Gospel for Asia Shares How Family Believes in Christ After Son’s Healing

December 11, 2022 By GFA Staff Writer

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, which inspired numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada, to assist the poor and deprived worldwide, discussing Saeran, his injuries, the healing God wrought through prayer and Gospel for Asia (GFA World) Vacation Bible School.

Saeran woozily noted his surroundings. He was in the hospital. Something had happened to him, but the memory of what eluded him. Why did everything hurt? The 15-year-old boy had been climbing a tamarind tree, trying to pick fruit, and fell 50 feet. He had been knocked unconscious from the impact, and his body sustained deep injuries that needed immediate treatment. But there was a problem: Saeran’s family couldn’t afford to pay for the treatment.

Important Teachings at VBS

GFA World (Gospel for Asia), discussing Saeran, his injuries, the healing God wrought through prayer and GFA World VBS. — After Saeran’s miraculous healing, he attended a Sunday school class like the one pictured, where he could learn more about Jesus.

The money Saeran’s parents made was not enough to pay for the treatment he needed, and there was no one to help them. The most the family could do was wait, which, given Saeran’s injuries, was excruciating.

While they waited, the family received a visit from GFA pastor Hallan. A couple of months before Saeran’s fall, the boy had attended Sunday school at Pastor Hallan’s church. It was there that Saeran first learned of Jesus and of His great love for him. Then came an event that would change Saeran’s life.

Through the Sunday school, the boy was invited to a Vacation Bible School event held for the children. Every song and story revolved around a singular theme: connecting with God. The teachers and volunteers impressed upon every child, including Saeran, that they can live in the love of God every day. One verse stood out to Saeran: “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Saeran had truly seen how much God loved him—and he had decided to live in that love.

So when the young boy spent a week in the hospital after his fall, and went home without the treatment he really needed, he didn’t seem worried. Much to his parents’ surprise, Saeran was calm about the current dilemma. Jesus would heal him, he told his parents, and he urged them to pray for him in Jesus’ name. It was part of what he had learned at VBS, after all. If he believed and prayed God would heal him, He would. They would just have to wait.

Faithful Prayer Brings Healing, Love

Pastor Hallan visited Saeran at home every day to pray for the hurt boy and anoint him with oil. After a month of prayer, the pain caused by Saeran’s fall was gone. Despite the depth of his injuries, Saeran could walk as if no accident had ever happened. He had been completely healed of any lasting effects.

It was a miracle—one Saeran’s parents couldn’t ignore. The family began attending Pastor Hallan’s church together, and Saeran’s parents decided to put their trust in the One who had healed their son. It was the same faith, the same love that Saeran had found at VBS. And now, his parents had found it, too.

Read how another child found direction in his life through VBS.

*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 Believes in Christ After Son’s Healing

Learn more about how you can give toward Gospel for Asia VBS scholarships, where the gift of VBS materials for one of these precious children will guarantee that he or she will hear about Jesus’ love again and again through skits, Bible songs and teaching and will have colorful Gospel literature to take home.

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

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Gospel for Asia Helps Build Walls to Alleviate Family’s Burden

November 30, 2022 By GFA Staff Writer

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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 Nevan and Kairah and their struggle in poverty to care for their disabled son, Jimi, and workers that help alleviate their burdens.

Though Nevan and Kairah’s son, Jimi, was 42 years old, they still provided basic care for him, such as feeding, clothing and bathing him. They loved their son, but his condition required constant hands-on care, keeping Nevan and Kairah from working regular jobs. It drained their energy and their resources, but what else could they do? He was their son.

Burdened by Care

The house Gospel for Asia (GFA) workers built for Jimi is on high ground to keep it safe from flood waters and has a ramp for Jimi’s wheelchair.

Jimi was born with physical and mental disabilities. He couldn’t talk, walk or do anything by himself.

In a society where such impairment often brings discrimination and shame, Nevan and Kairah did the best they could for Jimi. Still, managing all of Jimi’s care brought daily challenges. Navigating the wheelchair around their small house was difficult. The medications he needed were expensive.

Many nights, they couldn’t even sleep. Jimi would sometimes disturb others at night by shouting and spitting, forcing his parents to watch over him and attempt to calm their son. Sometimes Jimi soiled his clothes and Nevan and Kairah had to change his clothes in the presence of others, leading to everyone’s discomfort.

