December 30, 2019

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

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

Present the Moment After Tragedy

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

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

Discussing the GFA-supported Compassion Services teams comprised of national workers and missionaries, and their commitment to bring disaster relief to where it's most needed.

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

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

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

Committed to Long-term Rebuilding

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

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

Discussing the GFA-supported Compassion Services teams comprised of national workers and missionaries, and their commitment to bring disaster relief to where it's most needed.

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

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

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

My Neighbors: Disaster Relief Specialists

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

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

Discussing the GFA-supported Compassion Services teams comprised of national workers and missionaries, and their commitment to bring disaster relief to where it's most needed.

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

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

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

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

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


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


Source: Gospel for Asia Reports, Rebuilding The Rubble

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December 5, 2022

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, has been the model for numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada, to help the poor and deprived worldwide, discussing the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Nepal in 2015, the devastation and tragedy it dealt, and the Gospel for Asia (GFA World) workers that brought relief, help and hope to the victims.

On April 25, 2015, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Nepal, taking around 9,000 lives, injuring more than 23,000 people, and damaging or destroying more than 700,000 homes.[1] The disaster caused widespread devastation.

One village hit hard by this tragedy was in desperate need of food and supplies. Nearly all the houses had been destroyed. The residents’ belongings, food, clothes and livestock—all essential to their livelihood—were buried, destroyed or damaged. To make matters worse, the road into the village was blocked by a landslide, making it nearly impossible for the villagers to access outside food or materials. They were in dire need of help and hope.

Delivering Hope, Supplies

Discussing the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Nepal in 2015, and the GFA World workers that brought relief and hope to the victims.
Through the compassion showed to them by the relief team, the earthquake victims were able to experience God’s love and care.

Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Manja knew the desperate needs of his fellow villagers and yearned to help them in their time of need. He organized a relief distribution in cooperation with the local church. The distribution workers distributed 11,352 pounds of rice and 378 pounds of salt to the disaster victims, which they received with gratitude and joy.

“Thank you for your support to us in our need,” said 54-year-old recipient Radamés. “We are very happy to see you. Though we are not familiar with one another, you remembered us and helped us. Thank you again.”

Balandis, another recipient, also expressed his gratitude to the relief team.

“Many, many thanks to you,” Balandis said. “This is the best work. To help the needy people is holier work than any other work. I am [grateful] to you all.”

The relief team also assisted Gaerwn, the oldest surviving villager, and their kindness touched his heart.

“Thank you so much for supporting us,” Gaerwn said. “[Others] forgot us; you remembered us. May God bless you in each of your steps in life!”

Through the work and ministry of Pastor Manja and the local church, these village residents were able to experience God’s love and care for them in their time of need. Though they felt forgotten after the tragedy of the earthquake, they were encouraged and uplifted by the support of the relief team, which brought both the help and the hope they so greatly needed.


Partner with GFA World and continue to help bring relief in the face of disasters like flooding and COVID-19.

Read how a flood’s devastation led to a village’s celebration.

[1] “M7.8 Nepal Earthquake, 2015 – A Small Push to Mt. Everest.” USGS. https://www.usgs.gov/natural-hazards/earthquake-hazards/science/m78-nepal-earthquake-2015-a-small-push-mt-everest?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects. October 1, 2016.

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


Source: Gospel for Asia Field Reports & Updates, Youth Fellowship Gives Dying Man Hope in Christ

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.

Read more on National Missions and Disaster Relief on Patheos from Gospel for Asia.

August 3, 2020

WILLS POINT, TX — Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. YohannanDiscussing how GFA World pastor comforts bereaved families after horrific mudslide kills more than 160 at Myanmar jade mining site.

One of the world’s leading mission agencies has called for “compassionate prayer” after more than 160 people were killed by a horrific mudslide at a jade mine in northern Myanmar earlier this month.

Several Christians living in a nearby village work at the jade mine, but fortunately no one from the local church was reported missing or dead, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) said.

The pastor said several of his church members were late going to work and missed the landslide. Now he’s ministering to bereaved families, comforting them and praying for them, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) said.

According to news reports, a massive river of mud and rock triggered by heavy rains swept into the mining site, burying workers and people scavenging for precious stones. A state official described it as “like a tsunami.”

Graphic images showed rescue workers pulling bodies from the debris and laying them in rows under tarp.

Gospel for Asia has called for "compassionate prayer" after more than 160 people were killed by a horrific mudslide at a jade mine in northern Myanmar
MYANMAR DISASTER: More than 160 people were killed in a horrific mudslide at a jade mining site in northern Myanmar. Mission agency Gospel for Asia (GFA World) has called for “compassionate prayer” as local Christians at the scene comfort the bereaved.

