Gospel for Asia

Gospel for Asia (GFA World), Wills Point, TX – Discussing miracles from the past and the present. Each of the Gospels shares examples of the many miracles that Jesus did during His earthly ministry 2,000 years ago. Many of them involved healing people when there was no other hope of healing. Though there are many accounts of Jesus offering healing to the blind, the lame and the deaf, John ends his Gospel account telling us that “Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book” (John 20:30). What is more, he tells us that there were “also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written” (John 21:25). Though Christ has returned to His Father in Heaven, His work on earth is not yet done. His mercy and grace are still extended to all who believe. His message is delivered by believers all around the globe. While many who read this ha...

Ashley, serving with GFA since 2012, shares her experiences as a School of Discipleship student and then as a behind-the-scenes missionary in the Mission Support Team. Her life and journey with Jesus has grown through the encouragement of being involved in the Christ-centered, missions-focused community. I was only 18 years old when I decided to leave my home and family in Pennsylvania and come to Texas to join GFA’s School of Discipleship (SD). During my SD year, it wasn’t so much the classes and the books I read that impacted me, although going through the books and classes were a good thing. It was seeing the Christian life lived out in a Christ-centered community that really impacted me and still does today. God spoke to me a lot that year through some godly leaders here at GFA, who encouraged me to pursue Christ with all my heart. I can say without a doubt that this is exactly what my journey has been: pursuing God with all my heart and seeing others pursue Him too. I only planne...

When a woman in America is pregnant, she has multitudes of resources available to her. Rows of books at libraries, countless blog posts and magazine articles about the best way to prepare for labor and raise a child, many options for how and where she will deliver her baby, dozens of options for prenatal vitamins and various supplements to boost her health and help her baby develop. But that’s not the case for many women in Asia. Many have never been told some of the things we consider basic pregnancy information here, such as taking vitamins, resting extra and decreasing the weight of any loads they carry. I’m six months pregnant, and I can’t remember how many times I’ve heard “Are you taking it easy?” or “Are you sure you shouldn’t be resting right now?” or “Here, let me carry that for you,” or “Are you taking your prenatal vitamins?” I’ve thought often of the story Gospel for Asia shared about a mother in Asia who lost her baby because she never learned what pregnancy care should i...

The sun was riding lower in the sky when Todd stepped into the pen. The horse was branded. She was branded with a mark of someone else—someone who had once owned her. Now she was there in the pen surrounded by a crowd of eager spectators. Everyone expected to witness this wild horse become broken and submit. But it was plain to see after some time that she was already broken. She was hurting and you could see the fear in her eyes. The horse wanted nothing to do with Todd, who just wanted her to know she had so much potential. Instead of just being a stock horse, she could be what she was created for. But something happened to her long ago that kept her from allowing people near her. She’d run laps in the pen, trying to find an escape, not wanting to be near the man who just wanted to love her. Then she’d walk backwards. “I’ve never seen a horse do this before,” Todd said as he walked beside her, trying to earn her trust. But whenever Todd got too close, she’d turn away. “It’s as if my ...

One day after a Sunday morning worship service a couple months ago, I was sitting on the couch in my living room watching a movie when I heard a knock at my front door. I hopped up, half expecting to greet one of our friendly neighbor kids from across the street. Who I found instead upon opening the door was a couple of our School of Discipleship students. “Hey guys, what’s up?” I asked. “Hi,” one of them said, shifting from one foot to the other. “We’ve been walking around the neighborhood this afternoon asking people some questions and wondered if you had a couple of minutes.” “Sure, I have a little time,” I smiled, seeing where this conversation was headed. “What’s on your mind?” “We’re wondering if you know who Jesus is?” Not missing a beat, I played along. “Yeah, they talk about Him in church all the time…” And so began our conversation about Jesus Christ and why we need Him to be our Savior. You see, among the many other spiritual disciplines that young adults learn about and le...