The couple’s two younger children, now married, helped financially support their parents and older brother, but it wasn’t enough. Then their riverside house was submerged in more than four feet of floodwater, adding to the family’s troubles. Fortunately, they had shifted their valuables to higher ground, but life was still difficult.

The burdens of these challenges pushed Nevan and Kairah to the brink of despair. Though weary, they held on to hope, praying for help. They loved their son, but as they aged it became only more challenging to care for him. Their small shanty was overcrowded, but it was all they could afford.

A Room of His Own

GFA World discussing Nevan and Kairah, their struggle in poverty to care for their son, and the workers that help alleviate their burdens. — Jimi, pictured with his parents, is very happy to be in his new home provided by Gospel for Asia (GFA) workers.

Unbeknownst to Nevan and Kairah, local Gospel for Asia (GFA) workers had seen their struggle and sought to help. They requested financial support from church leadership to build an annex to the family’s existing house for Jimi. They even specified the structure should be at least three feet above ground level to protect it from flooding.

Soon, a 10’x16’ adjoining structure was constructed, complete with a ramp for Jimi’s wheelchair and passage to the bathroom. With the separate living quarters for Jimi, the family’s difficulties were alleviated. Joy abounded for Jimi and the entire family.

“We are very happy that we were able to build this house for our disabled son,” Kairah said. “After 42 years, we will take care of him in a new, safe and clean environment. We owe all our gratitude and thankfulness to [the church] for this wonderful gift.”

Through this gift, Gospel for Asia (GFA) workers demonstrated Christ’s love for people with disabilities—people whom society may disregard—and those who care for them. The burden Nevan and Kairah bear has been eased by caring neighbors willing to share the load in Christ’s name, and Jimi can live with greater dignity in his own space.

Click here to read how Sisters of Compassion cared for Chablis, a leprosy patient who couldn’t even leave her bed.

Source: Gospel for Asia Field Reports & Updates, Walls Alleviate Family’s Burden

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Preventing a Family’s Plunge into Poverty

July 1, 2022 By GFA Staff Writer

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WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, whose heart to love and help the poor has inspired numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada, to serve the deprived and downcast worldwide, discussing Nelia, a widow, her family in poverty, and the alleviation brought about by GFA World gift distribution of income generating gifts.

Nelia was stunned; Her husband had died without warning. He had been carried to the hospital, where Nelia and their children learned the dreadful news: He had blood cancer. Just a few days later, Nelia was a widow.

Widow Fears for Her Children’s Future

Discussing a widow, her family in poverty, and the alleviation brought about by GFA World gift distribution of income generating gifts. — A small shop like this one enabled Nelia (not pictured) to provide for her family after her husband’s passing.

Nelia’s husband had been the only breadwinner for the family, going out every day to work. After his passing, Nelia shouldered the responsibility of providing for her children. Thankfully, relatives helped for a time, providing what supplies they could—but they could only do so much.

When her relatives were no longer able to help, Nelia’s eldest son began working in a motorbike shop. But the money he made barely fed them; their home fell into disrepair and Nelia’s daughter had to stop going to school—the fees were too expensive. Nelia wondered if her youngest son would be able to finish his education; it didn’t seem likely.

The looming threat of abject poverty grew larger and larger. What was to become of them? Would they even have a future? Nelia’s fears for her and her children’s future intensified—but they would not last.

A Pastor’s Intervention

A couple of years after her husband’s death, Nelia received an invitation from Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Vaclav to a gift distribution. Pastor Vaclav had visited with the family in the past; after Nelia’s husband’s death, he had consoled and comforted them.

Now, Pastor Vaclav aimed to bless widows and their families in the community with income-generating gifts, and Nelia was on the list of recipients. She and the other widows bore the same burden of being the only one responsible for their families; all feared the poverty that could consume them and their loved ones.

To her joy, Nelia received provisions to start a small shop. She could now sell grocery items that otherwise would have been difficult for Nelia’s fellow villagers to purchase—a beneficial gift for all. On the first day of the shop’s opening, Nelia made enough money to buy more items she could sell—a sign that things were turning around.

A year later, Nelia’s business had grown to the point where she could earn a stable income that enabled her to fix her home, send her younger son through school and feed all her children. The shadow of poverty that had darkened her household had lifted, thanks to Pastor Vaclav’s timely intervention.

