For current reports from the mission field, visit the GFA World Reports blog.
Sadzi sobbed. What had happened to her? She had once worked hard to help provide for her family. Now, she couldn’t even get out of bed. She had chronic fever, leg pain and little appetite.
“Life is all about suffering,” Bulah once said. At least, it seemed that way for her and her son, Emil.
As frigid winds sliced through the cracks and holes of Mael and Ulla’s stone-and-wood cottage, the sound of their daughters’ voices alerted the GFA pastor and his wife. The girls couldn’t sleep because they were cold.
The Rwandan sun shone outside the open door of Idalene’s home as she watched her little grandson and her three youngest children. They eagerly devoured the beans, veggies and rice she’d finally managed to scrape together, after a day and a night of nothing.
Radu knew he must return home. His wife, Sadia, was severely ill. Perhaps it brought back memories of another time when the threat of death loomed over a loved one while he was far away, spurring him to rush home. That trip had ended in tragedy. Would this one the same outcome? If it did, it would be yet another entry in a long timeline of hardship for Radu.
Few people know the details, processes and inner workings of GFA World’s U.S. office better than Shareen. Except for three departments or so, the 38-year-old has worked in every sphere of the office.
Once again, Gunda pleaded with her son to let her live with him, but once again, he turned her down. Once again, the widow saw a lonely life of toil ahead, a life with little support from others. It seemed that sorrow, disappointment and rejection stretched before her. Would she always be alone, struggling to survive?
Petrina didn’t know which was worse, the constant itching that covered her body or the pain in her stomach. Both plagued her as she struggled to complete her everyday tasks. When her stomach pains became severe, she was forced to immediately leave her work and lay down.
Donatus had many children and a wife to provide for, so he did his best to lead them. An old man, he had been faithful to his traditional religion all his life. His wife and eldest son, Jedrek, were also very devout. One of his other sons, Byurak, chose to follow Christ, became a national missionary and spoke often with his father about his faith, but Donatus stood firm.
Nadie had shut herself in the room by herself. Overwhelmed by despair, she just wanted to hide—perhaps hide from her husband, from her grief, from life itself.
Perhaps Maemi still felt the sting of her mother-in-law’s rejection. Maemi had dared to disobey her, and in anger, she had asked Maemi to leave the family home. Maemi, her husband—Saeran—and their two daughters had been forced to find somewhere else to live. Maemi’s crime? Working outside the home in attempt to provide for her family because Saeran was no longer working. Now, Maemi had to provide a roof over their heads, an extra expense for her meager income. How would Maemi manage?
Before Pastor Pesach stood Sima, a young man with swollen eyes. Sima’s mother, who attended Pesach’s church, wanted Pesach to pray for him. It probably wasn’t the first time someone would ask Pesach to pray for their family member, and it wouldn’t be the last. Regardless, Pesach couldn’t have known that praying for this one man would be one more link in a chain reaction, a chain reaction that had started many years earlier when Pesach was a young man himself.
After skipping school to hang out with his friends much of the day, teenager Rondale made his way home. He likely knew his parents were disappointed in him. They had told him several times to become a good person, but what did they know?
Rain came pouring down, with no sign of letting up. The ground would be a slippery, muddy mess. Still, Kylan and his wife, Esmae, needed water to quench their thirst, wash clothes, clean dishes and take baths. So, they gathered their water vessels and headed out. Every day—rain or shine, hot or cold—they had to fetch water from the water hole multiple times. It was a long walk there, and the path became treacherous in rainy seasons.
Selyne, local development officer for GFA World’s Child Sponsorship Program set out with a goal in mind. Girls in the area were typically not given the same opportunities as boys when it came to education, and that needed to change. Selyne went into the villages to do a survey, and she visited families, looking for girls who were underprivileged and from the poorest families who needed an education. It was Selyne’s task to help parents understand the importance of education in breaking the cycle of poverty and to persuade them to let their daughters attend the program and receive an education.
Ten-year-old Neina walked to the forest near her home to collect firewood. In their very remote village, they had no electricity, transportation or communication, and schools were very far away. For the most part, Neina stayed home to help her mother, Jaslyn, with household chores. For her, this was just like every other day.
GFA pastor Sothear gazed at the church building before him. A red ribbon draped across the front door. A crowd of smiling faces gathered nearby. Perhaps Sothear took a deep breath and smiled too as he took it all in. Thirty years. He had waited 30 years for this moment, and now it was reality.