The day was pregnant with anticipation, like a heavy fog hanging in the air. There was a solemnness etched in Jesus’ face that penetrated to the hearts of the disciples. The things Jesus talked about these days were more and more difficult to hear, to accept. Surely the time had come for Jesus to conquer Rome and bring the Kingdom here on earth, the disciples thought. But Jesus kept talking about disturbing things, like eating His flesh and drinking His blood. He talked about suffering and dying. He said He was going away. It just didn’t make sense. It was Thursday, the day of the Passover meal. As the disciples prepared to celebrate with Jesus every sense was heightened, as if waiting for something to happen. Jesus knew the time had come. All of human history had been waiting for this moment, and the waiting was almost done. Tomorrow would be the day He would do what He came to do. But first, today. Today to bring new things to life and old things to a close. During the Passover meal ...

Have you ever uncovered someone’s story that helped you understand where they were coming from? Many times it takes just a listening ear and a willing heart to recognize—and see beyond a face—the soul of a precious human being. Everyone has a story and many of those stories need a shoulder to lean on. Gospel for Asia-supported-workers are oftentimes these listening ears to those around them. Their loving lives are helping break through the emotional walls of individuals and families who are struggling or in great need. This is exactly what God did through GFA-supported pastor Jaldev. Uncovering Chunmay’s Story It was a mystery what that house in the middle of the village held. The secret was not immediately told to Gospel for Asia ( GFA)-supported pastor Jaldev, but a little boy from the village challenged him to find out. He said if Pastor Jaldev was a true servant of Christ and cared for others, then he would go and visit the family that lived in that house. Pastor Jaldev made the j...

Most of Israel’s existence has been spent surrounded by antagonistic countries both big and small. Whether in modern or biblical times, super powers like Egypt, Babylon, Assyria or Arab nations have threatened to wipe it out of existence. Or smaller harassment’s like Philistine giants, terrorist bombings and daily barrages of rockets threaten the lives of its people. Despite this, the people of Israel have almost always had a hope of a deliverer. Like every nation, this hope is kindled whenever a new political party comes into power. The possibility for positive change and freedom from oppression entices the hopes and dreams of its people. Hope can easily interpret other changes as signs that deliverance may come. Take, for instance, the possibility of the U.S. embassy moving to Jerusalem. Could that be a sign that more positive things are still to come? Or what about the hope of years ago: Is this prophet going to deliver us from the Romans? When something happens in any national capi...

PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa – The world has been watching as Cape Town and other cities in South Africa have been preparing for Day Zero, the day when their public supply of potable water will no longer be available. Amid the preparations, residents are taking mandated precautions to avoid the impending disaster. Many are praying for divine intervention as South Africa endures the longest drought in its history. Circle of Water’s latest update says, “ Farmers in South Africa’s Western Cape province have had to trim water use by 60%, and as a result, agricultural production is expected to be down 20% this year . Wheat production has been the hardest hit – it may be half of last year’s harvest, forcing wheat imports to double. The drought will reduce exports of apples, pears and grapes, and the lack of rain will continue to put stress on the Western Cape’s renowned wine industry. Officials in South Africa are hoping to make their water last until the rainy season, while fine-tuning cons...

On Feb. 14, a day that should have been marked by the celebration of love, hundreds of students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, fled the raging bullets of a 19-year-old gunman. Students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School walk out of their school building after a shooting. (Photo courtesy of Christy, current student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.) For some, the deaths of 17 innocent people—14 of them high school students—on Valentine’s Day will become just another sad news story in the days to come. But for 17 families grieving in South Florida today, it is the end of a story of hope, love and the promise of a bright future. It is the beginning of a story of grief that may last a lifetime. This is a time for mourning—the first step in the process of healing. We may not be able to understand the depth of their pain, but however deep and dark it is, we can pray for their healing. At our morning prayer meeting the day aft...

