overcome the Challenges of Widowhood

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

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

Gospel for Asia Worker Helps a Widow Find Life After 65 Years

Last updated on: December 15, 2021 at 10:20 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – 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 – Discussing Fumnaya, an elderly widow, living her days in sickness and boredom, and the female GFA workers who shared the hope of Christ.

“At this old age, why do you worship [this other] God?” Fumnaya’s son scolded her. His anger stiffened the air. Despite his harsh words, Fumnaya would not give up this love and hope she had found. In her old age, she could see more clearly now than ever.

Discussing Fumnaya, an elderly widow, living her days in sickness and boredom, and the female GFA workers who shared the hope of Christ. — Fumnaya (not pictured) embraced the love of Christ and holds prayer meetings in her son’s home. She desires above all things that her son would come to know Jesus personally.

Widow Faithful to Tradition

Fumnaya had dutifully served her gods. She, much like her son, had believed people should be faithful to their traditional deities. Night and day, she devoted her life to the gods and goddesses her family had worshiped for decades. When she became sick and weak, she kept an image of her god by her bedside and cried out to it, hoping it would ease her suffering.

Friendship Blossoms Between Widow and Female GFA Workers

Meanwhile female Gospel for Asia (GFA) workers, Talia and Nanini faithfully served in Fumnaya’s village, sharing the unveiled beauty of Christ. When they heard about the elderly widow, they sought to comfort her.

As soon as they began sharing about Christ, however, Fumnaya disregarded their words. She had her god, and she would continue to worship him.

Even though Fumnaya didn’t care for what they had to say, she desperately wanted the women’s company. Being a lonely widow living in her married son’s house, Fumnaya lived her days in pain and boredom. Her sickness had left her with a swollen left leg so she was unable to walk properly, and she was frequently too weak to do much else but remain indoors.

Whenever Talia and Nanini visited her house, it greatly eased the boredom Fumnaya felt. Eventually, she found true friends and companions in the two women. They prayed for her often and continued to visit and encourage her with God’s Word. As time went by, their relationship blossomed.

Widow Finds Faithfulness in Christ

Over time Fumnaya realized the faithfulness of God in her life. The words the national workers shared began to sink deep into her heart. She soon embraced the offer of new life in Christ.

But her son became enraged. How could his 65-year-old mother leave her faith now to follow after this unfamiliar God? Fumnaya’s son scolded her.

“If this God heals you completely, then we will also worship Him,” he challenged.

He forbade Talia and Nanini to openly talk about Jesus when they visited, thinking they had misled his mother. But Fumnaya encouraged them to have prayer meetings in her home, unafraid of what her son might say.

“I know that the Lord loves me,” Fumnaya said, “and He is faithful to me. He has saved my life, and I know I will go to heaven after I die.”

Fumnaya longs to see her son come to the Lord. Even though he acted in anger toward her, she desires more than anything that he will grasp the peace of Christ.

She continues to be encouraged by the friendship and earnest prayers of the women missionaries. Through Talia and Nanini’s love and care, Fumnaya has found the hope of Christ and takes comfort and rest in His complete love.

Female Gospel for Asia (GFA) workers like Talia and Nanini share Christ’s redemption to many women—young and old. Imagine being part of sharing hope with these precious souls and telling them about Christ for the first time. Some like Fumnaya have waited many years. You can sponsor a woman today and become part of God’s work in Asia!

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

Source: Gospel for Asia Featured Article, Finding Life After 65 Years

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.

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

Gospel for Asia Fulfills a Last Wish

Last updated on: January 1, 2022 at 5:18 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, which inspired numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada – Discussing a widow, mother & a female GFA worker — Malati, the difficulty, pain & opposition, her husband’s last commission & the promises in God’s Word.

“After my death, there will be many people—even my relatives from our own house—they will reject you. They will say [unkind] words to you; they will oppose you, but never forget the love of Jesus,” Jyan’s words pierced through Malati’s heart.

