If you had a stomachache or a headache, what would you do? Probably take some pain relievers or go see your doctor. But what if you didn’t have those available? What if you didn’t have medicine and couldn’t afford to go to the doctor, and the nearest health care center was located miles away? This is a struggle thousands of people in Asia face every day. Gospel for Asia’s medical ministry is trying to do something about this! That’s why Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported workers organize free medical camps throughout Asia. These medical camps bring skilled doctors, medical staff, medicine and health education to places where people rarely have the opportunity to visit a doctor.
In October, a Gospel for Asia (GFA) behind-the-scenes missionary named Tony had the opportunity to visit one of these medical camps. Below, Tony shares firsthand what he experienced.
Tony (pictured third from the left) had the opportunity to visit a medical camp in October 2018.
“It was a warm Wednesday morning, and we were on our way to visit a free medical camp organized by a Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported worker. I have never been to a free medical camp before and didn’t give it too much thought, other than I was looking forward to the experience. But I was in for a surprise.
“After an hour drive, we arrived in a very remote area. Everything for the clinic was set up right next to the local church building. Right away, I noticed there were more than 200 people lined up waiting for the clinic to start, and everyone from infants to the elderly waited patiently. As the word about this medical camp spread, more people gathered. I was surprised that people were waiting and still coming before it even started.
“Many of the villagers did not have the resources to see a doctor. Even if they did, the nearest medical center was more than 60 miles away, and they would have had to travel on foot to get there. This makes it very difficult for parents who want to help their children or for aging parents to get treatment when they get sick.
Everyone from infants to the elderly gathered for the medical camp.
“Before the camp started, the team thanked everyone for coming and opened the day with prayer. Four doctors had graciously volunteered their time.
“While there, a realization hit me: Anytime I need something simple, like Tylenol or even an antibiotic, I can just go to the store or see a doctor and get whatever I need to feel better. I wondered if this was the first time many of these people had the opportunity to get their blood pressure checked, get their medical questions answered or get the appropriate medicines they needed.
“I wondered if this was the first time many of these people had the opportunity to get their blood pressure checked, get their medical questions answered or get the appropriate medicines they needed.” —Tony
“Several lines were formed—each person would see the doctor and then go to another line to get a prescription, if needed. Rather than sending these patients to a pharmacy, the camp had organized the ability to give them the prescribed medicines they needed, and this helped patients to avoid additional travel.
“Several hours later, as we were wrapping up our time at the camp, there were still many people to be seen, and the doctors continued their work. My gratitude for this area of ministry grew—I knew it was very important for the villagers because it was the first medical camp ever done in their village.
Patients were able to get the medication they needed right there at the medical camp
“There was excitement and anticipation in the camp for everyone involved, and it was a joy for me to experience. This was a humbling time for me, and it showed me conveniences in my life that I take for granted. I learned that simple medicines and treatment I can easily obtain are not the same for everyone in the world.
“It is true that showing kindness in this way is a practical way to show God’s love. Having this free medical camp was such a blessing to everyone who was able to be a part of it.”
Gospel for Asia’s medical ministry is helping thousands of people in Asia who need medical care—and it’s all motivated by demonstrating the love of Christ. While thousands have received help, thousands more are still in need of medical care and support.
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 GFA World’s Bridge of Hope Program and it’s impact on families and communities, providing for health needs through the center’s medical camp.
A doctor checks a patient’s blood pressure at a medical camp organized at a Bridge of Hope center.
GFA World’s Bridge of Hope Program is designed to support young students as they grow into adulthood. The program provides free educational tutoring, school supplies, clothing and a hot meal—which their families might not be able to afford otherwise. It also assists children and their families by providing personal hygiene resources and medical checkups.
One Bridge of Hope center hosted a medical camp before the pandemic, during which more than 450 people received free health care in a single day.
A Day of GFA Medical Camp Doctors’ Visits
At 9:30 a.m., six doctors and two pharmacists began seeing patients. Bridge of Hope students lined up with their parents and neighbors to see the medical professionals for various ailments and health checkups.
For the next seven and a half hours, the doctors examined the villagers and prescribed medicines, while the pharmacists assisted in administering medication. The medical staff graciously volunteered their time to treat conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, cataracts, high cholesterol, skin rashes and vitamin deficiencies. Doctors also provided medical care for patients wrestling with heart and lung problems.
Top: Bridge of Hope staff help medical professionals hand out prescribed medications. Bottom: Bridge of Hope students and their families wait for a chance to see a doctor during a medical camp.
Bridge of Hope staff was on hand throughout the day to assist the medical staff and to help keep the camp running smoothly.
Events such as medical camps are a welcome blessing for Bridge of Hope students and their communities. Many of the students at this center have parents employed on tea estates and who work long hours each day to earn just enough money for the family’s needs for that day. Nutritious meals and the costs of remedying unexpected health issues are often more than a family can afford.
