Gospel for Asia

Giving children hope is how you build resiliency, which is defined by “an ability to recover from or adjust easily to adversity or change.” [1] One study on the impact of hope and resilience reported, “Hopeful individuals possess positive thinking that is reflective of a realistic sense of optimism as well as the belief that they can produce routes to desired goal.” [2] Every person will experience some form of adversity in their lives. It’s how a person is able to deal with those challenges that makes the difference between being able to continue on despite the situation or giving up on themselves and life. The Bible repeatedly talks about hope and its power to sustain us. Psalm 9:18 says, “But the needy will not always be forgotten; the expectation of the poor shall not perish forever.” Again in Psalm 10:17, “Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear.” A powerful passage on hope is in Romans: “And not only that, but w...

Children’s mental health issues are not often thought of when it comes to poverty. However, more and more evidence shows that children living in poverty, dealing with constant hunger or trapped in child labor can develop mental health problems that they bring into adulthood. According to an article in the British Colombia Medical Journal, “…child abuse, trauma, and early adversity can have a significant impact on all aspects of child development and behavior. Early childhood interventions that support the basic needs of children, including access to nutritious food, safe and affordable housing, quality child care, and regular health care, should be our top health priority if we want to ensure the well-being of future generations.” [1] When a child faces daily hunger and constant uncertainty about their environment, they will have a hard time focusing and excelling at school (if they even go), have developmental delays, and spend precious energy worrying about their situation. It’s vita...

Children in crisis need immediate relief from whatever desperate situation they may be facing. People may say that children are resilient, but that does not mean they are indestructible. A child who is in crisis is experiencing a form of trauma. According to the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, “Traumatic experiences can initiate strong emotions and physical reactions that can persist long after the event. Children may feel terror, helplessness, or fear, as well as physiological reactions such as heart pounding, vomiting, or loss of bowel or bladder control. Children who experience an inability to protect themselves or who lacked protection from others to avoid the consequences of the traumatic experience may also feel overwhelmed by the intensity of physical and emotional responses.” [1] Kids who face crises like hunger, child labor and poverty are experiencing a kind of trauma, even if they can’t name it as such. The NCTSN says unaddressed trauma can cause children to have ne...

Poverty, hunger, human trafficking, child labor, political upheaval and natural disasters: These are just a few of the difficulties facing children worldwide. Any one of them can significantly endanger a child’s life, and all of them will most certainly prevent a child from growing and thriving. Nevertheless, there is hope for children facing these dangers. No one organization can solve the problems affecting children around the globe. It will take a concerted effort by multiple non-governmental organization in tandem with local authorities and officials to recognize, diagnose and treat the ills of our hurting world. Hope for children begins with seeing and understanding the issues that endanger them. Here are a few of those issues: Poverty – According to the World Bank, 356 million children live in poverty worldwide. Poverty is defined as living at or below $1.90 per day. That’s one is six children in crisis who never have enough of life’s necessities. [1] “1 in 6 children living in...

Missionary work in Africa is an ongoing venture, as laborers work to share the good news with millions of people in need on the continent. There are 1.4 billion people living in Africa, accounting for 17.62% of the world’s total population. [1] [2] Africa is the world’s second largest continent after Asia. Even as more people move from rural areas into cities, much of the continent is still rural. The standard of living for most of Africa is well below international averages, with life expectancies way under 60 years in most cases. [3] Many people also lack proper sanitation and medical care, and the water supply is inadequate for large portions of the population. [4] In 2020, about 282 million people in Africa were experiencing hunger, and worldwide events in recent years have only intensified the problem. [5] GFA World has over 45 years of ministry experience in South Asia and is now expanding its work into Africa. The African headquarters are being established in Kigali, Rwanda. ...

GFA World has recently established its missionary involvement in Africa. It began with a branch of GFA’s Child Sponsorship Program in Kigali, Rwanda, in March 2021. From there, we plan to spread out to additional African nations in the next few years. The mission of GFA is the same in Africa as it has been in South Asia for the last 40 years: to meet the tangible needs of people and to show the love of God to those who need it most. [1] Our goal is to partner with local officials to meet some of Africa’s most pressing needs, while sharing the love of Christ as we do it. Over a million people have died of preventable and treatable diseases like malaria, tuberculosis and HIV-related illnesses. In response, we have begun a medical ministry with healthcare training seminars, medical camps, vitamins, supplements and deworming tablets. [2] [3] Precipitation and water distribution vary between countries, making Africa a very dry continent. More than a fourth of the people in Africa have no ac...

