GFA missionaries, like those pictured here, take time to talk with people eager to learn about Christ.

Something happened in Riva’s mind and heart as her eyes scanned the words of a Man whose wisdom changed lives. As she read Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, she learned of the God who taught people to love their neighbors, to forgive, to turn from sin. … Could this God change her life—and the life of her husband?

‘Coincidence’ Leads to Friendship

Riva and her husband, Pezi, had two children. Riva worked as an orderly in a school while Pezi worked as a truck driver to make ends meet. Pezi was often gone for days at a time, and the days he spent at home were not joyful. He was addicted to alcohol and fought with his wife whenever he was home.

Then, one day, a chance encounter made Riva question if things had to be this way. As she walked home from work, she and a man began talking. She discovered the man, GFA pastor Davin, lived only one kilometer from her. After Pastor Davin told Riva about the God he served, a God of love, she explained the sorrows her husband’s addiction had caused. Hearing this, Pastor Davin prayed for Riva, and hope welled in her heart. Maybe things could change in her family. She invited Pastor Davin to her home, and he prayed for Riva’s family. Before he left, he offered her a New Testament and encouraged her to read it each day. He also invited her to visit his church.

“We will pray, and God will change your family situation, especially the life of your husband,” Pastor Davin said.

But would Pezi’s life change?

The Power of Prayer and God’s Word

Riva had faith—or curiosity—enough to start reading the New Testament, hungry to know what answers it held. Soon, Riva started joining Sunday worship services and evening prayer meetings at Pastor Davin’s home. She also attended Women’s Fellowship meetings, and faith sprouted as she heard other women talk about all God had done in their lives. Eventually, Riva made a life-changing decision: She put her complete faith in Christ.

With her life now in His hands, Riva prayed for God to intervene in her family, too. Pastor Davin and his wife frequently visited Riva to join her in prayer.

One day, when Pastor Davin and his wife went to Riva’s house, they met Pezi—but he wasn’t in a state to be met. Maybe Pezi slurred his words. Perhaps he smelled of liquor. Whatever the clue, Pastor Davin quickly noticed Pezi was very drunk. Pastor Davin challenged Pezi’s out-of-control alcohol consumption.

“It is harmful to the body,” Pastor Davin said. “God has made our body perfectly well, and He dwells in us, but if we drink alcohol and smoke, then those things destroy our body.”

He prayed for Pezi to overcome his addiction and for God’s peace to reign in the home.

Instead of being hostile or defensive, Pezi listened to the pastor’s words. He also accepted Pastor Davin’s invitation to visit church with Riva the next day. When he did, a miracle happened.

After talking with Pastor Davin, Riva (pictured) began to hope her husband could find freedom from his addiction.

“[For the] first time in life, I experienced some kind of peace,” Pezi told Pastor Davin. The pastor encouraged Pezi to visit again and offered him a New Testament, suggesting he read the Gospel of John.

Pezi did read it, and his life began to change as God’s Word transformed his heart and Riva, Pastor Davin, and the whole church prayed for him. Within two months, Pezi was sober.

Joy finally reigns in Riva and Pezi’s home. The couple and their two children are following Christ and growing in His love.

“I was addicted to alcohol for three years, but God helped me and has transformed my life,” Pezi says. “I do not know how I got rid of it, but I know one thing: that God has changed my life.”

The power of Scripture was instrumental in making this transformation possible. Thank you for providing copies of God’s Word to share hope with people in desperate need of new life!

Siro (pictured) almost didn’t take Pastor Rahn’s gift, a New Testament, but when his daughter Pabla read the book to him, God did a miracle.

It was a national holiday, so Siro had the day off from his job as a painter. When a strange man approached his door, he wasn’t yet ready to hear the message of hope the man had to offer. The visitor, GFA pastor Rahn, offered Siro and his family a New Testament and some booklets. He also explained that he was available to pray for anyone in need.

“We are illiterate people,” Siro gruffly responded, “and we do not know how to read and write. You better move [on] from our house.”

“Your daughter can read for you,” Pastor Rahn suggested. “Please just listen. This is … the Word of God, and it can change your life, as well as all the difficulties you are facing.”

Then Pastor Rahn moved on, as Siro had advised him to do. He didn’t know that Siro and his family were facing serious difficulties.

Another Disturbing Night

For some time, Siro had been frequently experiencing attacks that seemed to be caused by an evil spirit. Some nights, he would suddenly become restless and then faint. These episodes disturbed the whole family.

The night after Pastor Rahn’s visit, another attack happened. Siro woke up at midnight shouting. His wife began weeping in distress. But Pabla, their seventh-grade daughter, remembered Pastor Rahn’s words. Maybe the Word of God could solve their problems, as he had claimed.

God’s Word Brings Peace

Pabla took the New Testament and began reading aloud. Suddenly, a voice bellowed from her father’s mouth: “Don’t read this book.” But Pabla’s mother told the girl to keep reading.

After a while, a miracle occurred. With one more shout from her father’s lips, the evil spirit apparently fled—Siro was free. He became calm and asked for some water to drink. Then he hugged Pabla.

Pabla read aloud to the family a little more. Then, after so many disturbed nights, they all slept in peace. Siro woke up in the morning with a firm conviction: We slept peacefully after a long time because of this Word of God.