The day was a whirlwind for everyone involved as 100 students and their families, as well as others from the community, cycled through the camp receiving health care advice and appropriate medications. As the camp concluded at 5 p.m., a Bridge of Hope staff member offered a prayer of thanksgiving for the day’s success.
The satisfaction of helping to provide for the community’s health needs was well worth the busy day at the medical camp.
*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.
Learn more about the GFA World Bridge of Hope program and how you can make an incredible difference in the lives of children, bringing hope to their lives and their families, transforming communities.
Learn more about the GFA World’s Medical Ministry who are helping thousands in need of medical care and attention, all while displaying the love of Christ.
Click here to read more blogs and on Bridge of Hope on Patheos from Gospel for Asia.
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 GFA Church and Gospel For Asia Sisters of Compassion that launched slum ministry to bring help and compassion to those in need.
Slum life is very difficult. But because of the Sisters of Compassion, individuals who would normally go without, like the children pictured, have access to health and hygiene supplies, vitamin supplements, and proper nutrition.
People living in slums often struggle to find food and maintain good health. Most of the men are daily laborers, making just enough money to survive, and many wrestle with alcohol and drug addictions. Children often endure illiteracy and malnourishment.
The millions of people residing in slums are at greater risk for starvation and disease.[1] Many of these individuals do not receive proper care, nutrition or attention. But through ministries like Gospel for Asia (GFA), such people are treated as what they are: beloved children of God.
Nourishment for the Needy
One day, a local Gospel for Asia (GFA) church and Sisters of Compassion organized a special program to distribute food packets and vitamin supplements to 500 slum residents in the area. This event was the start of GFA’s slum ministry in this area, enabling both current and future residents to have access to essential health and hygiene supplies and loving, supportive friends. Special guests such as Pabla, a local official, and Dr. Abelard, an orthopedic surgeon and medical school professor, provided advice, prayer and encouragement before the distribution.
Seeing the compassion and care emanating from those leading the event, Pabla said, “The heartbeat of the church is similar to our government for the welfare of the state.”
Dr. Abelard provided health and hygiene tips, which brought much joy and excitement to the attendees.
In addition to receiving food packets and vitamin-A supplements, attendees also received the invaluable gifts of compassion and kindness. Quanah, a lame man who attended the event, expressed his heartfelt gratitude for the Sisters of Compassion and the care they showed him and the other people living in the slum.
“This is the first time I have experienced the love of people in my life,” Quanah said. “Now I understand that there are people who love the poor and needy.”
Many others voiced their thankfulness and asked for prayer.
Through events like these, as well as everyday love and care, the Sisters of Compassion are helping some of the most downtrodden people. And for individuals living in the slums, a caring word and compassionate friend are just as nourishing and needed as food packets and vitamin supplements.
*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.
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 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.
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing Ekanga and his wife, Pallivini, the challenges they face with her sickness, and God’s work through national missionaries and Gospel for Asia Medical Camp.
E
kanga was worried about his wife. Though Pallavini took local remedies for healing, nothing helped. Many of the so-called treatments only made her worse. For more than a year, her bleeding continued, leaving her weaker and weaker as the months drew on. Ekanga feared Pallivini would die.
To make matters worse, the family lived in a notoriously dangerous village—one populated by robbers, thieves and bloodthirsty men. Every month, villagers would hear a report of someone being killed and robbed by the people of Ekanga’s village.
Ekanga had good cause to be worried.
When They Met the Pastor
A few months before Ekanga’s wife became sick, he met Gospel for Asia (GFA)pastor Jacob. Although Ekanga called himself a Christian, he and his wife hadn’t been living like it. As Pastor Jacob and Ekanga talked, Ekanga told him plainly he wanted to start going to church. In July, Ekanga started attending Pastor Jacob’s church in the nearby village, and by December, he moved the family to that village, further away from the danger of their previous town.
Pallavini, whose medical issues started the month before they moved, wasn’t happy with the idea of her husband going to church. But God was working in her heart, and a year later, she went with Ekanga to church.
“Now I understand that God still loves me and my family,” she shared in front of the congregation that day. “That’s why today we, as a family, came here and worshipped the Lord together with you all.”
At the end of her testimony, Pallivini asked the congregation to pray for her well-being.
Pallavini received life-changing multivitamins at a Gospel for Asia (GFA) medical camp led by a Women’s Fellowship team.
Medical Camp Helps Bring Healing
The next day, the Women’s Fellowship team at Pastor Jacob’s church had planned a medical camp. Pallivini went with about 30 other women. They each received multivitamin tablets and learned a few basic things about health.
One week later, Pallavini could hardly contain her joy.
