Aidan needed help. The 28-year-old’s newborn son was ill. Aidan and his wife, Ella, were about to take the baby to the hospital, but there was one person they needed to see first—one who had been with Aidan for many years, one who had helped him in the past. This individual had seen Aidan much changed from his younger years.

Facing Consequences

When Aidan was 15 years old, he led a rebellious and rowdy life. With his fellows in crime, Aidan had spiraled into a life of vice and greed. One day, he and his gang had a particularly brave idea. They would steal a van and sell the parts for money.

Surprisingly, the plan worked. After stealing the van, the teens drove it several miles to a different city and even managed to disassemble it and sell the parts. Aidan spent his portion of the money lavishly—at least until the police arrested the young man and his friends.

Needing Help, Needing Direction

While in jail, Aidan received a visit from Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Kagan, who had known the young man since he was 13 years old. Each time he visited; the pastor would pray for the wayward youth. These visits from Pastor Kagan continued throughout Aidan’s eight years in jail.

By the time of Aidan’s release, he had nothing. Nobody would hire Aidan due to his past. Unable to find a job, he was likely tempted to return to his old ways, to his old life. But then, Pastor Kagan stepped in again. With Pastor Kagan’s constant encouragement and recommendation, Aidan was able to secure a job in a clothing factory to get himself back on his feet. And while there, he met his future wife, Ella.

For the next few years, Aidan and Ella led a happy life. Then came the news that Ella was pregnant. Aidan was ecstatic when she gave birth to a boy. But that happiness would turn into terror several months later.

God’s Intervention

Two months after their son’s birth, the baby fell ill, much to Aidan and Ella’s concern. Before they took him to the hospital, Aidan called Pastor Kagan for prayer. The pastor rushed over and prayed for the baby before the family hurried to the hospital. To the young parents’ surprise, doctors proclaimed there was nothing wrong with their baby boy. He had been healed.

At that moment, Aidan and Ella fully realized God’s power in their lives, and they embraced it. While they were first hesitant to attend the church, fearful of what people might say knowing Aidan’s past, Pastor Kagan kindly encouraged them. The couple, especially Aidan, could no longer ignore the love of God.

Aidan had changed from a rebellious, foolhardy young man to a dedicated husband, loving father and man of God as Pastor Kagan faithfully offered—and exemplified— Christ’s love. Aidan and his family began a new chapter of life knowing that God truly saves.

Discover how you can help make more stories like Aidan’s possible.

Gospel for Asia (GFA World) Updates & Reports from the Mission Field

Ten times each day, 20 minutes each way—Kylan and his wife, Esmai, spent cumulative hours on one task. Back and forth, the parents of two performed the same errand. They had to keep doing it for their survival.

Needing Water Every Day

Every day, Kylan and Esmae made the 20-minute journey to their village’s nearest water source. Nearly 10 times a day, depending on how much water they needed, the husband and wife trekked to the waterhole. There, they filled up their water cans as full as they could. Unfortunately, the road to the waterhole curved downhill. Trekking uphill with full jugs several times a day was taxing for Kylan and Esmae and it was even worse during the rainy seasons.

The rain made the roads difficult to traverse, and both husband and wife had fallen multiple times due to the slippery, muddy trails. Sometimes, the rain fell so hard that the road itself flooded, cutting off access to the waterhole. Adding to their misery, during the rainy season the quality of the water was even worse than normal.

“When the water level rises,” Kylan said, “the water from outside actually gets into the well … and the water becomes dirty … but we didn’t have any choice, we had to collect that water and bring it home.”

The water they gathered already was already dirty and untreated on a good day. The family tried to filter the water as best they could, but they could not remove all the pathogens.

“Because of consuming water from that well … we had problems like upset stomachs and even fevers,” Kylan said. “And also, we had skin diseases because of bathing in that water.”

Easily Drawing Clean Water

But then, the Gospel for Asia (GFA World) pastor of Kylan and Esmae’s church broke the news to their congregation: A Jesus Well was going to be installed! They would finally have easy access to the clean water they needed. Upon the well’s completion, the entire community felt the benefits almost immediately.

