National Missionaries in Asia and Africa: A Mission of Love and Transformation

GFA World’s national missionaries make a profound difference in the lives of the people across Asia and more recently, Africa. Not only are these national missionaries in Asia and Africa providing spiritual hope for countless individuals, they also provide practical help demonstrating God’s tangible love, being His agents in transforming communities.[1]


Provision of Essential Items and Construction of Jesus Wells

GFA World’s national missionaries who serve these communities are from the very region they are reaching. They speak the same language, and they know the nuances of the local culture and dialect. It is as if they were ordained to be able to effectively meet the practical needs of their neighbors’ lives.[2]

Every day, they are reminded of the difference they make in the lives of those they serve as national missionaries. The items they provide include household basics like blankets, practical gifts of food and medical supplies. These are everyday resources that are often taken for granted in affluent societies but can mean the difference between life and death in these impoverished communities.

As national missionaries emphasize meeting the critical needs of their neighbors, they also engage in the construction of Jesus Wells. For the residents of these communities, who often experience illness due to drinking contaminated water, the abundant source of clean water that freely flows from a Jesus Well is a practical expression of the love God has for them. It also serves as a tangible example of the life-giving water that Jesus promises.[3]


The Practical Demonstration of Love

National missionary workers are passionate about sharing the love of Christ with the people in their communities. They understand that demonstrating God’s love goes beyond just meeting physical needs, but also includes addressing the spiritual needs of individuals. By praying for and ministering to those who are sick, providing income-generating gifts to families in poverty, cleaning up dirty villages, and helping parents value their children’s education, national missionaries are able to show the love of Christ in practical and meaningful ways.


Click here, to read more about this article.

Click here, to read more blogs in Gospel for Asia.Net

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Our Attitude Towards Suffering

Image
In 2 Timothy 2:3, the Apostle Paul writes to Timothy, “Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” Everyone, at some point or another, faces suffering, the soldier especially. However, it is not so much what we suffer, but how we suffer that matters. The way our heart responds to suffering is crucial, because by it we will either advance or become stagnant. To suffer like a good soldier is to willingly endure all for the sake of the call. To suffer like a bad soldier is to grumble when difficult situations and hardship arise. Instead of throwing our lives into what God has called us to, we can try to hold on to our lives, wanting to get away with as little suffering as possible, paying as little price as possible. We have forgotten that we are under the orders of our Master and that we willingly gave up our lives. Christ’s Example of Suffering Christ lived with the expectation of suffering. Throughout the Gospels, He repeatedly referred to
Read more

What Is the Poverty Cycle?

Image
The question, “What is the poverty cycle, or cycle of poverty?” is one that must be answered to address and end poverty across the globe. Put simply, the term refers to the trend where the vicious effects of poverty and deprivation pass from one generation to the next, with no seeming way out. [1] Someone born into poverty has fewer opportunities than their wealthier peers. They must focus on survival above all, leaving little room for anything else. One illness can wipe out a family’s savings, but the unclean water sources and lack of protection available to them invite sickness. Walking to retrieve water can be time-consuming yet must be a daily priority, and many children must work alongside their parents for the family to afford food. Thus, school is often a far-off dream. Having had few opportunities to acquire skills, the kids grow up to repeat the cycle of poverty with their own children. This story was all too familiar for Nalah. His father worked in the tea fields, trying to e
Read more

In Which 10/40 Window Countries Does GFA Work?

Image
GFA World has ministries in over twenty nations, many of which are in the 10/40 window. Countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal are largely poor and desperate for the Gospel, and GFA is working to address these problems. Bangladesh is a lush, green landscape marred by brutal poverty, corruption and unrelenting natural disasters. Though it was once among the wealthiest areas of South Asia, it is now one of the poorest, with over a third of the population living below the poverty line. [1] About 387 people groups, adding up to 155 million people, call Bangladesh home. Of that number, only one percent is considered Christian. [2] Compounding the nation’s issues are a low literacy rate—just over 50 percent—and persecution of the few Christians who live there. [3] The island nation of Sri Lanka is world-famous for its tea. Its sandy beaches and lagoons make it a popular tourist destination; however, this beautiful land is scarred by years of internal strife and natural disaster. A
Read more