A Change in Plans Brings Healing: Hope Found at Gospel for Asia Church

Last updated on: January 12, 2022 at 12:57 am 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 Teesha and her intense physical suffering, and how God used a church building and the prayers of a Gospel for Asia pastor to minister hope for her heart and healing for her body.

It was a Sunday morning in August when Teesha and her husband headed out on a bicycle. They wheeled through a village that had a church building, and as they rode by, Teesha glanced inside. What she saw caught her eye. Believers clapped their hands and worshiped the Lord with joy. It was here that Teesha’s tiresome journey came to an end.

Exhausting Options

Discussing Teesha and how God used a church building and the prayers of a Gospel for Asia pastor to minister hope for her heart and healing for her body. — Teesha (pictured) received healing from severe joint pain after the earnest prayers of believers she met after visiting church one day.

In 2015, Teesha began to suffer from severe joint pain. The pain became so intense that her husband took her to the hospital. Teesha stayed there for two days as medication was administered to her. Surely, they thought, medicine will help and this condition will go away.

But Teesha’s condition only grew worse and the pain more intense. After Teesha was released from the hospital, she sought what she believed was her only other option: a priest.

Teesha had spent her life worshiping her gods. If doctors couldn’t heal her, maybe the gods would. But now the priest instructed her to bring him a white hen and a dove, assuring her these sacrifices would appease their deities who would then heal her. But neither of these were sold in their village. Teesha and her husband decided they would take the long, 28-mile journey to a neighboring village together in order to purchase these items and thus obtain relief.

A House of Healing

As they journeyed, Teesha happened to see inside a church building that was filled with believers who sang joyfully to the Lord. Intrigued, Teesha asked her husband to stop. She walked toward the sanctuary and experienced what it was to be in the presence of God.

As worship ended, a prayer meeting commenced. Teesha looked around at the people surrounding her, people who were earnest with praying to God. When the service ended, Teesha met with the pastor, Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Udar, to ask questions about Jesus. As they spoke, she mentioned her joint pain. Pastor Udar took the opportunity to encourage her in the Lord and prayed for her healing.

Faith began developing in Teesha’s heart. Instead of continuing on their journey to buy the animals they needed to sacrifice, Teesha saved their money.

“Please visit me sometime for prayer,” she told Pastor Udar. “I really need your prayer.”

After that day, Pastor Udar and the believers visited Teesha. They prayed and encouraged her from God’s Word.

Then one day, Teesha said, “My joint pain has gone. God is really faithful to me and is hearing your prayers.”

If it were not for the presence of the church building, Teesha would not have experienced healing through prayer or have the saving knowledge of Jesus today!

A House of Worship

Teesha’s testimony is just one instance of how the Lord used a church building to minister to His people. Church buildings in South Asia are not just gathering places for believers; they exude the presence of God in the communities they are placed in, giving believers and people curious about Christ a sanctuary where they can seek the Lord’s grace in their lives.

Learn how to help communities seek Christ, by providing permanent church buildings for worship – an investment in the lives of many, 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, Jesus’s Love vs. Animal Sacrifice

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.

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

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

A Miracle for an Ambitious Daughter Delivered at Gospel for Asia Gift Distribution

Last updated on: April 2, 2021 at 8:25 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by KP Yohannan, has been the model for numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada – Discussing Dayita, her family’s struggle with poverty, & the Gospel for Asia gift distribution bringing the miracle of a brand-new sewing machine.

inaya sat with other believers during a prayer meeting, mulling over her family’s problems. She knew Jesus cared about their needs—and that His power could change their situation. Finally, she opened her mouth and told her prayer group about her family’s private financial issues.

Her husband, Rachit, lovingly provided for his family of seven the best he could, but daily labor jobs didn’t put enough money in his pockets to ensure his family always had something to eat and his children received a good education. Their ambitious 17-year-old daughter, Dayita, thought of a way she could help provide financial relief, but she needed a certain tool to achieve her income-generating goals. With the family’s lack of money, however, it seemed Dayita needed a miracle.

Tailoring classes equip many men and women in Asia to earn a good living by sewing garments for clients. Dayita (not pictured) completed her training, but her family’s financial predicament hindered her from purchasing a sewing machine and using her new skills.

Teenage Girl Equips Herself for the Future

Dayita added beauty and hope to her family. The talkative, hardworking young woman made friends with other girls and earned respect in her community. Although her family struggled against poverty, Dayita’s motivation enabled her to overcome hindrances and pursue learning. As a result, she discovered many talents. She learned to play the dholak, a two-headed hand-drum. She faithfully applied herself to her schoolwork and managed to enter 11th grade—something many low-income children in her nation struggle to achieve.