Siro told Pastor Rahn about the miracle. The family began attending worship services at the church led by Pastor Rahn and put their faith in Jesus. Because of the gift of God’s Word, the family found freedom from oppression; now they have a lasting peace in Christ.

Vedansh (left) finally found enduring peace when he read about Jesus in a New Testament he received from Pastor Vikranta (right)

Faithful and hardworking were two words that could be used to describe Vedansh. Married with two children, Vedansh did all he could to provide for his family. Yet there was something missing from Vedansh’s life.

Vedansh worked as a daily laborer to feed his family—yet despite his efforts and his faithfulness to his beliefs, Vedansh was unhappy. It was as if there were a void dwelling in his heart. Vedansh’s outside appearance was one of happiness, but the turmoil within him grew and grew.

An Encounter with God’s Love

One day, as Vedansh was returning home from work, he happened to meet GFA-supported pastor Vikranta. The two struck up a conversation, and Pastor Vikranta shared of God’s love. As they continued talking, Vedansh explained his struggles and the discontentment roiling in his heart. He detailed the many rites he performed in hopes peace would come.

The pastor listened and offered to pray for Vedansh.

“God is the Peace-giver, and He gives peace which is perennial,” the pastor encouraged. Before he left, Pastor Vikranta offered the troubled man a New Testament and suggested he read the Gospel of John.

The very next day, Vedansh called Pastor Vikranta and said he felt peace he had never felt before. Pastor Vikranta rejoiced with Vedansh and invited him to attend the upcoming worship services at the local church.

Everlasting Peace

Over the next month and a half, Vedansh read the New Testament. One verse stood out to him in particular: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

John 3:16 powerfully touched Vedansh, filling his heart immediately with peace. Over the next months, Vedansh and his entire family attended services, learning more about God and His never-ending love. Vedansh also finished reading the New Testament. And as he did, the peace he felt stayed permanently.

“Once, I lived without peace,” Vedansh says. “But when I found the living God and read His Word, my heart was filled with peace.”

Thanks to their sturdy vehicle, mobile team members can safely travel to remote communities to share films about Jesus.

A large gathering of about 200 people crowded to get a good view. It was a film, quite the rare sight in this rural community. This film, however, was a particularly special one.

God’s Love Is for Them

GFA-supported mobile teams travel to the most remote of villages. Some of these isolated communities, hidden away from the world, have never heard the name of Jesus. One mobile team, led by Pastor Kovida, visited a similar village where GFA-supported pastor Abhinay was serving.

Two hundred men and women lived in this specific village and worked as daily wage laborer and gatherers. Some walk five miles just to find work. Poverty reigned. Furthermore, out of the 200 residents, only two had passed 10th grade.

Truly, the brothers saw that these people needed God’s love. As they mingled with the villagers, they offered Christian literature and invited them to the film showing later that night.

The Power of God’s Love

That night the villagers gathered. Pastor Kovida and his team started the film. For the first time, many not only heard of Jesus but also saw His life and ministry. This Man, who loved them so much, died on the cross.

After the movie ended, the villagers were so curious and fascinated with what they had seen, they couldn’t stop talking about it! Pastor Abhinay also talked to many of the villagers who had seen the film. Several desired to know more, so an open-air meeting was arranged for a later date.

Among those villagers were Syum and his wife, Pravina. The elderly couple was childless and alone, but after seeing the film and hearing of Jesus and His great love, their hearts were moved.

The night of the film, they opened their hearts to Christ and later attended a local fellowship. Two additional families decided to reignite their faith that night.

Through film, mobile teams like Pastor Kovida’s are able to not just share Jesus’ love but also show it.

Aahan (man on right) was once bedridden from debilitating diseases. When he began to read a New Testament he received from GFA-supported pastor Dakshi (man on left), his faith grew to believe God would heal him.

Aahan read the promise from God’s Word, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7). These words went deep into his heart. It was a word from God that Aahan needed as he laid in bed, too sick to get out.

Why Was He Not Getting Better?

Years ago, Aahan had become mysteriously sick and weak in both legs. He couldn’t move out of his bed because he had lost so much strength. Then there was the severe pain in his stomach and chest and the unusual swelling. Aahan’s health was at risk— and so was his family’s survival.

Because Aahan couldn’t work, which meant no money was coming in, his family was on the brink of starvation. Aashi, Aahan’s wife, took up the mantle of family breadwinner and began working in the fields for her family. But it was not easy to look after Aahan and their three young children—the youngest of whom was only 1 year old— and also earn enough to put food on the table.

What Is Wrong with Him?

Aashi took her husband to multiple medical facilities to see if doctors could figure out what had happened to her husband, but the diagnoses had the doctors boggled: They found Aahan had multiple illnesses. Even though the doctors gave him medicine, nothing seemed to bring Aahan healing. Then one villager recommended Aashi take her husband to the church led by GFA-supported pastor Dakshi, which she did.

Will He Ever Find Healing?

Pastor Dakshi started visiting Aahan in his home and praying for his healing. Knowing that God’s Word is powerful and His promises bring encouragement, the pastor offered Aahan a New Testament for him to read. This gift of God’s Word was made possible because of supporters like you.

Aahan (man on right) was once bedridden from debilitating diseases. When he began to read a New Testament he received from GFA-supported pastor Dakshi (man on left), his faith grew to believe God would heal him.

