Gospel for Asia

Schooling. Food. Clothing. An encouraging smile. These are simple ways of showing love to a child, but those simple gestures shape lives. In God’s Church, generosity flows freely toward the hurting and sorrowful. We at Gospel for Asia (GFA) can testify to that. Tens of thousands of men and women and children of all ages in many countries freely give of their resources to help uplift the lives of people they love but have never met. Why? Because that’s the heart of the King we love. Bridge of Hope, an afterschool tutoring program supported by Gospel for Asia (GFA) , is currently giving more than 82,000 children those simple gestures of love. But it wouldn’t be possible without the prayers and support of the loving Body of Christ. Without them, stories like Kaling’s would be quite different. These are two of Asia’s children who live in a slum. We may not be able to change every difficult circumstance in their lives, but we can do something! We rejoice in 82,000 children in Asia receivin...

There is nothing impossible with God. Nothing. This truly is an inspiring thought. But it is much more than a thought or word to keep us going—it is truth. Truth many impoverished people are getting the chance to witness in their own lives. Truth that was made evident in 33-year-old Pramesh’s life. Pramesh’s family life was troubled. For 13 years he was possessed by an evil spirit , and his behavior changed. He couldn’t work to provide for his children and wife , which also meant they didn’t have enough money to pay for sacrifices so their god would heal him. But “there is nothing too hard for the Lord Jesus.” These very words of hope spoken by Gospel for Asia-supported pastor Haatim— words found in the nature of God, the worker of the impossible—gave Pramesh courage. After seven months of prayer offered up by Pastor Haatim and the local believers, Pramesh was set free from the demonic powers. This miracle brought his entire family into the loving arms of Jesus. The impossible did not...

It’s Christmastime, “the most wonderful time of the year”! And we at Gospel for Asia believe the Lord God desires all peoples to enter into His joy this season—and all year ‘round. That is why the angels proclaimed at the Christ’s birth that they bring “good news of great joy that will be for all people” (see Luke 2:10). But for some, instead of joy, the holiday season heralds in a season of loneliness and discouragement, especially for those who may not have anyone to celebrate with or who have lost the ones they used to celebrate with. Grief and heartache shroud our joy, and Christmastime can become just another event filled with painful memories of what has been lost. Imani understood this grief. She had lost her husband, who was a Gospel for Asia- supported pastor , and her heart filled with sorrow. She wondered how she would care for her son alone. But then something wonderful happened that helped lift the shroud of loneliness and discouragement. The local church had a Gospel for ...

It’s December, and that means Christmas, which for some people is a day of new beginnings, a day of joy, a day of hope and expectation. For Aashi, her first day at a Gospel for Asia- supported Bridge of Hope center was very much like Christmas! All the things she ever dreamed of had become a reality: In the morning, she went to school for the first time, and after class, she ate a delicious and nutritious hot meal at the Bridge of Hope center—something she almost never got at home. In addition, Aashi received a new school uniform and a new backpack, as well as school supplies. Every day she received loving help with her homework from the Bridge of Hope teachers. Throughout their time in Gospel for Asia-supported Bridge of Hope centers, children receive many gifts, from pens and pencils to packets of soap, umbrellas, blankets and toothbrushes. The 6-year-old girl was so happy and excited to tell her family all she experienced on her first school day. She was the only one in the family ...

Raju looked confused by my question, and his response revealed it: “What do you mean by Christmas tradition?” I had served the Lord in Asia with Raju off-and-on for over a year. He was a first-generation, Asian believer with a tall, slim build and a heartwarming smile. He loved Jesus and was excited about the upcoming seasons of Advent and Christmas. I tried to explain what I was asking to my bewildered brother in Christ, “Do you and your family have anything that you do every year to celebrate Christmas?” I had come from a family that had been either devoted or nominal Christians for every generation that we knew of. Having immigrated from Eastern Europe to America in the beginning of the 20th century, many of the traditional ways we celebrated Christmas stretched back to before my forefathers left Europe. It never occurred to me that it may take two generations of believers to form a tradition. Raju then went on to explain the different things his family did to celebrate Christmas, m...

Mani entered the world infected with HIV. Soon after birth, he lost his parents to the deadly disease. His uncle, Dhiraj took him in and cared for him. He made sure Mani had the medicine he needed to stay healthy, but his wife was not so welcoming. Fear and suspicion filled her heart when she thought of Mani. Her ignorance about HIV/AIDS led her to reject her desperately needy nephew. She continually pressured her husband to send Mani away, but Dhiraj would not abandon the boy. Instead, he found help from three GFA-supported Sisters of Compassion that served in the area. On Dec. 1, World AIDS Day will be observed around the globe, bringing needed awareness to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. All across the globe, organizations work together to promote the prevention of AIDS, to emphasize the compassionate care needed for those living with the disease and to remember those who have died from it, like Mani’s parents. Students from GFA-supported Bridge of Hope centers across Asia participated in ...