Malati and her husband had endured much together, and now he commissioned her to stand—without him. Even as he lay weak from heart disease, the four years he spent committed to the Lord gave him strength to endure through the end.

Bearing the Name Widow

After Jyan died, Malati witnessed his dying words come true. Villagers and relatives asked why she was continuing to follow Jesus and live as she was when she should return to her old traditions. Malati’s pastor, Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Jaton, encouraged her, much like he had been doing the past four years. Now his encouragement was even more appreciated than before as she struggled with bearing the title “widow,” taking care of her two young children and desiring to pursue the Lord more.

“I will stand beside you, and I will pray on behalf of you,” Pastor Jaton said.

Journey of a Female GFA Worker

Malati wanted to serve the Lord and commit her life to ministry. But could she? Should a woman with two young children who was now living the life of a widow dare go this route? The vision, the passion…they were all there, and for Pastor Jaton and the leaders of the church, that was enough.

For one year Malati studied at a Bible college. With a burden searing her heart for others to know her Comforter, Malati spent a second year on the field doing a practical internship with a young woman who also attended Bible college. Pastor Jaton, during this time, took care of Malati’s two sons.

After graduation, Malati wanted to go back home and minister to her relatives, but the Lord had need for her elsewhere. There was a pastor who needed help reviving one of his churches. Willing to serve where the need was the greatest, Malati and her two sons moved.

Submission and Eternal Fruit

Today, Malati serves in three surrounding churches. She leads the children’s Sunday school and Women’s Fellowship. She also helps lead prayer meetings in believers’ homes and often travels with a few other women to nearby villages to share the love of Christ.

Malati’s journey as a female Gospel for Asia (GFA) worker, however, hasn’t been without pain. As a widow, she faces difficulties among those with whom she shares the love of Jesus. To bring down the barriers that hinder the message of hope she shares, Malati doesn’t always explain she is a widow.

“I know it is very difficult being a widow and being a woman,” she says. “Whenever I find that people are not genuine, . . . and they are going to treat me in a different way, . . . I did not disclose myself as a widow, knowing that they would reject me.”

It also causes her much heartache when she is scolded for not remarrying. People will tell her, “You are still young and you have children, . . . so now why do you continue your journey like this? It is better that you get married and have a husband.”

But as a faithful daughter of the King, Malati doesn’t let other people’s remarks or criticism keep her from serving Him. The love of Jesus propels her to continue. It is her one constant source of strength, and she keeps reaching out to the sick and stretching out her hand to the needy.

Whenever she faces discouragement, she kneels on the floor, tears streaming down her cheeks, asking God to help her bear the stinging remarks of others who don’t understand the Lord’s calling on her life. Being a widow, a mother and a female Gospel for Asia (GFA) worker doesn’t come without pain. But she clings to her husband’s last commission and the promises in God’s Word, and she is able to continue.

When she rises to her feet, she rises renewed and with a passion to reach more villages and proclaim with fervency the comforting love of the Savior. The road ahead may be long and hard, but Malati has decided to follow Jesus—there is no turning back.

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

Source: Gospel for Asia Featured Article, Fulfilling a Last Wish

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.

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

Gospel for Asia Gives a Desperate Mother a Gift She Was Unable Give

Last updated on: January 1, 2022 at 5:22 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, which inspired numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada – Discussing Lopa and her family, the sickness and poverty, and the gift of education for her children that she was unable to give through the local Gospel for Asia Bridge of Hope center.

As Lopa watched her husband languish from a debilitating kidney condition, she struggled to work and provide for her three children. She couldn’t give her husband his health back, and she couldn’t afford to give her children the education they needed. She watched in defeat when one of her sons had to stop going to school. Would Vijul, her oldest child, be able to finish his education? The chances seemed slim.