“We don’t have to go and fetch water from that [old] water source which is time consuming,” Kylan said. “Moreover, the water from the open source was not clean … it was very unhygienic and impure to drink.”

However, the water from the newly installed Jesus Well was clean and pure.

“We didn’t have to filter the water,” Kylan remarked on the Jesus Well, “because the well was dug very deep.”

Nearly everybody in the community uses the Jesus Well now. Kylan said, “The Jesus Well water is more [than] enough for all the villagers here in this village.”

See how you can help more villages in need get access to pure, clean water.

Gospel for Asia (GFA World) Updates & Reports from the Mission Field

Everywhere Kalla looked, despair and disappointment stared back. Her husband and two sons consistently argued with one another. Kalla, her husband and her sons’ families all lived in the same home. On top of it all, Kalla suffered from body pain, weakness and diabetes—and what medicine she had wasn’t working.

A Burdened Life

Despite doctors prescribing multiple medications for 80-year-old Kalla’s pain and weakness, none had worked. And with Kalla and her family’s financial circumstances, additional hunts for medical treatment could push the family further into destitution.

Nothing seemed to be going right for Kalla. Her family was in disarray, her body protested in pain—there was no peace in her life.

But then, Kalla heard of a medical camp to be held nearby. And the best part? It was free.

After a doctor saw Kalla and gave her some advice, she received free medicine. Then, Kalla met one of the organizers of the medical camp, Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Malick.

Pastor Malick made sure that every attendee was taken care of. After the program, Kalla watched as Pastor Malick walked among the attendees, offering words of love and care and extending invitations to upcoming Sunday services. Kalla decided she would attend.

Finding Hope and Help

The love and concern shown by Pastor Malick and the church beckoned to Kalla. As she sat in Sunday service, Kalla felt happy, perhaps for the first time in a long time. Kalla drank in the atmosphere of fellowship and love, the songs of worship and the messages from God’s Word, which resonated with the elderly woman.

When Kalla approached the pastor after the service, she shared her troubles. There had been no peace in her family, she said, with their financial situation and constant arguments. But sitting in the church and listening to Pastor Malick share about Jesus was a new experience that she didn’t understand.

Pastor Malick encouraged Kalla from God’s Word and prayed for her.

“For the first time in life,” Kalla said, “I heard about a true God.”

After embracing Christ’s love, Kalla began regularly attending prayer meetings, worshiping together with the other believers. Through a medical camp, Kalla not only found the medical help she needed, but she found something greater—God’s unfailing love.

See how you can help people like Kalla and bring the love of God to impoverished communities through medical camps.

Gospel for Asia (GFA World) Updates & Reports from the Mission Field

Prewet squinted; his vision had been growing progressively worse. He used to see quite clearly, but as he grew older, it got harder and harder to see. Unfortunately, there was nothing he or his family could do about his diminishing eyesight.

The Available Opportunities

Prewet grew up in an impoverished home, his parents making what little money they could through daily labor. He was an unruly, disobedient boy who spoke disrespectfully to his elders and wore unkempt clothing. That was until he enrolled in GFA World’s Child Sponsorship Program.

Through his enrollment in the program, Prewet took advantage of the support and instruction available to him. The tutors encouraged and guided the boy in both his education and his personal life, offering the direction and discipline Prewet needed. Through their caring support, they helped transform Prewet into a respectful, diligent student.

In addition, the program helped provide for Prewet’s basic needs. Medical checkups provided by the program revealed Prewet suffered from anemia. Fortunately, the staff worked hard to ensure Prewet had what he needed for physical and mental growth. Through nutritious meals and health-care awareness, the program staff helped Prewet keep himself healthy. But a problem was already arising.

Given Glasses, Given Sight

As the years passed, Prewet’s eyesight weakened to the point where he had difficulty reading his homework. Now a teenager, Prewet needed glasses—but his family couldn’t afford them on their own.

Recognizing the problem, the program staff had a solution. During a routine medical camp, doctors tested Prewet’s eyesight. The doctors recommended glasses for Prewet—which he received soon after the medical camp, free of cost.