Once again, Saadet measured out her single ration of rice. Once again, she placed it in an isolated vessel. Once again, she cooked alone. In perpetual mourning and separation, Saadet was one widow among 258 million worldwide, and she was helpless and alone. Would her plight ever change? Or was she destined to live out the rest of her days trapped in loneliness and want?
Myla could hardly believe it—her beloved husband, Robi, was gone. A sudden heart attack had taken his life, and with it, her security. Her two young children had lost their father, and the weight of their care now rested solely on her shoulders.
Fear gripped Gethin. A cloud in his eyes dimmed his vision. No matter what he tried to do about it, what witch doctors he visited or what sacrifices he made, nothing worked. His vision steadily became worse, and with its decline came a deep-rooted fear Gethin could not shake.
Sagen, Raam and Balin had traveled from other states in search of jobs, looking for some way to provide for their families. They had hoped to offer their children a better life by finding stable employment. Instead, they found themselves picking through rubble for survival, shivering at night under thin blankets as they slept in makeshift dwellings.
Nantai’s mother looked on, her heart heavy, as her son lay comatose in the hospital. He had suffered from severe dizzy spells for some time, but now his life hung in the balance, as did his soul. His parents had come to know Jesus when Nantai was a child and had taken Nantai to church regularly, but as a teenager, he had stopped going to church, preferring to hang out with his friends. He had ignored their advice and lived recklessly. What would become of him now?
{% block content %} <div class="custombg full-width black group"> <!-- Carousel --> <div id="carousel" class="photoshow slidelinks large format group"> <!-- Slides --> <div class="carousel-slides"> <div class="slide"> <img src="//www.gfamedia.org/slide/050212-eml12-02/images/intro.jpg"> <p>Women Missionaries Serve Leper Colony</p> </div> <div class="slide"> <img src="//www.gfamedia.org/slide/050212-eml12-02/images/1.jpg"> <p>Gospel for Asia-supported missionaries are serving in dozens of leper colonies throughout South Asia, bringing hope to hundreds.</p> <p>A special group of women missionaries ministers in the colonies, and this is how they tangibly show the love of Jesus.</p> </div> <div class="slide"> <img src="//www.gfamedia.org/slide/050212-eml12-02/images/2.jpg"> <p>These women missionaries visit one particular leper colony four days a week. Two of those days are dedicated entirely to looking after the lepers' practical needs.</p> <p>Here, a woman missionary cleans the home of a leprosy patient who cannot do chores.</p> </div> <div class="slide"> <img src="//www.gfamedia.org/slide/050212-eml12-02/images/3.jpg"> <p>Many leprosy patients have lost their hands to the disease, making everyday tasks like taking a bath difficult.</p> <p>In addition to helping the people take care of themselves, these women missionaries distribute food, like bread and bananas, to the patients.</p> </div> <div class="slide"> <img src="//www.gfamedia.org/slide/050212-eml12-02/images/4.jpg"> <p>Many leprosy patients live lonely lives apart from society and are rarely visited by relatives, leaving them helpless. But because the women missionaries are there—in this case, to do the humble task of cutting toenails—these precious people are taken care of.</p> </div> <div class="slide"> <img src="//www.gfamedia.org/slide/050212-eml12-02/images/5.jpg"> <p>The women missionaries also cut hair, distribute medicine and, in the case of this particular group of women missionaries, even clean up trash in the colony.</p> </div> <div class="slide"> <img src="//www.gfamedia.org/slide/050212-eml12-02/images/6.jpg"> <p>Beyond their practical service, the missionaries conduct weekly prayer meetings and share the love of Jesus with the patients.</p> </div> <div class="slide"> <img src="//www.gfamedia.org/slide/050212-eml12-02/images/7.jpg"> <p>These women missionaries have followed their Savior in saying to the leper, "I am willing."</p> <p>Please pray for them, along with all the missionaries involved with Gospel for Asia's leprosy ministry. Ask the Lord to give them strength each day to carry out their calling and to be incredibly fruitful for His kingdom.</p> </div> </div> </div> <!-- End Carousel --> </div> <script type="text/javascript"> $(".photoshow").carousel({fadeDuration:300}); </script> <style type="text/css"> .custombg { background: #000 url(//www.gfamedia.org/images/women-missionaries-serve-leper-colony-bg.jpg) top left no-repeat; } </style> {% endblock %}
There’s a common problem in GFA pastor Kagan’s area, one he is all too familiar with. Born and raised in the region where he now serves, Pastor Kagan knows the effects of malaria from personal experience, and he sees many others suffer from it, too. Whenever it appears, it often brings debilitation and anguish—and sometimes death.