Alongside her academic studies, Dayita enrolled in tailoring classes. Over time, she developed talent in that skill, and a plan formed in her mind: If she could purchase a sewing machine, she could open a tailoring business to help support her family.

But the startup cost of such an endeavor brought her plans to a grinding halt. Before Dayita could earn a living, she needed money to buy a sewing machine, and she had none.

“Even though I knew how to stitch the clothes,” Dayita recalls, “I did not have a machine because there was not enough money with us.”

She occasionally borrowed a sewing machine from her friends, but that wasn’t enough to make a living through tailoring. And Dayita could not be open with her friends about her family’s financial concerns and her desperate need of a sewing machine.

The door seemed shut, but Dayita’s dream lingered, especially as neighbors admired her handiwork and encouraged her to open a shop.

Gospel for Asia (founded by K.P. Yohannan) National Missionary — Pastor Vikranta (pictured) learned of Dayita’s need for a sewing machine, and thanks to the partnership of Gospel for Asia friends around the world, he was able to set in motion the answer to her family’s prayers.

Effective Prayers of the Righteous

Dayita’s parents, Rachit and Vinaya, actively participated in times of fellowship, prayer and worship led by 25-year-old Gospel for Asia pastor Vikranta. They had come to faith in Christ some time earlier, which meant they knew they could call to Jesus in the midst of their trials.

And that’s what Vinaya did. During a small prayer meeting, she finally asked the group for prayer and shared about their financial struggles, Dayita’s skill in sewing and the elusive sewing machine.

Pastor Vikranta understood well the power of prayer. During his wayward youth, Pastor Vikranta experienced healing from a deadly illness and deliverance from his addictions as a result of his parent’s prayers. After listening to Vinaya’s prayer request, Pastor Vikranta prayed with Vinaya, asking the same God who had saved him to make a way for Dayita to get a sewing machine.

Vinaya’s faith joined with the faith of other believers, and soon, the answer to their prayer was set in motion—through Pastor Vikranta himself.

As a Gospel for Asia pastor, Vikranta has amazing opportunities to help people in his area. When he and other pastors like him see needs in the communities around them, they can inform their leaders about those needs. The pastors’ efforts—and the generous support of Gospel for Asia friends around the globe—mean many of those needs are met. Sometimes a Jesus Well is drilled in a village lacking clean water or a tutoring center is opened for low-income children, or a Gospel for Asia gift distribution is organized to give families items that can help sustain their lives.

When Pastor Vikranta understood Dayita’s family crucial need, his connection to the larger Body of Christ became the channel through which God provided Dayita’s miracle.

“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”
—James 5:16

Sewing Machine Proves Invaluable

When a Gospel for Asia gift distribution event took place in Pastor Vikranta’s area, Dayita took home a brand-new sewing machine. Finally equipped with her own sewing machine, Dayita informed her friends, neighbors and community that she was accepting clients. She set to work, and before long her sewing machine sat nestled among stacks of colorful garments.

These sewing machines were presented to families at a Gospel for Asia supported gift distribution — These sewing machines were presented to families at a Gospel for Asia gift distribution. Each one of these income-generating gifts can help a family distance themselves from extreme poverty, just as Dayita’s machine helped her to provide for her family.

Dayita’s income grew. The part-time work she did in between her studies brought in about 1,000 rupees, which was equivalent to $16 (USD), per month. An extra 1,000 rupees significantly eased the family’s financial strain. Many in the developed world may view that amount as insignificant, but for the 736 million people living on less than $1.90 per day (about $57.80 per month), Dayita’s $16 amounted to more than a quarter of a month’s wages.

God’s provision touched the hearts of the entire family. They started having prayer meetings in their home, which their relatives and neighbors attended as well. Pastor Vikranta visited the family weekly to encourage them in the Lord, and together, they grew stronger in Christ.

Rachit and Vinaya rejoiced over their hardworking daughter’s desire and ability to contribute to the family income.

“After getting the sewing machine from the church, Dayita is earning and supporting the family. It is because of God’s grace,” Rachit testifies, grateful for God’s provision.

Dayita witnessed God’s personal handiwork in her life, and she dove deeper into fellowship with Him. Her involvement with church activities grew, and she committed to tithe from her precious earnings. Her ambition of opening a full tailoring shop after completing her studies is possible now. Even as she waits for that day, Dayita says, “Today, I am able to stand on my feet and support my family.”