After that day, Aahan read the New Testament and was greatly encouraged by what he read. He determined then to persevere in prayer because he believed God would hear his prayers and grant his request. Seven months later, Aahan was miraculously able to walk again, having been given strength and healing in his legs and body by God.

Aahan also bought complete Bibles for all the members of his family so they could grow in their newfound faith. Because of a New Testament, one family’s life was transformed forever. Aahan was healed of sickness both physically and spiritually.

“I was inspired greatly from the Bible verse, ‘Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you’ from Matthew 7:7,” Aahan explained. “I clung to that promise of God, and I experienced the touch of God in my life. Thus I am alive today and able to live a normal life.”

A shopkeeper eagerly reads literature about Christ. Simple words on pieces of paper can carry tremendous hope to those who read them. GFA-supported pastors carry literature with them so anyone interested in learning more about the Word that became flesh can better understand His character.

Belli was 19 years old, and despite all her visits to doctors and magicians, she hadn’t yet had a menstrual cycle. Multiple marriage proposals had been cancelled on the young woman when prospective bridegrooms heard about her problem.

But then, one day, she wound up with a piece of paper about Jesus titled, “You Can Be Free.” In that moment, nothing else seemed to matter. She wanted to know and follow Christ, so she called the number on the back of the tract and connected with a GFA-supported pastor.

Belli eagerly started going to church, and soon her parents and three siblings joined her. Belli’s family and the family of believers prayed, asking God to heal her body. After five months, it happened! Belli was overjoyed. It didn’t take long for Belli and two of her siblings to make a public proclamation of their desire to live for Jesus—or for a young man to proclaim his desire to marry her.

Now Belli is doubly engaged—to her heavenly Bridegroom and an earthly one—and is free from the shame that once held her. And it all started with a simple piece of paper. Praise the Lord!

Through the prayers of a GFA supported pastor, this woman’s health was restored, and she found freedom and restoration in Jesus. Like Kamna, many men and women have little hope, and few know lasting hope even exists—but God is moving through His servants to touch hearts and change lives.

Your prayers for GFA-supported workers make a difference—thank you!

Kamna had spent a great amount of money on hospital bills, doctor visits, traditional medicines and home remedies, but nothing could cure her. Her body still bled. It was embarrassing, and there was nothing she could do to fix it.

But after 10 years of torment, help arrived in the form of a piece of paper and the prayers of the woman who carried it.

The Woman Who Was Scorned

Not far from Kamna there lived a woman named Disha, whom few in the village liked. Disha had been abandoned by her husband years before and had become a GFA-supported missionary a few years later. She and her son lived in Kamna’s village, where they regularly gathered with a small group of men and women to worship Jesus.

Although many mocked Disha, Kamna felt comfortable around her from the first day they met. The two talked about Jesus, a conversation sparked by some literature Disha had with her that day. Kamna listened, then told the missionary about her bleeding problem. Comforted by Disha’s words and compassion, Kamna decided to visit Disha’s church.

Finding Healing Among Believers

Kamna didn’t attend just the weekly worship services; she also came to Women’s Fellowship meetings and any other times of prayer. The believers earnestly prayed for Kamna’s well-being with each visit. Disha even visited and prayed for the ailing woman twice a week. And God answered their prayers and healed her of her bleeding!

As Kamna and her husband witnessed God’s hand of power in her life, they decided they wanted to follow Him all their days. Now Kamna and her husband joyfully attend the worship services every week, where they meet with the other believers in their village.

Though Kamna never found a cure on her own, the One with the cure found her—and her life has never been the same.

Ellis felt a strange sense of peace come over him. The pastor had only spoken a few words to him, but they were enough. He hadn’t experienced such peace in what seemed like an eternity.

As he carried home the literature the pastor had handed him, joy filed his heart, and it shone on his face.

Ellis had suffered much loss in his lifetime; the guilt of his past and the agony of his daughter’s death had left a giant hole in the tender places of his heart. When Ellis met the pastor, he was powerless to help his family, and it seemed life was steadily declining.

Man’s Bad Habits and Daughter’s Death

Ellis’s bad habits had caused his family much grief. No matter how hard his wife or parents pleaded with him to stop hanging around with a bad crowd, their words failed to move him. Caught up in addictions, Ellis couldn’t stop himself.

“I was in the pleasures of this world,” Ellis says. “As the days passed by, I became worse than before.”

When Ellis’s daughter suddenly fell sick, his neighbours said evil spirits were the cause of her illness. So Ellis took her to several witch doctors, but her condition only worsened, and she died.

Ellis didn’t know why this agony had come. It snatched away his daughter—and every form of happiness in his home. Sorrow consumed Ellis. Over time he was able to overcome his deep pain, but then a new kind of trouble overtook his family.

“Both of my sons started facing problems,” Ellis relates. “They could not get proper sleep at night, due to fear.”

Strange powers began harassing them, giving his sons nightmares. When the torment affected them in the daytime, they had no rest.

“We had lost hope that we would overcome this problem,” Ellis remembers.

Man Receives Booklets and Hope

It was at this point Ellis met Gospel for Asia pastor Mishu. The pastor and his wife serve in Ellis’s village, faithfully carrying the love of Christ to the people.

Pastor Mishu offered Ellis some booklets, which Ellis received gratefully. “Read these,” the pastor said. “These booklets talk about the love of Jesus Christ. May God’s peace be with you.”

