Gospel for Asia

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) Special Report #1 – Discussing the world’s quest for access to clean water that is safe to drink. Photo credit Giacomo Pirozzi, UNICEF The statistics are mind-numbing. 502,000 people die each year from diarrhea—caused by unsafe drinking water. [1] 2.1 billion people have no access to safely managed drinking water . [2] 159 million people get their drinking water directly from surface water sources . [3] 263 million must travel more than 30 minutes daily to collect their water. [4] Safe drinking water is something most of us take for granted. But for millions of people, the only water they have is contaminated. And millions more are at risk of having no water at all. According to the United Nations, 1.9 billion people (27 percent of the world’s population) live in “potentially severely water-scarce” areas . [5] They wake up each morning knowing they must fight to survive. For those of us who enjoy ready access to clean water , these numbers are d...

“The poor do not need our compassion or our pity, they need our help.” — Mother Theresa It is almost impossible for us to understand the magnitude of the needs of the children of South Asia and their families needing the assistance and intervention of Gospel for Asia (GFA) and others. How bad can their life be? Frankly, their lives are much worse than most of us can even begin to imagine. Oh, you’ve heard the appeals over and over again from Gospel for Asia (GFA) , Save the Children, Compassion International, World Vision, and a seemingly endless number of NGOs who are committed to reaching out to those living in extreme poverty who are considered the lowest of the low in their home countries. But there are literally millions of precious, innocent children suffering indignities at levels we fail to comprehend. So, let us explain a few reasons these children need our help. 1. They are considered outcasts. Our national missionaries go into the urban slums and remote villages where the ...

WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) Special Report #3: Discussing why leprosy remains, despite it being a curable worldwide issue. Gospel for Asia Gives Leprosy Patients Food, Income-generating Gifts, Education and More A GFA-supported Bridge of Hope center located within an area known for leprosy is providing free education, food, medical care and love for children from impoverished families, several of whom are touched by leprosy. While these children of leprosy patients may otherwise be rejected from schools or tolerated at a distance, they are welcomed and loved at Bridge of Hope. National workers and believers in congregations in the nations Gospel for Asia (GFA) serves are helping break the stigma and social rejection experienced by leprosy patients. People affected by Hansen’s Disease are invited into churches and homes. They are hugged. They are fed. They are shown the respect and dignity we, as Christ’s followers, believe every human being deserves. These children, many...

If someone were to ask what a Gospel for Asia Jesus Well is worth, the most popular response from faithful followers of our work might be “$1,400.” That’s because we consistently remind our family of believers that a gift of $1,400 can fund the building of a brand-new Jesus Well. However, $1,400 is what it costs Gospel for Asia to install a well in drought-ridden villages across South Asia. The value of a Jesus Well is something entirely different. [1] Defining the Value of a Jesus Well Whether we realize it or not, we make nearly all of our purchases based on the value proposition of a business transaction. For example, if someone is buying a new tire for their car, their buying decision will take into account the expected length of time they intend to own the car. If they plan on trading the car in the near future, most people will choose to purchase a less expensive tire than they would if they were planning to keep the car for a long time. Price is an issue, but the amount the...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

“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...

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...

“Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” —1 John 3:2–3 Do you ever wonder how Christ would be received if He were born today? He came to Earth as humbly as the poorest child in any modern-day developing country. He didn’t live in luxury. His mother and earthly father struggled to even find a safe place for His birth. He didn’t have a pint-sized orthopedic mattress in a custom-made crib. He certainly wasn’t on a waiting list for an exclusive nursery school. The world didn’t recognize the infant Jesus or care to help. And yet His very existence changed everything. Each child is an individual who deserves compassion, love and hope. Not just for who they might grow up to be or what they might become but because of who they are now—a precious child of God. Every day, the most ...

Jesus tells several parables about the kingdom of heaven in Matthew chapter 13. The first and perhaps the most popular is the story of the Sower and the seed. As the farmer scatters his seeds, they fall into different types of soil. Typically, we focus on the types of soil upon which the seed lands. Rightly so, since Jesus is explaining that the seed will take root in some soil but not in others. Using a simple farming illustration, He explains that the seed in the parable is “the word of the kingdom” (13:19) to illustrate how people, represented by the different soils, might respond to the Scripture. But let’s imagine that the farmer has no seed. It doesn’t matter what kind of soil there is if he has no seed. “God never wanted anyone to live on this earth without knowing His love and redemption; that is why He gave humanity His precious written Word.” No seed, no crop. No crop, no harvest. The number of people in Asia without Bibles—God’s seed—numbers in the multiple millions. They ...

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, could experience the same in their fami...

“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 made a statement ...

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-altering. GFA’s Christmas Gift C...

We have pretty much bought into the saying that, “It’s not the gift that counts; it’s the thought behind it.” But what if that is not true. Doesn’t the gift really count? When we place more value on the intent than on the gift, it’s not long before the gift we give fills no real need of the recipient. Walk into any big box store during the Christmas holiday season, and notice how people are filling their carts with expensive but perhaps meaningless things to be able to say that it is the thought that counts. There is one Bible passage that speaks the truth about the gift being important based on the need. “If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?” —James 2:15–16 (ESV) This verses alone should be enough to change the way we think of giving. Not to mention that the Lord has offered to each of us the gift we need the most: His ...

Wills Point, Texas – Gospel for Asia (GFA) Special Report Part 3 – Discussing the impact of quality education on the eradication of extreme poverty and illiteracy. More than 250 million women in Asia are illiterate. The women pictured learned how to read for the first time through Gospel for Asia supported literacy programs. Gospel for Asia Introduces Quality Education to Families in Poverty Remember hardworking Dayita and her roaming children? Their story also serves as an example of the powerful gift of education. One day, some staff members from a local Gospel for Asia-supported Bridge of Hope center met Dayita and her family. Upon hearing of her struggle and seeing the condition of the family, the staff members offered Dayita’s 7-year-old daughter, Kasni, the chance of a lifetime: the opportunity to go to school. That day changed the course of Dayita and Kasni’s family: The cycle of poverty and illiteracy began to break. At the Bridge of Hope center, Kasni began learning skills th...