Send the Answer to Another Prayer

God answered Vinaya and Dayita’s prayer through the generosity of the Body of Christ. Others like her who are wrestling with poverty are asking God to meet their needs—and for many, a sewing machine is the perfect answer.

Tailoring provides a steady income for a family and helps start them on a path to increased quality of life. Sewing from home is especially valuable to women in Asia, who commonly face dangers to their person or their reputation when working away from home.

More sewing machines through Gospel for Asia gift distribution can help thousands of other families like theirs — Dayita, like this daughter, used her precious sewing machine to help care for her family. Their machines solved dire problems in their lives—and more sewing machines can help thousands of other families like theirs.

Your gift today to help provide sewing machines for families like Vinaya’s will give them a livelihood with dignity and stability, as well as testify of God’s loving power. Whose prayer will God answer through you?

Learn more about how generosity can change lives. Through Gospel for Asia 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.

Source: Gospel for Asia Featured Article, A Miracle for an Ambitious Daughter

Learn more about the GFA-supported 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.

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 Leader K.P. Yohannan Says COVID-19 Hunger is ‘Worse Than the Disease’

Last updated on: January 12, 2022 at 1:19 am By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Dr. K.P. Yohannan, founder of a major faith-based humanitarian agency, which inspired numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada, has warned that a new COVID-19 surge could cause catastrophic starvation in poor nations.

Widespread hunger across Asia caused by the pandemic is proving to be “worse than the disease itself,” said KP Yohannan, president of GFA World.

Yohannan’s warning comes as some countries face a “second wave” of COVID-19 infections, increasing fears of mass starvation as people are unable to go to work.

“For hundreds of millions living in Asia, the threat of starvation is more dangerous than the disease,” he said. “According to the U.N., virus-linked hunger is leading to the deaths of 10,000 more children every month.”

KP Yohannan, leader of Gospel for Asia has warned that a new COVID 19 surge could cause catastrophic hunger & starvation in poor nations. — **COVID-19 ‘STARVATION WARNING:’** The leader of a major faith-based humanitarian agency has warned that a new COVID-19 surge could cause catastrophic starvation in poor nations. Widespread hunger across Asia caused by the pandemic is proving to be “worse than the disease itself,” said K.P. Yohannan, president of Gospel for Asia (GFA World).

Starving ‘Before Their Eyes’

The missions leader and author of Never Give Up said many parents in Asia are watching their children “starving to death before their eyes.”

Massive numbers of day laborers — the poorest of the poor — are especially vulnerable, along with the legions of children who beg on the streets of Asia’s megacities.

“Many, surprisingly, do not fear the virus; they fear the hunger that will come,” said Yohannan, whose Texas-based organization has helped feed nearly 200,000 people since the pandemic began.

160 Million Could ‘Plunge Deeper Into Poverty’

A resurgence of COVID-19 “could push (up to) 160 million people deeper into poverty and hunger,” he said. “As followers of Jesus we need to think deeply about what we can do to help.”

“It’s so easy for us to get caught up in COVID-19 anxiety and overlook the problems that existed before the pandemic,” Yohannan said. “But these problems — such as starvation and homelessness — have only become greater.”

Across Asia — the world’s most populated continent, home to six out of every 10 people on earth — GFA World workers are handing out rice, cooking oil and other food items to help stave off hunger for thousands.

“This is sometimes the only food they’ll get in three days,” Yohannan said. “When people see they’re not alone, that there are others willing to give so that they may live, it gives them hope and shows them that God really cares about them.”

Gospel for Asia (GFA World) asked for prayer for its workers and for “those who are facing this crisis, as we seek to do all we can to help.”

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 hunger 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

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:

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

GFA’s Statement About Coronavirus

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

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

Source: Gospel for Asia: Digital Media Room

Gospel for Asia Honors Veterans for Their Service

Last updated on: January 12, 2022 at 1:49 am By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by KP Yohannan, has been the model for numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada, and on the occasion of Veterans Day wishes to thank and honor all the men and women who have made immense sacrifices by serving in the armed forces, including 11 veterans who now work in GFA World’s U.S. headquarters.

While Veterans Day celebrates all the men and women who have served in the armed forces, it especially honors those still living, and about 18.2 million of these men and women served in at least one war.^[1]

The holiday dates back to November 11, 1919. Called Armistice Day at the time, it commemorated the armistice of World War I, which was signed on the “eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month” in 1918.^[2]

Veterans Day is not only remembered here in the United States; it’s a holiday touching several countries. According to History.com, “Great Britain, France, Australia and Canada also commemorate the veterans of World War I and World War II on or near November 11: Canada has Remembrance Day, while Britain has Remembrance Sunday (the second Sunday of November).”^[3]

Gospel for Asia (GFA World) staff members are praying today for those who have helped defend our nation.