The pastor’s kind words and blessing brought a quiet rest to Ellis’s heart.

Ellis’s step was lighter as he carried home the booklets. He thought deeply about Pastor Mishu’s words.

“I liked his behaviour,” Ellis told his wife, “because he blessed me in the name of Jesus Christ, and I felt a lot of peace in my heart.”

Seeing his joy, Ellis’s wife encouraged him to read the literature.

Family Has a New Future

The next day, Pastor Mishu visited Ellis’s home and prayed for the whole family. Ellis saw the love and forgiveness found in Jesus and accepted His grace and mercy.

Ellis, now free from his addictions and bad habits, is at peace. Because of Pastor Mishu’s earnest prayers, Ellis and his family no longer struggle with fear; instead, genuine joy fills his household.

“I thank my Lord because in the right time He sent His servant to save me,” Ellis says.

Through your support, missionaries like Pastor Mishu are spreading the love of Christ to those living in bondage. Thank you for partnering with us to reach those who have never heard of the peace Jesus offers.

Smita immediately recognized the booklet two women handed her. Did these ladies have answers to her questions?

Smita had been searching for someone to tell her about the God who had changed her life, but she didn’t know where to look.

Healed but Wondering

Within a three-year span, Smita had needed three operations: a hysterectomy, kidney stone surgery and an appendectomy. These surgeries had left her in a state of constant pain, to the extent that she couldn’t care for her husband and two young sons. Every part of her body ached, and although she spent money buying medicine and offering sacrifices to her gods, her health didn’t improve—until the day a neighbour suggested she visit a nearby pastor. When Smita and her husband visited the pastor, he prayed for her.

Within a month, God healed Smita. But when she and her husband went to share this good news with the pastor, they couldn’t find him. The only thing they had that could tell them more about the Great Physician was some Christian literature the pastor had given them, including a booklet called “The Way to God.”

A Key to Answers

Staring at the booklet in her hands—the same one she had received from the pastor—she knew these women might be the key to finding out more about the God who’d healed her. Smita began opening up to them.

“I have a tract of the same kind at my home, and I have read that many times,” she said. “It was a great encouragement for me.”

Smita shared her story with the women, Raveena and Lekisha, unaware that Raveena had a similar story of desperation, hope and waiting.

Woman Finds Healing and Purpose

Raveena had also known the agonizing pain of an illness—and the crisis it could create in a family. At age 17, after giving birth to her daughter, Raveena was diagnosed with a chronic heart condition. Her family spent hours taking her to hospitals and large amounts of money on treatments. Meanwhile, Raveena’s husband left her for another woman, and she fell into a pit of despair.

Like Smita, the woman missionary had also found hope through the healing hands of God. One day, Raveena happened to hear a radio broadcast that shared how Jesus could heal any kind of disease. Her heart swelled with hope, and she joined with the radio broadcaster as he prayed for the sick, believing for her own healing. Then a burning sensation filled her entire body as God healed her—a fact later proven when she could get out of bed and work around the house.

But like Smita, Raveena didn’t have any way of knowing more about the Healer, Jesus.

It wasn’t until years later that Raveena met a GFA pastor and some believers who reached out to her and told her more about the God who had healed her body and would soon heal her soul.

After growing closer to Christ, she decided to spend three years at a GFA Bible college learning how to reach other women, like Smita, with the same love that had changed her life.

As Raveena neared the completion of her studies, she shared, “After graduation, I want to go and share my testimony with so many people. There are so many people just like me! They are in a broken condition. I just want to . . . encourage them through my testimony.”

So when Raveena and Smita met in the marketplace, God fulfilled both of their desires. Smita found someone who could tell her about Jesus, and Raveena got to encourage a woman in the same place she’d once been—a place of desperation for a deeper relationship with the One who had healed her.

Friendship Leads to New Life

Overjoyed to meet the women missionaries, Smita asked Raveena and Lekisha to come to her home. There, they spent time telling Smita more about Jesus and praying for her family.

Because Smita’s interest in the Lord continued to grow, Raveena and Lekisha regularly visited her, praying that she would come to know Jesus.

Now Smita, her husband and her children are following Him. They are growing closer to Christ as they join worship services with the local GFA congregation and as Raveena and Lekisha continue to encourage them in their spiritual journey.

Because God brought these two missionaries to answer Smita’s questions at the right time, an entire family is now worshipping Jesus. Thank you for partnering with women missionaries like Raveena and Lekisha. God is using you to help our sisters in Christ to fulfill their calling, sharing His love with their fellow women in a time of need.

To learn more about Raveena’s story, you can read the story “Prepared to Be a Powerful Witness” from the March 2013 issue of SEND! magazine (now known as GFA World) at gfa.ca/raveena.

Farah not only taught Shona to read but also shared about the Lord, telling her and the other women in their literacy class about His work in her life and His goodness toward her and her family.

Listening to Farah’s testimony influenced Shona, who absorbed the stories of God’s faithfulness as she learned how to read and write. Once Shona could read, Farah gave her a New Testament to take home. Shona began reading the Bible regularly, and God’s Word started to take CURRENT_USER in her life. She eventually responded to the call of Christ’s love and chose to follow Him.

Because Shona read the Bible out loud, her husband also heard the Good News and believed in Jesus. Now Shona and her husband attend a local fellowship, and Shona even leads the weekly Women’s Fellowship meetings.