‘Compassionate Prayer’

“Our heartfelt prayers are with the families of all the workers who died in this terrible disaster as well as the injured,” said Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founder Dr. K.P. Yohannan. “The people of Myanmar are among the most kind-hearted and loving on the planet. Right now, we can lift them up to our Lord Jesus in compassionate prayer.”

The disaster — which occurred on July 2 in the Hpakant area of Kachin state — was captured on video, showing the mudslide pouring into the mining site.

On a typical day, hundreds of people gather at the site to sift through rubble looking for precious jade stones. Myanmar — formerly known as Burma — is the world’s biggest source of jade.

Right now, heavy monsoon rains are lashing parts of northeast India — another area prone to disastrous flooding and potentially deadly landslides. Since May, catastrophic floods have killed more than 80 people in the region, and 2.5 million have been forced to flee their homes.

The deadly flooding comes as India faces a spike in COVID-19 cases. The South Asian nation — the second most populous country in the world — now has more than 1.1 million recorded COVID-19 cases, the third highest after the U.S. and Brazil.

Gospel for Asia (GFA World) provides emergency aid, clean water, education, vocational training, and spiritual support to millions of South Asia’s poorest and most vulnerable families.


Media interested in interviews with Gospel For Asia should contact Gregg Wooding at InChrist Communications @ 972-567-7660 or gwooding@inchristcommuications.com


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 World’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 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.

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: GFA Press Room, Jade Mine Disaster Moves Gospel for Asia to Call for ‘Compassionate Prayer’

February 8, 2018

Gospel for Asia (GFA) Report, Wills Point, Texas

On April 29, 2017, deadly tornados struck just a few miles away from Gospel for Asia’s U.S. headquarters in Wills Point, Texas. The GFA campus lost power for three days, but we were deeply grateful to be otherwise untouched by the twisters. However, our neighboring communities were reeling from the devastation. Homes had been torn off their foundations; a car dealership was in shambles—and so were many lives.

Local churches stepped up and organized groups of people to help clear rubble from broken homes and salvage whatever belongings could be found. Gospel for Asia (GFA) staff members quickly partnered with those churches and found ways to help serve the affected communities.

Gospel for Asia staff member helps clean up homes - KP Yohannan
Gospel for Asia staff member helps clean up homes after a tornado devastated a nearby community.

I went with one group of helpers to a neighborhood that would have been sheltered in a beautiful wood just days prior. But now the trees were splintered, and logs and branches sprawled across lawns, cars, pools and bedrooms. The furry of the storm was difficult to fathom.

I talked with tearful home owners who had to start afresh overnight. I walked through pastures and retrieved photographs, clothing, books and even a portion of a social security card.

In a storm, suddenly everything in a person’s life is laid bare and exposed.

It was a sobering experience. Tragedy had struck, but in the midst of it, I heard beautiful stories of God’s protection over the residents of the homes I helped clear away.

One father told me he arrived at a shelter just after his living room door flew through his house, crossing the hallway he had just used. At another site, a family member told me how the house had been lifted off its foundation, and the wife flew out and landed a few hundred feet away—she survived, as did her husband. Both these families were Christ followers, and they testified that God worked miracles in the midst of their storm.

As Daniel Yohannan, vice president of Gospel for Asia, wrote, gratitude works wonders in our hearts, no matter what our circumstances.

Thankfulness - KP Yohannan - Gospel for Asia

There was such love being poured out from stranger to stranger. Prayers were offered, hugs were shared, meals were provided, sweat and labor was spent tearing out soaked drywall and removing glass, stones and trees from roofless homes.

Why were strangers so eager to help? Because of compassion. And for those who belonged to neighboring churches, it was because of Christ’s compassion.

Seeing the teams of believers—people of various backgrounds, skills and ages—all working together to help those who lost everything overnight, I couldn’t help but think about the teams of GFA-supported Compassion Services workers who respond when natural disasters hit.

When the horrific earthquakes in Nepal in 2015 killed more than 8,000 people in four nations, GFA-supported Compassion Services teams mobilized right away to organize relief work, rescue victims and care for the grieving. They stayed to help long after the news of the earthquake left the media.

Compassion Services team provides aid to villagers - KP Yohannan - Gospel for Asia
A Gospel for Asia-supported Compassion Services team provides aid to villagers in Nepal after two earthquakes shook the country.

Like the local churches in Texas who helped their tornado-victim neighbors, these workers in Nepal ministered God’s love and mercy to people in their time of great need.