“Thank you for the medicine that you have given to me,” she said.
“After taking those vitamin tablets, I feel better. I have started to feel hungry and eat more. The bleeding and pain have even gone from my body. From the day I took those vitamin tablets, I also could sleep well at night, without any pain.”
Praise God for moving in Ekanga’s and Pallavini’s lives! Their testimony is just one among many who have been touched and blessed through the ministries of Gospel for Asia (GFA), which you are part of through your prayers and donations. Thank you so much for standing with us to impact lives around the world.
*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.
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing Jamar and Evelyn, their family’s struggle with poverty, the common suffering of illnesses brought about by malnutrition, and the medical care brought near by Gospel for Asia (GFA) Bridge of Hope.
J
amar and Evelyn were fortunate to be working. Income as a driver and schoolteacher kept their family of four floating above the extreme poverty line that so many of their neighbors were submerged under.
Despite their steady jobs, Jamar and his wife struggled to afford healthy foods and medical care for themselves or their young daughters.
The rural area where Jamar and his family lived was lush with tea plantations and family farms. The markets were filled with eggs, chicken and meat products. But all these healthy foods were out of reach for most of the working population who earned less than $5 a day. Spending more than half of that amount on a dozen eggs was a luxury families could not afford.
Jamar and Evelyn stuck to rice, lentils and vegetables twice a day, like most in their community. On rare occasions, Jamar would spend two days of hard-earned income on a meager feast of chicken for his family.
This lack of nutritious food meant most of the villagers suffered from vitamin deficiencies and malnutrition—and subsequent illnesses like skin problems, respiratory issues and eye problems. Furthermore, living so rurally meant they did not have access to medical care, nor could they afford it if they did.
Bridge of Hope Hosts Medical Camp
The Bridge of Hope center that Jamar’s daughter, Abby, attended organized a free medical camp for the local community. Medical professionals from a district hospital came and provided free medications and vitamins to the malnourished population.
Jamar and Evelyn found support for their family through the local Bridge of Hope center. Their eldest daughter, Abby, was enrolled at the center as a first grader. At Bridge of Hope, Abby received a nutritious meal each day to supplement what she ate at home, and she got help with her schoolwork while her parents worked each day to support her and her baby sister.
One day at Abby’s Bridge of Hope center anticipation hung in the air when the staff announced the center was going to organize a free medical camp. That night Abby told her parents the exciting news.
Grateful for the opportunity to get free medical services, Jamar coordinated with the parents of other Bridge of Hope students to volunteer at the medical camp. They passed out flyers to the surrounding communities, cleaned the school where the camp would be held and rearranged furniture to accommodate the coming doctors and nurses. Jamar even met with the village government authority, village head, and superintendent of the local tea plantation to get their support.
Blessings Given, Received
Jamar organized parent volunteers to unload medical supplies and set up the camp.
The morning of the medical camp, Jamar and other parent volunteers unloaded medical supplies from the vehicle of the health care team that came from the nearest hospital, which was 15 miles away. The volunteers arranged a make-shift pharmacy in the main hallway of the school. They also set up a seating area for the sick to wait to be seen by a doctor.
After setting up and getting everything ready, Jamar got in line to see the doctor. For the two months prior, he had known something was wrong. He had phlegm build-up and was feeling weaker than normal. The doctor did a thorough checkup for Jamar, diagnosing his phlegm issue as the result of an infection. The doctor prescribed antibiotics to Jamar plus vitamins to help support his daily strength and health.
“To get medicines for any sickness we have to travel 4 kilometers,” Jamar says. “I also did not have money to buy medicines, which are very expensive. I waited for almost two months in order to get medicines, and [now I] received everything free because of the Bridge of Hope medical camp.”
One Day, 500 Blessings
The day was long and filled with patients waiting for medical treatment. More than 500 people came to the medical camp, and everyone who needed vitamins and medications received them freely. As the evening approached, Jamar helped disassemble the camp and put the classrooms back to normal. Over the next days and weeks, Jamar’s respiratory issues subsided, and he felt more alert and physically fit, able to work long hours without the fatigue that plagued him before. Jamar, his family and the entire community flourished after the medical camp.
“I got a lot of good information about my health and the children’s medical needs,” shares Jamar. “This camp was a great help for all our people to receive this kind of free medical care from qualified doctors. … We thank God for this opportunity and pray that God will bless [the church leaders] and all the Bridge of Hope staff for this great service done for our community people.”
*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.
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan issues an extensive Special Report on the deadly diseases brought by the mosquito and the storied impact of faith-based organizations on world health, fighting for the Kingdom to “come on earth as it is in heaven.”
Bangladesh—Samaritan’s Purse treats Rohingya refugees affected by the diphtheria outbreak. Photo credit Samaritan’s Purse
This is Part 3 of a Three-Part Series on FBO Initiatives to Combat Malaria and Other World Health Concerns.