“Veterans Day is an opportunity to take a moment to stop, reflect and be grateful for those who have laid down their time, health, physical wellbeing and sometimes even their very lives so that we can enjoy the immense freedom have in this nation,” comments Bishop Danny Yohannan, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) Vice President. “As we go about today, let’s remember to say ‘thank you’ to those who have sacrificed for our sake.

About Gospel for Asia

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

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

^[1] “Veterans Day Facts.” History, 9 November 2020, https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/veterans-day-facts.

^[2] Lange, Katie. “5 Facts to Know About Veterans Day.” U.S. Department of Defense, 5 November 2018, https://www.defense.gov/Explore/Features/story/Article/1675470/5-facts-to-know-about-veterans-day/.

^[3] “Veterans Day Facts.” History, 9 November 2020, https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/veterans-day-facts.

Traipsing the Globe on Her Knees with Gospel for Asia

Last updated on: September 28, 2023 at 10:57 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing Fae, her unyielding commitment for world missions, for Gospel for Asia and it’s national missionaries, through prayer, through her giving, through her life.

welve-year-old Fae listened intently to the speaker from the old-fashioned tent meeting revival. Visions of exotic and far-flung places flashed through her mind. When the speaker called people to dedicate their life to missions, Fae walked down the aisle, each step paving the path that would become her life’s legacy.

Born in 1938—one year before the world was plunged into the second World War—Fae grew up in a godly home. As nations battled—some to bring death and destruction, and others to bring hope and deliverance— something different budded in Fae’s heart: love for the people of the world.

Bringing Nations Near in Prayer

Throughout her life, Fae often asked the Lord to send her to a foreign country to serve Him. Then, one day, she heard a clear voice in her heart: “You will be a missionary on your knees.” Knowing God’s path for her, Fae planted herself firmly in her home state and got to work bringing the nations near through prayer.

Discussing Fae, her commitment for the mission field, for Gospel for Asia & it's national missionaries, through prayer, giving, her life. — By traversing the globe through prayer and supporting national workers, Fae partnered in bringing the good news of Jesus to more people than she could have ever done in person.

“[There are] so many things to pray about,” shared Fae in her testimony written later in life. “Especially for … people around the world and for missionaries seeking to [minister to] them … ‘We can open up whole countries by our prayers,’ said Watchman Nee.”

Fae dedicated an entire room in her house to prayer. On the walls, Fae hung a world map, displaying each country on the globe. In her prayers, Fae would visit each one. When Fae got her hands on the book Operation Mobilization, which lists prayer requests for every country in the world, she would pray through the entire book annually. Each page, marked with the date of her prayers, told the story of Fae’s journey to every nation and people on earth, sowing seeds of faith.

“You will be a missionary on your knees.”

In 1987, at 48 years old, Fae finally heard the word she had let go dormant: send.

“As soon as we became debt free,” shared Fae, “God gave us our ‘calling.’ We received a publication in the mail called SEND!”

It was from a young ministry called Gospel for Asia (GFA). Fae knew this was the next step in her adventure in missions: to support national workers whom God would “send” to share His love with their own people. These men and women would travel to places that Fae could only reach in her prayers.

But how would she support them? Her husband’s modest income could support some missionary work, but Fae had big goals, such as donating 1 million dollars to missions in her lifetime, and big faith to see them fulfilled!

Fae was affectionately known throughout her community as the “Berry Lady.” People would come to buy her home-grown berries and hear her heart for missions work.

Berries Bring Eternal Life

After a move to Bonners Ferry, Idaho, Fae and her husband purchased five acres of land. It was on these five acres that Fae would see her desire for serving in God’s kingdom fulfilled.

“I’d been asking the Lord what we might do to make some income on our new place,” shared Fae. “God led us to plant blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. We dedicated all the gross proceeds to help [others hears the Good News] through Gospel for Asia (GFA). So far, it has produced a good crop for 16 years!”

Tending a garden bursting with more than 120 plants, Fae became the local “Berry Lady.” On her business cards was written the purpose of the garden: to support missions across the globe. Fae’s berries flourished, becoming the most prolific garden in the area.

There was so much work to do in the garden: plant, weed, prune, pick, clean produce, talk with customers, ring up purchases and process paperwork. As Fae dug in and cultivated the garden, she knew that on the other side of the globe the missionaries her garden supported were sowing hope in the fertile lands of Asia.

“Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing.”
—Psalm 92:13–14

The Legacy that Lasts Forever

For more than three decades, Fae invested her life in the world missions work of Gospel for Asia (GFA) through prayer, sponsoring national workers and sharing the ministry with others. In her prayer room, pictures of missionaries and Bridge of Hope kids covered the walls, each personally sponsored and prayed for.

By Fae’s 81st birthday, after decades of planting and praying, her dream of donating 1 million dollars to missions work become a reality.

“Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing.” (Psalm 92:13–14)

Next to this verse in Fae’s bible is this prayer: “Help me to bear much fruit for you, Lord, even in my old age!”

In her lifetime, Fae invested in 163 national workers, 19 Bridge of Hope kids, and almost every area of Gospel for Asia world missions ministry. At the end of her life, Fae took a final prayer walk through her berry fields to reflect on the privilege God gave her to impact many lives for eternity. This was a life well lived.

Fae’s legacy is that she cultivated life—in the garden, in the lives of those close to her and in those living across the globe. Fae went home to be with the Lord on August 14, 2019. She is now praising her Savior in heaven, and one day she will be joined by the countless lives she touched while here on earth.

Through donations to Gospel for Asia’s Where Most Needed fund, we are able to tell more people about the opportunities to transform communities through Christ’s love in Asia. Help us to do our part in fulfilling the Great Commission.

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

Source: Gospel for Asia Feature Article, Traipsing the Globe on Her Knees

Learn also about the Gospel for Asia 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.

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 Extends COVID-19 Hunger Relief to Americans in Texas

Last updated on: January 12, 2022 at 2:11 am By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada, founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan) and community volunteers are preparing to give away hundreds of free food packages Saturday, Nov 21 to help local families in Texas impacted by COVID-19.

This month’s food distribution will be the fifth monthly food giveaway at GFA World’s headquarters in Wills Point, benefiting families largely from Van Zandt and Kaufman counties.

Gospel for Asia (GFA World) & volunteers will give away hundreds of food relief packages Sept 19 to help local families impacted by COVID 19 — **GROCERY GIVEAWAY:** Bishop Danny Yohannan of Wills Point-based ministry Gospel for Asia (GFA World), Wills Point Mayor Mark Turner and other local volunteers help distribute USDA “Farmers to Families” food boxes to support local families impacted by the COVID-19 downturn. Gospel for Asia (GFA World) will hold another food giveaway Sat. Sept. 19 from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. — or until USDA food boxes run out — at its campus at 1116 St. Thomas Way, Wills Point.

The international mission agency — known for its humanitarian work in Asia — is planning to stage local food distributions every month while supplies last.

To help the local community during the pandemic, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) is partnering with Body of Life (www.bodyoflife.org) — a Christian nonprofit spearheading efforts to feed hungry people across Texas.

Last month, hundreds of families drove up in their cars to receive USDA “Farmers to Families” produce boxes, loaded into their vehicles by local volunteers, including Gospel for Asia (GFA World) vice president Bishop Danny Yohannan and Wills Point Mayor Mark Turner.

Next Event: Nov. 21st

“If anyone is in need of food, we invite them to come to our next event on Nov. 21,” Yohannan said. The event will take place at GFA World’s campus at 1116 St. Thomas Way in Wills Point, from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. — or until USDA food boxes run out — on Sat, 11-21.

Gospel for Asia (GFA World) is also helping to feed hungry families on the other side of the world.

“While we’ve been able to distribute food here in Texas, thousands of our parishes in Asia are distributing food to tens of thousands of families each month during this Covid-19 crisis,” Yohannan said. “Even in the midst of this pandemic, God has given the church worldwide great opportunities to love others with his love in tangible ways.”

Anyone interested can follow GFA World on Facebook to stay in the loop about upcoming local food giveaways at the ministry’s headquarters, as well as the organization’s work overseas.

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 hunger 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

Headquartered in Wills Point, Texas, 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:

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

GFA’s Statement About Coronavirus

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

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

Source: Gospel for Asia: Digital Media Room

Millions of Widows in ‘Crisis of Survival’ Says Gospel for Asia

Last updated on: April 8, 2021 at 3:34 am By KP Yohannan

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada, founded by KP Yohannan), one of the world’s biggest poverty-alleviating organizations spotlights the huge “uphill battle” facing many of the world’s 258 million widows in a just-released report.

Treatment of widows is often startlingly unfair and cruel, catapulting them into a crisis of survival, says the new global report by Texas-based Gospel for Asia (GFA World).