GFA World pastor Oisin and the volunteers kept digging. Other members of the village, however, had their doubts about the project the pastor and the believers had undertaken. It wasn’t possible, they said. But Pastor Oisin and his team kept digging. They shoveled and excavated, going deeper and deeper. It seemed an impossible project—but Pastor Oisin and the believers didn’t give up; they had faith.
Remote. Rugged. These two words perfectly described the village GFA pastor Birkley visited. Two years prior, there had been no roads leading into the village. Nestled among a mountain range, the only way to reach the village had been by foot, traveling along paths that snaked up the mountainside. Now, there was a simple dirt road—but the trek was still difficult. So, why would Pastor Birkley lead a dozen men and women to this particular village, so out of the way and removed from everything?
Since he was a boy, Daito had traveled to other states to find work. That seemed the only realistic option to earn a decent income and provide for his family. But in 2020, after years of traveling, he suddenly got stuck in his village, a place where it was nearly impossible to make a living.
Porsha peered into the mirror once more. An attractive woman of 20, the reflection might have filled her with confidence. Instead, shame surged through her being. A goiter marred her neck, and a tumor marred her right hand.
Fauna’s daughter was sick again. This time it was Cadee’s kidneys, the latest ailment in a steady stream of waterborne health issues. Once again, doctors recommended clean water along with medication. Once again, the news saddened Fauna’s heart, for they had no clean water to drink. Would their stream of waterborne troubles ever cease?
Rahm’s parents examined the red bumps on his skin once more. Brows likely furrowed. Perhaps it was the blistering rash that concerned them most. Perhaps it was the fever or loss of appetite. Perhaps it was simply the fact the young boy’s symptoms wouldn’t go away.
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, GFA pastor Yaphet and other GFA missionaries have marched to the fringes of society to bring help and hope to people in despair, people such as Callon and Sada. Their most demanding adversary? Hunger.
Against an angular backdrop of steep hillsides and spacious valleys, Sahlma waged an uphill battle. A load bore down on her small frame as the girl pressed onward. The preteen shouldn’t have been working as a porter, a physically demanding job that required transporting groceries, sand and firewood up and down the mountainside to people. She didn’t like being a porter. But how else could she provide for her siblings? Sahlma’s life, like her work, was a struggle.
Raina sat counting the money sent from her husband, Ander. Like his last paycheck, it wasn’t much, perhaps barely enough to cover their expenses for that month. She looked up from the meager earnings and out to her field. Perhaps if she imagined hard enough, the field would be full of growing crops to sell. But, try as she might, Raina’s imagination alone wouldn’t bring in the money she desperately needed.
Another hard day’s work. Another argument with her husband. Another night Dahiana’s five children would go to bed hungry.
Kaila and Sabinna, two teenagers, live in a region where angular mountain slopes give way to vast valleys. Houses and buildings perch against steep hillsides.
Rosina’s little boy coughed, and she could hear the phlegm in his chest. Pneumonia battered his lungs. Rosina knew what to expect; it wasn’t the first time one of her two sons had gotten sick with pneumonia.
With an hour’s walk through hilly terrain, Raiza had ample time to think. She had been hesitant to make the journey. Would it be worth it for a blanket? Would it just be a thin, unsubstantial piece of material? Would the church even have enough?
GFA pastor Haruto warmly greeted individuals he met while walking about the village, visiting, listening and praying. Though today there were likely more smiles than scowls that greeted him, these neighbors had once been hostile to the pastor. They had scorned him and his message.
The surrounding countryside’s picturesque serenity warred with the turbulent thoughts churning in Neale’s mind. That morning, the 8-year-old had missed his bus to school, unable to afford the ticket. While it may seem a trivial matter, that bus was the only way Neale could make it to school on time, and he wanted nothing more than to go to school; in fact, he needed to go to school.
Medicine failed. Witch doctors failed. And Addi’s body continued to fail. Fever and body aches put him in a perpetual state of decline. Subira, his wife, looked on helplessly as Addi became weaker and weaker.
The well was deep, and it was dangerous, but it was also the only permanent source of water within a two-mile walk for the people of Sandor’s village. Severe drought had made water scarce. Many villagers, in desperation, spent hard-earned money on water from an itinerant water tanker service. But numerous others, such as daily wage laborers, couldn’t afford the fee to buy water; it would consume more than a few days’ wages.
Expectation swelled in Pilan and Lali’s heart when their 5-year-old son, Dyami, started at the local GFA World Bridge of Hope {% trans 'center' %}. This would be a new beginning for him. They desired a better future for their children, and now one of them would get that chance.