Go here to read Part 1 and Part 2.
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No Mosquitoes in the Room Now: A Quick Look at the Impact of Faith on Modern Medical Approaches
One of the most succinct summaries of the role of faith-based activity in relationship to ongoing health needs worldwide is a paper by Matthew Bersagel Braley, “The Christian Medical Commission and the World Health Organization.” In it, the author outlines the collaborative work done between the CMC and the WHO in the 1960s and 1970s. They both, concurrently and intentionally aided by the proximity of their headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, sought to address many of the deficiencies that were (and still are) growing apace modern Western medicine with its rapidly increasing dependence upon expensive diagnostic and curative technologies.
Braley’s abstract explains, after referencing the existence of two previous international consultations organized by the World Council of Churches out of which grew the Christian Medical Commission: “What followed was a theologically informed [italics added] shift from hospital-based tertiary care in cities, many in post-colonial settings, to primary care delivery in rural as well as urban communities.”
They saw the mandate of the church as being that of working to restore (as much as is possible) the world to God’s original design.
The early consultations, Tübingen I (in Germany) and Tübingen II, had developed a theology of health that eventually culminated in a mutual understanding. Looking as they were through the lens of health and defining health as the kind of flourishing that God intended for His human creation, they saw the mandate of the church as being that of working to restore (as much as is possible) the world to that original design. Wholeness then is a kind of health—an “at oneness” with God, with fellow humans, with our communities and with our environment. As believers work toward this goal, despite the fact it will never be ultimately achieved until Christ returns, they consequently become healers or health-bringers with an emphasis on flourishing.
Health was also redefined as the ideal that God desired for the people of the earth, one that will probably not be achieved completely, but will have periodic breakouts in time. Health was seen not simply as the “absence of disease” as defined traditionally by the medical establishment, but the presence of ecological health, harmony within the community, at oneness within the individual and in his or her relationships. It was a presence of peace and a lack of warfare; it was an insistence and concern that the neglected, the poor and the oppressed should even be given preferential treatment because of the systemic unfairness, lack of parity and often true evil exercised by the powerful over the powerless.
David and Karen Mains, 1983 at Mount Hermon Conference Center, CA
Personal Reflections
These theological comprehensions and conclusions have personal meaning to me, because I’ve seen firsthand the importance of working together to help others achieve this all-encompassing health. In 1967 we planted a church on the near west side of Chicago, across the expressway from what is now the Illinois Medical District. At that time, we knew it was one of the largest medical centers in the world; now it consists of 560 acres of medical research facilities, labs and a biotechnology business incubator, four major hospitals, two medical universities and more than 450 health care-related facilities. Needless to say, our small but rapidly growing congregation consisted of many medical grad students, nurses and doctors, and social workers.
There must have been something in the international waters, because totally unaware of the groundbreaking conversations going on among the professionals concerned with health impacts on the other side of the world, David Mains, my husband and the founding pastor of our church, discovered Christ’s major preaching theme was the Kingdom of God. Salvation, or being saved, was entry level to an understanding of that preeminent theme. If the predominance of this message was correct, then it totally shifted our thinking from an individualistic interpretation of faith lived out among private lives to a corporate identity framed through the mutual understanding of Scripture’s teaching of this breakthrough concept. Our salvation was worked out in dialogue around Scriptures and in community with other spiritual pilgrims.
“How important it is when members of faith-based consultations … across the world put aside their differences and … design outcomes that have the possibility to alter … whole nations for the good.
There were places in the world, I discovered as I traveled in the role of journalist, where the people used the word “I” but really meant “we.” I began to understand the Epistles often addressed readers with the word “you.” This was not an individual personal pronoun; in most cases, it was a plural pronoun requiring group action, as in “you, the people of God.” David preached a sermon series titled The Christian, the Church and Society including Christ’s two-part summary message, “Unless you are converted and become like little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” The dialogue of those Christians, listening to David’s sermon in that place and that time in history, when a whole revolutionary resistance movement was rising in our culture—against the war in Vietnam and against injustice, racism, sexism and government corruption—forced upon us a theological conversation that just didn’t happen in other places.
In addition, David, in his 30s, became the head of the Greater Chicago Ministerial Association, and we learned to dialogue across the whole body of faith-based confessions. So, we understand how important it is when members of faith-based consultations here at home or far away across the world put aside their differences and in respect and with deep listening capabilities design outcomes that have the possibility to alter cultures and societies and whole nations for the good.