“We shall never forget the aid provided to us,” the family said. “We are grateful to the church.”

Read how another widow, through the income-generating gift of a sewing machine, was able to provide for her family.

Source: Gospel for Asia Field Reports & Updates, Preventing a Family’s Plunge into Poverty

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

Read more on Widows and Poverty Alleviation on Patheos from Gospel for Asia.

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Water Filter Meets Family’s Needs, Ignites Father’s Faith

June 20, 2022 By GFA Staff Writer

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WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, has been the model for numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada, to help the poor and deprived worldwide, discussing how through GFA World gift distribution, a water filter was able to meet a family’s needs and ignite a father’s faith.

Discussing how through GFA World gift distribution, a water filter was able to meet a family's needs and ignite a father's faith. — With a BioSand water filter like this one, Kadience (not pictured) and her family are able to have clean water and experience God’s love for them.

A wave of embarrassment crashed over Kadience as she handed Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Laszlo the murky glass of water. Kadience could barely see through it. Shocked by the quality of the water, Pastor Laszlo glanced up at Kadience.

“Is there not a bore well from where you can get good water?” he asked.

Kadience looked at her husband, who reflected her embarrassment.

“We have only one hand pump fixed in a public place, but the water is not clean,” they replied.

As difficult as it may be to imagine yourself in Kadience’s position, her situation is not uncommon. In South Asia, it is estimated that 68 to 84 percent of water sources are contaminated, resulting in more than 134 million people lacking access to clean water.[1] For these individuals and families like Kadience’s, the chance for clean water is life-changing.

A Hardworking Family

Kadience lived with her husband and son in a small village in the hills of South Asia where she grew up following the traditional religion of her culture. But after God miraculously healed her son of pneumonia, Kadience put her trust in Jesus. Since then, Kadience had regularly attended her local church led by Pastor Laszlo, who had prayed diligently for her son’s healing.

Kadience and her husband worked as daily laborers, constructing mud houses. Despite the income they generated from working, the family struggled to access clean water, putting them at high risk for a host of waterborne diseases.

Clean Water at Last

After seeing the family’s dire need for clean water, Pastor Laszlo shared his concerns with church leaders and was able to give Kadience and her family a BioSand water filter. The family was overjoyed to receive the water filter! They immediately began using it and enjoying their clean water with gratitude.

“I am grateful to God, who provided us with a good water filter,” Kadience said. “We do have a small hand pump in our village. We are collecting water from there and putting it into the BioSand water filter. Through this filter, now we are getting clean and pure water.”

After observing his wife’s steadfast faith and the Lord’s provision, Kadience’s husband realized there is a God who provides for all their needs. Through the gift of a water filter, Kadience and her family’s need for clean water was met, and they were reminded of the powerful truth that God loves them and cares about their every need.

Read how clean water helped an entire village experience God’s love.

[1] “Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).” UNICEF. https://www.unicef.org/rosa/water-sanitation-and-hygiene-wash. Accessed April 13, 2021.

Source: Gospel for Asia Field Reports & Updates, Water Filter Meets Family’s Needs, Ignites Father’s Faith

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

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

Learn more by reading these Special Reports:

Solving the World Water Crisis for Good — Lasting Solutions Can Defeat an Age-old Problem.
The Global Clean Water Crisis — Finding Solutions to Humanity’s Need for Pure, Safe Water.

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Mother Receives Skills and Tools to Feed Her Family from GFA World Sewing Course

November 12, 2021 By GFA Staff Writer

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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 Salestia, a mother who struggled with her family against poverty, the blessing and confidence brought by GFA World Sewing Course and the gift of a sewing machine.

Discussing Salestia, her family in poverty, the blessing and confidence brought by GFA World Sewing Course and the gift of a sewing machine. — Tailoring classes like this one helped empower Salestia (not pictured) to provide for her family.

A skill cannot be properly utilized if the tools to use it are absent. So why did Salestia continue taking the tailoring course? She didn’t own a sewing machine; she and her husband could not afford one. What was the point of finishing the classes?

A Mother’s Fight for Her Family

Both Salestia and her husband, Shandon, worked as daily laborers in their rural village. Their earnings barely covered their living expenses and their four children’s school fees. On top of financial constraints, Shandon spent a good portion of their money on drinking excessively. Salestia appeared to be the only one who cared for her family’s future—not even Salestia’s close relatives offered any help.