More recently, episodes of flooding in Assam, India, during 2017 and other severe floods in Sri Lanka prompted Compassion Services teams to rally together to aid their communities. Although many of the relief workers were affected by the flooding as well, they set aside their own needs and worked together to bring food and shelter to many villages.

I love these Compassion Services teams. They are used by God to save lives and bring hope into desperate situations, yet they themselves are simple human beings. They may be local pastors, students in a seminary, Sunday School teachers or Bridge of Hope staff. But when disaster strikes, they become vessels of peace and comfort during a fierce storm.

Disaster relief is one of the four ministries supported through Gospel for Asia’s Compassion Services fund. The other areas of ministry—Leprosy Ministry, Slum Ministry and Medical Ministry—hold a similar purpose: giving those who are in need the chance to experience God’s provision and care.

Learn more about Compassion Services.

Do you have a story you’d like to share of experiencing a natural disaster or helping provide relief and help to those in need? Please share those stories with us in the comments below!

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November 8, 2023

WILLS POINT, TX — A U.S.-based global mission agency says several of its partner churches were left “broken” by a devastating earthquake that struck remote Western Nepal Nov. 3, killing more than 150 people.

“We have also lost cherished members of our church family in this heart-wrenching tragedy,” said K.P. Yohannan (Metropolitan Yohan), founder of Texas-based GFA World (www.gfa.org). “Our prayers are with all the affected families, and we share in their grief during this most challenging time.”

GFA World says several of its partner churches were left "broken" by a devastating earthquake that struck remote Western Nepal Nov. 3
GFA WORLD, LOCAL CHURCHES RUSH TO AID NEPAL QUAKE SURVIVORS: Local church teams in remote Western Nepal are desperately trying to reach villages flattened by a magnitude 6.4 earthquake last Friday night that killed more than 150 people and left thousands without shelter. GFA World (www.gfa.org) is asking for prayer and support.

According to news reports, the magnitude 6.4 quake flattened mud-and-brick homes in the rugged Jajarkot and West Rukum districts, about 300 miles west of the capital, Kathmandu. It hit just before midnight local time when most people were in bed. Tremors were felt as far away as Delhi.

GFA World reported three churches were badly affected, and in one village three church members were killed.

One Nepalese church leader told the mission organization that local Christians were “broken” by the loss of life and many severe injuries.

Local Church Members Rush to Aid Survivors

“Just like when a quake rocked Nepal in 2015, our teams immediately mobilized. Local church members are actively involved in rescue and relief efforts in the region, with thousands of people in need of food, blankets and tents after their homes were destroyed,” said Yohannan.

Because many affected villages are in remote areas impassable by vehicles, church workers have to use motorbikes to reach them, a local church leader told GFA World. The organization supports national missionaries and helps millions of the poorest people in Africa and Asia.

Within hours, one church team reached a devastated village and began distributing food.

It’s estimated in some areas up to 90% of the simple mud-and-brick dwellings collapsed.

Yohannan urged Christians to pray for those suffering and those who’ve lost loved ones in Nepal. “Let our faith guide us in extending God’s love, aid, and hope to the people of Nepal,” he said. “Together, we can help them heal.”


About GFA World (formerly Gospel for Asia)

GFA World is a leading faith-based global mission agency, helping national missionaries bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Africa and Asia, and sharing the love of God. In a typical year, this includes thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in hundreds of villages and remote communities, over 40,000 clean water wells drilled since 2007, income-generating Christmas gifts for more than 150,000 needy families, and teaching to provide hope and encouragement in 110 languages in 14 nations through broadcast ministry. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit the Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news.

Media interested in interviews with GFA World should contact Gregg Wooding at InChrist Communications @ 972-567-7660 or gwooding@inchristcommuications.com


Source: GFA World Digital Media Room, GFA World Responds to Devastating Nepal Earthquake

GFA World’s Compassion Services is bringing Christ’s love to the suffering and needy in very practical ways. GFA-supported missionaries and volunteers assist survivors of natural disasters by providing food, water, medical care, clothing and even shelter. Teams also minister to slum dwellers and leprosy patients in some of Asia’s major cities. And all is done with a clear Gospel witness.

Read more on Disaster Relief and Nepal Earthquake on Patheos from Gospel for Asia.

March 9, 2023

WILLS POINT, TX — Mission agency GFA World (Gospel for Asia) is helping to provide vital aid to traumatized survivors of the massive earthquake and aftershocks in Turkey, as the number of deaths now stands at more than 47,000.

GFA World (Gospel for Asia) relief teams are distributing vital aid to traumatized survivors of the massive earthquake & aftershocks in Turkey
Photo by: Lisa Hastert (CC BY-ND 2.0) © European Union, 2023

“Right now, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) is working with our partners to bring relief to the earthquake survivors,” said K.P. Yohannan (Metropolitan Yohan), founder of the Texas-based organization. “The need they’re encountering is enormous, especially among (Turkey’s) Christian minority.”