Unusual as it may be, today is both Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday. Although one day is celebrated by the giving of chocolates and flowers and the other day is commemorated by beginning 40 days of fasting, no matter how you look at it, today is a day about love. Modern-day Valentine’s Day celebrations are between those who share a mutual bond of love, which often includes gifts and sweet notes. The historical significance of Valentine’s Day is very different than today’s celebrations, but it too is about love. A roman priest, St. Valentine, performed secret marriages in response to an edict issued from church-persecutor emperor Claudias that said no young couples should be married. St. Valentine was later caught and martyred for his determination to uphold the Biblical importance of marriage. Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent in anticipation of Easter Sunday. Many believers across the globe will choose to fast from something—often a food, drink or source of entertainment—in ...

On April 29, 2017, deadly tornados struck just a few miles away from Gospel for Asia’s U.S. headquarters in Wills Point, Texas. The GFA campus lost power for three days, but we were deeply grateful to be otherwise untouched by the twisters. However, our neighboring communities were reeling from the devastation. Homes had been torn off their foundations; a car dealership was in shambles—and so were many lives. Local churches stepped up and organized groups of people to help clear rubble from broken homes and salvage whatever belongings could be found. Gospel for Asia (GFA) staff members quickly partnered with those churches and found ways to help serve the affected communities. Gospel for Asia staff member helps clean up homes after a tornado devastated a nearby community. I went with one group of helpers to a neighborhood that would have been sheltered in a beautiful wood just days prior. But now the trees were splintered, and logs and branches sprawled across lawns, cars, pools and ...

I brought my rubber garden clogs for this very reason. I remember very well the warm, sweaty, sunny day I found myself on the other side of the world— in a slum in Asia. The sights and smells of the slum we visited assaulted me at every step. As I walked through the mud, avoiding piles of trash and keeping a sharp eye out for mice, I was glad to be wearing my trusty rubber clogs. Our guide, Sanjeep, a Gospel for Asia ( GFA)-supported missionary , lead us through a maze of leaning patchwork dwellings. We crossed active train tracks as trains screamed past us at a very uncomfortable proximity. We navigated around garbage heaps bigger than any city garbage dump I’ve seen. This train speeds through the middle of the slum several times a day. As we neared our destination, I watched Sanjeep disappear through the doorway of a corrugated metal structure slightly bigger than a shed. It was raised three feet above the ground on a foundation of mud and sand bags to avoid flooding in the monsoon s...

Do you remember the man or woman who influenced your life towards the Lord? Maybe someone spoke truth into your life, or stood by you in prayer, or answered your questions about God and the Bible. One day that someone’s prayers for you were answered when you understood the love of Jesus for the first time and received His forgiveness and new life in Him. Gospel for Asia-supported missionary Latha faithfully prayed for a young man named Bheru for many years, and it was at a moment of tender need that he realized the love of Christ displayed in Latha’s life. This is Gospel for Asia-supported missionary Latha with her two sons. A Longsuffering Friendship Bheru, battled mental illness. His mother had asked her friend Latha, a GFA-supported woman missionary, to pray for her son to receive healing . After Latha prayed, Bheru and his mother started going to church, and soon, the Lord healed Bheru completely. But the miracle in his life, didn’t seem to leave any lasting impression on Bher...

When I came to Gospel For Asia’s School of Discipleship I didn’t know what I was getting into (in a good way). I was shocked by how loving and friendly the community at Gospel For Asia ( GFA ) was. I didn’t just go to class, eat, sleep and repeat; I lived life surrounded by people who loved Jesus. They chose to invest in me and my classmates. Many of the families here “adopt” different students and pour into them in deeper ways. After two years in the program, I felt like I had an additional family here. While it was difficult being away from home for two years, the Lord gave me people here who loved me for me. I watched how the staff acted in an office environment, but I also saw them be laid back at home and in everyday life situations. They shared their struggles and stories with me. I learned from them and their walks with the Lord. He put people in my life who had similar struggles and those who were further along in their walks than I was to help me see Jesus. A GFA School of Di...