Lopa earned only enough money to feed the family, not to pay for school fees. At that rate, Vijul would probably have to quit his studies one day, like his brother and like so many other children from poor families in Asia.

Timely Help for Struggling Mother

When Lopa’s husband got sick a few years before with a kidney condition, he couldn’t work anymore. Lopa then became the sole provider for the family. Eventually, one of her sons had to quit school because Lopa couldn’t pay the required school fees.

Vijul was interested in learning, but it seemed doubtful his mother would be able to continue affording the expenses that the nearest school entailed. Lopa was powerless to help her children escape the poverty that had them trapped.

But one day, the staff of the local Gospel for Asia (GFA) Bridge of Hope center met Lopa and her family.

“Jesus loves you and cares for you,” they said.

Lopa had never before heard such comforting words. Her heart touched, she gladly accepted the staff’s invitation to enroll Vijul in the Bridge of Hope center. Vijul would have the opportunity to receive a quality education, and Lopa would have the joy of knowing her son’s future would be brighter and more secure.

Son Receives Education, Mother Experiences Love

At the Bridge of Hope center, Vijul received a nutritious meal each day, which removed part of the burden Lopa had for feeding her family. And as the staff taught him in his academic disciplines, he began improving in his studies. Through Bridge of Hope, the chance that Vijul would finish school became not only possible but probable.

The Bridge of Hope staff visited Lopa and her family each week to encourage them. As Lopa saw the staff’s care and love, she began to see the truth in the words they’d told her: Jesus did love her.

Many Mothers Receive Priceless Gift

Lopa is filled with gratitude for all God has given her and her family through Bridge of Hope.

“Now my son is getting school materials like a school bag, books, free education and healthy food in the . . . Bridge of Hope center,” she says. “We are poor; I’m unable to fulfill my sons’ basic needs. But the Bridge of Hope is a great help and blessing for my family.”

Not only is Vijul receiving care through Bridge of Hope, but also his younger brother has been able to start going back to school. As Bridge of Hope lightens Lopa’s financial burden, God is paving a brighter future for all three of her children.

It’s through sponsors around the world that mothers like Lopa continue to receive a priceless gift: the joy of knowing their children will receive an education.

Learn more about the Gospel for Asia Bridge of Hope program and how you can make an incredible difference in the lives of children, bringing hope to their lives and their families, transforming communities.

Source: Gospel for Asia Featured Article, Desperate Mother Receives a Gift She Couldn’t Give

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

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

Gospel For Asia-Supplied Wells Ensure That None Will Go Thirsty

Last updated on: September 11, 2022 at 8:25 am By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, which inspired numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada – Discussing the areas with short water supplies, where people often have to choose between walking for miles to find clean water or settling for contaminated sources, and the Gospel for Asia Wells that ensure none will go thirsty.

The young father of four lowered his vessel deep into the well, hesitantly expecting the rope in his hands to tighten and the bucket to submerge beneath the water. Instead, the cord relaxed and he heard the unsettling sound of his bucket hitting the sand far below.

Thunk.

Rasna sighed as he pulled up the rope, his suspicions confirmed: His well had finally run dry.

Sand in Their Water

The well Rasna dug on his property had served his family faithfully for years. As time passed, however, they noticed a problem: Their water grew more and more cloudy with each bucketful they collected.

The family began storing the murky water in containers to let the sand and other debris settle at the bottom before using it. Time consuming as this simple filtering procedure was, the family managed to survive . . . until the well dried up completely.

Left with no other choice and a severe need for water, the family began the backbreaking task of hauling water from a source far from their home, as many other villagers were also doing. Then one Sunday, Rasna decided to talk to Pastor Payas. Rasna had developed a friendship with the Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor and had come to know the Lord after he heard Pastor Payas share his own testimony of God’s grace. Maybe he could do something about their situation.