Many believe that one of the first Christian missionaries in Africa was the Ethiopian eunuch of Acts 8:26–40. After he was baptized, the eunuch returned to Queen Candace’s Ethiopian kingdom and shared the Gospel message with her. He passed on what Philip had shared with him. Since then, many other people have worked to bring God’s love to Africa. Dr. David Livingstone One of the best-known of these missionaries is Dr. David Livingstone. He focused on finding a path to and through the interior of Africa, opening the way for legitimate commerce, which helped undercut the slave trade. [1] This also allowed other missionaries to follow in the villages he visited along the way. [2] In addition to three great missionary journeys, Dr. Livingstone wrote books and traveled around England, speaking about Africa and the need for missions there. [3] His stories raised awareness and influenced many after him to reach the continent with the Gospel. Mary Slessor Mary Slessor answered that challeng...

GFA World has more than forty years of missions experience. Now the ministry is drawing on that history. It is expanding and training missionaries in Africa to serve as national workers. Africa is a vast and diverse continent. About 1.4 billion people live across 54 countries and among many distinct people groups and cultures. [1] About half the population is under the age of 15. Local leaders are working hard. Yet many communities still face serious challenges. Many families live with ongoing water shortages and limited access to education and healthcare. In crowded cities and remote villages alike, parents often struggle to meet daily needs. GFA World has already begun responding to these needs in Kigali, Rwanda. [2] GFA World’s first major step with missionaries in Africa is a branch of GFA World’s Child Sponsorship Program. It serves needy neighborhoods of Kigali, Rwanda. This outreach began in March 2021. Rwanda is one of the most densely populated nations in Africa. Many childre...

GFA World’s missionary work in Africa launched in Rwanda with a Child Sponsorship Program in Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda. This is the first of many programs that will focus on one of the most densely populated African nations. In 2018, GFA’s founder, K.P. Yohannan (Metropolitan Yohan), met with the Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Rwanda at a conference. Seeing the potential of partnership, he began to pray for God’s direction about expanding into Rwanda. The slums in Kigali are home to many needy children, and GFA staff are diligently serving them through the Child Sponsorship Program. This proven strategy, used in numerous countries in South Asia, impacts children in a personal way. Children are given the items that are most needed, such as educational opportunities, nutritious food, tutoring, hygiene supplies, clean water and other essential resources. The hope of Jesus encourages children to look beyond their circumstances and past the cycle of poverty that has often exi...

Missionary involvement in Africa has been instrumental in bringing the Gospel to the continent. Perhaps the two most famous Christian missionaries in African history are: David Livingstone (1813-1873) who is perhaps that most notable missionary in the history of Africa. Christianity Today describes him as “Mother Teresa, Neil Armstrong, and Abraham Lincoln rolled into one” [1] because of his unwearied effort to evangelize, explore the undiscovered and fight against slavery. He is credited with developing a dangerous road into the interior of Africa to bring the Good News to unreached people. Mary Slessor (1848-1915) was the first solo woman missionary in Nigeria, arriving there in 1876. [2] She fought for the women and children in the villages who were being ruthlessly killed. She stood strong in the face of opposition and was able to share the love of Jesus in a remarkable way. Over the decades, Africans have stepped into leadership to reach their own people groups. For example, G...

Pray for God to open the hearts and minds of people who need Him. Less than 2 percent of North Africa’s population is Christian, [1] there are so many people there who have not yet heard the name of Jesus. Pray for the Holy Spirit to draw people to Himself through the faithful service of Christian missionaries in Africa. Pray for boldness for the missionaries, especially when they face opposition. Pray against evil forces that want to hinder the spread of the Gospel. Over half of the African population is under 15 years old. Pray for missionaries to have an effective ministry to the youth and children. May the children and teenagers be drawn to these programs and the message of God’s love. Pray for church planting to be successful in areas where there is no Christian church. Pray for people to be drawn to the new churches and see the light of Jesus. Pray for missionaries to be hopeful and encouraged. May God give each missionary a sense of His calling and His hope. Pray for strength a...