Gospel for Asia (GFA World) spotlights the huge “uphill battle” facing many of the world’s 258 million widows in a just-released report. — **‘SHUNNED AND SHAMED’:** Treatment of widows is often startlingly unfair and cruel, catapulting them into a crisis of survival, says a new global report by Texas-based mission agency Gospel for Asia (GFA World). Titled *Widows Often Face Uphill Battle*, the report examines the different struggles faced by widows in the U.S., Africa, and Asia.

Titled Widows Often Face Uphill Battle, it examines the different struggles faced by widows in the U.S., Africa, and Asia.

Those struggles include battles over widows’ benefits in America, being stripped of homes and possessions in Africa, and the practice of shunning and shaming in Asia.

“In some Asian cultures, when a woman’s husband dies, she’s often stripped of her dignity, her worth, and her human rights,” said Dr. K.P. Yohannan, founder of Gospel for Asia (GFA World). “Many widows are deprived of their home, their property, and their possessions, leaving them destitute.”

In parts of Asia, many young widows face sexual harassment and abuse, often turning to begging or prostitution to survive.

Widows in some cultures are viewed with suspicion and disgust — sometimes even branded as witches or blamed for their husband’s death and shut out of community life.

‘Excluded and Invisible’

“Cultural shame and prejudice often render widows excluded and invisible,” said KP Yohannan, whose faith-based organization supports 40 local Sisters of Compassion teams helping widows across Asia. GFA World’s support includes vocational training for widows and giving them opportunity to take part in income-generating activities, such as sewing.

These GFA World teams of visiting women provide emotional and spiritual support, praying with widows in their homes and showing them they’re not alone.

Asia, the world’s biggest continent, has an estimated 57 million widows — roughly equivalent to the populations of California and Florida combined. “On the surface, this seems like an overwhelming uphill battle,” said KP Yohannan, “but every time a widow receives help and encouragement, we rejoice.”

Supporting the grassroots efforts of local churches in cities and rural villages, GFA World aims to “show the love of God” to outcast widows who’ve known only rejection.

“The Apostle James told us in his epistle that true religion is to care for orphans and widows in their distress,” KP Yohannan said. “The challenge facing the church around the world today is to not just read the Bible, but to do what is written in it.”

Give to Help Widows

If this special report has touched your heart and you would like to do something today about the plight of widows around the world, please share this article with your friends and consider making a generous gift to GFA World to help widows in South Asia and other locations.

About Gospel for Asia

Learn more about the Sisters of Compassion – those who are specially trained woman missionary with a deep burden for showing Christ’s love by physically serving the needy, underprivileged and poor.

Learn more about Gospel for Asia’s programs to address the desperate desperate plight of widows by helping women through Vocational Training, Sewing Machines and Literacy Training.

Learn more by reading these Special Reports from Gospel for Asia:

Ending Violence Against Women — Using Programs and Education to Prevent Discrimination
An Imaginative Exercise in Empathetic Fear — Think About Living in a Community with Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women

This Special Report originally appeared on gfa.org.

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

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With Gospel for Asia Support a Flood’s Devastation Leads to a Village’s Celebration

Last updated on: January 19, 2022 at 8:15 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing the devastating flood in Sri Lanka, and the Gospel for Asia workers who provide ongoing support and relief to disaster victims.

Discussing the devastating flood in Sri Lanka, and the Gospel for Asia workers who provide ongoing support and relief to disaster victims. — Relief items packed and ready for distribution for flood victims.

In December, 24 families, all members of a Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported church in Sri Lanka, watched in horror as their homes were flooded by nearly three feet of water. The flood waters raged for 10 days, leaving those affected unable to work and provide for their families. The situation looked uncertain and scary, but through the compassionate care of fellow believers, these villagers found hope, help and healing.

Help for a Community in Need through Gospel for Asia Workers’ Support

After learning of the devastation in Colombo, Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastor Maran and Sister Janani visited the affected villagers, providing hot meals for many of the families. Seeing the extent of the community’s need, Pastor Maran requested additional assistance for the village.

On December 15, dry ration packets were distributed to the 24 families affected by the flooding. The rations were a blessing to the villagers and helped sustain them by providing food for one week.

After the flood in their village, affected families are grateful to receive much-needed relief items.

Paba, one of the villagers affected by the flood, shared how her family was impacted.

“My husband is a fisherman. Due to the heavy rains he could not go for fishing,” Paba said. “We suffered a lot during these few days and [had] no food for the family. We were also dehydrated with lack of clean drinking water. At this needed time, our church … helped by providing the dry ration pack, which was a real blessing for all of us.”