One day, Salestia heard about a course where anyone could learn how to sew and provide for themselves. Organized by Gospel for Asia (GFA) workers, the free course was designed to help impoverished families better their circumstances by offering them teachable skills—like sewing. Salestia resolved to not let her family fall deeper into poverty, so she put her name down for the program.

Salestia joined several others in their shared journey of learning valuable tailoring skills. She absorbed each lesson and followed her teachers’ every action, stitching every thread just as they illustrated. As the months progressed and Salestia approached the course’s end, an anxious thought interrupted her joy of finally having the skills to better provide for her family: She had the knowledge, but she didn’t have a sewing machine.

A Surprise Gift

The funds for a sewing machine had continued to remain out of Salestia’s reach. She didn’t know how she would continue sewing without a machine. Were the classes all for nothing?

To her surprise, the Gospel for Asia (GFA) workers had anticipated this need. Upon her completion of the course, Salestia received her very own sewing machine! The workers made sure Salestia not only had the knowledge, but she also had tools to use that knowledge.

“I learned tailoring for free of cost,” Salestia said. “And now I got a new machine. … Now I have confidence to run my family.”

Because of the workers, Salestia could continue to send her children to school and feed and clothe them. With her new sewing machine, Salestia was fully equipped to earn money for her family.

Learn how you can provide sewing machines to help prevent families like Salestia’s from getting into deeper poverty.

Source: Gospel for Asia Field Reports & Updates, Mother Receives Skills, Tools to Feed Her Family

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

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Sewing Machine Gifted by GFA World Helps Stitch Together a Family’s Life

August 27, 2021 By GFA Staff Writer

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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 Palila and her family’s struggle with poverty, and the sewing machine gifted by GFA World that helped bring new hope to their life.

Sewing Machine gifted by GFA World Christmas Gift Distribution — Through the sewing machine gifted by GFA World, Palila was able to provide for her family and experience the love of Jesus.

Palila glanced at her three children, and her mind welled with worries that they would not be able to receive a proper education. Though her husband worked hard as a daily laborer in the agricultural fields near their home, his meager income, equating to less than $9 per day, was not enough to fully support the family. Palila knew something had to be done to bring in more money, but what?

An Unexpected Gift

The village where Palila lived with her family was also home to Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Taggart, who served a small church there. One December, after hearing about Palila and her family’s financial needs, Pastor Taggart submitted Palila’s name to receive a gift from a Christmas gift distribution conducted by his church. Palila was given a sewing machine that, for her, was a beautiful symbol of hope and possibility. Overcome with gratitude, she knew that by using this gift she would be able to better provide for her family.

Stitching a Future Together

Palila used her sewing machine to repair items for her fellow villagers as needed and earn an income. After only one year, Palila’s new job provided additional income to fully support her family when combined with her husband’s! Through her sewing, Palila could pay her children’s tuition for a good school and relieve the family’s financial stress.

Seeing their most pressing needs provided for through the gift of a sewing machine, Palila and her family obtained new hope as the pieces of their life were stitched together through the grace and mercy of God.

See how you can help families like Palila’s by giving the gift of a sewing machine.

Source: Gospel for Asia Field Reports & Updates, Sewing for Her Family’s Survival

Learn more about GFA World programs to bring value, hope and love to women and their families, and break the cycle of poverty by helping through Vocational Training, Sewing Machines and Literacy Training.

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

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Sewing Machine Gifted by GFA Pastor Aids Family’s Survival

August 23, 2021 By GFA Staff Writer

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WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan, whose heart to love and help the poor has inspired numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada, to assist the poor and deprived worldwide – Discussing Adalina, the worry and despair to provide for her family’s survival, and the sewing machine gifted through GFA pastor that brought relief to their lives.

Relief through sewing machine: Discussing Adalina, the worry & despair to provide for her family's survival, & the sewing machine gifted by GFA pastor that brought relief to their lives — Through her sewing machine, Adalina (pictured) was able to properly provide for her family, battling the clutches of poverty.