Since 1979, GFA World has been faithfully serving “the least of these” in Asia. More recently, GFA was welcomed to begin ministry in Africa, steps have already been taken to be able to train missionaries in Africa to provide many of the same services to the impoverished—clean water, a child sponsorship program, community development and more. Extreme poverty impacts many communities in Africa, and GFA aims to help families find hope as they break the cycle of poverty that has impacted them for generations. Africa has one-fifth of the world’s population at 1.2 billion people. There are 54 countries and a vast range of people groups, cultures and terrains. [1] It’s a beautiful continent. Missionaries, organizations and local pastors have been working diligently to meet the areas of concern and fight poverty, all done in the name of Christ. There are several common needs in Africa. Here are four primary ones: Health – Africa has some geographical obstacles to health and medical care. Fo...

Hope can have a nebulous meaning in the English language. We use it in many circumstances. For example, “I hope I get a new phone for Christmas” or “I hope it won’t rain tomorrow during my party.” It often conveys a sense of doubt whether the thing we’re hoping for will actually happen. However, GFA World is giving children very real hope in a very different way. In the Bible, the word hope has a much clearer meaning. It conveys confident expectation and security. Hope is the assurance based on a sure foundation. It’s a reality, not a feeling. [1] GFA World is delivering the biblical kind of hope in Africa and Asia, and has been since 1979. Through many programs, GFA provides hope by meeting tangible and spiritual needs. Tangible Needs When people lack the basic needs of life, they typically have little hope. GFA helps provide for basic needs through practical solutions such as clean water wells and sanitation facilities. GFA also provides help for children with essentials such as nutr...

Studies have shown that poverty can contribute to children’s mental health issues. According to the World Health Organization, “One in six people are aged 10-19 years. Adolescence is a unique and formative time. Physical, emotional and social changes, including exposure to poverty, abuse, or violence, can make adolescents vulnerable to mental health problems.” [1] It seems that some children who struggle with mental health issues are simply displaying behavioral responses to poverty. GFA World has seen this time and time again in impoverished regions of South Asia and Africa. Poverty is a holistic issue and impacts a child spiritually, physically, socially, emotionally and of course economically. That is why many of GFA’s programs concentrate on the whole child, not just meeting his or her physical needs. Children who live in poverty can be helped tremendously when they have adults around them who assure them of their value. GFA comes alongside families to help children and teens in ma...

Breaking the cycle of poverty is difficult without intervention from an outside source. [1] Without that intervention, the cycle will often continue decade after decade. GFA World has been helping children in crisis and their families break out of poverty for many years. There are several keys to GFA’s success in South Asia and now parts of Africa, and those strategies have been tested time and time again. Success stories abound! Here are three keys GFA has found that contribute to breaking the cycle of poverty : Understanding the importance of education When children learn to read and write, they are more likely to break the cycle of poverty. [2] With these basic skills, they will be qualified for more jobs when they are older and be able to provide for their families. According to a GFA World special report, “Much data (a preponderance of which is examined under the general category of education) gives good cause to make the assumption that learning to read and write is one of the ...

In many parts of Africa and South Asia, hope for children is being offered through many organizations, including GFA World. Sometimes, this hope is delivered through tangible help like clean water wells, education and medical care. Other times, the hope comes through caring adults who help children see a future apart from poverty—a mindset that is sometimes an all-consuming influence. When a child’s grandparents grew up in poverty, followed by their parents, and now them, there is a poverty mindset that often overtakes them. It’s hard for anyone inside the cycle to imagine a future without the hardships that come with poverty. In a sense, poverty creates blinders that are difficult to remove. Divena, age 5, was often left home alone with her older brother. [1] Her dad, a truckdriver who was required to travel weeks at a time, had no other options after his wife suddenly left the family to be with another man. Divena’s grandmother was elderly, but she tried to help. She knew her grandc...