Thankful for his new glasses, Prewet wore them everywhere. No more trouble deciphering things or reading his homework. Now, he could see just fine.

“I am greatly thankful to [the program] for the help in my life,” Prewet said. “I am what I am today just because of [the program]. … Now I am provided with an immense aid for saving my eyes. Thank you very much.”

Read how GFA World’s Child Sponsorship Program provided a boy with the tools to thrive.

Gospel for Asia (GFA World) Updates & Reports from the Mission Field

In order to earn a living, 25-year-old Rikter had to leave his village. Most of Rikter’s fellow villagers barely survived off seasonal farming jobs. Even then, the amount of money they earned was not constant. But work opportunities for Rikter were few and far between—he and his family didn’t own any land on which they could farm. So, he found a better-paying job outside of the village. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

Earnings Cut in Half

Rikter worked in an entirely different country where he made nearly double the amount of money he could earn in his village. When the lockdowns occurred, the country’s border sealed, leaving Rikter stranded for 13 months. Then Rikter begged his managers to let him leave.

“I told my manager that I want to go home,” he recalled, “I want to see my family.”

Fortunately, Rikter made it home. But then the situation deteriorated.

Rikter and his father tried to pick up small jobs here and there to ensure they could help provide for Rikter’s nieces and nephews. With the lockdowns, jobs were hard to come by for all, which meant Rikter’s brother couldn’t provide for his children by himself. So, Rikter, a single man himself, lived with his father, his brother and his brother’s children. Rikter, his father and brother all tried finding work. Rikter’s brother had recently tried to find work out of the country, as Rikter had, but he had been placed in quarantine and couldn’t work or send money home.

School fees for Rikter’s nephews and nieces went unpaid, and meals were skipped. What jobs Rikter and his father could find paid significantly less than what they had made previously. In addition to the financial crisis, looming over Rikter and his family was the ever-present threat of the virus.

“I was very afraid,” Rikter remembered. “I was afraid for my family, my father and my brother.”

The Lord’s Provision

By the grace of God, neither Rikter nor any of his family members fell ill. And they did not face this crisis alone. As members of a Gospel for Asia (GFA) church, Rikter and his family were among many people helped by the church during the pandemic. Rikter received food supplies to ease his financial burden, mosquito nets to ward off disease-carrying insects and blankets to fight off the winter weather.

Rikter was aware that if he or any of his family members did fall ill, the medical bills would ruin them.

“Spending time on medical bills would be impossible for us at this point of time,” he said.

Rikter was thankful for the help he and his family received.

“I am personally very grateful to our church leaders, our pastors … for thinking about us and giving us these essential gifts that are very helpful,” he said. He also knows that this work is important and helps bring Christ’s love to people in need.

“I believe that [the] church should actively involve [itself] in doing social work during this pandemic because people are suffering,” Rikter stated. “… This is an opportunity for our church to express Christ’s love to the people.”

Find more information on GFA World’s COVID-19 ministry and how you can get involved.

Gospel for Asia (GFA World) Updates & Reports from the Mission Field

“I was totally helpless.”

That’s how Belissa remembers feeling as she watched her children fall asleep hungry. She couldn’t feed them the meals they needed. Her husband, Balen, didn’t have a job, and Belissa couldn’t find one that paid enough to provide for her family. There was nothing she could do but weep.

The Desperate Search for a Job

After Balen stopped working as a driver, both he and Belissa searched for other ways to provide for their family. But every inquiry for employment or potential avenue to earn money came up empty. Their funds continued to shrink, little by little, day after day. They even had to refrain from sending their children to school; there was no way they could afford the expenses.

No matter how hard or long they searched, the family did not find a solution for their financial woes. Belissa began to despair.

“I never thought that one day I would overcome my financial crisis,” Belissa later recalled. “I tried my best to do some job nearby … but I did not find a job which was suitable for me.”