Aid workers at the scene of the Feb. 6 disaster — one of the deadliest quakes in a decade — are distributing food, clean water, clothes, and medicines, Yohannan said, while shelter and heating fuel remain top priorities as thousands of homeless and displaced survivors face bitterly cold weather.

Following hundreds of aftershocks, another 5.6 magnitude quake struck southern Turkey on Monday, injuring dozens and killing at least one person.

Compassion, Hope Amid Agony

Gospel for Asia (GFA World) invites people to pray for survivors, including heartbroken parents who’ve faced the agony of being unable to save their children buried under the rubble of their homes.

“As they waited for rescue crews, hours turned into days, and the voices became faint and finally fell silent,” said Yohannan.

“Jesus was deeply moved by suffering humanity, and we share his heart of compassion. Please pray for the ongoing disaster relief efforts.”

For more than 40 years, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) has helped victims of disasters and millions of the world’s poorest people across Asia, bringing hope and “showing the love of God.” In 2021, the Christian organization — which helps everyone regardless of religious belief — announced it was “going global,” launching compassion projects in Africa.


Source: GFA World Digital Media Room, GFA World Aids ‘Traumatized’ Turkey Quake Survivors

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.

Read more on National Missions and Disaster Relief on Patheos from Gospel for Asia.

March 7, 2022

WILLS POINT, TX – GFA World (Gospel for Asia) founded by K.P. Yohannan, has been the model for numerous charities like GFA World Canada, to assist the poor and deprived worldwide, issued this first part of a Special Report on the unstoppable compassion force of national missionary workers.

GFA World (Gospel for Asia) issued this Special Report on the unstoppable compassion force of national missionary workers.
To help a village on top of a Himalayan mountain, this Gospel for Asia (GFA) national worker rode a bus for hours, then hiked uphill for three hours more, to show the love of Jesus by meeting their practical needs.

A young Asian woman wearing a white robe and head covering cradles an elderly woman’s feet that are horribly deformed by leprosy and gently washes them in a bowl of water.

The old woman can scarcely believe someone is touching her, caring for her, loving her. Most people would recoil from this woman and avoid the leprosy colony where she lives. The colony is a place of disease, disfigurement and disability. Its residents are used to being treated as outcasts by others and viewed as cursed. They are used to their deformed bodies being seen as objects of ugliness.

Geeta, Sisters of Compassion, cleans and bandages the wounds of a leprosy patient
Geeta (pictured), a Sister of Compassion, works in a leprosy colony where 30 families live. Many of the residents are unable to work, so the Sisters visit regularly to encourage them, clean their wounds, cut their hair and trim their nails, give them baths, wash their clothes, clean their houses and cook for those who are unable to do so themselves.

But to the young woman dressed in white, these feet are beautiful.

She and her companions, known as Sisters of Compassion, come here regularly to clean wounds, cut hair and trim nails. They see beauty amid the truncated limbs and deeply scarred bodies that few are willing to look upon, let alone touch.

As locals and neighbors, the Sisters fully understand the culture and customs into which they pour their compassion. They appreciate and respect the historical and religious traditions, speak the local language and know the nuances of the dialect. And they’re specially trained in leprosy wound care and family counseling.

To all this, they add the unspoken language of Christ’s love.

“We do all this because of the love of God,” says Geeta, one of the Sisters trained to care for people with leprosy.

No one else could have the impact these women are having on their own people, often their own neighbors. Their roots of love go deep, and their branches of compassion reach into places where no one else goes.

While their long white robes, known as saris, might appear like unusual attire to Western eyes, the significance in South Asia is huge. The Sisters’ simple handspun uniform mirrors the traditional sari once worn by the lowliest of servants in Asia. It says to the old woman whose body has been disfigured with leprosy: “I am here to serve you. I see your worth.”

Mungeli Das, a leprosy patient
People like Mungeli Das (above) receive help from the Sisters of Compassion. Says Geeta: “If we didn’t help them, no one would have served them or taken care of them … they would die without any hope. Whether it’s a literacy class or cleaning their wounds, we do all of this because of the love of God.”

Mungeli Das, who contracted leprosy as a little girl more than 50 years ago, was treated for five years, then cured. Because of the deformity left by the disease, the leprosy colony has been her home for decades. She clings to the help and hope that the Sisters of Compassion bring her. The Sisters follow the example of Jesus who, according to the gospels, touched and healed those, like Mungeli, with leprosy.