Gospel For Asia Well Benefits 25 Families

Pastor Payas assured Rasna he would do all he could to help him and his family. The two men prayed and waited for the Lord’s answer. When a survey of Rasna’s village showed the people’s need for clean, accessible water, a Jesus Well was installed and dedicated for the use of the entire village only a short time later. The well now blesses 25 families with clean water for their daily needs. Because its location is near Rasna’s home, he and his family members often use this opportunity to share what God has done in their lives with the people who draw water from the well.

“I am thankful to my church for the installation of this Jesus Well,” Rasna says. “I cannot help the people of my locality, but our church has looked into the needs of the common man.”

“The local people . . . now know that our church performs good works and cares about the development of society,” Pastor Payas says.

Learn more about how to provide pure, clean water to families and villages through Gospel for Asia Jesus Wells and BioSand Water Filters.

Source: Gospel for Asia Featured Article, That None Will Go Thirsty

Learn more about the GFA 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 by reading these Special Reports:

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

GFA’s ‘Forgotten Christmas’ Showers Life-Changing Gifts

Last updated on: January 4, 2025 at 6:45 am By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – “For hundreds of millions of children across Asia, Christmas is a time when they’re forgotten,” said K.P. Yohannan, founder of Gospel for Asia (GFA World) that has been the model for numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada, to help the poor and deprived worldwide.

With Christmas spending in the U.S. on target to hit a trillion dollars this year, the leading humanitarian agency is urging Americans not to forget the world’s poor.

Gospel for Asia (GFA World) has launched its Forgotten Christmas campaign to bring back the true meaning of Christmas and give hope to others — **FORGOTTEN CHRISTMAS:** Gospel for Asia (GFA World) has launched its Forgotten Christmas campaign — an effort to “bring back the true meaning of Christmas and give hope to others.” Last year, supporters of Forgotten Christmas purchased life-changin g gifts, including cows and goats, for over 260,000 of the poorest families in Asia.

This Texas-based organization has launched its Forgotten Christmas campaign — an effort to “bring back the true meaning of Christmas and give hope to others.”

Last year, through Forgotten Christmas and GFA’s Christmas Gift Catalog, over 260,000 life-changing gifts were given to some of the poorest families in Asia — gifts such as chickens, goats and sewing machines that help lift families out of extreme poverty. On the website, people can order a free Christmas gift catalog and watch an inspiring video.

“For so many children in Asia, this Christmas morning will be like any other day — scavenging through trash piles for scraps and anything they can recycle, just to help feed their family,” Yohannan said.

Feast — And ‘The Least’

“As families throughout the world prepare for their Christmas feast, we’re asking them to also remember the least — the poor whom Jesus called ‘the least of these.'”

“‘Forgotten Christmas’ is a time to reflect on the real difference we’re making in the world, especially in light of the massive amount spent on the holiday in the West,” Yohannan said.

Last year, Americans spent more than a trillion dollars on Christmas, an average of over $1,500 per family, and purchased more than 30 million Christmas trees.

Forgotten Christmas is about “making Christmas Christ-centered again,” said Yohannan, whose faith-based organization has served the poor in Asia for four decades.

“A single gift of compassion can help communicate the love of God to one person, one family, or even an entire village,” said the missions leader and author of Never Give Up. “We can so easily forget the real reason for the season is putting Christ at the center and giving others hope.”

About Gospel for Asia

Gospel for Asia (GFA World) is a leading faith-based mission agency, helping national workers bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across Asia, especially to those who have yet to hear about the love of God. In GFA’s latest yearly report, this included more than 70,000 sponsored 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 spiritual teaching available in 110 languages in 14 nations through radio ministry. For all the latest news, visit our Press Room at https://press.gfa.org/news.