Gospel for Asia is in the business of providing answers. Providing answers to questions like: “Does my life have any value?” “Does anyone care about whether I live or die?” “How can I find peace for my restless heart?” To those questions, our workers can say confidently, “Yes, your life has incredible value; God cares so much about you that He sacrificed Himself in order to make a way for you to live with Him for eternity; the longing in your heart is met through relationship with Christ.” Gospel for Asia ( GFA )-supported workers help provide other answers too—like the solution for a family trapped in poverty or for a community battling illnesses due to impure water . Just in the last 10 years, hundreds of thousands of families have received clean water and income-generating gifts, such as livestock or sewing machines, through the ministry’s community development initiatives. But what answer is there for a pastor who doesn’t have a way to visit all his congregants or neighboring commu...

It can be easy to over complicate what it means to serve God. “It means moving to another country.” “It means I have to minister full time.” “It means I have to go to Bible college first.” God certainly uses all those things and asks many people to do them. But those things in themselves aren’t where powerful ministry comes from—it is in obedience to God’s leading that the power rests. We expect serving God to be something grand or some huge act, but often powerful fruit for God’s kingdom is the result of a simple word spoken, a simple action carried out. “‘It’s not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of Hosts.” —Zechariah 4:6 Ramesh’s story is evidence of the simple power of an obedient servant to his Lord. Gospel for Asia-supported pastors have to grocery shop, too, yet their attentive hearts to God’s leading enables them to use even the ordinary tasks of life to impact lives for eternity. ‘Chance’ Meeting in the Market Ramesh’s wife, Terti, wandered around the m...

There is an amazing report from the field about an 80-year-old man named Naitik who heard about Jesus for the first time through a GFA-supported pastor. The story describes how through prayer and the power of Christ, the lives of this man and his wife were radically and miraculously changed. “Although I had spent my whole life in darkness, now I have found light in Jesus. He is really God,” Naitik said. “I want to live for Him for the rest of my life.” When I read reports like this, it’s a wonderful reminder to me that by serving here on staff at Gospel for Asia, I’m making a difference for God’s kingdom. As far back as high school, I can remember wanting my life to be productive and mean something. I’ve been on staff with Gospel for Asia (GFA) for about four years now and consider it an honor that my vocation is within a ministry having such an incredible impact . I know we, as Christians, can bring glory to God in our work no matter what our job is. Verses like Colossians 3:23 have...

I never knew worship like what I experienced at GFA’s School of Discipleship (SD). Before coming to SD in 2015, I had a pretty small vision of what worship was. I saw it as only singing and maybe some instruments playing, and it had to be a certain way mainly on Sundays. During my time in SD, I learned a variety of ways to worship with the community at Gospel for Asia. Whether it’s singing, playing instruments, doing lawn work, preparing food, serving in campus work days, listening to others’ struggles, or cleaning up after roommates, I learning to bring Christ into everything. Brother KP often refers to a little booklet written by Brother Lawrence called “Practicing the Presence of God” and how important it is to invite God into everything and live your life for Him. Throughout my two years in the SD program, I learned that everything I do in my life can be an act of worship unto God. I could experience His presence not only in corporate times of worship, but also in private times, a...

Bob Mayo went to be with the Lord on December 18, 2017. He served faithfully at Gospel for Asia for the past 21 years, and his passing leaves a hole in many of our hearts. Known to many around GFA as “Uncle Bob,” he was marked by his gentleness, his humility and by how much he loved others. Robert Mayo | April 16, 1947 – December 18, 2017 He is preceded in death by his dear wife, Alice, who passed away just before Christmas five years ago. Throughout the years, Bob served in many aspects of Gospel for Asia’s ministry. He led the Missions Department and the Fulfillment Department at different times. He also served in Admissions in School of Discipleship, and taught several classes in the discipleship program. Most recently, he was a Ministry Partnerships representative. His hands have touched countless missionary profiles, linking them with sponsors around the world; he managed people and packages with both love and excellence; and he called, wrote letters to, prayed for and encouraged ...