We’ve talked before about how God answers prayer , and how not a single story you read of lives changed ever happens without prayer . The same is true for our field partners in Asia. This is a powerful testimony of God moving in response to the prayers of His people. And it starts with a marriage on the verge of destruction. Janesh and Juhi fought continually until they heard the message of forgiveness through a GFA-supported radio broadcast. Like Tilak, whose story is below, these two were on the brink of divorce until God intervened and turned their lives around completely. Both families found healing and restoration in Jesus’ name. No ‘Other Woman’ Anymore Tilak, father of three, wanted to leave his wife. He had found another woman—one he thought could satisfy his desires, and he was willing to destroy his marriage because of it. For two years, his marriage grew steadily worse as he focused his attentions elsewhere. But while Tilak was on the brink of divorce, God intervened in his ...

I have an odd way of thinking about the quality of goodness. In my mind, I have an impression of the earth spinning in space—the photo we’ve all seen so frequently taken from some satellite circling our planet. An exquisite globe shimmers in the dark, turning and turning. Blue mostly, vast seas accented by green and white with pinpricks of lights shining out through occasional cloud cover, across thousands of miles of dark. I know these are cities and towns glowing on the surface of our planet, but I prefer to think that these points of brightness mark an act of kindness here, a gift of sacrifice there or initiatives of uncommon goodness everywhere. Perhaps this is purely fanciful, perhaps it’s imagination gone awry, perhaps it’s an artistic vision given for the purpose of prayer—or maybe, it’s just an old woman’s meanderings. However, it seems as though my mental fancy has some precedent. The term “one thousand points of light” was used in a speech by George Bush at the 1988 Republic...

What impact can a simple film make? This question is being answered every day as many remote Asian villages get the chance to watch a film on the life of Christ. Many of these precious people have never seen a film before, let alone heard of what Jesus has done for them. The message of Jesus’ sacrifice compels many to realize the vastness of God’s incredible love for the world. It opens up a new perspective—one that shows how everything the world has to offer pales in comparison to the love and life Jesus gives. This is exactly what 17-year-old Gunja found when he watched a film that changed the very course of his life forever. Finding What the World Can’t Give From an early age, Gunja and his twin brother attended church with their parents. They watched as their mom and dad remained faithful to Jesus despite the hostile treatment they often faced from their relatives who wanted nothing to do with Christ. Those relatives sowed seeds of doubt in the minds of the young impressionable bro...

It’s time to talk about one of Gospel for Asia longest-standing traditions: Tuesday night prayer meeting! The very first Tuesday night prayer meeting began in a time of Dr. KP Yohannan’s life when his passion was suddenly rekindled for the people in his homeland to know Christ’s love. Eager to do anything he could, Dr. Yohannan and his wife, Gisela, called a few friends together one Tuesday night and began to pray in their living room. They spread maps around the room and used them to pray for the nations God loves so dearly. The decision—made more than 30 years ago—to start a simple prayer meeting has since shaped the direction and mindset of the ministry birthed not long after: Gospel for Asia. “As days went by,” Yohannan recalls, “things became more and more clear about what we must do [to move forward in ministry]. Not that God unfolded the entire plan, no; He would just say one thing and we did that, and then the next thing. Life was suspense. But one thing was consistent: praye...

Love. That four-letter word that evokes varying degrees of feelings and meaning for every person. People talk about it, write about it, search for it and desire it. St. John the Apostle he experienced firsthand the purest form of love this world has ever known: Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In 1 John 4:7b–10, he wrote, “God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” This Apostle saw real love lived out. He saw the compassion that motivated Jesus Christ to bring new life to those around Him. It was love that compelled Him, and it’s His love that compels us. The strongest motivator for Gospel for Asia- supported workers to do what they do is love. Dr. KP Yohannan Metropolitan recently talked about this in one of his blog posts . He mentioned how a national worker was o...

At Gospel for Asia (an hour outside of Dallas, Texas), we’re constantly yearning to be more like Christ and to be more and more conformed to His image. But how does one become a disciple of Christ? Gospel for Asia’s School of Discipleship (SD) program seeks to answer that question. Over the years, this program has challenged more than 100 young adults to die to themselves so they may live for Christ and be His disciples . The word “disciple” can take on various meanings, but at its core it means to know, follow closely after and be like your teacher. Daniel Punnose, vice president of Gospel for Asia, recently said that it’s “ the habits that we allow, entertain and commit to that will make or break us as disciples of Christ .” The staff involved in the day-to-day aspects of School of Discipleship understand this. They invest in each student that comes through the program so they may know what it means to be fully the Lord’s. They help students understand that it’s not head knowledge t...