At just 25 years old, Achsa bore the weight of providing for her family and the scars of an untrusting, abusive husband. Like many women who endure violence, the young mother believed she was alone with no one who would believe her.
I know a lot about Gospel for Asia (GFA World). That’s because I have watched it from its beginning days. That’s a little more than 40 years of close observation from stateside and by means of seven or eight extended trips to the field. So let me give testimony to the attribute I believe most uniquely marks this unusual ministry: prayer.
Betty Fields was a force to be reckoned with, unrivaled in her childlike faith in Jesus, her stewardship over God’s creation and her strong work ethic. She lived her life with an all-or-nothing attitude, unafraid and unabashed—and she did it for Jesus.
GFA pastor Matai gingerly dismounted his bicycle and stretched his weary muscles as the sun lowered over the horizon. He had traveled many miles since its rising—without any food. Perhaps his stomach grumbled as he caught scent of dinner wafting from his home. He might have exhaled and pushed aside a cloud of discouragement as he at last found respite for the night.
Pastor Rivas had just heard the news that his entire nation was entering a lockdown because of COVID-19, the virus making its way around the world. No one could leave their homes except for very specific reasons and with special permission from local authorities. No one could visit their friends and {% trans 'neighbor' %}s. No one could go to work.
Drunk again, Bastien spouted hate; his wife cringed at his raised hand. With agriculture being Bastien’s livelihood, another drought meant he couldn’t work. How long had it been this time? How would they survive? There wasn’t enough money for the family, but he needed another drink. Some cards and nicotine might also distract him from his woes.
Anxiety nagged at Pamalla’s mind. As usual, she had woken up, taken her daughter Aalia to the field to use the bathroom, fixed breakfast for her four children and left for work. But each day, as she labored in the fields, she couldn’t stop wondering if her 14-year-old daughter would be OK.
Leena made her way to a nearby tailoring center, hopeful she would find an avenue to fulfill a dream and help provide for her family of four. Who knows what Leena was thinking as she walked? Maybe she was nervous. Perhaps she fortified her resolve to ask if they would be willing to teach her how to sew. Many times that desire had entered her thoughts and heart, and today she would see if it could become a reality.
Saphyra swatted again and felt the satisfying splat of a mosquito’s demise. She turned over only to discover another mosquito buzzing over her head. Saphyra sighed. It would be another restless night. How many would this be in a row? She had lost count.
The water bucket was empty—again. A child was sick—again. Another child was struggling in his studies—again. All were results of a common culprit.
You can’t walk on this path, they said. You’ll contaminate it for everyone else, they scowled. You’re not welcome here.
Curren mustered his strength to stand but staggered as the room spun before him. Reaching out to steady himself, he surveyed the concerned looks from his family—five loved ones depending on him for provision. His head throbbed, and Curren grasped his stomach as he slid back to bed, the excruciating physical pain rivaling that in his heart at the thought of his children going hungry.
Under the morning sky, the vegetable sellers braced themselves as a familiar man with a long, lined face approached their stalls along the highway. For the past three years, the man, Andru, had usually inspired their dread and hatred. With threats and harassment, he manipulated them into selling him vegetables at a low price, and they felt powerless to stop him.
Raziyah’s face was radiant as she recounted her story to yet another neighbor. Overwhelmed by the goodness of God, joy and gratitude overflowed through her lips.
Kalyani slid her shawl from the wire hanger on the mud wall of her home and wrapped it around her. A draft swept through the roof’s cracks in her bedroom, giving her a sense of what awaited her.
Shutting the front door behind him, Balaark hugged himself tightly and pressed his thin, worn jacket to his torso. The icy wind stung his ears, painting them bright red. He felt the muscles in his entire body contract in a fruitless effort to ward off the invisible assailant. Balaark walked into the wind and began his course through the cold.
Sumana helped her parents pack up for the move to the city and corralled her siblings as their departure grew closer. As one of the older sisters, Sumana shouldered a lot of responsibility. Her family was poor, and it took many hands to keep the family fed. Though still a child herself, Sumana did more caretaking than being taken care of.
Twelve-year-old Fae listened intently to the speaker from the old-fashioned tent meeting revival. Visions of exotic and far-flung places flashed though her mind. When the speaker called people to dedicate their life to missions, Fae walked down the aisle, each step paving the path that would become her life’s legacy.