A Solution to Their Problems

Then, Belissa met Jenita. Jenita led the local GFA World Women’s Fellowship, and her husband, Pastor Jairett, led Gospel for Asia (GFA) missionaries in the area. Through Jenita’s invitation, Belissa started attending the Women’s Fellowship meetings. Soon, Belissa and Balen began to walk with the Lord. And, for perhaps the first time, Belissa shared about her family’s financial struggles.

Their situation had grown so dire, Belissa and Balen couldn’t pay their rent. The landlord demanded they pay; otherwise, they would be evicted.

Despite their struggles, Belissa and Balen had not asked for money or turned to begging. For whatever reason, they did not share their financial struggles with others. That was, until Belissa told Jenita.

Jenita and Jairett both ministered to the struggling couple, offering financial advice, and Belissa and Balen focused first on saving money. But they also needed to earn money. For that, Pastor Jairett had another suggestion.

“Since you know how to work a knitting machine, why don’t you plan for making sweaters for people?” he asked Belissa, “…With this, you can make better money and run your family life.”

While Belissa knew how to knit, she and Balen couldn’t afford to purchase a knitting machine to efficiently make clothing. They did not have the money available.

But much to their surprise, Pastor Jairett helped make this idea a reality when he presented Belissa and Balen with two knitting machines, along with accessory parts and yarn, during a Gospel for Asia (GFA World) gift distribution. With these knitting machines, the couple could finally earn enough money to properly care for their children.

“I am able to do something because of [the church],” Belissa said, thankful for the gift. “With this gift, we both, husband and wife, are going to work hard.”

Balen agreed, saying “After receiving the gift, I am assured and have hope that I will be able to [provide for] my family in a far better way in the days to come.”

Read how another GFA pastor provided the tools for a family to escape destitution.

Gospel for Asia (GFA World) Updates & Reports from the Mission Field

As 16-year-old Jillian listened to her friend, Reghan’s invitation, her curiosity grew. Jillian had wanted to see how Christians celebrated Christmas, though she had never understood Reghan’s faith. In fact, Jillian hadn’t been a fan of Christians.

Born and Raised in Staunch Belief

Jillian belonged to a traditional household where she grew up learning the faith of her parents and grandparents. Everything she practiced filled her with a sense of fulfillment and happiness; her parents were proud of her faith and her sense of duty to their beliefs.

Jillian’s Christian friend, Reghan, frequently mentioned Jesus and told their classmates about His love. This irritated Jillian. With growing frustration, Jillian confronted Reghan one day and began to dislike her friend.

Yet when Reghan invited Jillian to the church’s Christmas program for children and youth, Jillian accepted. Jillian’s curiosity about how Christians celebrated their holidays won over her irritation.

A Gradual Change of Heart

At the Christmas program, Jillian sat with Reghan and listened to Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Joaquin share from the Holy Scriptures. As Pastor Joaquin taught from John 3:16, proclaiming “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,” Jillian was skeptical. Did Reghan’s God really send His only Son to die for her?

That one question sent sparks of other questions through Jillian’s mind. What little she knew about Reghan’s God had been upended. What else didn’t she know? She decided to visit the church regularly, but Jillian’s mother ordered her not to.

Though Jillian submitted, she still wanted answers to her questions. She needed answers.

The Desire to Learn

But the answers to Jillian’s questions couldn’t be found sitting at home. From time to time, Jillian prayed to Jesus, asking if she could experience His love in her heart. Then one day, Jillian told Reghan that the program had piqued her interest in Jesus. So, Reghan gave her a New Testament; with it, Jillian could begin to sate her curiosity. And maybe she could attend services to learn more.

Despite her mother’s opposition, Jillian eventually did visit the church again. With each subsequent church service, Jillian began to change. She relied less and less on her previous beliefs and began turning to Reghan’s God. As the days passed, Jillian grew ever more joyful and lively, and that joy bubbled over. Her mother noticed the odd but positive changes in her daughter.

Jillian’s desire to please her parents warred with her desire to learn more about Christ. As time passed, the teenager felt more and more confident that Reghan’s God was the one true God. But she worried about her family’s reaction.