“Before the Sisters came, there was no one to help trim our hair, cut our nails or help us clean our houses and encourage us,” Mungeli says. “The Sisters help us by cleaning our wounds, and they make us happy and encouraged [us] all the time.”

In places where outsiders, foreigners and foreign mission workers are prohibited or restricted, national workers and national missionaries have much more opportunity to serve. These women and men are welcomed and considered trustworthy counselors and friends of the community.

Outsiders may come and go. But national missionaries, such as GFA World’s Sisters of Compassion, stand the test of time.

“Each woman who serves as a Sister of Compassion is full of sacrificial love, just like Jesus,” explains Gospel for Asia (GFA World). “They do the most unglamorous things, such as bathing someone … or feeding people who’ve been affected by leprosy [and] no longer have any fingers [to] feed themselves.”

Sisters of Compassion teaching practical skills to struggling women
Teaching practical skills to help struggling women make a living is just one of the many things Sisters of Compassion do as they serve their communities. In all they do, these national missionaries demonstrate the love of Jesus for the poor and impoverished.

Unsung Heroes of the Frontline

CT Studd
CT Studd was a foreign missionary to China, India, Sudan and the Congo who said: “Nothing in this world would last, but it was worthwhile living for the world to come.”

While Western workers often venture to far-flung places and do amazing things, it’s the unsung heroes of the frontline—the local, indigenous people—who consistently make the greatest impact and bring true transformation to their own communities.

In the past, missions trailblazers like William Carey from England in the 1700s, and C.T. Studd in the late 1850s and early 1900s, paved the way for swarms of foreign missionaries and humanitarian workers, mostly from Western countries.

But the tide has changed.

National workers are the “new pioneers” of the 21st century, and they’re proving to be an unstoppable compassion force.

“[National] workers toil to bring healing and hope,” GFA World says. “They touch thousands of lives with the tangible love of God through slum, leprosy, medical and disaster relief ministries. Thanks to them, men, women and children who otherwise might have gone without help … have been blessed with much-needed aid.”

Beauty of Local Mission Workers

On a worldwide scale, according to the Center for the Study of Global Christianity (CSGC), there were 430,000 foreign mission workers overseas in 2021, compared with 13.2 million national workers (local citizens).

John Allen Chau, American Missionary
John Allen Chau was an American missionary killed by the Sentinelese, a self-isolated people, after illegally travelling to North Sentinel Island in an effort to preach to them.

That means national mission workers—those serving within their own culture and nation—now outnumber foreign workers by more than 30 to 1.

The CSGC predicts the number of national mission workers globally will explode to 17 million by 2050, while the number of foreign workers will increase to 600,000.

To be sure, Western Christians are still drawn to overseas missions in large numbers. But the exporting of expatriates to distant foreign fields can come at a high cost, potentially hindering progress.

In extreme cases, the quest of well-meaning foreigners with a zeal to exercise their faith and do good can end in tragedy, as in the headline-making case of a U.S. mission worker in 2018.

While attempting to make contact with the “unreached” indigenous people of North Sentinel Island, an isolated island in the Bay of Bengal, it’s believed David Allen Chau was speared to death. As of the date this article was published, his body had not been recovered.

Chau’s death was tragic and highlights the very real dangers facing non-nationals in remote areas. But it’s not only the safety of foreigners that’s an issue. It’s also the cost in dollars of sending Western workers and keeping them in their overseas assignment.

Pie chart representation of national mission workers vastly outnumbering foreign mission workers by more than 30:1
Statistics from Center for the Study of Global Christianity, “Status of Global Christianity, 2021, in the Context of 1900–2050.”

Counting the Cost of Foreign Workers vs National Workers

Missions Fest International, an annual global missions conference, spotlighted the financial cost of “sending” a Western mission worker compared with the cost of supporting a national worker in a provocative article on its website titled “Should We Stop Sending Missionaries?”

Julian Lukins with Stephen Kaziro of the Church of Uganda
Author Julian Lukins, pictured in Kampala, Uganda, with archdeacon Stephen Kaziro of the Church of Uganda who oversees dozens of village churches, including several that also act as local health clinics in the rural Namutumba district.

While stating there’s still a great need and important role for foreign workers in many parts of the world, the article points out it typically costs more than $50,000 a year to support a Western family in a developing nation such as Africa and Asia—an annual sum that could help support more than 50 national workers, the article says. For example, based on my personal experience in Uganda, an American family of four living in Africa might pay $1,000 a month for expat health insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation. Because of security issues, they might have to live in a secure compound at high rent and pay hundreds of dollars every month for guards 24/7. Legal paperwork and visas can cost hundreds, even thousands, of dollars every year.

