Gospel for Asia

NEW YORK – The 2018 Global Nutrition Report was released on Thursday, November 29 th  – and it is not good news. The report measures the progress being made to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal Number Two: Zero Hunger by 2030. The SDG initiative is, in part, to “end hunger and ensure access by all people . . . to safe, nutritious food all year round . . . [and] to end all forms of malnutrition, including achieving, by 2025, the internationally agreed targets of stunting and wasting in children under five years of age” and seven other components. Unfortunately, as previously noted, the report highlights a situation of compounding malnutrition from which no country is untouched. It’s not just that we’re seeing different forms of malnutrition, it’s that every country in the world is affected .  So, this is not just a problem that affects the poorest countries in the world. It affects everyone. When you start to pull together all those different forms...

LONDON – Sadiq Khan is the Mayor of London, England. He had been a Member of Parliament since 2005. He is also a devout Muslim. However, whether politically motivated or out of sincerity, he has proven to be kind to Christians. Just a few days ago on December 16 th , he addressed a crowd of 10,000 Christian at “London Carols,” a Christmas event presented by Hillsong. He used the occasion to publicly thank the Christian community for “the huge contribution” they make to the city of London. He posted this on his Twitter account: An absolute joy to attend the spectacular . . . London Carols . . . today – a series of incredible performances celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Khan has been expressing disappointment in the way that people in general and politicians, in particular, interact with one another. He used his appearance at London Carols to compliment followers of Christ, saying, One of the things which inspires me about our churches is a simple word – kindness...

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, Until [these] calamities have passed by. KERALA – When we hear the words typhoon, cyclone, or hurricane our first reaction is a heightened awareness of potential danger.  This was especially true in India in 2018  as the monsoon season “caused extensive damage [and] left many marooned in their villages or houses for weeks.” Not to mention the lives that were lost during the flooding “as more than 40 rivers running from the mountains to the sea in a matter of hours.” We tend to focus on the tragedies wrought by these storms. And, the love of Christ compels us to  come to the aid of those in need . Being attuned both to the potential dangers before the storm and the need to help others after it passes is right and proper. But we also need to understand that these rains bring abundant blessings. Blessings from the Monsoons The mo...

MOZAMBIQUE – When a young African boy saw the unguarded cell phone, he knew it might be his only chance to ever have one. It is doubtful that he even knew how to use one. Imagine his surprise when he played with the buttons and discovered that what he had taken was not a cell phone at all. It was an audio Bible from  Audio Scripture Ministries  (ASM). The more he listened, the more he wanted to listen. He began a habit of listening every night at bedtime. He said later that during two months of listening, “I felt like the words were talking to me, and I was afraid.” In the middle of those two months, he decided to attend a nearby evangelical church where he knew the Bible was taught. The pastor had taken note of the new boy in attendance but had not had the opportunity to connect with him personally. One day the young man approached the pastor. His tear-filled eyes were evidence that something was amiss. As he related his story, the pastor could see the Lord’s hand ...

Gospel for Asia Spotlights Special Report on the 70th Anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights WILLS POINT, Texas—To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 1948, Gospel for Asia (GFA) is spotlighting its special report “ Seeking Justice and Defending Human Rights Wherever Poverty and Oppression Exist.” Children who are trading time in school for scavenging in the garbage dumps or working the brick kilns or rice patty fields to survive remain illiterate and thus unable to rise out of poverty in the future. The report discusses the plight of the poor around the globe and the oppression they endure because of their poverty. Many of us who are fortunate enough to be living in more developed environments find it difficult to understand the full number of people who live near or below the poverty line in developing countries, or the burdens they bear. These are just a few statistics: About 770 million people live on l...

It is late I am alone In my room Far away from my home. No phone to ring No one to visit My door is locked It is dark. I get up Walk to the window Stand by it And stare at the sky. Silent night Stars shimmer Then clouds move in To cover their beauty. Through the clouds One star smiles Whispers to my heart, “I am the star That led the shepherds To the manger In Bethlehem.” Emmanuel Lamb of God Slain for me Rose again He is here With me now I am not alone Never will be. KP Yohannan. “One Star.”  Dance Not for Time . GFA Books, 2013, pp. 117-118. Click here , to read more articles by Dr. KP Yohannan Metropolitan, or visit Patheos . Go here to know more about Dr. KP Yohannan: Integrity | Facebook | Twitter | Book | OnePlace

It's fairly well known that in many parts of the world, women are second-class citizens. "Second class" might be a bit generous, considering the shocking treatment so many women face. When a woman has the unfortunate experience of becoming widowed, her standing may plummet further without anyone to help or even care. And she may live that way for the rest of her days. This is reality for widows in some developing countries . It's inescapable unless someone steps in to speak out on their behalf, offer assistance and help them find their way back into life again. God loves and cherishes every person equally. No one has an extra share of that love, especially not because of their sex, social standing or where they happened to be born. As for us, Mark 12:31 says clearly that we are commanded by God to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, and there is no greater commandment. If only the most vulnerable of women, those who have lost their husbands, coul...

“Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ .” —Philippians 1:6 I was watching a video this morning of my friend Dr. KP Yohannan visiting the home of a girl enrolled in the third grade of a Bridge of Hope center sponsored by supporters of Gospel for Asia (GFA). The video featured a visit to the humble home where the little girl lives with her grandmother in the slums of Mumbai. As the story unfolded, Brother KP wondered how long the woman would be able to care for her precious granddaughter as they both grew older. He spoke of the potential of the child to grow up into an adult who cares deeply for others, whether in business or as a loving mother. She has a long way to go, but the Bridge of Hope center is preparing her for such a future. Just as I was thinking about the likelihood of her actually completing the journey across that bridge to a future of hope and prosperity, Dr. Yohannan ...

It's that time of year again when Gospel for Asia (GFA) and many other faith-based organizations (FBO) publish their Christmas gift catalogs . Two of the seemingly ubiquitous gifts available are chickens and goats. I know what you are thinking. "Chickens and goats? How can chickens and goats really have any impact?" Altruistically speaking, we tend to see more value in things like Bibles, blankets, sewing machines, pull carts or rickshaws. I know this because I had thought that way for years. I was wrong. My mistake was that I was perceiving the value of chickens and goats from a Western worldview. A chicken has little value to me, and my neighbors would not appreciate me owning a goat (nor would the Home Owners Association by-laws permit it). Consider, however, the value of chickens or goats for a family living in generational poverty in Asia. When you have absolutely nothing, a couple of chickens or goats is a big deal. They are gifts that can be life-alter...

By Gisela Yohannan Before I started writing this letter to you, I opened my Bible and read the Christmas story in Luke 2 . . . Each time we celebrate the birth of Jesus our Savior, we are reminded afresh of the amazing love God has for this world and for each one of us. I would like to encourage you to take time this Christmas to learn more about God’s love, which is the very reason for our salvation. The Bible tells us that the living God not only loves us, but that He is love. "And we have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love . . ." (1 John 4:16). This means God is not only capable of showing love, but His very nature is love. Let me explain. A bird, for example, grows feathers, flies through the air, builds a nest, lays eggs and eats seeds. Why does he do all these things? He does it because he has a bird-nature, and these things are normal and consistent with what he is. "Our performances, failures or...