Learn more by reading these Special Reports:

Fighting Global Poverty with Ideas — Uprooting poverty requires education that transmits values
The Scandal of Starvation in a World of Plenty — World Hunger’s Ugly Truths Revealed

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

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

Source: GFA Press Room, ‘Forgotten Christmas’ Showers Life-Changing Gifts On World’s Poor

Gospel for Asia Says, Global Toilet Crisis ‘Kills More Than COVID-19’

Last updated on: January 6, 2022 at 2:27 am By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, which inspired numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada, has warned that more people will die from diseases linked to lack of toilets and poor sanitation than from COVID-19 this year.

So far this year, more than 1.2 million deaths worldwide have been attributed to the pandemic, but it’s likely millions more will die from exposure to diseases carried by human waste — diseases that don’t make the headlines.

As millions across the developing world relieve themselves in the open, raw sewage spawns a multitude of deadly diseases. Excrement attracts flies that quickly spread diarrhea, dysentery, cholera, typhoid, polio, and hepatitis A.

UNICEF, the U.N. children’s agency, says 2.2 million people worldwide will die this year from diarrhea alone — nearly double the number of COVID-19 deaths recorded so far.

Many of those deaths — mostly children under five — could be avoided if the world’s poor had access to safe, sanitary toilets and hand-washing facilities, says Gospel for Asia (GFA World), a Texas-based Christian organization that builds thousands of new toilets across Asia every year.

More to die from diseases linked to lack of toilet & sanitation than from Covid, GFA World reports - fight against open defecation continues — **TOILET CRISIS ‘KILLS MORE THAN COVID-19:’** More people will die from diseases linked to lack of toilets and poor sanitation than from COVID-19 this year, humanitarian agency Gospel for Asia (GFA World) has warned as their shocking new report releases, titled Fight Against Open Defecation Continues. World Toilet Day, an annual awareness event, is Nov. 19.

Report Reveals Toilet Misery

The misery of the 4.2 billion people — over half the world’s population — who don’t have a toilet at home, or safe sanitation, is revealed in a shocking new Gospel for Asia (GFA World) report, Fight Against Open Defecation Continues, marking World Toilet Day on Nov. 19.

Open defecation is when people go to the toilet outside in the open — in the street, in a park, or by a river, for example — a common practice in many poor countries. Just a fleck of human feces might contain 100 million viruses, one million bacteria, and 1,000 parasites that can be transmitted through cuts, skin pores, contaminated water or food.

Even when people have access to public toilets, they’re often unsafe, conditions can be horrible, and many people don’t use them. In many Asia megacities, latrines often flush into open drains that flow along the streets.

“For billions of people around the world, simply going to the toilet is degrading, unhygienic and even dangerous,” said Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founder K.P. Yohannan. In 2018, a three-year-old South African boy fell into a feces-filled pit latrine and drowned. Others risk being attacked or sexually assaulted while using public toilets at night, so they relieve themselves in the open instead.

“It’s easy for us in America to never give it a second thought, because we don’t have to walk a mile or more to the nearest public toilet or pit latrine,” said Yohannan, author of Never Give Up.

‘Catastrophic Health Consequences’

The global “toilet tragedy” has caught the attention of Hollywood actor Matt Damon and India Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who’ve highlighted the catastrophic health consequences.

Dozens of international agencies are working on innovative solutions, including solar-powered toilets that convert human waste into fertilizer.

Last year, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) workers built more than 5,400 toilets and latrines across Asia and educated communities about the importance of using them. “I never imagined that we’d measure the impact of our Christian faith by the number of toilets we build,” said Yohannan, “but the reality is that people see from our actions that God’s people really do care about them.”

Read another story on how the Lord is using Gospel for Asia to bring relief to those in need during COVID 19.

Those interested in supporting GFA World’s COVID 19 relief efforts in Asia, should go to: http://www.gfa.org/press/covid-19.

Media interested in interviews with Gospel For Asia should contact Gregg Wooding at InChrist Communications @ 972-567-7660 or [email protected]

About Gospel for Asia

Learn more by reading these Special Reports:

KP Yohannan has issued two statements about the COVID-19 situation found here and here.