<table class="figure"> <tr> <td> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 0px 10px"><img src="//www.gfamedia.org/images/newsupdate/090611-web11-03c.jpg"> <small>GFA Compassion Services teams gave out milk packets to pregnant and nursing women.</small></div> <br> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 0px 10px; background:#E4E4E4"> <p style="font-size:13px">According to the Joint Humanitarian and Early Recovery Update compiled by OCHA, at the end of June:</p> <small><ul class="special-feature"> <li>12,689 IDPs [Internally Displaced Persons] displaced after April 2008 remained in camps awaiting return to their areas of origin.</li> <li>8,521 IDPs displaced before April 2008 remained in welfare centers.</li> <li>5,612 IDPs remained stranded in transit situations in the five northern districts of Sri Lanka.</li> <li>151,663 IDPs live with host families waiting for a long-lasting solution.</li> <li>Fortunately, the number of those displaced continues to dwindle. In June alone, close to 5,000 people were able to go back to the place they call home.</li> </ul></small> </div> </td> </tr> </table> <p>Gospel for Asia continues to counsel and minister to people living in Sri Lanka who are still trying to rebuild their lives two years after a grueling 26-year civil war ended. </p> <p>The war ended in May 2009, yet thousands of people remain displaced, living in refugee camps or with host families waiting to return to their homes. And as they wait, GFA Compassion Services teams are helping make life just a little bit easier by providing some needed essentials. </p> <p>GFA distributed 750 powdered milk packets to pregnant and nursing women, hoping to keep them healthy under the present circumstances. They have also brought food and other items like books and shoes to help show people how much God cares for them.</p> <p>“This event brought on a real difference among the refugees to experience the love of Jesus,” reported a GFA field correspondent. </p> <p>Distributing Gospel tracts is also another big part of their ministry to the refugees. In a time where there seems to be nothing to live for, the tracts can bring hope to the destitute as they learn about the God who loves them and promises to provide for their every need. During this visit, GFA teams passed out about 1,000 Gospel tracts.</p> <p>Please continue to pray for those who have been affected by the war. Pray, also, that they will see Christ in the GFA teams who go to minister to them.</p> <ul class="arrowed"> <li><a href="/news/articles/gfa-workers-helping-sri-lankans-displaced-by-civil-war//">Learn more about Sri Lanka's civil war and its affects on civilians</a>.</li> <li><a href="/regions/country/sri-lanka/">Discover the country of Sri Lanka</a>.</li> </ul>
Tormented Day and Night
The day 23-year-old Sadhri buried her husband, she was blindsided by the news that her father-in-law was also dead. In a culture where a woman’s social standing is contingent on the men of the family, Sadhri, unmoored from the security of a husband and his father, feared the future that lay before her and her baby girl.
One chilly Tuesday, a blind baby boy was born into an impoverished, illiterate family in a remote village tucked into the foothills of the Himalayas. The parents loved their little boy and named him Sundar.
<table class="figure"> <tr> <td> <div><img src="//www.gfamedia.org/images/newsupdate/070312-eml12-02b.jpg"> <small>The ladies in Women's Fellowship go out often to tell other villagers of the hope they've found in Jesus.</small></div> </td> </tr> </table> <p>“I can’t carry this ministry anymore,” Chatura Pande said to herself. “I am a weak person.” Although she had walked with the Lord more than 35 years and had been helping her missionary husband for several of those years, she didn’t know how she could go on any longer. Her ministry was challenging, but her biggest battle wasn’t outside her doors—it was inside her heart.</p> <p>Chatura Pande was born in one of the largest cities in Sri Lanka. When she was 5 years old, she started going to Sunday school—even though her parents and four siblings all followed their traditional religion. With no opposition from her parents, she decided to follow Jesus.</p> <p>Today, Chatura is the wife of pastor Havish Pande and the mother of two children, and they serve the Lord in their busy city. In addition to her role as a wife and mother, Chatura directs the Women’s Fellowship in her region. She also helps her husband as he visits homes to share the love of Christ, coordinates prayer meetings, pastors a church and oversees a children’s ministry. The materialism of their society—marked by shopping malls and passing fads—makes their ministry especially challenging.</p> <p>On top of being overwhelmed by the weight of the work, Chatura often became discouraged by her own personal failures, and she struggled with negative thinking. Havish upheld his wife through these dark times, giving her the encouragement she needed to continue in ministry. But then, when Chatura attended a seminar for Women’s Fellowship leaders, her life was completely changed.</p> <p>Two women shared at the seminar, both of whom had followed Jesus and been involved in ministry for many years. Chatura was greatly encouraged through their messages and testimonies. <p>“I made up my mind to stand up and walk with the mighty power of Jesus,” she remembers. “I realized that I am a unique creation of God, and I need to trust in Him since He has called me to serve Him.”</p> <ul class="arrowed"> <li><a href="/womens-ministry/womens-ministry-about/">Learn more about Women's Ministry</a>.</li> </ul>
