GFA World Newsletter

October 2025, Vol. 22, No. 5

Pura had been praying. She needed consistent medical care for her hypertension and high blood sugar, but there was no doctor in her village. Although Pura had been able to get prescriptions for her condition, she still suffered from heart palpitations and weakness, which made it difficult to perform everyday tasks such as getting her kids ready for school or working in the fields. She knew that regular checkups were the key to maintaining her health. She also knew that she was not the only one in her village who suffered from the lack of a doctor.

“This place is a very interior village,” Pura says. “… There is no hospital or primary healthcare center in this place. … You must hire vehicles to transport patients from this place to the town, which is another two- or three-hours’ drive. … If you do not have money, then this is where we are trapped; this is where we suffer the most.”

Pura wanted her village to have access to a doctor. Along with other believers in her local church, Pura began asking God to meet their need for medical help.

Pura’s prayers were answered in early 2025 when her GFA-supported pastor announced that the church would host a free medical camp in just a few days. “I was extremely happy,” Pura remembers. “… I went to the marketplace … where we were planning to conduct the free medical camp and asked the villagers to come.”

When the day of the medical camp arrived, Pura and more than 100 of her fellow villagers attended. The camp was operated by GFA missionaries and medical staff who had arranged with Pura’s pastor to provide free medical care. Pura was impressed with the way the visiting missionaries cared for each patient, ushering attendees from one station to another, explaining how medications should be taken and taking special care with elderly patients’ limitations.

“This is what Jesus would do if He were here.” —Pura

“[Seeing the church give this service] was such a joy and happiness for me,” Pura says. “I went around and asked people, ‘What do you think about the free medical camp that was conducted here?’ and people gave a very positive and encouraging response. They said that they didn’t know that [the] church is even serving people this way.”

In addition to the joy of seeing her prayers answered and her fellow villagers touched by the practical love of Christ, Pura herself was blessed by the medical camp. The doctor checked her blood pressure and blood sugar and made sure that Pura’s prescriptions still fit her needs. Pura’s husband and son also got to see the doctor, and the family received free medicines to treat common ailments such as skin rashes and fever.

“I would like to thank everyone for their initiative in conducting this free medical camp,” Pura says. “… Through conducting this free medical camp, we are able to serve the people and tell them that this is what Jesus would do if He were here.”

Every weekend, many of our Nepali brothers and sisters wake before dawn and set out on a five- or six-mile mountain trek to attend church. By the time they arrive, their hearts are ready for more than a quick service. They stay for hours—worshiping, connecting and sharing meals with the Body of Christ. Many stay overnight and start the journey back home the next morning.

It’s a long, hard trip, but they consider every step to be worth it for the privilege of spending time in the Lord’s presence with fellow disciples.

Sometimes, I think it’s easy for us to take for granted the great treasure available to us when we meet with the Living God in His Church. Church can become a casual routine, and we miss the invitation to enter into His presence and be changed by Him.

During Jesus’ years of earthly ministry, He basically told His followers, “Come hang out with Me, and I will change you.” And that’s exactly what happened. Simple men, without much capability or influence, were transformed by the power of the Gospel and went on to turn the world upside down.

We have the same opportunity today. Be purposeful to ask God, “Will You meet with me in a real way?” He won’t leave you unchanged. Over time, as we continue in obedience, He fills us with His presence and power, changes us, and sends us out to change the world around us.

In this issue of Rejoice!, you’ll see what happens when ordinary men and women encounter the Living God. Natan and his family were shown the Way of Life, and now they are forever changed. Sister Pura, Pastor Elgin and GFA sponsor Taylor have each found ways to share the precious gift of God’s presence with others.

Thank you for the role you play to help make these stories happen. May His presence bring you peace and joy that overflows as you are changed by Him.

May God bless you,

Bishop Daniel
President

Natan became an adult at age 10. From the moment his parents died, he stepped into the role of protector and provider for his three younger siblings, working as a daily wage laborer to support them and put them through school. As Natan grew into a man, he continued faithfully caring for his loved ones, eventually marrying and working to support his wife and little girl.

But then the mystery ailment appeared. Episodes happened randomly—sometimes at work, sometimes at home—but always, they started with Natan seeing distant flashes of light. The light would draw nearer and nearer until it filled Natan’s vision. Then everything would go dark, and Natan would collapse. He visited many doctors and underwent numerous medical tests, but no one could identify his condition or offer any relief. Natan had spent his life caring for others, but now, at age 24, there was no one who could do the same for him.