Sosa, a 53-year-old widow and mother of three children, said, “My husband died three months ago. … I was suffering financially after my husband’s death. The special gift, which was given through the church, was a great blessing to all of us. I thank God for His blessing to us and for the church for helping us in time of need.”

Pastor Maran delivers relief items to a flood victim.

Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported workers provide ongoing relief to disaster victims all across Asia. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, frontline workers have provided food, masks and sanitization equipment to individuals in need.

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Read how a sack of rice brought reassurance to one woman in need.

Source: Gospel for Asia Feature Article, A Flood’s Devastation Leads to a Village’s Celebration

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.

Learn more by reading these Special Reports from Gospel for Asia:

Fighting Global Poverty with Ideas — Uprooting poverty requires education that transmits values
Poverty: Public Enemy #1 — Eliminating Extreme Poverty Worldwide is Possible, But Not Inevitable

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

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Gospel for Asia Pastor’s Wife Discovers Love That Casts Out Fear

Last updated on: May 13, 2021 at 6:29 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing Prina, the wife of a Gospel for Asia pastor, the struggles and poverty in the slum, her heart made willing by God to serve alongside her husband – in slum ministry and Gospel for Asia Bridge of Hope center.

Fear crept into Prina’s heart as she took in her surroundings. Before her stood thousands of tiny shacks, crammed tightly together in long rows. Large piles of garbage covered the same streets where children played. Accustomed to village life, Prina knew when she married Martin that moving to one of the largest cities in the country would bring change. But what she saw upon her arrival was nothing like what she had ever imagined.

A New World

Prina married her husband when she was 18 years old and left her rural village and all that was familiar. She didn’t realize that moving to the big city would mean living in one of Asia’s many slums—Martin’s childhood home. The depressing nature of the new surroundings intimidated Prina. Simple, everyday experiences in the slum were foreign to the young woman.

To add to the culture shock, Prina faced a major barrier: She didn’t speak the same dialect. When she found she couldn’t communicate with anyone in the slum other than Martin, the young newlywed kept to herself inside their house, hidden away from the unfamiliar world around her.

Husband Leaves for Bible College

Martin, also known as Marty, was a believer and hosted prayer meetings in their home. Then, after four years of marriage, Marty told his wife about his desire to attend a two-year Bible college.

“I was not sad, but I was overcome by fear,” Prina says. “I [was] still new to the city. I had my [oldest] son. I did not know how I was going to face the world and cope [with] the situation.”

With the help and encouragement of her in-laws, Prina said goodbye to Marty and sent him off to attend Bible college. Meanwhile, she and their son lived with Prina’s mother for two years.

A Willing Heart

When Marty graduated in 2006, God led him to stay in the slum where he grew up and start a Gospel for Asia Bridge of Hope center. Even though living in the slum was still somewhat foreign to Prina, she encouraged Marty to do what the Lord told him to do.

“He was born and grew [up] in this place, and he knew the environment and life of those people,” Prina explains. “So I encouraged him not to go elsewhere but [to] come back to the same area and do ministry.”

Serving As a Team

Nearly a decade later, their ministry has flourished. Now there are two Bridge of Hope centers and three churches led by Gospel for Asia pastors in the slum where Marty and Prina’s family lives. While she used to be afraid to leave her house, today Prina goes out into the slum with her husband and speaks to people about the love of Jesus. Marty is very supportive and encourages her often.

“My wife plays a significant role in my ministry,” Marty says. “Women are more open to listen to her than to me as a stranger. … When she shares [about Christ’s compassion], she becomes an icebreaker. She talks to them and we start building a little bit of relationship where we can share more about Jesus.”

Beginning ministry with her husband wasn’t something Prina was prepared for, though. But then she started praying.

“Lord,” she prayed, “I do not know what my future holds. But definitely, if you want me to serve you among the women I surely am open to it, but You have to give me strength and energy.”

Now Prina leads a Gospel for Asia Women’s Fellowship.

Her Confidence Is in the Lord

As Prina continues to help her husband in ministry, many times people ask her and the Women’s Fellowship group for prayer. Before going to visit, Prina and the Women’s Fellowship spend a whole day fasting and asking the Lord for guidance. Then they visit with and pray for the people, giving a listening ear to their problems and telling them about the hope found in Christ.

“I am still not very confident in serving the Lord,” Prina admits, “but somehow God has touched my life, and He is using me to do ministry among women.”