GFA’s Statement About Coronavirus

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Source: GFA Press Room, Global Toilet Crisis ‘Kills More Than COVID-19’ Says Gospel for Asia (GFA World)

Gospel for Asia Says Hunt for Coronavirus Cure Casts Light on Another ‘Deadly Scourge’

Last updated on: January 7, 2022 at 12:51 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 – Discussing GFA World’s report citing the lifesaving impact of malaria-fighting efforts across Asia as the world searches for a cure for COVID-19.

The hunt for a cure for COVID-19 draws attention to another “forgotten” health crisis that continues to claim more than 400,000 lives around the world every year — mosquito-borne malaria.

Hunt for COVID 19 cure highlights "forgotten" malaria health crisis that continues to claim more than 400,000 lives worldwide yearly. — **ANOTHER DEADLY SCOURGE:** Political leaders and doctors suggest readily available anti-malarial drugs may be beneficial in treating coronavirus patients as Gospel for Asia (GFA World) and other organizations highlight the much-overlooked “deadly scourge” of malaria.

As some political leaders and doctors suggest readily available anti-malarial drugs may be beneficial in treating coronavirus patients, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) and other organizations are highlighting the much-overlooked “deadly scourge” of malaria.

World Malaria Day — an annual awareness event — is April 25 each year, and malaria-fighting organizations like Gospel for Asia (GFA) are eager to see that the ongoing battle against the mosquito-spread menace doesn’t get ignored or forgotten because of COVID-19.

Almost half the world’s population is at risk from malaria — spread by infected mosquitoes — and children under five years are the most vulnerable, says a new Gospel for Asia (GFA World) report, titled Mosquito-Driven Scourge Touches Even Developed Nations.

Despite the effectiveness of anti-malarial drugs like chloroquine — recently touted as a treatment for coronavirus — malaria still kills more than 400,000 people worldwide every year, more than double the global coronavirus death toll to date.

Each year, there are more than 200 million reported cases of malaria, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. So far, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide stands at about 2.5 million and rising.

Mosquito Nets: Ten Dollar Lifesavers

Describing malaria as a “deadly scourge,” GFA World’s report is one of a series of in-depth special reports by the Texas-based mission agency examining critical global issues, promoting awareness, and challenging people to respond. A life-saving mosquito net costs as little as $10 — but that’s more than many of Asia’s poorest families, who earn less than $2 a day, can afford.

“For many years. . . teams across South Asia have been engaged in malaria prevention,” said Dr. Daniel, director of Believers Eastern Church’s medical ministry in Asia. “These committed local workers, often trekking miles on foot, distribute free mosquito nets — some 360,000 last year alone – to prevent malaria infection and provide clean water and community sanitation to help reduce mosquito breeding grounds.”

Although malaria has a lower mortality rate than coronavirus, the financial toll of malaria is huge. According to estimates, malaria costs the African economy $12 billion every year through healthcare and loss of productivity and investment.

With much of South Asia currently under COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) is supporting outreaches to those most severely impacted — including impoverished day laborers unable to earn money for food. Teams are providing free meals as well as mosquito nets.

“Even in lockdown amid COVID-19, we in the West have the opportunity to pray at home and support local workers in the field to save lives,” said India-born Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founder Dr. K.P. Yohannan, whose mission has served the poor in Asia for 40-plus years and has become one of the biggest mission organizations in the world.

About Gospel for Asia

Gospel for Asia (GFA) is a leading faith-based mission agency, bringing vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across Asia, especially to those who have yet to hear the “good news” of Jesus Christ. In GFA’s latest yearly report, this included more than 70,000 sponsored children, free medical camps conducted in more than 1,200 villages and remote communities, over 4,000 clean water wells drilled, over 11,000 water filters installed, income-generating Christmas gifts for more than 200,000 needy families, and spiritual teaching available in 110 languages in 14 nations through radio ministry. For all the latest news, visit our Press Room at https://press.gfa.org/news.