Everyone depended on Adalina. Adalina’s bedridden husband depended on her for care and relief from an unidentified illness. Their two daughters depended on Adalina’s earnings to provide food and tuition. Adalina’s aging mother-in-law depended on her for housing, provision and care. Adalina could not fail them; their lives rested on her shoulders. She could not fail.

Alone to Bear Their Burdens

At 34-years-old, Adalina had become the sole breadwinner for her family when her husband fell ill. Providing for her family of five took an enormous toll on the young mother, the stress thrusting heavy weight on her shoulders—and she bore it alone. No one offered to help the struggling family in their time of need.

When their roof leaked during the region’s rainy season, Adalina asked people for help, but none came.

Adalina spiraled into despair: The money she earned barely met the family’s basic needs; how could she repair her roof? Was there anything she could do to keep her family alive?

Relief Through a Sewing Machine

Sometime earlier, Adalina had received a free sewing machine from GFA pastor, Zaccheus, who organized a gift distribution to bless the lives of people in the community where he served. Adalina had only ever used the sewing machine to mend her family’s clothes, but then she had a sudden realization: She already knew the basics of stitching; maybe she could earn a better income by tailoring her neighbors’ clothes?

A month passed, and the demand for Adalina’s tailoring had grown to surpass her previous job’s earnings. She now made more than enough money to repair her leaky roof and provide for her family’s needs. Adalina thanked Pastor Zaccheus and the church; their willingness to care for impoverished families like hers touched her heart. Because of them, the worry and despair that had plagued her was gone, and the burden she carried to provide for her family, which depended on her, was not so heavy anymore.

Read another story of how a sewing machine helped ward off poverty from a family in need.

Source: Gospel for Asia Field Reports & Updates, Sewing for Her Family’s Survival

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Gospel For Asia Pastor Helps Rescue Family from High Waters in South Asia

July 23, 2021 By GFA Staff Writer

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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.

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.

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Gospel for Asia’s Gift of Mosquito Net Provides Family Avenue of Hope

July 9, 2021 By GFA Staff Writer

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WILLS POINT, TX – GFA World (Gospel for Asia) founded by K.P. Yohannan, whose heart to love and help the poor has inspired numerous charities like GFA World Canada, to serve the deprived and downcast worldwide – Discussing Seafra, the sickness and suffering brought by poverty and mosquito borne sickness, and the mosquito net gift distributions through GFA World church that brought blessing in the midst of tragedy.

Discussing suffering brought by poverty and mosquito borne sickness, & the mosquito net gift distributions through GFA World church that brought hope — Gift distributions for mosquito nets, like the one pictured and the one Seafra attended, are organized to bless and uplift families at risk from malaria and other vector-borne diseases.

The mosquitoes that buzzed outdoors brought no comfort to Seafra’s family. For the 50-year-old father of four who farmed for a living, he knew that he had two options: He could use what little earnings he made to feed his family, or he could risk temporary starvation to purchase a mosquito net they desperately needed. If he didn’t purchase a net, sickness would continue to ravage his family. The weights on the scale of importance never seemed to balance.

The Burden of Disease

Seafra and many other of his fellow villagers faced the same problem: mosquitoes. The tiny insects carried numerous harmful, and sometimes fatal, diseases. Malaria, and tyhpoid took turns infecting the villagers. The WHO estimates that 409,000 people worldwide died from malaria in 2019, with more than 229 million cases across the globe.^[1]

Seafra and his family members had already fallen ill to many of the mosquito-borne maladies. And if one or more of his family were to become infected again, he knew their funds would not be enough to pay for the subsequent medical bills.

But then Seafra and his family were invited to a local church led by Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Kedrik. At the church, the family received insecticide-treated nets to ward off mosquitoes. These special nets have proven to be one of the most effective ways to prevent transmission of malaria over the past 20 years.^[2] Together with other prevention programs, these nets have prevented an estimated 7.6 million malaria deaths.^[3]

After receiving the net, the family confided in Pastor Kedrik the struggles they faced. While the nets would provide ample protection against further disease transmission, the trauma of past illnesses caught from mosquitoes still lingered. Pastor Kedrik continued to visit the family once a month, praying for them and encouraging them.

GFA Pastor Brings Gift of a Mosquito Net Amidst Tragedy

Four years later, the threat of becoming ill from a vector-borne disease had vanished. Seafra and his family spent their nights in peace under the mosquito net’s protection. But then a crippling medical crisis struck the family when Seafra began experiencing severe knee pain. Unable to properly tend to his farm, Seafra was taken to various doctors, and the family performed various traditional rituals.