One day, while doing masonry work in another village, Natan suddenly fell and injured his head. Amid this crisis, Natan found that there was someone who could help. GFA pastor Elgin, who serves in the area, heard about the incident from Natan’s employer. With Christ’s compassion, Pastor Elgin sought Natan out, encouraging him from Scripture and praying for his complete healing.

The next Sunday, Natan and his family attended Pastor Elgin’s church. The pastor shared about Christ’s unconditional love and His miraculous work in people’s lives. When the service was over, Pastor Elgin prayed again for Natan and his family.

The family appreciated the prayer and asked for more. At their request, Pastor Elgin later visited Natan’s home, telling them more about Christ and encouraging them to trust in Jesus for Natan’s healing. Little by little, Natan’s health improved. At last, his episodes disappeared entirely.

It was a miracle. Christ had cared for Natan and his family in a way no one else could. As a result, both Natan and his wife embraced the God who had embraced them.

Thank you for enabling missionaries like Pastor Elgin to minister daily in their communities. They’re able to show Christ’s love to people in need because of your partnership—and individuals like Natan are experiencing Christ’s care as a result!

Esther was only 4 years old when she experienced a whole lifetime of tragedies, all in just a few months. Her mother died, and her father abandoned the grief-stricken girl into the care of her grandparents. A few months later, Esther’s grandfather died, leaving her with just her grandmother, the torrent of loss swirling around them. Then Esther’s father died too, without any reconciliation with his little girl.

Esther’s grandmother, a domestic laborer, struggled to provide for them. Unable to afford school, she worried about Esther’s future.

Instead of going to school, Esther went to work with her grandmother, flipping through old schoolbooks from neighbors. It pained her grandmother to watch little Esther’s lack of education, knowing the harsh existence of the uneducated and illiterate.One day, an unexpected opportunity came to Esther’s grandmother. She heard about our child sponsorship program in her area, and suddenly there was a way to provide for her precious granddaughter. Soon, Esther was enrolled, making a way for her to attend school, receive tutoring and mentorship, and nurture her love for learning.

With this critical support, Esther has grown in her academic abilities and is now one of the best students in her school. She has received many awards and is liked by everyone. The once shy, isolated girl without much hope is now a confident young lady who will be able to care for herself and her grandmother in the years to come.

Your partnership is helping bring the hope of Christ to the suffering like Esther!

"As Taylor walked down the Italian street, he noticed a man on the ground, nearly naked, eyes glazed, hands ending in small nubs. The man lifted his head, motioning towards Taylor, but Taylor pretended not to notice. “I wish I hadn’t been such a tourist,” Taylor later confessed, “and just touched his hand or something. But I couldn’t be bothered by his suffering while on vacation.” That moment and the regret it produced stuck with Taylor.

Back home, despite faithfully attending church and trying to maintain a disciplined walk with the Lord, something was missing. “I was just soaking up a bunch of doctrine and teaching,” Taylor reflected. “But I wasn’t doing anything proactive. How can I live the Christian life without actually serving others?” At a friend’s house, Taylor saw a picture of a child in our child sponsorship program.

That picture caused him to begin questioning his priorities. “What am I living for?” he wondered. “If I love Jesus, what am I doing to care for the sick, the lonely, the hurting, those who need to experience His love?”

When he read K.P. Yohannan’s book Revolution in World Missions, Taylor saw what was missing. “We, as the Church, as part of the Kingdom of God,” shared Taylor, reflecting on the impact of K.P.’s words, “we have a mandate and a mission, to be as He was on this earth. If we’re going to be in His kingdom and have His blessing to walk as He walked, we have to … be on His mission.”

In June 2025, Taylor attended the Set Apart retreat at GFA’s Texas campus, where he met believers who had gone through similar experiences. At the retreat, Taylor spoke with Jonathan, who talked about being in the rat race before joining GFA staff. “That was impactful because I think that’s where I am in my life … I think it showed me that people are there because they felt the same unrest that I did, trading building their own “silos” to furthering God’s kingdom.”

Taylor is still seeking how to be even more involved in God’s mission, but he has started to turn his eyes from building his own kingdom to building God’s kingdom."