Run the numbers and it’s perhaps no surprise, then, that national workers—willing and able to live far simpler and free of immigration restrictions—are increasingly seen as a wise investment.

More than 140 organizations “are now built on the premise of gathering and sending money [to support national workers], not people,” the article says.
A national missionary worker teaches a group of children how to read
In a village where not one person could read or write, this missionary is showing the love of God by teaching children how to read.

While short-term overseas missions trips still play a huge role in the West, the merit and value of supporting local, native workers over the long haul has become widely embraced as the most effective approach in the quest for the “holy grail” of missions: to bring long-term, total transformation to impoverished communities.

Certainly, over the past couple of decades, it’s become a trend in Western nations for people, especially young people in their 20s, to travel to places in Africa, Asia or South America to volunteer in orphanages, children’s homes and the like.

Photos of young Westerners cuddling babies and surrounded by excited children in Africa and Asia have flooded social media and reinforced the so-called “white savior” label, often unfairly attached to compassionate individuals from the U.S., Canada, U.K. and other wealthy countries who simply want to make a difference in the world.

But now, it seems, this missions phenomenon—undoubtedly impacted further by COVID-19 travel restrictions—could be in decline.

An article in The Atlantic put it like this: “Among the new generation of Western Christian missionaries, the so-called ‘white savior complex’—a term for the mentality of relatively rich Westerners who set off to ‘save’ people of color in poorer countries but sometimes do more harm than good—is slowly fading.”


Give to Support National Missionaries »

If this special report has touched your heart and you would like to help national workers show Jesus’ love by meeting practical needs, then make a generous one time or monthly gift to support a national missionary in Asia or Africa.


Read the rest of this Gospel for Asia – Transforming Communities (GFA World) Special Report: National Workers: Unstoppable Compassion Force Part 2, Part 3


About GFA World

GFA World (Gospel for Asia) is a leading faith-based global mission agency, helping national workers bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Asia and Africa, and sharing the love of God. In GFA World’s latest yearly report, this included thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in more than 1,200 villages and remote communities, over 4,800 clean water wells drilled, over 12,000 water filters installed, income-generating Christmas gifts for more than 260,000 needy families, and teaching providing hope and encouragement available in 110 languages in 14 nations through radio ministry. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit our Press Room at https://press.gfa.org/news.


Read more blogs on GFA World, National Missionary Workers, and World Missions on Patheos from Gospel for Asia.

GFA’s Statement About Coronavirus

Learn more by reading this Special Report from Gospel for Asia on the Lord’s work in 2020 through GFA and the partnerships worldwide while following Him in His work in 16 nations, including Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal.


Learn more about Gospel for Asia: Facebook | YouTube | Instagram | LinkedIn | SourceWatch | Integrity | Lawsuit Update | 5 Distinctives | 6 Remarkable Facts | 10 Milestones | Media Room | Widows & Coronavirus | Endorsements | 40th Anniversary | Lawsuit Response | International Offices | Missionary and Child Sponsorship | Transforming Communities through God’s Love

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

Read what 25 Christian Leaders are affirming about GFA World.

This Special Report originally appeared on gfa.org.

February 11, 2022

STONEY CREEK, ONTARIO – GFA World was founded in the US by Dr. K.P. Yohannan in 1979 as a worldwide mission movement dedicated to raising awareness and support for national missionaries serving the needy in Asia and now in Africa. In a recent interview, Dr. K.P. Yohannan said “Our calling as a ministry has always been and will always be to share Christ’s love with people who have never heard. That will never change.” The Gospel for Asia (GFA) community is made up of people from different denominations, backgrounds, and from all walks of life, with one mind and heart: to minister to those in great need with Christ’s love.

GFA World Canada is thankful for all that the Lord has done in the past 37 years and look forward to all that God will do in the years to come
GFA World Canada, located in Stoney Creek, Ontario, celebrates their 37th anniversary of working to see communities transformed by God’s love.

GFA World Comes to Canada

The mission of Gospel for Asia (GFA) first began in Canada in the fall of 1982, when GFA was invited by Last Days Ministries to represent the national missionary movement at the Keith Green Memorial Concert tour. The concerts were a call to mission, in honour of the passion of musician Keith Green, who had died earlier that year in a plane crash. The concert tour included 17 Canadian cities, where GFA staff members set up booths and shared special editions of the SEND! magazine (now called GFA World Magazine), sharing about the work. Many new sponsors for national missionaries were raised up at that time, and the Canadian office of Gospel for Asia (GFA) officially opened on November 19, 1984. The office is currently located at 245 King St East in Stoney Creek, ON.