A part of Samaritan’s Purse relief efforts, these men and women helped fight the Ebola pandemic that swept across West Africa in the spring of 2014. Photo credit Samaritan’s Purse
Conclusion: Our Part in World-Changing, World Health
Matthew Braley’s chapter, taken from the book Religion as a Social Determinant of Public Health, is filled with theological terminology such as epistemology and eschatology, but for the average layperson, what is most important is the Christian Medical Commission’s (CMC) understanding that God’s desire for humankind was that humans flourish in environments most optimal to health as defined not by the absence of disease but by a growing wholeness, and that the thrust of Christ’s ministry and preaching demonstrated the ways to achieve this, aptly summarized in His explanation that we are to love God and love our neighbor as ourselves. The CMC’s struggle to understand redemption as a growing wholeness eventually resulted in the “game-changing” 1978 Declaration of Alma-Ata, the conference out of which the Millennium Development Goals proceeded.
All eight of those goals, delineated earlier in this article, are undergirded by and initiated from a theological understanding of the health emphasis, the redemptive purpose, the salvific meaning demonstrated by Christ and often emulated (though not often enough) by His followers. The MDGs are basically communal in the fact that they bring healing in the large sense of being at peace—or at home—with one’s self; with one’s family, friends and community; and with one’s place in the world. And they cannot be accomplished in a village or a nation or globally without the commensurate communal action of as many entities as possible, giving whatever they can to eradicate whatever suffering can be done away with through these human initiatives.
The participants at Tübingen I and II, the emergent Christian Medical Commission, and thousands of others of us who have, as the Jewish phrase states, worked at “repairing the world” for most of our lives would insist this is God’s work, in God’s way and with God’s help. Fortunately, as Bishop Tutu of South Africa said when he addressed the 2008 61st-annual meeting of the World Health Assembly, the World Health Organization’s governing body, “It is a godly coincidence … together WHO and WCC share a common mission to the world, protecting and restoring body, mind, and spirit.”
As Sharon Bieber responded: “Surely the relief and development organizations that are out there in the world can come to the same conclusion on this one thing—everybody is needed in order to fight diseases such as Ebola, HIV/AIDS or tuberculosis; every agency has strengths that will add to the synergy of the whole.”
So when we see groups like Gospel for Asia (GFA) working to hand out hundreds of thousands of mosquito nets to fight malarial infection, when we know tens of thousands of wells have been dug to provide clean water, and when we understand that the effectiveness of the message of Christ can often be measured by how many latrines have been built in a village or a city, we understand that this is what is necessary to help the participants in our world discover true, full health.
This family received a mosquito net at a Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported Christmas gift distribution. Now they have protection from mosquitoes while they sleep.
Who knows what consultations among desperate folk with common passions are forming even now that will salvage our world at some future critical juncture?
Perhaps you would like to be part of that network of people determined to spread goodness (God-ness) throughout the world. First, begin by educating yourself. Read the book Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristof and his wife, Sheryl WuDunn, which includes a compendium of organizations seeking volunteers. The authors do not hide how impressed they are with conservative faith-based organizations doing work in the world. Another book to read is To Repair the World by Paul Farmer, a medical doctor many consider to be a modern-day hero.
“This is a bold read by a humble visionary. For those who care about humanity, this is a handbook for the heart,” reads a blurb on the back cover written by Byron Pitts, the chief national correspondent for CBS Evening News.
Then circle one of the volunteer efforts that seems to be calling your name. Become an activist. No need to travel overseas (although that is highly recommended). There is plenty of work to do at home, wherever home may be for you. Just don’t only think about doing something: Do it! (I’m going to look up volunteering for disaster-relief training with The Salvation Army—or the American Red Cross—and I’m 76 years of age!)
At the end of the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus says to the young lawyer, “Go and do likewise.” No, there’s no danger pay for the faith-based health worker. I don’t know of any who have become wealthy. Most of them belong to the league of the nameless. For these, fame is not a motivator either; it generally gets in the way of doing the job.
But mercy? Compassion? Daring to go where others dare not go? Becoming more and more like Jesus? Yep, these are where most of those I know find deep satisfaction. A remarkable man once said, “Go and do likewise.” And they do.
Is that a mosquito I hear buzzing above my ear?
It only takes one mosquito bite to raise a welt.
It only takes one mosquito to kill a child.
It will take a multitude of innovators (believers or nonbelievers) to fight for the Kingdom to “come on earth as it is in heaven.”
It Takes Only One Mosquito — to lead to remarkable truths about faith-based organizations and world health:Part 1 | Part 2
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing Gospel for Asia’s ministry commitments during the past 40 years and how they have remained the same but have taken on new forms over the decades.
On July 3 of this past year, Gospel for Asia (GFA) celebrated the 40th anniversary of its founding on July 3, 1979. Throughout these years, the Lord has continually allowed us the privilege of seeing lives in Asia change for the better. He has proven Himself faithful in every way, and we rejoice in what He has done in and through this ministry.