Thanks to generous partners like you, Shona and so many other women have learned to read and write and, most important, have learned about Jesus through reading His Word.

Seva, a wife and mother of four, shares the impact of one little piece of paper:

“I had been suffering with typhoid for five years. For my treatment we had gone to doctors, but I did not find any relief. When the doctors did a checkup, they were not able to find any sickness in me. At last we went to a magician whose advertisement we had seen on the television. He charged us a big amount of money. There also I was not healed.

“There was a shrine in our house. We had buried my husband’s father’s body in the shrine, where we used to pour oil to worship the spirits. He was a witchcraft doctor. My father-in-law’s pupil told us that my father-in-law, who was dead, wanted some service from us. Therefore we buried our father’s dead body in our home and were worshiping it. Our condition turned worse, and we were very afraid. We again went to the witch doctor. There was no relief. I thought that there was no god at all.

“One day, some people [gave] us some literature. I read the tract and saw a phone number on that tract. … A little ray of hope came to our hearts. We dialed the phone number in the tract and shared all our problems through the phone. That was Gospel for Asia pastor Harsukh. He prayed for us over the phone. He invited us to church.

“For the first time, we heard the Word of God in the service. … Having faith in our hearts, we continued to come to Sunday services. As our faith increased, our problems began to decrease. We conducted prayer meetings at our home. God’s servant earnestly prayed for me, and I was delivered completely. We [took out] the shrine from our house, and the dead body was removed. I put my trust in Jesus Christ. Now we are happy in the Lord.”

Thank you for sharing Christ’s love with people like Seva. One day, you’ll find out whose hands—and lives—your generosity has touched.

With no one to turn to, Mayuri began selling her body, using the little she earned to feed her daughters.

Mayuri’s father was a drunkard. Mayuri and her mother worked each day, and Mayuri’s father sometimes demanded their earnings so he could fuel his addiction. If they refused, he’d beat them badly.

Mayuri’s hurting mother begged deity after deity to change her husband, but the family only continued to suffer.

When Mayuri was 14, her mother married her off in hopes of saving her from more abuse. Five years into her marriage, Mayuri bore a child—a girl. Mayuri’s husband, angered by the birth of a daughter, turned cruel. A few years later, Mayuri bore another daughter.

Young Mother Abused for Bearing Two Daughters

Enraged, Mayuri’s husband beat her, and together with his mother began torturing her, driving her toward the brink of death.

So Mayuri ran, taking her two girls to live with her at her mother’s home. She planned, as many in South Asia do, to move to the Middle East to find work. She borrowed money to pay her liaison, but the liaison swindled her. Indebted and helpless, the single mother and her two daughters went hungry.

With no one to turn to, Mayuri began selling her body, using the little she earned to feed her daughters. Even so, prostitution didn’t make her enough money to meet her family’s needs.

Then, in 2010, Mayuri felt a burning sensation in her stomach. She made it to a doctor who found a cancerous tumor in her uterus. With no money for treatment, she sought help from the temples, but none came.

The God She Didn’t Call Answered

Around this time, GFA pastor Patakin began sharing the Good News with Mayuri and offering her Gospel literature. As the prostitute realized that Christians didn’t isolate or look down on her like others did, she took Pastor Patakin’s invitation to come to a Christmas service.

There, a joy previously unknown to Mayuri filled her heart. The love she experienced through the believers began to change her, so she decided to join them each week.

One Sunday, the Lord spoke to her heart about the healing He brings. The pastor also shared stories recorded in Scripture of women who were healed by the Lord Jesus, asserting that God could do the same for them.

That day, Mayuri put her trust in Christ, and the Lord gave her new life. On top of that, He completely healed her of cancer!

Since that day, the Lord has provided a daily wage labor job for Mayuri. Her daughters have also been redeemed from shame, and they are growing in the Lord in their Sunday school.

“Jesus Christ is the true God,” Mayuri shares. “Today I am living; that is only by the grace of God.”

Even though Minati was 45 years old, receiving a Christmas gift was still the highlight of her year. When Gospel for Asia presented her with a sewing machine, a very specific dream of hers finally came true.

Minati and her husband, both believers, live in a community where people once had no other source of income except working as laborers in a tea garden. Minati saw the challenges faced by her fellow villagers as they strove for their families’ survival. Her husband was a daily laborer himself, working hard to provide for their five children. Moved by compassion, Minati wanted to help her community.

With a background in tailoring, Minati gathered several neighbor women together with the hopes of teaching them to sew. The skill of sewing would represent a financial breakthrough for the women and their families, as their meager incomes could often barely provide food. If the family was in debt or someone got sick, their situation could spiral downward fast.

Unfortunately, the group could not come up with enough money to buy a sewing machine for classes.

A Miracle Revives Her Dream

Minati was disappointed, feeling there was no way she could help her neighbors.

“For some time, I thought, ‘I want to do good for people, but why isn’t God hearing my prayer?’ ” Minati remembers.

But the Lord knew Minati’s desires. Her pastor, Gunalan, had the privilege to distribute sewing machines from GFA’s Christmas Gift Catalogue—and one went to Minati.

A Hardworking Sewing Machine

Overjoyed, Minati lost no time putting her gift to work. The very next day, she went from house to house spreading the word that she would be teaching free tailoring classes. She started teaching four women, only one of whom was a Christian.