<table class="figure"> <tr> <td> <div><img src="//www.gfamedia.org/images/newsupdate/070312-eml12-02b.jpg"> <small>The ladies in Women's Fellowship go out often to tell other villagers of the hope they've found in Jesus.</small></div> </td> </tr> </table> <h2>Reaching Out to Sri Lanka’s Flood Victims</h2> <p>Amit held the phone with trembling hands. His leader’s voice, on the other side of the phone, seemed a world away.</p> <p>“This is probably the last time I am talking to you,” Amit told him. Outside, each pounding raindrop brought the possibility of a watery grave nearer.</p> <p>Gospel for Asia-supported missionary Amit had waded through the four-foot floodwaters to call his supervisor, who lived in another village, and asked him to pray: If the rain continued for just a few more hours, a nearby dam would give way. This would seal the fate of all who lived in Amit’s village.</p> <h2>Rain of the Century</h2> <p>When the rain had started pouring down more than two months earlier, elderly villagers said it was the most rain they’d seen in 40 years. Even that was an understatement. The storm, spawned by the same 2011 La Niña weather pattern that left much of eastern Australia underwater, brought the heaviest rain Sri Lanka had experienced in 100 years.</p> <p>“It rained like hailstones,” Amit recalls. “When I saw the rain, I thought the world was going to end.”</p> <p>So did everyone in the village. Amit remembers people panicking and crying as the water rose, blocking any way out of the village—or any way in for rescuers. The villagers were trapped with only one place to go: up.</p> <p>Amit’s house was situated next to a public school, which was on slightly higher ground. As people’s homes flooded, those who could took refuge in the school.</p> <p>Amit fought his fear and spent his days helping out in the temporary refugee camp. Besides being drenched and terrified, people were hungry. Their food was ruined, and stores had no way to bring in more groceries.</p> <p>Thankfully, Amit’s leaders managed to bring some relief supplies. With the food packets Amit had to share, he helped more than 100 people each day. </p> <p>But death was still just around the corner. The rain painted the sky a stormy black, and the flood waves knocked down power lines, shutting off all electricity. With no way to charge cell phones, the suffering villagers were isolated even further. Then the floods ruptured a tank of human waste from the area hospital. Suddenly, disease-infected refuse was swirling among the already dark floodwaters.</p> <h2>Saved from Death</h2> <p>The day the dam was about to burst, Amit prepared his heart to leave this earth.</p> <p>“People were going to die, including me,” he recalls.</p> <p>As Amit made what he thought would be his last phone call, he heard reassuring words from his leader: “We are surely going to pray.”</p> <p>And then something happened that Amit will always remember. After weeks and weeks of unrelenting rain, suddenly, it just stopped.</p> <p>And although the villagers still had a long recovery ahead of them, the Lord had a plan for them to experience His great compassion through the loving help of Pastor Amit.</p> <p>Walking around in disbelief as the waters receded, Amit surveyed the devastation. Even weeks after the flooding, the scars were everywhere. People still sunk several inches into the mud when they walked around. Numerous families lost their homes, whether just a wall or the whole house. People were still in dire need of food and clean water, and there was no nearby medical care.</p> <p>But Amit didn’t recede into despair. With the assistance of his leaders, he jumped into action to bring relief to people who had suffered alongside him—people like Sarita.</p> <h2>Food for the Helpless</h2> <p>Weeks after the rain stopped, Sarita’s twin baby boys still lay on their sticky, muddy floor. She was too poor to afford to buy the mats that other families slept on.</p> <p>Sarita’s husband had left home to find work in another area of Sri Lanka, so she was home alone trying to keep her five children alive.</p> <p>She was struck with excitement and hope when she received a visitor one day. Amit’s wife had met Sarita’s children in Sunday school, and she could see that the children were needy. During her visit, the Sunday school teacher was devastated when she realized just how deep that need was.</p> <p>Sarita and her husband had lost their home in the 2004 tsunami, but because they were away at the time, they did not qualify for the government rebuilding program. So they found a home in a tiny shack on the edge of someone else’s property. Sarita would pick through trash piles, trying to find rags and empty bottles she could sell to supplement the money her husband sent her. But then the flooding started.</p> <p>Although she had four mouths to feed (not counting the twins because they didn’t eat solid food yet), Sarita usually could only cook enough food for two people. Once in a while, neighbors brought leftover food, knowing the family was desperately poor.