The Mission Grows

Since it first began, the work of Gospel for Asia (GFA World) has grown to include radio and film ministry, child sponsorship, providing practical and income generating gifts to impoverished families, digging wells and providing clean water, disaster relief, special ministry to women and those afflicted with leprosy, and the mission has recently expanded into the continent of Africa! Gospel for Asia (GFA World) also provides discipleship opportunities for young people in the West, and in June of 2022 Gospel for Asia (GFA) in the US is hosting their first ever Set Apart youth conference. Some of the GFA staff are former students whose lives were forever changed when they came to GFA’s Discipleship Program.

The staff at GFA World celebrated the 37th anniversary with special Danish Butter Cookies, a longstanding tradition, and a staff photo was taken. The staff are incredibly grateful for all that the Lord has done in the last 37 years and thank God for the many faithful donor and sponsors who have risen and joined with us to bring practical help and Hope to thousands of needy people. We are very thankful to our volunteers who have stood with us through thick and thin, sharing about the ministry in their churches and at conferences, and even helping in the office.

Gospel for Asia (GFA World) is thankful for all that the Lord has done in the past 37 years and look forward to all that God will do in the years to come.


About Gospel for Asia – GFA World

GFA World (www.gfa.ca) is a leading faith-based global mission agency, helping national missionaries bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Asia and Africa, and sharing the love of God. In GFA World’s latest yearly report, this included thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in more than 1,200 villages and remote communities, over 4,800 clean water wells drilled, over 12,000 water filters installed, income-generating Christmas gifts for more than 260,000 needy families, and teaching providing hope and encouragement available in 110 languages in 14 nations through radio ministry. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit our Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news/.

Media interested in interviews with Gospel For Asia should contact Gregg Wooding at InChrist Communications @ 972-567-7660 or gwooding@inchristcommuications.com


Learn how to get involved with God’s work in Asia. Some plant, others water, but God gives the increase. Discover some of the many ways you can touch the lives of precious men, women and children in Asia using your God-given talents. Get involved right where you are!

Read more blogs on Humanitarian Services and World Missions on Patheos from GFA World.

Read what 25 Christian Leaders are affirming about GFA World.


Source: GFA World Digital Media News Room, GFA World Canada Celebrates Their 37th Anniversary

December 20, 2021

WILLS POINT, TX – GFA World (Gospel for Asia) founded by K.P. Yohannan, has been the model for numerous charities like GFA World Canada, reveals in a new report: National missionaries — those working in their own countries — are the “new pioneers” of the 21st century, and they’re proving to be an “unstoppable compassion force,” a new report reveals. “More and more, local missionaries are driving ministry projects in their own countries and transforming their own communities,” said K.P. Yohannan (Metropolitan Yohan), founder of global mission organization Gospel for Asia (GFA World). According to GFA World’s new report, National Workers: Unstoppable Compassion Force, (www.gfa.org/press/workers) there’s a natural progression toward “indigenous” workers who understand their own culture, language, and neighbors far better than foreign missionaries.

In 2021, there were 430,000 foreign “expat” mission workers overseas, compared with 13.2 million national missionaries serving on their home soil, the report says.

National Workers ‘Far Less Costly’

National missionary workers are the pioneers of the 21st century, proving to be an unstoppable compassion force, a new GFA report reveals.
UNSTOPPABLE COMPASSION FORCE: National missionaries — those serving in their own countries and cultures — are the “new pioneers” of the 21st century, and they’re proving to be an “unstoppable compassion force,” says a new report (www.gfa.org/press/workers) by global mission organization Gospel for Asia (GFA World).

National workers also serve in their own countries at far less expense — and with fewer restrictions — than expat Western workers who often incur costs associated with emergency medical insurance, security, and immigration, as well as safety restrictions on movement, says Gospel for Asia (GFA World).

It can cost between $50,000-$120,000 a year to support an American family in a developing nation — an annual sum that could help support 50 national workers.

“National workers live at the same level as the local people,” Yohannan said, “working alongside them, living among them in the villages and slums, dressing the same, speaking the same language, eating the same food, drinking from the same well.”

Today, 80% of the world’s countries are either completely closed or severely restricted to foreigners doing any form of religious work — Afghanistan being one example.

“Then again,” Yohannan said, “no matter what closed doors, restrictions or financial costs might be, God still calls his people to evangelize, to go, and send missionaries to preach the gospel and fulfill the Great Commission.”

Most Needy Places on Earth

GFA World’s national workers run projects in more than 12,000 parishes — or local churches — across Asia. And the organization is expanding into Africa as well.

Its workers complete a three-year training period before they venture full-time into some of the most needy places on earth, bringing clean drinking water through “Jesus Wells,” launching children’s education and health projects, helping poor families generate income, and sharing God’s love.