Minati passionately served her community because she knew the love of Jesus would bring transformation to their hearts and lives. She faithfully shared Gospel literature and New Testaments as she sewed for her neighbors.

When Pastor Gunalan heard that Minati was both repairing clothing for free and teaching multiple tailoring classes, he immediately made arrangements for the hardworking seamstress to receive a second sewing machine.

Minati’s goals have only grown. Her desire now is to teach 30 women each year to sew.

Gifts Bring Spiritual Fruit

Aditi is one of Minati’s students whose life has changed dramatically, thanks in part to her tailoring class.

“I am from a poor family background, and my husband is a worker in the tea garden,” says Aditi.

“Whatever he earns he spends for drinking alcohol, and I struggle to provide meals for my children. When I came to know about the free tailoring center, I was happy that I can also do something to earn money and give a good life to my children.

“Today, I am learning here because of the free teaching. Otherwise I could not afford it. I would like to put [in] a word for our teacher: She is very kind and loving and [is showing me] the true way and life of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

In response to God’s grace toward her, Aditi chose to follow the Lord.

“God delights in fulfilling our desires in due time,” Minati says. “Now I can say that He has fulfilled all my desire and gives me more than what I need. The people in the village give me more respect and honor for what I am doing, and I give all the glory and honor to my Almighty God.”

Emaan had been ready for a good argument when Pastor Kavith showed up. As planned, Emaan began barraging Kavith with questions. But Emaan’s motivations were different than he had originally intended.

An Unlikely Friendship

When Gospel for Asia-supported pastor Kavith began ministering in Emaan’s village, he faced great opposition. The people of this community adhered to their ancestral faith and viewed Christianity as a dishonorable, “tribal” religion.

“Aren’t you ashamed to forsake your own deity and worship the tribal god?” the elders chastised. “Keep your religion to yourself and stop spreading it here in this village. You are not at all welcome among us.”

Undeterred by their harsh words, Kavith knew God deeply cared for these people and continued sharing Jesus’ love with them. One day, while visiting people’s homes, he met Emaan. Like the other villagers, Emaan ardently worshipped his ancestral deity and thought each community should follow their own religion.

Despite their different beliefs, a friendship blossomed between Kavith and Emaan. As they grew closer, Kavith began to tell Emaan the Good News and give him Christian literature, but Emaan usually just tried changing the subject.

Foiled Plans

Eventually, Emaan decided he’d had enough. He thought that if he read the booklets Kavith had given him, he could argue with Kavith and shut him up once and for all.

But as Emaan started reading the literature, he began to appreciate the teachings of Christ. His heart started opening to God’s Word, and his mind filled with questions about things in the booklets he didn’t understand. Many times his wife noticed he was lost in contemplation.

Sometime later, Emaan saw Kavith again. He started debating with Kavith—but with a different motivation than he had originally planned. Instead of trying to debunk Kavith’s beliefs, Emaan asked questions to understand what he had read in the booklets and find out if it were true.

Pastor Kavith explained God’s Word to him, and Emaan’s mind continued opening to God’s love.

From Film to Transformation

In July 2012, Kavith asked a GFA film team to show a film about Jesus in the village and invited Emaan. As Emaan watched the film, he saw the sacrifice Jesus made, and God softened his heart even further.

“I had been hearing the Word of God, but today was the first time I watched this film on the life of Jesus,” he declared after the show. “I had been thinking that Christ was only for tribal people, but now I realize I was so wrong.”

Emaan made a decision to follow Jesus, and since then, he’s been sharing the Good News with his wife and his co-workers. Even though his friends mock him, he continues to pray that they, too, will embrace Christ’s love.

If Pastor Kavith hadn’t had Gospel literature, Emaan may not be walking with Christ today. Because Kavith did give those booklets to Emaan, though, God transformed Emaan’s heart, and this man now lives as a testimony of the power of God’s Word.

“Right after my mother’s death, I will choose to follow Christ as my Saviour,” Amol once told his wife, Mithi.

Amol wasn’t ready to change, yet his alcoholism made life horrible for Mithi and their two children.

One day Mithi met Janisha and Saujanya, two Gospel for Asia missionaries who were visiting her village. Mithi told the women her story: She had grown up in a Christian family before marrying Amol, a non-Christian. Because he drank heavily and frequently abused her, she ended up turning from her faith.

Hearing this, the missionaries prayed for Mithi’s family and gave her a booklet titled “Man: What Are You?”

Two days later, Janisha received a call from a believer in Mithi’s village reporting a drastic transformation in Mithi’s life.

After reading the booklet, Mithi and Amol had begun thinking deeply about the significance of their lives and realized they needed to put their faith in Christ.

Through a piece of Gospel literature, God convicted Mithi’s and Amol’s hearts, and together they've decided to follow Him today and forever.

“This is our weapon,” Sunil told the inspector. “By this we kill evil—not men.”

The police entering Sunil’s room interrupted his sleep. The small, quiet 19-year-old missionary had shown a film on the life of Jesus earlier that night, but he had not expected a raid.

The police gave no explanation as they took Sunil to the station. Another pastor, Tahir, had also been arrested, but neither man was told why. Both pastors spent the night in the jail before they were shown the case that had been brought against them.