</p> <p>During her visit, Amit’s wife saw that the children were hungry. When she found out they hadn’t eaten anything that day, she went to a shop and bought them some food.</p> <p>“Our hunger vanished because of happiness,” Sarita remembers.</p> <p>As soon as possible, the missionaries brought Sarita additional grocery packets that would provide good nutrition for her children.</p> <h2>Responding to Love</h2> <p>After experiencing Christ’s compassion through Amit and his wife, Sarita decided to give her heart to the Lord.</p> <p>“One thing I understand is that if I go to the Lord, He will take care of my every need,” she says. “He will take care of me and my children.”</p> <p>Sarita isn’t the only one who has found the love of God through the flood relief efforts, says Pastor Amit. He knows of 50 others who also have chosen to follow Christ.</p> <p>In the weeks and months that followed the flooding, Pastor Amit and other GFA-supported missionaries continued to reach out to their suffering neighbors, supplying food packets, praying for the sick, repairing and rebuilding homes and checking in on the elderly.</p> <p>This outpouring of compassion is still having an eternal impact. And as Gospel for Asia’s worldwide community continues to work together, Jesus is showing His love to the world through His Body here on earth.</p> <em>Visit <a href="/flood">www.gfa.org/flood</a> to learn more about how you can help touch flood survivors with Jesus’ love!</em>
Jiva sat outside her home with her husband, Vahaan, distractedly washing dishes. Pain and severe discomfort from her illness typically preoccupied her mind, but not right now—the words and songs coming from a nearby building captured her full attention. Vahaan listened intently, too, then he uttered a short sentence, and they both walked purposefully out of their courtyard.
The tarp walls of Divena’s home could not contain the sound of her mom and dad’s constant arguments. When her mother suddenly left to be with another man, the house fell silent. Three-year-old Divena and her older brother never saw their mother again.
Vinaya sat with other believers during a prayer meeting, mulling over her family’s problems. She knew Jesus cared about their needs—and that His power could change their situation. Finally, she opened her mouth and told her prayer group about her family’s private financial issues.
Paritosh excitedly sat down with his wife and other members of his community. They were about to enjoy a special treat that evening: a movie. As the film progressed, however, Paritosh’s mood changed from that of seeking entertainment to one of deep contemplation. This movie was not what he expected, but he was far from disappointed.
Garjan watches groups of people from neighboring villages come on bikes to fill large vessels with water from the main well in his village. Instead of frustration that other people are taking his village’s resources, Garjan sees these people with compassion—and empathy. He wishes they didn’t have to face the same hardships he and his loved ones once faced for years.
A life of uncertainty and poverty lay before Ridhushni, but she was too young to understand. All she knew at 4 years old was that she wanted to play with her friends.
Young Suhana stood in her bridal dress next to her soon-to-be husband, ready to enter adulthood through marriage. After the ceremony, the new bride would move to her husband’s village. A village where just a couple years before, another newcomer had arrived providing fresh, clean water to the entire village—a Jesus Well.
“What shall I do?” Ranjini wondered aloud. Ranjini powerlessly watched her hands and feet deteriorating before her eyes. As a widow and a person afflicted with leprosy, Ranjini needed help. But so many people in her society turned a blind eye to widows and leprosy patients, and she was both; who would trouble themselves about her?
Rasa stood in shame in front of her parents listening to the angry, disappointed words falling from their lips. How could she, their eldest daughter, engage in a secret romance with a village boy and bring disgrace to their family?
Imagine a little girl gazing out a living room window, two streams of tears cascading down her cheeks. Out the window, she sees empty paths flanked by lush vegetation. She would rather look outside—or sleep the day away—than feel the isolation of the small room. This is what Jenya’s life was like.
Their bags sat ready at the door. Again. Tavish looked around at the room that had sheltered them for the past few months; then he and his family of five began their trip back to their house in a distant village. Where was their home? It was here; it was there; it was wherever he could find a job.
Shutting the front door behind him, Balaark hugged himself tightly and pressed his thin, worn jacket to his torso. The icy wind stung his ears, painting them bright red. He felt the muscles in his entire body contract in a fruitless effort to ward off the invisible assailant. Balaark walked into the wind and began his course through the cold.
Sinhal’s childhood was marred by poverty and trauma. He and his family struggled to survive, staving off hunger and illness any way they could. Yet, above all else, there was one problem that never seemed to go away, hounding Sinhal and his family: the cold.