Do you ever feel weary in the midst of serving the Lord? Have you spent sleepless nights crying out to God to give you strength? Have you come to the end of yourself over and over again only to find that the next morning you have to face another day in the battle? Another day completely dependent on the Lord for His strength? Gospel for Asia- supported national missionaries are no different. They become weary, discouraged and overwhelmed just like the rest of us. But we also share something else in common: We are all more than conquerors through Christ. Even in those bleakest moments of pain, sorrow, confusion and weariness, we can rest in the hope of God’s promises that He is ever with us, and He will not leave us. On the topic of suffering and persevering through weakness in ministry, Munay’s story comes to mind. This dear sister in the Lord poured out her life to serve others with strength, vigor and joy. But tragedy struck. Life was not beautiful or clear. It was in moments of f...

The majority of Americans living in the U.S. today have never experienced firsthand the massive destructive power of modern-day warfare. Many of us who haven’t served in the military don’t know what it’s like to be shot at or to have to scramble to find a place of safety when enemy artillery is unleashed or bombs start falling. Fortunately for us, the recent wars in which our nation has been involved in have been fought in places far away from our homeland. Therefore, even though peace is something we value as a people, the word probably doesn’t have the same emotional feel that it has for those who have experienced the peace in their homeland being shattered by armed conflict. September 21, is International Day of Peace, as declared each year by the 193 member-states of the United Nations. The unique emphasis in 2017 is to show special support for refugees and migrants. Refugees are persons who have fled their homes and homelands to seek peace and refuge elsewhere. Last year the Inter...

Proverbs 17:6 reads, “Children’s children are a crown to the aged.” In other words, for many, grandchildren are one of the great blessings of old age. There are other benefits to living a long life, but spending quality time with a grandchild has to be right up there at the top of the list. The first Sunday following Labor Day has been officially designated as Grandparents’ Day. It’s an occasion to be reminded that grandfathers and grandmothers are important people in our society. Not only in the past did they contribute to what this nation has become; they still have a great deal to give. Most churches don’t pay all that much attention to Grandparents’ Day. It’s certainly not on par with Mother’s Day or Father’s Day. The simple reason may be that already there are just too many days for us to keep track of. But that doesn’t mean that grandparents are unimportant. In fact, in these precarious times, my contention is that Christian grandparents still have great influence. Rather than li...

How do we end poverty? Ending poverty requires more than one program or one gift. Poverty is reduced when families gain access to basic needs, education, health care, income opportunity, disaster recovery, and steady local support. It also requires dignity-centered care that strengthens families rather than treating them as helpless. The World Bank defines extreme poverty as living on less than $3.00 per person per day, adjusted for purchasing power across countries. It has set a goal of reducing extreme poverty to 3 percent or less globally by 2030. The challenge remains serious. UN reporting estimates 808 million people will live in extreme poverty in 2025. GFA World supports local partners who serve families through practical care and spiritual encouragement where ministry is active. Meet basic needs first Families cannot build long-term stability when daily survival consumes their time and energy. Clean water, food, shelter, medical care, sanitation, and safety form a foundation fo...

Poverty is not usually one problem A family may work hard and still remain poor. The reason is often not one failure or one missing resource. It may be several burdens pressing together. Unsafe water can bring sickness. Sickness can keep children from school. Missed school can limit future work. A disaster can take away what little stability the family had built. The source article points to four major causes of poverty: lack of basic necessities, lack of education, lack of jobs or income-generating skills, and lack of recovery after disaster or crisis. When basic needs take over the day A parent who must search for water may lose time for work, family care, or rest. If that water is unsafe, illness may follow. Then the family may face medical needs, missed school, and lost income. In 2024, 2.1 billion people still lacked safely managed drinking water, according to UNICEF data. Clean water access can ease one burden that affects many others. When school becomes hard to reach Education ...

The World Bank revised the international extreme poverty line to $3.00 per person per day in June 2025. This means older poverty statistics or dollar thresholds should be reviewed before republication. Global poverty data can help readers understand scale, but ministry content should also explain the human impact clearly and respectfully. Basic necessities Lack of basic necessities can include unsafe water, food insecurity, inadequate shelter, poor sanitation, and limited medical care. These needs affect health, time, work, and school. GFA World supports local partners who help provide practical care, including clean water access, where ministry is active. Education and training Education and skills training are important poverty-response tools. They can support literacy, confidence, future work, and family stability. UNICEF identifies poverty and emergencies among factors that may exclude children and adolescents from education. Ministry content should describe education support in a ...

What causes poverty? Poverty often grows from several connected barriers, not one simple cause. Families may struggle when they lack clean water, food, shelter, medical care, education, steady work, or recovery support after disaster. These needs can overlap and reinforce each other, making poverty hard to escape without long-term, community-based help. The World Bank now uses $3.00 per person per day as the international extreme poverty line, after its June 2025 update. GFA World supports local partners who serve families through practical care, education support, clean water access, health initiatives, and spiritual encouragement where ministry is active. That care should preserve dignity, strengthen local communities, and be offered freely. Lack of basic necessities When families lack safe water, nutritious food, shelter, or medical care, daily survival can crowd out long-term progress. A parent may spend hours finding water instead of working. A child may miss school because of ill...