Jillian sought Pastor Joaquin’s advice. What was she to do?

The pastor prayed for Jillian and encouraged her from Scripture, which filled her with confidence and strength. Jillian then made her decision: She would follow Christ.

While Jillian’s heart had once been set against Christianity, she began to think differently after seeing the loving examples of Reghan and Pastor Joaquin. After finding God’s love, Jillian joined Pastor Joaquin’s church where she now joyfully fellowships with Reghan and other fellow believers. And, while Jillian knows the road ahead may be challenging, peace and joy dwell in her heart; God is with her.

Read how a young woman found freedom from poverty and purpose in life.

Gospel for Asia (GFA World) Updates & Reports from the Mission Field

Water shouldn’t have a distinct red color when pulled from a well—but that’s exactly what thousands of impoverished families see when they go to draw water. Water shouldn’t make you sick—but that’s exactly the threat thousands of poverty-stricken people face from their only available source of drinking water.

A Global Water Crisis

Access to clean, pure water remains a major issue for destitute communities in Africa and Asia. Close to 785 million people collect water from contaminated sources, and around 144 million draw their water directly from ponds, rivers, lakes and streams.[1] Those same water sources can harbor numerous contaminants and are among the causes of 485,000 diarrheal related deaths every year.[2]

That is why Gospel for Asia (GFA World) missionaries make it a point to identify communities in need of pure water and help meet that need. Whether it is to raise awareness of the importance of clean water on World Water Day or provide solutions to water crises, Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastors and missionaries will provide Jesus Wells or BioSand water filters to villages and individuals who need them most.

The Fight Against Unclean Water

In their respective areas, Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastors Gaige and Rainart discovered many people struggling with dirty water.

For those in Pastor Gaige’s region, the water was red—a color water should never be. Apparently, their water was highly contaminated with iron. Unfiltered, it was unfit for drinking. Most of the villagers had no filters they could use; farmers and daily laborers, they more than likely could not afford them. So, Pastor Gaige distributed 30 BioSand water filters. With the filters, the villagers no longer needed to fear drinking the red-colored water; they now had pure, clean water instead.

Families in Pastor Rainart’s area, including Kaigan’s, faced a similar situation. There was a pump well near Kaigan’s house, but it was improperly drilled. As a result, mud entered the well during the rainy seasons, contaminating the water and drastically increasing the risk of infection from disease. Kaigan noted his children would fall ill almost every week, complaining of stomach pains, a tell-tale symptom of dysentery.

The well wasn’t safe to drink from, period. But it was the only source of water available to them.

After hearing of Kaigan’s children constantly falling ill, and of similar reports from other families in the village, Pastor Rainart stepped in and distributed 42 BioSand water filters to Kaigan and other families in need. After that, Kaigan’s children didn’t fall ill every week. Their new BioSand water filter helped keep them safe from waterborne diseases, including dysentery.

Within the communities they serve, GFA missionaries like Pastors Gaige and Rainart step up to identify the most pressing needs. But it’s because of gifts from our donors that GFA missionaries can meet these critical needs and demonstrate Christ’s tangible love to men and women in deprivation.

See how you can join GFA missionaries in helping provide families with pure, clean water.

[1] “Drinking Water.” World Health Organization. 14 June 2019. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/drinking-water

[2] “Drinking Water.” World Health Organization. 14 June 2019. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/drinking-water

Gospel for Asia (GFA World) Updates & Reports from the Mission Field

Wenda lost her Dad to lung cancer when she was just 7 years old. After his passing, Wenda’s mother remarried and moved to another city, leaving Wenda and her four siblings with their uncle, a gambler and an alcoholic. There seemed to be no love in Wenda’s life.

The Burden of Feeling Alone

Under her uncle’s roof, Wenda endured years of physical and verbal abuse, with no solace. The constant mistreatment fueled Wenda’s growing loneliness and hopelessness. There seemed to be no one who could, or would, help. The neglect, pain and loneliness sent Wenda into a downward spiral: Many times Wenda hurt herself. Love and trust were foreign to the young girl, and there was nothing she could find to fill her empty heart.