In South Asia, mission worker Rainer prayed for two years for a bicycle so he could encourage and help a cluster of villages nine miles from his home. Now his bicycle has become the local “ambulance,” transporting sick villagers to the nearest clinic.

GFA World’s Sisters of Compassion — teams of specialized women missionaries who serve in leprosy colonies — are uniquely trained in care and counseling. Geeta and her local co-workers clean the wounds of leprosy patients and wash their deformed feet.

“We do all this because of the love of God,” Geeta said.


About Gospel for Asia – now GFA World

Gospel for Asia (GFA World) is a leading faith-based global mission agency, helping national missionaries bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Asia and Africa, and sharing the love of God. In GFA World’s latest yearly report, this included thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in more than 1,200 villages and remote communities, over 4,800 clean water wells drilled, over 12,000 water filters installed, income-generating Christmas gifts for more than 260,000 needy families, and teaching providing hope and encouragement available in 110 languages in 14 nations through radio ministry. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit our Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news/.

Media interested in interviews with Gospel For Asia should contact Gregg Wooding at InChrist Communications @ 972-567-7660 or gwooding@inchristcommuications.com


Learn more about GFA World Compassion Servicescomprised of four areas of ministry: slum ministry, leprosy ministry, medical ministry and disaster relief. Through these ministries, GFA missionary workers are relieving the burdened, rescuing the endangered and revealing God’s compassion to the people of Asia.

Read more blogs on National Missionary Workers and Compassion Services on Patheos from Gospel for Asia.

Read what 25 Christian Leaders are affirming about GFA World.


Source: GFA World Digital Media News Room, National Workers are ‘Unstoppable Compassion Force’ Says GFA World Report

July 23, 2021

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, which inspired numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada, to assist the poor and deprived worldwide – Discussing Badin, his family, the challenges brought by disability and disaster, and how Gospel for Asia Pastor helps rescue and bring alleviation in a time of grave need.

When the rains came, they came violently and suddenly. Badin watched in horror as landslide after landslide occurred near his home. Then water began to creep into Badin’s home, and he knew he had to evacuate. With his wife and three children, Badin made a break for the closest city. Hopefully, they would make it.

The Waters Rising

Discussing Badin, his family, the challenges brought by disability and disaster, and how Gospel for Asia Pastor helps rescue and bring alleviation in a time of grave need.
Badin, pictured here, shows the gaping hole in his home brought about by the landslides.

Badin and his wife, Wilah, lived in a rural village in South Asia where Badin worked as a laborer on a local farm. Due to a physical disability from birth, he could not undertake hard labor, but Badin provided for his family as best he could.

Then the torrential rain came. Badin didn’t think the water would reach their house, so they stayed put. But late that night, at around 9 p.m., the first landslides began. After one swallowed a neighboring home, Badin turned to his wife—they needed to evacuate now.

Gathering their children and what supplies they could carry, Badin and Wilah made their way toward the nearby city.

But it was too late.

They were stranded in their village, the high water impassable. They couldn’t return home either—four feet of water lay claim to their humble dwelling.

Shelter at the Church

Before leaving their home, Badin called GFA World worker Gosha, the leader of their church.

We are evacuating and in need of help, Badin said, “Can you help us?”

The pastor and other believers rushed to collect the evacuating family, but news came that stopped them in their tracks. Reaching Badin’s village would be impossible; the way was blocked. Undeterred, Pastor Gosha approached some local officials and asked if they would be willing to rescue Badin and his family.

Some hours later, rescue personnel reached Badin and his stranded family. They brought the family to the church, where Pastor Gosha and other believers had set up space for Badin and his family to sleep.

For the next 12 days, the stranded family was taken care of. They received bedsheets, clothes, food and water. Many others who found refuge in the church received the same provisions to help them through the difficult days ahead.

When the floodwaters receded enough for safe travel, Badin returned to his home to inspect the damage. Almost every belonging they had was gone. Walls were demolished; mud and stones filled the house. Their home was unfit to live in.

After the authorities deemed his home not safe for residents, Badin returned to the church, where they stayed until a temporary rental house was found for them. Thanks to the church, Badin and his family were safe, fed and clothed—and that’s all they could have asked for.


Read more about how GFA workers make a difference during natural disasters

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


Source: Gospel for Asia Field Reports & Updates, Family Rescued from High Waters

Learn more about the GFA World workers who carry a burning desire for people to know the love of God. Through their prayers, dedication and sacrificial love, thousands of men and women have found new life in Christ.

Learn more about the 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.

Read more on Disaster Relief and National Missions on Patheos from Gospel for Asia.


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