We are thankful for our many faithful supporters, through whom the Lord has worked to touch the lives of countless millions in Asia. And we are grateful for the men and women serving on the field, giving of their time, energy, emotion and every part of their lives in order that more may experience the love of God.
Our vision for ministry during these 40 years has remained the same, but the working out of that vision has taken on new forms over the decades. Here are just a few of the ways Gospel for Asia (GFA) focuses on helping the people of Asia.
Transformation. The foundation of Gospel for Asia’s ministry is, and always has been, doing whatever possible to help transform families and communities with God’s love, especially among those who have little or no opportunity to hear of His grace. Tens of thousands have joyfully understood Christ’s offer of new life and have chosen to follow Jesus over the past 40 years.
Compassion. Every personal connection with the people of Asia springs from the same compassion that Jesus demonstrates for all the people of this world. Gospel for Asia (GFA) workers are devoted to not only telling others about Jesus but also to personifying His love in action. This is how we become the hands and feet of Jesus. Compassion takes on many forms, from treating the heartbreak and physical wounds of leprosy patients to giving women sources of income to prevent prostitution to providing aid to families suffering in the wake of natural disasters.GFA-supported Sisters of Compassion are committed to serving the Lord by doing some of the lowliest tasks associated with tending to the downcast.
Sanitation. Inadequate sanitation continues to be a common problem in emerging countries. Even in countries where economic growth is being driven to new heights, millions suffer from unsanitary waste removal. Hundreds of thousands of people in remote villages across Asia continue to practice open defecation, creating breeding grounds for vector-borne diseases. Gospel for Asia (GFA) is transforming the lives of families and entire villages through improved sanitation. In 2016 and 2018 combined, GFA installed more than 17,500 sanitary toilet facilities in needy communities.
Health & Healing. Health and hygiene are among the many concerns and issues today. Disease affects millions and kills just as many. Some of the hardest-hit communities are in South Asia, where poverty and destitution leave families vulnerable to many illnesses. Unable to afford medical care or proper food, many people are afflicted by preventable diseases that are ravaging their lives. GFA-supported health initiatives seek to minister to these people and bring them health and hope amidst their troubles. GFA-supported workers organize medical camps to curb disease rates and care for those already sick. Whether it be in remote villages or crowded cities, the sick and the hurt bring hope and comfort. When many are otherwise unable to afford treatment or lack access to medical care, these camps provide them with the care they need—free of charge. Gospel for Asia (GFA) conducted more than 1,100 medical camps in 2018. That is more than an average of three per day.
Practical Empowerment. It takes more than encouragement to empower people who have either no marketable skills or means to generate income. GFA-supported workers provide literacy training for tens of thousands of women each year. Through Gospel for Asia’s Women’s Literacy Program, the written world is opening up to thousands of women for the very first time. The foundational text for the classes is Scripture, so participants gain Biblical knowledge even before they’ve completed the course. Knowing how to read is one step. Having a marketable skill is another. GFA-supported workers organize vocational training that makes it possible to learn a new trade and succeed. For instance, through a six-month tailoring course, women learn how to sew blouses, trousers, undergarments, and many other practical items they can sell to provide a healthy income for their families. Nonetheless, those women could not generate income without the proper tools. GFA-supported workers provided nearly 9,000 sewing machines in 2019 to women trained in their use.
These ministries remain just a part of all that Gospel for Asia (GFA) is committed to doing to share God’s love with the people of South Asia. Whenever we see a need, we ask the Lord, “What can we do?”
Please pray with us that we will be able to continue sharing hope, practical help and God’s love throughout South Asia.
Enough was enough, the laborers decided. Kandhara’s fellow tea laborers began protesting their working conditions and low pay. As the days turned into weeks and months, the protests continued—which meant no pay for any of the workers, including Kandhara.
Limited Resources
Kandhara (pictured) received free treatment through the medical camp that her son’s Bridge of Hope center had organized.
Kandhara and her husband worked hard, but their combined income was only enough to feed them and their two children. When the strike occurred, however, Kandhara’s pay did not come. Their only source of money was from Kandhara’s husband, who worked some distance away and only returned once a month to bring money. But his earnings alone couldn’t make ends meet.
One day during the strike, Kandhara fell ill. Her husband wasn’t due to return yet, leaving Kandhara alone to bear her sickness. The nearest hospital was located more than 7 miles away—too far for the sick woman to travel. But despite her high fever and near-constant headaches, Kandhara somehow fed her children and sent them to school on her little savings.
The Gift of Healing
One day, Kandhara’s 13-year-old son, Abhin, came home from school with some news. Abhin attends the local Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported Bridge of Hope center, and he had learned that the center was organizing a free medical camp. When Kandhara heard this, her heart soared with hope. This was a chance to get some reprieve from this illness that haunted her.