GFA World is among the organizations that work hard to serve communities in need, giving children hope in Africa and Asia, some of the most impoverished places in the world. The prevalence of child labor in those continents—72.1 million children in Africa and 62.1 million in Asia and the Pacific—displays the great need for immediate poverty-relieving actions. [1] GFA is taking steps to alleviate the damaging cycle of poverty and offer hope to children, their families and their communities, all in the name of Jesus. GFA pastors and missionaries host VBS programs, Sunday schools and youth ministries in their churches, offering hope and showing love to those who need it most. GFA also has a child sponsorship program, including the recent addition of a program in Kigali, Rwanda, the capital of one of the most-densely populated countries in Africa. [2] This program provides children with essentials such as food, healthcare and school supplies. It also helps children gain an education and ...

Children’s mental health issues are complex, and many factors impact, cause and contribute to those issues. In a survey of more than 1,200 child support workers, 65 percent of them reported that poverty has a high negative impact on children’s mental health and 60 percent said that poverty has a high negative impact on children’s self-esteem. Of the responses, 11 percent said that kids’ mental health can suffer when there are issues around school and education, and 9 percent mentioned the impact of being a young caregiver. [1] Poverty can often lead to child labor, which is work that deprives a child of their childhood and dignity and negatively impacts their physical and mental development. [2] The children in places such as Africa and Asia that GFA World helps often fall into these same categories: They may be forced to drop out of school to earn money to combat their family’s poverty or left behind to care for their siblings when their parents leave to find better work. Dyami was f...

There are children in crisis all over the world, many struggling with hunger, cold and lack of access to healthcare. One way GFA World helps these kids is our child sponsorship program, where just $35 a month helps provide essentials such as food, clean water, hygiene training, healthcare and education support. This program lifts impoverished families and communities in places such as Africa and Asia out of the cycle of poverty. [1] Another way that GFA World helps children and their families, is through practical gift-giving. Local missionaries give income-generating gifts to families as well as practical gifts to meet basic needs. In doing so, parents are better able to provide consistent food, shelter and clothing for their family. Rosina, for example, lived in a village high in the foothills of a mountain range, 3,000 meters in elevation. This meant cool weather year-round and brutally cold winters. The cold, dry air chapped the skin, lips and fingers of the villagers, and it dried...

With the global problem of poverty continuing to perpetuate, it is vital to do everything possible to provide hope for children. In the United States alone, about 11 million children are considered poor. That is one in seven kids who make up one-third of all people living in poverty in the country. [1] If poverty is that prevalent in America, one of the wealthiest nations, the problem is surely much worse in the world’s most impoverished nations, many of which are found in Africa and Asia. Millions of children globally are cast aside, orphaned or kidnapped and sold into bonded labor or the sex trade; others are runaways. Each of these situations leads to countless abandoned kids being forgotten by society. South Asia has more than 18 million street children, some of whom are being forced to beg or may turn to prostitution or drugs in their desperation. Eleven million children in the same region are separated from their families, and tens of thousands of baby girls are abandoned by the...

There are many faith based disaster relief organizations, including recognizable names like the Salvation Army and The Southern Baptist Convention. Both organizations have large numbers of members and volunteers. GFA World is another organization that provides disaster relief. It stands out among other organizations because its work is accomplished through national missionaries who live among the people they serve. When disaster strikes, families often need help fast. The first days can feel overwhelming. A thoughtful disaster response may include safe shelter, clean water, and basic supplies. It may also plan for what comes next. Many faith based organizations try to support people through relief and recovery. This can help households move toward stability again. Some recovery guides describe a cycle with preparedness, relief, and recovery. [6] It can also help to choose a group that will work with local leaders. Look for a team that will listen well and respond with care and humility...

One of GFA World’s ministries helps with disaster relief. Disaster relief donations help us with this important effort. Earthquakes, cyclones, and floods are among the most devastating natural disasters. They wipe out homes, crops, and entire livelihoods. Impoverished families are left with even less and almost no hope for the future. [1] In the first days after a crisis, affected communities often need safe water, basic supplies, and a safe place to rest. Some people choose to give through a disaster relief fund. That way help can be ready as needs become clear. [3] [4] GFA works to ease immediate burdens. We give families food, water, clothes, and hygiene items. Our missionaries are also focused on long-term solutions. These include: helping people rebuild their homes getting their children back in school providing them income-generating gifts that can change the course of their future These are the same steps that GFA takes to relieve poverty. So it makes sense to take the same st...