As Sunil and Tahir heard their alleged crime, they were surprised. Someone had mailed in a complaint and claimed that the men had a revolver and three AK-47s in their possession. The police demanded Sunil reveal the location of the guns. Sunil didn’t hesitate to comply; he opened his bag and pulled out the only weapons he had: two Bibles.

“This is our weapon,” Sunil told the inspector. “By this we kill evil—not men.” Seeing the Bibles, a few officers began laughing, but the inspector, Rajan, was not amused.

Believers from the area rushed in to support Sunil and Tahir as soon as they learned of their arrest. They spoke on behalf of the pastors, but had to wait until further investigation was done.

As the case came together, both pastors were declared innocent. The accuser’s family expressed their apologies and dedicated a parcel of land to Pastor Tahir to construct a church building.

This wasn’t the only blessing God brought out of the ordeal. During the questioning, Sunil had an opportunity to present the Gospel to the police using a verse from Romans: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28, nkjv).

Watch how one pastor remained faithful in the midst of opposition and witnessed many lives impacted by Christ’s love.

Hearing this, the inspector showed an interest in learning more about Jesus, so Pastor Tahir shared his own story with him. The testimony prompted the inspector to ask Tahir to come to his home and pray for his family. Pastor Tahir happily agreed and gathered a group of 25 believers from his church to go to Rajan’s home. After hearing the Gospel presented, Rajan is now very open to Christ.

Through your faithful support and prayers, these missionaries are able to stand strong for Christ in any situation, boldly declaring His name in spite of false accusations and imprisonment.

“Now they are talking to me and caring for me,” Shaunak says. “I thank the Lord Jesus for that.”

Shaunak’s life revolved around working and drinking.

Only 18 years old, the quiet young man had earned the resentment of his family because of his addiction. Shaunak had gravitated toward the destructive habit held by many other day labourers. Tired after long hours of work, he would spend his evenings drinking alcohol.

One day, as Gospel for Asia pastor Daiwik was handing out Christian literature and sharing about Jesus’love, he met Shaunak.

Shaunak wanted to know what Daiwik was doing, so Daiwik gladly told him—and then gave him a booklet and encouraged him to read it.

After their meeting, Daiwik went home with a burden to intercede for Shaunak. He and his wife began praying and fasting for the young man; they even asked the believers in their congregation to pray for him.

Questions Answered

The next time Shaunak and Daiwik crossed paths, it was obvious that God had been speaking to Shaunak. When he saw Daiwik talking to people one day, he approached the pastor and started asking the questions that had been burning in his heart since reading the booklet.

“Will Jesus forgive me?” he asked.“Will Jesus help me stop using alcohol?”

“If you put your faith in the Lord Jesus,” Daiwik told him, “He will surely forgive all your sins, and you will be a new creation in Him.”

The pastor invited Shaunak to visit the local fellowship and assured him God could transform his life.

“Your bad habits will change,” he said. “God loves you so much that He has given His life for you.”

Encouraged to hear this, Shaunak agreed to visit the church. As he learned more about Jesus, he decided to make Him the Lord of his life. God has indeed changed Shaunak’s life. Instead of drinking, Shaunak now reads God’s Word every day and faithfully participates in prayer meetings. Daiwik continues to visit Shaunak and pray for him. Meanwhile, the changes in Shaunak’s life have also brought joy to his family members.

“Now they are talking to me and caring for me,” Shaunak says. “I thank the Lord Jesus for that. ”Through one piece of Gospel literature, the Holy Spirit spoke to Shaunak’s heart, and now he is a new person.

“He has saved and changed me,”the young man testifies.

When Akshay Sharma moved away from home 14 years ago, he couldn’t imagine the impact he’d make on his new city.

A Bridge of Hope project director, Akshay has a unique life story, but he shares something in common with all other Bridge of Hope project directors: a passion for blessing children and their families with Christ’s compassion.

Teacher and Disciple Maker

1998 marked a milestone in Akshay’s life. That year, he made a commitment to follow Jesus and moved more than 800 miles away from home to work at a Christian school. During his eight years teaching there, he got married and joined a team of believers dedicated to telling others about Jesus.

Akshay shared the Good News while visiting hospitals, handing out literature and visiting people’s homes. As he ministered, he witnessed four families embrace Jesus’ love. Among them was Ajith, a young man who later joined a Gospel for Asia Bible college. While visiting Ajith at the college, Akshay heard about Bridge of Hope and decided to become a staff member.

Bridge of Hope reaches out to some of the most needy children in South Asia, offering them the love and hope of Jesus.

Akshay took on the difficult task of starting a Bridge of Hope centre in one of his city’s most underprivileged neighbourhoods—a slum. That was six years ago. Since then, Akshay and Suvali, his wife, who serves as a social worker at the centre, have watched children become competent young adults. Three students have graduated from the centre, and nine students have received a year of computer training.

Still dedicated to proclaiming the message of Jesus’ love, Akshay and Suvali regularly visit the students’ parents and pray constantly for them. Seeing Jesus’ love through the couple, many have put their faith in Him. In fact, Akshay now shepherds a fellowship of 15 people, including Bridge of Hope parents and other staff members.

Opposition Didn’t Stop Them

Akshay’s faithful ministry hasn’t continued without trials. While travelling to church one day in 2011, he nearly lost his life in a vehicle accident that left him unconscious for two days and injured his wife and two sons.