When the day of the medical camp arrived, Kandhara and her children made the very short journey. Once there, doctors examined Kandhara and gave her some medication that would alleviate her constant headaches and fever. Along with the medication, Kandhara also received free vitamin supplements for herself and her children. Because the food Kandhara could afford provided little in the way of vitamins, she and her children were suffering from deficiencies.
After diligently taking the medication for an entire month, Kandhara was completely healed. The sickness left, and her strength returned.
“I was not able to get any medicines when I was severely sick because I did not have money on hand and was very weak to travel,” Kandhara says. “But I was able to attend [the] free medical camp … where I could get free medicines for my sickness.”
Kandhara thanked the Bridge of Hope staff and doctors, saying, “This was a great blessing for me and my family.”
*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.
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) – Discussing the crippling poverty that families like Aashna’s experience, the helplessness they face especially in medical situations, and the medical camps which offer the poorest of the poor possibly their only chance to receive medical care for their ailments.
Aashna squatted on a dirt floor beside brightly clothed women all waiting to see a doctor. Each had different needs, different concerns. For Aashna, this was her only opportunity to help her baby boy. Aashna’s 3-year-old son, Prajivan, stood safely between his mother’s crossed arms. Across his forehead, a cloth bandage covered a bulging “boil-like thing,” as Aashna called it. She wasn’t sure what was growing on her little one’s forehead. For a month, she watched the small bump become larger and larger, while Prajivan complained of his forehead hurting and cried because of the pain.Aashna and her family were poor. Too poor to visit a doctor. Too poor to figure out what was happening to their youngest child. The income she and her husband earned as daily wage laborers cultivating fields didn’t provide enough for “extra fees” such as doctor visits. They made just enough to eat and survive another day. Even if they did have the money for medical care, the nearest hospital was about 43 miles away.
“To go and see the doctor, I would need money, which I don’t have,” Aashna says.
“My husband and I would have to go to the money lenders or landlord, whoever is willing to lend to us. … But then to pay back that borrowed money would take a lot of time. Sometimes it could take more than a year, because with the income we make, we [also] have to run the family. We have five of us, and we have to meet all the financial needs. So that may take a lot of time.”
When Aashna heard about the free medical camp organized by Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastor Ganesh, she walked three miles, carrying Prajivan, to attend.
Helping Prevent Curable Illnesses
Pastor Ganesh has been serving as a Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastor for almost 14 years. In the remote villages where he ministered, he’d see people suffering with various sicknesses, such as malaria, cancer or typhoid. He’d discover that men, women or children had died prematurely because they did not have access to any medical facilities. It tore at his heart, and he knew that with the support of the church, he could help these people.
Pastor Ganesh worked diligently to set up a medical camp, which would offer the poorest of the poor possibly their only chance to receive treatment for their ailments.
“Most of the people where I work are from very poor families,” Pastor Ganesh says. “They have no resources to go to any medical care centers where they can get treatment. When I see this, I feel that by conducting such kind of medical camp, which is free, it is going to benefit the poor.”
Pastor Ganesh sought permissions from the local authorities and the village chief to organize the camp. He connected with the government hospital to acquire free medicine for the poor. He talked with doctors to see if they would be willing to see patients living in remote villages. He encouraged the youth of his church to set up the tent for people to sit under as they waited to see the doctor. And he asked the women of his church to help serve the patients when they arrived at the camp.
Then Pastor Ganesh went from village to village, handing out flyers that informed people they could get medical care for free.
Receiving Medicine, Medical Care and Love
Aashna was one of 210 people who showed up at the medical camp.
Doctors examined people with stomach problems, tuberculosis, gynecological disorders, fevers and colds. Some, like Aashna’s son, seemed to have more serious illnesses that needed to be treated at a hospital with better facilities. They believed that little Prajivan could have a tumor.
“I feel so bad that because I don’t have money I wasn’t able to take my child to the doctor,” Aashna says. “Sometimes I feel like crying [because] I cannot help my son. I see him in pain, and I feel really bad about it.”
Aashna and Prajivan went home with medicine that would help ease his pain. And now, with the knowledge and direction from a doctor, she and her husband know what can be done for their little one.
Through this medical camp, hundreds of people received the medical care needed to live healthy lives. And many left with the reassurance that they had people who were there for them in their time of need and who would pray for them and their healing.
“People like us, we are not able to save money for medical expenses,” Aashna says, “so we cannot think of going to a private doctor and spending money for our children’s treatment. This kind of medical camp, which is free and meant for everyone, was a great help and great blessing to us because we are getting everything free … [and] good treatment.”
Pastor Ganesh plans to follow up with those who attended the medical camp to let them know that in sickness and in health, he cares for them in Jesus’ name.