When Wenda was in ninth grade, however, she became friends with a girl her age named Robinia. Wenda noticed something different about Robinia: Whenever she was around Robinia, happiness flooded the troubled young woman’s heart.

One day, Wenda stayed over at Robinia’s home. That night, Wenda experienced something foreign to her own home life: As the family prepared for bed, they gathered for prayer. Robinia’s father turned to Wenda and asked if she had any prayer requests.

While confusion may have been Wenda’s first response, it didn’t take long for her to pour out her heart. She shared about the challenges and traumas that had robbed her life of joy, stability and loving relationships.

Welcomed with Open Arms

After Wenda opened up about her life, Robinia and her family prayed for the depressed young woman. Following their prayer, a change began to work in Wenda’s heart. For the first time in a long time, Wenda felt different—lighter and happier. The emptiness that had threatened to consume her life dissolved, little by little.

As the days passed, Wenda learned more and more from Robinia about the God who loved her. Then one day, a local church led by Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Kalman held a youth camp, and Robinia invited Wenda to tag along. As Pastor Kalman shared from God’s Word, realization struck Wenda: The Lord loved her unconditionally.

The hollowness that had eaten away at her heart disappeared and was replaced with the love of God. Wenda fell to her knees, crying out to the Lord. That day, she embraced Christ’s love into her heart, and healing and hope replaced her pain and loneliness. Wenda had found the security that only Christ could bring. Eventually, she joined the local church, rejoicing with other believers in their shared love for God and actively participating in the Youth Fellowship.

“Now, I realize that God has always been there with me,” Wenda said, “but I just did not [know] it before. If it were not for Him, I would probably not be alive today. One of my favorite passages in the [Holy Scriptures] is Ephesians 6, which talks about the armor of God. Though I struggle with severe spiritual battles since I became a Christian, I keep moving forward for my King Jesus Christ, holding His hands. Let His name be glorified through my faith, speech and action every single day!”

See how a young man experienced the life-changing love of God through VBS.

Gospel for Asia (GFA World) Updates & Reports from the Mission Field

The last four years had been somewhat of a whirlwind for Mabli. Through the faith-filled ministry of local Gospel for Asia (GFA) pastor Danil, the middle-aged mother of five had experienced the healing of her family from sickness, embraced the love of Christ in her life and seen her husband, Daleton, transformed by that same love. However, poverty—seemingly constant in her life—still had a grip on her family. But that was about to change.

An Open Door to a Better Tomorrow

In the four years Pastor Danil had ministered to Mabli and Daleton, he had borne witness to the destitution afflicting them. The family couldn’t afford to clothe themselves. All their earnings had gone toward keeping the family alive for another day, and debt owed to others loomed over them. Pastor Danil resolved to change that, and eventually the opportunity came.

One day, Mabli and Daleton received an invitation to a gift distribution organized by Pastor Danil. With it came news that they may not have expected: They were to receive a buffalo.

For some time, the buffalo benefitted the family, but then an even greater opportunity presented itself. Mabli and Daleton sold the buffalo and, using the earnings, purchased a cow.

The cow gave birth soon after they purchased it. This was the opportunity Mabli and Daleton were waiting for. The cow produced plentiful milk, which the couple could sell, providing a secure source of income, but the blessings did not stop there.

The Foundation for Future Blessing

As time progressed, the Lord further blessed the family with three more cows, one of which also produced milk. Both milk-producing cows netted Mabli and Daleton around 6 gallons of milk a day. Because of the earnings from the milk, poverty no longer threatened the family.

Mabli and Daleton could now properly feed and clothe themselves and their children; they paid off their debt in its entirety. In fact, if anyone they knew needed monetary help, Mabli and Daleton helped them, in the hopes that the recipients might experience the same love and help that the couple had received. Wherever they go, the family shares of God’s blessings and love in their life, hoping to touch others’ lives with their story.

Read how GFA workers helped secure a widow’s future through an animal gift.

Gospel for Asia (GFA World) Updates & Reports from the Mission Field