God restored their bodies, but they’ve have faced other hardships in the form of opposition. One time, a group of anti-Christian extremists set up an office near the Bridge of Hope centre, attempting to intimidate the ministry. But the students’ parents made sure the extremists couldn’t cause harm, showing their support for the Bridge of Hope staff members who nurture their children.

Through such challenges, God has sustained Akshay and Suvali and used them to transform children’s lives—and entire families! In only six years, they have left an indelible mark on their slum. Your prayers and support for Bridge of Hope are helping transform communities like this with Christ’s love.

Pastor Sachh waited patiently. The ministry in this village had progressed slowly, and he longed to see a breakthrough in people’s hearts. Sachh knew God would be faithful to bring it to pass, but he had no way of knowing that the answer to his prayers was one house visit away.

A Breakthrough was Slow in Coming

Ever since his enrollment in a Gospel for Asia Bible college, Sachh had regularly fasted and prayed, desiring to serve among uneducated, impoverished people. God had even given him a vision of the village where his future ministry would begin.

The remote village to which he had been called was best reached by boat. The alternative? Crossing 10 mountain ranges. Pastor Sachh knew no one upon his arrival, so for six months he built relationships with the people. He also gave them literature about Jesus and tutored their children. His labors yielded no immediate fruit, but he persevered.

She Found the Cure to All of Her Problems

One day Sachh entered the home of Lavenia. This poor woman was suffering with severe stomach pain and couldn’t keep down food for longer than five minutes. Visiting hospitals and witch doctors caused her to spend a great deal of money, but they provided no cure.

Pastor Sachh recognized the God-given opportunity before him and prayed for Lavenia’s healing in the name of Jesus. The very next moment, she was completely healed! Lavenia could eat all kinds of food without fear of being unable to keep it down. Seeing this miracle, her family began gathering with Pastor Sachh to worship God. Slowly, others joined them.

Ministry Expands to the Surrounding Villages

See how one group of missionaries is helping transform the lives of many who have never heard the name of Jesus.

Since then, Pastor Sachh has established a church in this village as well as three small fellowships in nearby villages. To continue sharing Christ’s love to the most unreached, Sachh has pioneered a boat outreach that ministers to surrounding people groups by distributing Gospel literature and sharing the Good News. Your prayers and support for missionaries like Sachh are bringing breakthroughs in villages throughout South Asia! Thank you for standing with our brothers and sisters as they labor faithfully for the glory of God.

The proprietor of a successful business, Nandak gave all the credit to his gods. There used to be little hope in Nandak’s life: his father had died when he was in the 10th grade, leaving Nandak’s mother alone to provide for her two sons.

Nandak dropped out of school and took upon himself the burden of providing for his mother and younger brother.

He got married and started a business selling furniture. This venture brought in enough money to meet all of the family’s needs. Attributing the success to their gods and goddesses, Nandak and his family worshiped them faithfully.

However, Nandak began spiraling down into a dark pit. He started spending time drinking with his friends. As this destructive habit grew worse, both Nandak’s wife and his mother pleaded with him to stop, but their words fell on deaf ears.

It was during this time that Prabhat, a Gospel for Asia-supported pastor, began taking a team of believers to share the Good News among unreached villages in the area. When Pastor Prabhat stopped by Nandak’s house, the young man wasn’t home. So Prabhat left a New Testament with Nandak’s wife and mother. When Nandak came home that evening, he noticed the Bible on the table. Not knowing what the book was about, however, he didn’t read it.

Sleepless Nights Cause Him to Read the Bible

A few days later, Nandak came down with a sickness that left him bedridden for days. Demons tormented him at night, robbing him completely of sleep. He went to a doctor and offered special sacrifices to the gods, but he didn’t get any better. Stuck in bed, Nandak picked up the New Testament left by Pastor Prabhat and began to read. The stories in the book of Matthew amazed him. Reading about the many healings of Jesus, Nandak was impressed by Jesus’ power, and he wanted Jesus to heal him too.

When news came that the pastor was back in his village, Nandak sent for him.

Pastor Prabhat was overjoyed to know that Nandak had been reading the Bible. He came and prayed for Nandak and challenged him to keep reading every day.

A Changed Life

This was not a problem for Nandak; he was learning so much. When he stopped worshiping the gods and goddesses of his traditional faith, the other villagers became upset. His mother and brother moved out, which saddened him. But Nandak noticed that the more he read the Bible, the better he felt. As Jesus began transforming his heart, he stopped drinking.

Within a month, people could see the positive changes in Nandak’s life. His wife decided to follow Jesus too. The couple invited Pastor Prabhat to their home to pray for them, and they also began hosting a weekly prayer meeting.

As the whole village heard about the prayer meetings and the power of Jesus to transform lives, people’s hearts began softening. Two more families decided to come pray, and they have since embraced the love of Jesus—along with Nandak’s mother and brother.

“I remember always trying to improve myself to earn love and respect from everyone around me,” Nandak says. “I started drinking alcohol. I thought I was so cool. But in reality, I was mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually unhealthy. I thought I was just partying and having fun, but I was really destroying myself.

Watch the story of a once illiterate woman who learned to read God’s Word for herself.

Thank you for sharing God’s Word with the people of South Asia! Through one New Testament, multiple families have found new life, and an entire unreached village has come to know about Jesus’ love.