“Pray that through medical camps,” Pastor Ganesh says, “organizing these kinds of camps and bringing awareness and medical help to people who are sick will ultimately touch their heart, so that they will see how God loves them and how Jesus loves them.”
Children attending any GFA Bridge of Hope program learn to read and write, gain positive study habits, are provided with a healthy meal, receive medical care as needed, are shown God’s loving-kindness, and develop the HOPE that their education will one day help them shake off the weight of poverty.
While, in his eyes, his statement seemed to be true, the irony is that it was not entirely so. The mere fact that he said it indicated that he cared. In fact, he admitted, “I have a great burden for this village.” The reason he cared is that he knew that Jesus cares.
The village of which he spoke is home to 2,000 impoverished families whose daily need is survival. Their entire life is consumed with laboring to feed themselves and their families. Their fight for survival means their children are forced to work in laborious and tedious tasks to generate adequate resources.
Many of these families live in one-room huts, often made with only sticks and plastic. They have no nearby sources of clean water. They lack proper sanitation facilities. What food they are able to acquire does not always provide adequate nutrition. And there doesn’t seem to be a way out.
A recent report from the McKinsey Global Institute found that there is a substantial difference in poverty levels beyond what we comprehend. There is a poverty level at which people can “achieve a decent standard of living,” but these villagers and their children live below that level in the realm of “bare subsistence” where hope and a way out appear non-existent.
Food, clothing and medical care are honorable and necessary charitable acts that demonstrate the love of Christ. They are gifts and services that sustain life. However, they do not, in and of themselves, create a bridge to a better life.
Food can make a destitute person less hungry, but they are still impoverished. Clothing can help provide a sense of dignity, but it does not change a person’s circumstances. Medical care can prevent disease, but it cannot break the bondage of abject poverty.
Creating a Bridge of Hope
This village is an example of how Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported Bridge of Hope (BOH) centers make a difference.
Bridge of Hope centers provide an educational experience for school-age children in which they learn the practical skills that can be the bridge to a better life. Each school day, students practice reading, writing and math in an environment of Christian love where staff members guide them to the hope for a better tomorrow by teaching them life skills that will become their bridge out of the generational curse into which they were born.
Education is a process. It doesn’t happen overnight. Each evening when a child goes home from a Bridge of Hope center, they return to the same existential scenario. But each evening they go with a little more hope for the future.
The centers offer each child with daily, nutritious meals to give them the energy they need to learn and grow. Regular medical checkups are also part of the program. BOH centers even provide the students’ school supplies.
The program helps the children with their education so they can one day get a good job and afford sufficient food, decent clothing, medical supplies and other necessities of life for themselves and for their families. Beyond this, Bridge of Hope provides the children with opportunities to pursue and excel in their God-given skills and interests.
Bridge of Hope staff members become the hands and feet of Christ to the students and their families, serving them with genuine love, compassion and respect. Staff members maintain relationships with the parents and children and offer them counsel, encouragement and, ultimately, give them hope.
What does a child receive at the Bridge of Hope centers?
Education. This includes tuition, books and uniforms. But even more significant is that they will get tutoring in reading and writing, which means a future of hope is guaranteed.
Nutrition. During the school day, each child receives a healthy, balanced meal.
Medical care. The Bridge of Hope leaders who care for children also monitor their health and provide care as needed. Extra attention is given in areas where malaria or tuberculosis is prevalent. In addition to periodic checkups and medical treatment, children also learn basic habits of good hygiene, such as washing hands, trimming fingernails and bathing regularly.
Development of social skills and self-confidence. From the earliest ages in kindergarten, children are given opportunities to play games and practice basic rules of courtesy.
Hope Becomes Real on the Other Side of the Bridge
While the short-term focus is on helping the children now, the long-term perspective is to enable them to become all they possibly can be as a useful servant to their community, and to one day be a blessing to many others throughout Asia.
Bridge of Hope centers are not limited to remote villages. Many are located in the slum areas of major Asian cities, where roaming through and living on top of trash heaps is a way of life and their only hope for tomorrow.
Paul encouraged Timothy to share what he had taught him with others who would then be able to show many more (2 Timothy 2:2). Following that model, the character development and social impact at work in Bridge of Hope centers is being passed on to many others throughout the community.
Bridge of Hope is not just a name for a project. It is a ministry that actually produces a product. That product is the potential for a hopeful future for children who are trapped by circumstances they did not create, in a situation they cannot escape and who would, otherwise, have no hope.
Parents and grandparents recognize the changes in their children and grandchildren, causing them not only rejoice in their hope for the future but also to realize the love of Christ in their own lives.
The father of one of the children at the same center said, “This only can be possible through Christians. The love of Christians is great. My children are going to become well-prepared for their future. I am overwhelmed with their concern for us.”
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