God’s work in Prina’s heart is evident through her acts of love and sacrifice. Christ has replaced her fear of the unknown with His love for the brokenhearted around her.

“We don’t want to leave this place. But tomorrow, if the Lord calls us to do ministry elsewhere, then definitely we are open to that call. It’s all in God’s hands,” Prina says.

Learn more about the need for slum ministry, uplifting the lives of slum dwellers. Gospel for Asia began supporting ministry in the slums in 1999. Through this work, many people have found hope and strength in God.

Source: Gospel for Asia Featured Article, Love That Casts Out Fear

Read more of Pastor Marty and Prina’s story.

Learn more about Dr. KP Yohannan’s book, No Longer a Slumdog, where real children living in slum conditions in Asia share their real stories of need and how our loving God intervened to redeem them with His love. You will be astonished as you read how God is powerfully moving in hearts right now.

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Francis Chan, Hank Hanegraaff, K.P. Yohannan Challenge Western Church in Roundtable Conversation

Last updated on: May 13, 2021 at 6:19 pm By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada, founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan) releases new video featuring Francis Chan, Hank Hanegraaff, and K.P. Yohannan – three of America’s high-profile influential church leaders – urging Christians to shun divisiveness and work towards greater unity and humility in the church. Christians everywhere need to place less emphasis on “charismatic personalities” and “popularity contests” and focus more on humility and unity, agreed the three influential leaders, who’ve often challenged the status quo. The trio — author and pastor Francis Chan, Gospel for Asia founder Dr. K.P. Yohannan, and radio show host Hank Hanegraaff, known as the “Bible Answer Man” — are featured in a new roundtable video discussion, titled The Keys to Christian Unity Unlocked.

Francis Chan, Dr KP Yohannan, and Hank Hanegraaff, are featured in a new video discussion, titled The Keys to Christian Unity Unlocked. — **LEADERS CALL FOR CHURCH HUMILITY, UNITY:** Three of America’s high-profile influential church leaders are urging Christians to shun divisiveness and work towards greater unity and humility in the church. The trio — author and pastor Francis Chan, Gospel for Asia founder Dr. K.P. Yohannan, and radio show host Hank Hanegraaff, known as the “Bible Answer Man” — are featured in a new roundtable video discussion, *The Key to Christian Unity Unlocked.*

Click here to watch the roundtable discussion.

Former California megachurch pastor and best-selling Crazy Love author Chan, who now lives and ministers in one of Hong Kong’s poorest neighborhoods, acknowledged “sound bites” from the nearly hour-long discussion would likely ignite controversy.

“(People will say) Francis is teaching some weird stuff, and K.P. is dressed really weird, and Hank… we all know (he) went off the deep end,” Chan said, referring to Hanegraaff’s embrace of Eastern Orthodox teachings.

Quest for ‘Deep Faith Beyond Personalities’

Describing the church in America as “splintered,” Chan said he’s being challenged to discover a deeper faith beyond 21^st century American evangelicalism — which, he said, often focuses on personalities and theological squabbles.

Yohannan — who describes his own personal trials in his new book Never Give Up: The Story of A Broken Man Impacting A Generation — challenged believers of all theological stripes to practice humility and follow the example of the early church in the Book of Acts.

The mission pioneer — whose Texas-based organization Gospel for Asia (GFA World) transforms millions of lives across Asia with God’s love — said God was teaching him humility and “to die to my reputation.”

“(In America), we think we are the ch\urch, and we’re to sit on the top of the mountain and lead the whole world,” Yohannan said.

The church, Yohannan said, should not consist of fragmented groups following charismatic individuals. “The early church fathers taught not to (the) individual, but to the Body (of Christ).”

Hanegraaff, author of Truth Matters, Life Matters More, agreed the church today has much to learn from the early church’s teachings and practices. “Christ is building his (church) and the gates of hell will not prevail upon it,” he said. “We are new creations in Christ. Because the Holy Spirit has empowered me for service, I have the ability by God’s grace to be a transformational agent in the world.”

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

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

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Source: Gospel for Asia: Digital Media Room

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About Gospel for Asia

About Gospel for Asia

Bringing Nations Near in Prayer

Berries Bring Eternal Life

The Legacy that Lasts Forever

Give to Help Widows

Help for a Community in Need through Gospel for Asia Workers’ Support

A New World

Husband Leaves for Bible College

A Willing Heart

Serving As a Team

Her Confidence Is in the Lord

Quest for ‘Deep Faith Beyond Personalities’

About Gospel for Asia

Who had a vision of a great sheet filled with unclean animals?