After exhausting nearly every avenue and selling most of their farm to pay for them, Seafra’s family asked Pastor Kedrik to pray for Seafra’s healing. They knew Pastor Kedrik cared for them; he had shown it through the surprise gift of a mosquito net and through his friendship throughout the years.

Then, after a period of continuous prayer, the pain in Seafra’s knees vanished. He could walk properly again; he could provide for his family again. So touched by his healing, Seafra and his entire family began attending Pastor Kedrik’s church, desiring to continue experiencing the tangible love of God.

^[1] “World Malaria Report 2020: 20 Years of Global Progress and Challenges.” Geneva: World health Organization. 2020. 3 March 2021. https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/malaria/world-malaria-reports/9789240015791-eng.pdf?sfvrsn=d7a8ec53_3&download=true

^[2] “Core vector control methods.” World Health Organization. 19 January 2020. https://www.who.int/malaria/areas/vector_control/core_methods/en/

^[3] “World Malaria Report 2020: 20 Years of Global Progress and Challenges.” Geneva: World health Organization. 2020. 3 March 2021. https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/malaria/world-malaria-reports/9789240015791-eng.pdf?sfvrsn=d7a8ec53_3&download=true

See how you can help GFA workers continue to protect at-risk families from disease and simultaneously show God’s love through mosquito nets.

Source: Gospel for Asia Field Reports & Updates, Gift of Mosquito Net Provides Family Avenue of Hope

Learn more about how generosity can change lives. Through GFA World (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.

Learn more how to save families from the sickening agony or death from malaria through the gift of Mosquito Nets that offer protection from the sting of an infected mosquito and help to give their owner a restful nights sleep.

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

A Family’s Mustard Seed of Faith for a Mosquito Net

June 7, 2021 By GFA Staff Writer

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WILLS POINT, TX – GFA World (Gospel for Asia) founded by K.P. Yohannan, whose heart to love and help the poor has inspired numerous charities like GFA World Canada, to serve the deprived and downcast worldwide – Discussing the family of Sesen and Hachirou, their struggle with poverty, and their dire need for a mosquito net met by GFA World Gift Distribution.

Discussing the family of Sesen and Hachirou, their struggle with poverty, and their dire need for a mosquito net met by GFA World Gift Distribution. — Mosquito nets like this one are essential items for families in South Asia. Such a net wasthe answer to Sesen and her family’s prayers.

Sesen lived with her husband, Hachirou, and their three children in a small village. To survive, the family relied on the meager income generated from Hachirou’s job as a plumber and Sesen’s job as a maid, but many of their needs were unmet—like the dire need for a mosquito net to protect themselves from the mosquitoes that swarmed their area.

A Family’s Fighting Faith

The family’s difficult financial situation was hard on them all, but they knew the Lord would provide for their needs. After coming to know Jesus a few years earlier, they had grown in their faith by attending Gospel for Asia (GFA) prayer meetings and church services. Though they faced many challenges and struggled to support themselves, they clung to a mustard seed of hope and kept the faith, always believing God to provide for all of their needs—including their need for a mosquito net.

The Need for a Net, the Grace in a Gift

The family’s small brick house was a single room in which all five of them slept, cooked meals and ate. The cramped quarters were hot and uncomfortable. They tried sleeping on the porch, but the swarms of mosquitoes resulted in restless nights and rampant illness.

With each member of the family getting sick one after another, they were desperate and needed help soon.

One February, in the midst of continued struggle and suffering, the family’s prayers were answered. Pastor Vaclav’s church organized a gift distribution for the local community, in which more than 30 families were given mosquito nets, including Sesen’s. The family was overjoyed!

Sesen brought two nets home and started using them immediately, enabling her and her family to sleep through the night and stay free of illness. Through this act of kindness and the grace of God, Sesen and her family were strengthened in their faith. They witnessed firsthand what a mustard seed of faith—even faith for a mosquito net—can do.

You can provide a family, like Sesen’s, with a long-desired mosquito net that will ease their suffering.

Source: Gospel for Asia Field Reports & Updates, A Family’s Mustard Seed of Faith for a Mosquito Net

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