See God’s amazing power through GFA’s reports from the mission field. Several field reporters cover multiple countries in South Asia to bring you news, inspirational stories and prayer requests that will enrich your life.
Medical care is hard to come by in a lot of areas of South Asia. By providing medical checkups, and care for leprosy patients through Gospel for Asia’s compassion services, the love of Christ is shared in a very practical way.
Samuel was at the end of his rope. He couldn’t believe he was facing illness yet again. Why was this happening to him? Why did he have to endure more physical suffering? Even his friends were taunting him, saying it was his fault for not worshiping the native gods as fervently as he once did. He had nowhere to turn […] Read more »
The numbers from the survey had finally come in, and the problem was even greater than Ritain had previously thought. Around 252 families living in his district had no sanitation facilities, a dangerous threat to their health and safety. How could he, the district head, meet their needs? Risking Their Lives to Relieve Themselves Nearly 1,600 families lived in Ritain’s […] Read more »
What do a group of prisoners, slum dwellers and street and school children in various regions of South Asia have in common? The answer is simple, yet deadly: the lack of proper handwashing practices. People living in congested jails[1] or on the streets[2] generally lack adequate hygiene practices. Couple this with a severe lack of hygiene facilities, and the risk […] Read more »
Jarbai spent a typical day catching fish and crabs from the local river to sell at market. Her son worked as a daily laborer, supplementing the money from Jarbai’s daily catches. While meager, the earnings they pulled in were just enough to survive—at least until the COVID-19 pandemic. Hunger Amidst Crisis To prevent the spread of the coronavirus, many countries […] Read more »
World Leprosy Day is commemorated each year on the last Sunday of January. The aim of the observance day is to raise awareness about leprosy (also known as Hansen’s disease) and its cure. For many Gospel for Asia-supported workers and pastors, the day is also an opportunity to show God’s love and care to people who are often marginalized by […] Read more »
According to a 2010 report consolidated by the Centers for Disease Control with information from the World Health Organization, 2,195 children die every day from diarrhea—which is more than AIDS, malaria and measles combined. The same report also states diarrheal diseases account for the second-highest cause of death among children under age 5. However, strides have been made to combat […] Read more »
It was Mother’s Day weekend, 2018. Over the two-day period, two separate groups of people assembled together. One group filled a small conference hall; the other was surrounded by tents. For both, this occasion was special. These people all had one thing in common: poverty. The group in the conference hall was affected by leprosy, and those by the tents […] Read more »
In an industry worth $49.46 billion, workers like Saham only make around $1.50 a day. Saham and many like him endure poverty and hardship, but for them, this work is all they have. Tea Workers’ Plight Saham worked on an tea estate that helps supply the global tea market. In 2019, Asia accounted for 60 percent of all global tea […] Read more »
Bhadraksh had once been a young man, full of vigor. Married with a child, he worked hard for his young family. He had a stable and honest job in a thread factory, which clothed, fed and sheltered them. Life was simple and good. That life seemed like another world now. As the memory of those times faded and the difficult […] Read more »
As the World Health Organization notes, leprosy is an ancient disease,[1] but it still rears its ugly head today. Leprosy affects many. In 2017, more than 210,000 new cases were reported in 150 countries.[2] Those who are afflicted know very well of the devastation it causes. They become the outcasts, the exiles and the untouchables. Some are called “cursed” by […] Read more »
Pratul never imagined how radically his life would change because of a cow. When Pratul received a cow at a Christmas gift distribution organized by GFA pastor Dayal almost 10 years ago, he was a poor farmer unable to feed his family every day. Working hard all day raising crops and not being able to sit down to a complete […] Read more »
Shame engulfed Hanin the moment she heard the devastating news: She had AIDS. She sank into an ocean of despair. She wanted to end her life but held back for the sake of her children. All her life’s happy plans with her husband and children were dashed to pieces before her tear-filled eyes. By the time Hanin was diagnosed, her […] Read more »
Soapy water spilled on the dirt ground as little hands rubbed together with enthusiasm. Village children were performing the technique they had just learned. Smiles strung across the faces of young and old alike as they washed their hands, participating in Global Hand Washing Day activities. A Day Worth Celebrating Last year GFA-supported workers across Asia joined together in spreading […] Read more »
Half the population of the world, or 3.2 billion people, live where malaria is easily transmitted. Malaria killed 438,000 in 2015 alone, and according to the World Health Organization, 7 percent of those deaths were in the South-East Asia Region Malaria is highly prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions. One of the major reasons it transmits so quickly is because […] Read more »
As the women missionaries entered the gypsy colony, they could see garbage and waste strewn around and children playing in the filth. As they walked through the colony, their hearts were saddened to see the poor living conditions of the people. The sisters could see a few homes within the colony, but the majority of the people lived in makeshift […] Read more »