Learn more by reading these Special Reports:

KP Yohannan has issued two statements about the COVID-19 situation found here and here.

GFA’s Statement About Coronavirus

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

Source: Gospel for Asia: Digital Media Room

Gospel for Asia Bridge of Hope Center Dries the Tears Behind Child’s Smile

Last updated on: November 30, 2022 at 5:53 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 – Discussing the loneliness and rejection that filled a young girl’s heart, and a Gospel for Asia (GFA) Bridge of Hope Center that shared the loving God who cares for her.

Madura smiled when she was in the company of others. From the outside she pretended everything was OK—but it wasn’t. Loneliness and rejection filled her aching heart. Madura hadn’t experienced what every child longs for: to be loved by a mom and dad.

Discussing Madura, the loneliness & rejection that filled her heart, & a Gospel for Asia Bridge of Hope Center that shared the loving God who cares for her. — Madura never experienced the love of parents. As a way of coping with her sorrow, Madura hid her tears behind a smile.

Worried and Alone

Madura was just a little girl when her mother died. Her father, who often gave himself over to the influence of alcohol, also beat her for no apparent reason. Thankfully, Madura’s aunt and uncle intervened and arranged for Madura to enroll in a Gospel for Asia (GFA) Bridge of Hope center. When she was in eighth grade, Madura attended the program daily, while living with her brother and sister-in-law.

Madura held a buried hurt deep within her heart. When she was around her friends, she hid the tears she wanted to cry. She felt alone but put on a brave face, masking her sorrow with a smile. She longed for love but felt deep inside that no one truly cared for her.

One day, Madura asked her brother to come to the Bridge of Hope center with her. They were having a parent meeting and all the other students’ parents were planning to attend. It deepened Madura’s sorrow when her brother never showed up. This became too much for poor Madura. She couldn’t keep back the tears any longer.

Loving staff members at Gospel for Asia (GFA) Bridge of Hope centers like these men and women, dedicate their time to love and care for children like Madura. They play a very influential role in their lives.

When the staff noticed Madura’s broken floodgate of tears, her sorrowful words tumbled out: “I don’t have any relatives who can love me.”

Madura shared her feelings through her sobs to the attentive staff at the Bridge of Hope center. She told them how she was not getting enough food at her brother’s house and had to do much of the housework.

With compassion, the staff comforted Madura.

“God has given you this project center to take care of you in every area,” they assured her.
Knowing the young girl’s deep anguish, the staff met with Madura’s brother and asked him to be proactive in helping Madura with her studies and life. They shared the love of Jesus with him and showed they truly cared for his sister. Madura’s brother responded positively to their words and encouragement.

“I am coming closer to my vision,” Madura shares. Through the success of her hard work and the nurturing love and care of the Bridge of Hope staff, Madura is doing well in her studies.

Coming Closer to Her Vision

Today, Madura is growing in her talents and is doing so with happiness. Now Madura knows she is loved and has a community of those who genuinely love her well.

Madura now has a dream for her future. After she graduates, she wants to become a teacher to help the underprivileged children around the world.

“I’m coming closer to my vision, and I believe that God is helping me towards my vision,” she says. “It stops my tears . . .”

No longer does Madura have to hide her tears because she knows if she is sad or disheartened, she has people who care for her.

“I thank God and the project staff for their encouragement, motivation and blessing through their teaching,” Madura says.

Bring Them Love

You can play a crucial role in showing love and care to a child, like Madura, through Gospel for Asia’s Bridge of Hope Program. Sponsor a child today and help them understand they are loved and never alone!

Source: Gospel for Asia Featured Article, Drying the Tears Behind Her Smile

Learn more by reading the Gospel for Asia Special Report on Child Labor: Not Gone, but Forgotten – Millions of Children Trapped between Extreme Poverty and the Profits of Others

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

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