This is Saju and Aasia’s story—at least part of it. Like many others in their community, they struggled to feed their family by working the land. In a rural area with no industry, people work in agriculture, but roughly half don’t own land. They {% trans "labor" %} eight hours a day in other people’s fields to earn approximately $1.50 USD.
Maachah, 13, lives in a small coastal village in Asia, where she also attends a GFA-supported Bridge of Hope center. This particular center was one of the very first and was built in response to a tragedy.
I was walking with Dr. K.P. Yohannan to prayer after a leaders meeting discussing how God had led us unwittingly into impacting more people with Christ’s love—again.
One day, while driving home from work and listening to a radio program, Charlie heard guest speaker K.P. Yohannan share about the new ministry of GFA. As Yohannan shared a vision of impacting lives with the love of God through national workers, Charlie knew this was exactly what he had been looking for.
The sun had not yet illuminated the day, but Rahi was awake and on his knees. Every morning, he spent an hour talking with the Creator of the universe, His Savior, about all the things stored in his heart: family, ministry, personal needs and desires, the believers in his churches. Then he spent another hour in God’s Word, meditating and seeking the Lord’s will for his day and ministry.
Pastor Dalajit sighed at the long list of sick families to pray for. Dysentery, typhoid, malaria and other maladies plagued many of the families in the village where the GFA-supported pastor served the Lord.
When André read Revolution in World Missions in 2004, it stirred afresh the burden God had given him after visiting a country where there were no churches.
Sister Mary grew up in a small, remote village in Asia. She never went to school and has remained illiterate for 42 years. Despite her limitations, Sister Mary has seen God do impossible things. This is her story.
Since 2004, GFA has been teaching young men and women to deny themselves, pick up their cross and follow Christ through its School of Discipleship program.
The constant rain poured onto the earth, turning the packed dirt of the road into mud that no person risked driving their vehicle through. Yet that was the road Jinesh and Tavish desperately wanted to be on.
Jeni studied the curling lines and shapes on her grandson's homework paper. With a sigh, she handed it back, knowing a great treasure lay within those squiggles and loops, but she lacked the key to unlock it.
Pastor Roshan slung his bag over his shoulder and helped his wife onto their bicycle. They had a lot of ground to cover. As they cycled out of their village, Roshan found a sustainable pace for the trip. His muscles might be tired by the time he reached his destination, but that didn’t matter. Teaching from God’s Word in the distant forest villages and seeing believers grow in their love for Christ made the trip seem like a small sacrifice.
Pastor Jahansuz was the pastor of six fellowships in six different villages. The GFA-supported pastor tried to visit every believer, but the villages were in some of the most remote regions. As such, there was no form of modern transportation. Pastor Jahansuz had to walk almost everywhere. The pastor felt burdened when believers asked him to visit their home for prayer and encouragement but couldn’t make the journey.
It’s Monday morning at GFA’s U.S. headquarters in Wills Point, Texas, and dozens of men and women—behind-the-scenes missionaries—make their way to their desks after spending time together in prayer. Some are bursting with energy, while others are blearily drinking their coffee. Whether their day will be spent answering phones, fixing computers or printing missionary profiles, they each know the importance of their work: They are bringing the knowledge of Jesus to communities in Asia.
Starting at a young age, Lochani saw her father beat her mother, Ayomi, for going to church or not doing exactly what he said. Now, after the fire, he angrily beat 5-year-old Lochani whenever he saw her, believing she was the cause of their devastation.
Tears rushed down Sam's cheeks. His mother had succumbed to cancer, leaving the 6-year-old alone in the world. Soon, Sam’s father sent a message from prison—would someone please help his son?
Waves of memories flooded Minosha’s mind as she recounted her life story to a GFA-supported field correspondent. Sorrowful memories about her husband, whom she never got to say goodbye to; about giving birth to their son alone, wondering where her husband was; about the day she learned she was a widow. The endless tears. Yet by the end of their conversation, a smile shone in her eyes—she also remembered the day she met Jesus.
Jinsy stood in her home, contemplating once again the financial struggles of her family. What can I do to help? Her husband's source of income wasn't enough to provide for their family's basic needs. Their financial hardships led Jinsy to her knees in prayer, asking God to provide a way for her to earn additional income. Soon, they saw His answer.
If you had a stomachache or a headache, what would you do? Probably take some pain relievers or go see your doctor. But what if you didn’t have those available? What if you didn’t have medicine and couldn’t afford to go to the doctor, and the nearest health care center was located miles away? This is a struggle thousands of people in Asia face every day.