Posts

Leprosy: Misunderstandings & Stigma Keep it Alive (Gospel for Asia #2)

Image
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) Special Report – Discussing the misunderstandings and social stigma that are kept alive toward leprosy patients, despite the disease being a curable worldwide problem. Sakshi, who ministered to leprosy patients, once had leprosy herself before Jesus healed her. Misunderstanding Leprosy: ‘I Deserve This Disease’ “Don’t open my bandage!” the leprosy patient cried out. For years the patient believed it was because of their sin that the destructive disease controlled their body. Now, they thought they must suffer and settle with bearing it alone. But after the leprosy patient’s exclamation, Sakshi, a Gospel for Asia (GFA) -supported missionary, revealed her own hands and feet to the patient, deformity clearly marking what leprosy’s nerve killing illness left behind. “No, no, this is not some sin,” Sakshi said. “I myself have gone through this.” This conversation, shared by Gospel for Asia (GFA) in 2017, gives a glimpse into the despair and belief o...
Post a Comment
Read more

5 Distinctives of Gospel for Asia You Should Know

Image
Every part of God’s creation is distinct. Every person, every animal, every tree is unique and different than all others of their kind. The same can be said of every church, every business and every organization. Something about each is distinctively different. Often, it is not one thing that makes something distinct and different. It may be a combination of distinctives that makes that entity unique in its own right. Gospel for Asia (GFA) cites five Gospel for Asia (GFA) distinctives that describe its function as a faith-based organization (FBO). 1) Focusing on the “Least of These” Like so many faith-based organizations (FBOs), Gospel for Asia (GFA) distinctives focuses its mission on ministering to people Jesus referred to as “the least of these”—the approximately 3 billion people who are disadvantaged, disabled, uneducated and often disenfranchised and ostracized. Gospel for Asia (GFA) ministers to the physical needs of slum dwellers and people living in abject poverty in remote...
Post a Comment
Read more

Leprosy: Misunderstandings and Stigma Keep it Alive (Part 1)

Image
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) Special Report (Part 1) – Discussing the misunderstandings and social stigma of leprosy that keep it alive, despite being a curable worldwide problem. Leprosy. For many, a cloud of mystery, fear and shame surrounds this disease. It’s a disease that destroys nerves and deadens limbs to sensations of touch or pain, yet at the same time can trigger bouts of unbearable agony for the sufferer as infection exposes raw bones. It’s a disease that is difficult to contract, yet carries a stigma so strong that leprosy-affected people have been forced into isolation for centuries. Why is this disease so feared, and how can we help those who contract it? Leprosy: Misunderstandings and social stigmas keep it alive, despite being a curable worldwide problem. What is leprosy? Leprosy, otherwise known as Hansen’s Disease, is an infectious disease caused by a bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae. This chronic nervous system disease “mainly affects the skin, the...
Post a Comment
Read more

For Victims of Slavery and Child Trafficking There is Hope

Image
Proverbs 22:6 tells us to “train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” This message is a sincere promise that guides the hands and hearts of parents around the world. Children are a blessing and an enormous responsibility. They are also little sponges that quickly soak up knowledge and experience to apply in their lives. A child will not forget their upbringing; God promised it. But when children—the most innocent people on Earth—are abused, neglected or pulled into a life of slavery, that “training” also stays with them for life and will shape the person they will become. Human trafficking is not just someone else’s problem; it’s everyone’s problem. It takes place in developing countries and in cities and small towns in the Western world every day. There are numerous reasons given, but they primarily distill one thing: Profits for their owners. Make no mistake, human trafficking is a slightly more palatable term pasted over an age-old, ug...
Post a Comment
Read more

Discussing the Curse of Generational Poverty

Image
Aravind walked around barefoot in ragged, worn-out clothes. He carried his books in a plastic bag. The skinny 7 year old lived in a humble mud house with his parents. Aravind’s “normal” was generational abject poverty . His family was so poor they could not even afford to buy rice, so their diet was not only meager but also severely lacking in the nutritional value a young boy needs to sustain normal growth . As is common among the poor, life for Aravind and his family was always complicated. His father, Hukka, was unable to find enough work locally to generate an income adequate to meet the most basic of his family’s needs. Because Hukka loved his family, he had to journey to a neighboring state to find employment. His long-distance commute meant he would be away from home for a month or more at a time, returning with wages he hoped would help his wife and son make it through his next absence. Yet, even what he was able to earn was not enough. “There are countless young boys and girls...
Post a Comment
Read more

Gospel for Asia – School of Discipleship: A Year to Draw Near

Image
“It is good for me to draw near to God.” —Psalm 73:28 Have you ever noticed that Jesus’ disciples were always asking Him questions? Have you noticed how they were constantly trying to learn more about Him? Perhaps you’ve noticed how, the longer they were with Him, the more confidence they had in His love for them and in His ability to supply all their needs— even those needs that seemed impossible to supply. These men followed Jesus closely for three years. When He told them He would be leaving them, they practically begged Him to stay. They wanted to be near to Him just as they had for those three years. Jesus assured them He would return for them. If I were one of His disciples, that would not have been sufficient. I, too, would have wanted Him to stay. Jesus knew that’s how they felt, so He also promised He would not leave them alone. He would send “Another” (the Holy Spirit) to teach, comfort, encourage and empower them. “James, Jesus’ brother by Mary and Joseph, explained that if...
Post a Comment
Read more

Raise Your Hand if You’ve Ever Owned a Goat

Image
Anyone? Anyone? Just the guy who grew up on the farm?That’s not altogether surprising, especially as the American society has become less agrarian and more urbanized. Because the vast majority of us have never owned a goat, we are likely to have a less-than-accurate understanding of a goat’s potential value to its owners, which could make one wonder why so many faith-based agencies (FBO) suggest goats among the many offerings of their Christmas catalogs . Here are a few reasons why Gospel for Asia (GFA) and other FBOs offer the opportunity to give goats to families in the impoverished, remote villages throughout Asia. 5 Reasons Why Goats Can Be a Blessing for a Family in Asia 1. Goats produce a generous amount of healthy milk. The average nanny goat produces about 90 quarts of fresh milk per month. That’s much more than the average family will drink, so goat’s milk can become a good source of income to help families prosper. Goat’s milk is much easier for humans to digest than cow’s m...
Post a Comment
Read more