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Gospel for Asia Identifies With Refugees & Migrants on the International Day of Peace

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The majority of Americans living in the U.S. today have never experienced firsthand the massive destructive power of modern-day warfare. Many of us who haven’t served in the military don’t know what it’s like to be shot at or to have to scramble to find a place of safety when enemy artillery is unleashed or bombs start falling. Fortunately for us, the recent wars in which our nation has been involved in have been fought in places far away from our homeland. Therefore, even though peace is something we value as a people, the word probably doesn’t have the same emotional feel that it has for those who have experienced the peace in their homeland being shattered by armed conflict. September 21, is International Day of Peace, as declared each year by the 193 member-states of the United Nations. The unique emphasis in 2017 is to show special support for refugees and migrants. Refugees are persons who have fled their homes and homelands to seek peace and refuge elsewhere. Last year the Inter...
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Christian Grandparenting Should Certainly Involve Praying Ahead for Your Precious Grandchildren

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Proverbs 17:6 reads, “Children’s children are a crown to the aged.” In other words, for many, grandchildren are one of the great blessings of old age. There are other benefits to living a long life, but spending quality time with a grandchild has to be right up there at the top of the list. The first Sunday following Labor Day has been officially designated as Grandparents’ Day. It’s an occasion to be reminded that grandfathers and grandmothers are important people in our society. Not only in the past did they contribute to what this nation has become; they still have a great deal to give. Most churches don’t pay all that much attention to Grandparents’ Day. It’s certainly not on par with Mother’s Day or Father’s Day. The simple reason may be that already there are just too many days for us to keep track of. But that doesn’t mean that grandparents are unimportant. In fact, in these precarious times, my contention is that Christian grandparents still have great influence. Rather than li...
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Gospel for Asia Urges Affirmation of Pastors During Clergy Appreciation Month

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What do you think the average pastor gets more of—compliments or complaints? Are you thinking about your answer? Again, does the normal man or woman in the clergy get more affirmation or criticism? Let’s make it more personal. Do you think your pastor receives more compliments or complaints? Can the scope of questioning be narrowed even more? Are your words about your minister more positive or negative? Do you recall talking recently with someone about your home church and its pastoral staff? Were your words affirming? Could it be they were not as constructive as they were destructive? America is badly in need of another sweeping revival. When the Church, nationally speaking, is in decline, it is easy for people to get discouraged and to fall into negative speech patterns. This is certainly true in settings where a congregation is shrinking for one reason or another. Negative words are especially disadvantageous in such situations. They can even bring about a congregation’s early demis...
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Gospel for Asia: Bridge of Hope Turns Bijay’s Dreams into Reality

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Do you remember your elementary school days? Maybe they were some of the best years of your life. Maybe you played four square during recess and watched the Mickey Mouse Club in the afternoons. You probably never had to worry about money or paying the family bills. You probably didn’t wonder if you were going to eat that day. Three daily meals were most likely guaranteed, provided by your caring mother and father. But for Bijay … His elementary school days were quite different. Dreaming of Food and Schoolbooks Angry shouts filled the room. The smell of alcohol clung to Kuwar as he yelled at his family. Kuwar’s youngest son, Bijay, hunkered down amidst the familiar scene. His schoolbooks lay abandoned—how could he study while his father was enraged? Food was scarce in Bijay’s house, but the supply of his father’s strong drink never ran short. Although Kuwar had a job as a laborer in paddy fields, he relinquished very little of his income to provide for his family. His wife picked up th...
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How Has Girls’ Education in South Asia Improved?

Girls’ education in South Asia has improved greatly over the centuries. Long-held and deep traditions kept girls from education in South Asia for quite some time. However, many cultural and political changes over the years have contributed to greater access to education for girls. On April 1, 2009, one country’s Parliament passed the Right to Education ACT (RTA), which stated that education was to become a fundamental right to the 192 million children in the country. Not only that but education was to become free and compulsory for children ages 6 to 14. [1] It was a landmark decision that opened the opportunity for many children across the highly-populated country. However, the realities of poverty, geography and infrastructure continue to pose challenges to fulfilling this wonderful law. At the time of the law’s passing, Time Magazine reported, “Forty-six percent of public schools do not have toilets for girls; it’s one reason parents are reluctant to send their daughters to class.” ...
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How Do We Help People Make the Education of a Girl Child a Priority?

Every country and culture has its barriers to the education of a girl child. From centuries of gender bias to war-torn communities to cultural norms, millions of girls worldwide face layers of obstacles to their education. A report by Save the Children reveals that one billion children live in poverty, 240 million live in areas impacted by conflict, and 575 million girls live in countries where discrimination against women and girls is common. [1] These statistics can leave us shocked and then numb as we wonder if there is any hope for their safety and for their future. Though we know that the poor will always be with us (Matthew 26:11), we also know that not a sparrow falls without God noticing (Matthew 10:29). God has prepared good deeds ahead of time for those who love Him (Ephesians 2:10). Statistics may shock and discourage, but we serve a God who can press down and multiply to overflowing (Luke 6:38). This is how God takes one sponsorship by someone thousands of miles away, press...
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Who Struggles More for – a Boy or Girl Child – Education Opportunities?

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Long-standing cultural viewpoints in many countries hinder a girl child education opportunity more than for a boy child. Historical and social constraints still favor boys if a choice has to be made between a boy and girl, especially in a family that must decide between the two. In some countries, the son is looked at for future support in a parent’s older years. If that boy is educated, they can make more with an education. Yet, keeping girls uneducated and out of the workforce costs everyone. According to the Malala Fund, if girls were educated and adding to the workforce, it could add $12 trillion to the global economy. [1] Not only that, but a county’s entire stability can be grounded with more women educated. “When a country gives all its children secondary education, they cut their risk of war in half. Education is vital for security around the world because extremism grows alongside inequality,” the Malala Fund reports. [2] So, if impoverished families are having to make distre...
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