GFA World Newsletter

September 2021, Vol. 18, No. 6

The lines on Magda’s frail face traced the story of a wearisome life. After losing her husband while still a young woman, Magda had struggled to support their daughter, Callee. When Callee eventually married, she was too distant and poor to care for her aged mother. Magda was alone, with no one to look after her, when she became ill.

Unable to keep down any food, Magda grew weak. Seeking medical care produced no results. She turned to traditional rituals and witch doctors but to no avail.

Then Magda discovered the culprit: An evil spirit was terrorizing her.

Distressed by the spirit day and night, Magda performed rituals in an effort to appease it. But her condition only worsened. Magda suffered for eight long years, with no relief in sight. She longed for companionship and comfort, but Magda’s only visitor brought torment and robbed her of any peace.

Peace at the Door

Then four bearers of peace, clad in white, came to Magda’s home. Perhaps she blinked in disbelief, surprised anyone would care enough to visit. For so long she had been overlooked, forgotten.

Magda eagerly welcomed them into her home, but she wondered who the women were and what they were doing in the village.

“We are serving the Lord and humanity,” the GFA World Sisters of Compassion told her. “We have come here to help the poor, children, widows, disabled people and all those who are in need, because Jesus Christ loves them.”

“Are you living here alone?” the Sisters asked Magda. “What about your family?”

Tears began to flow as Magda shared her lonely tale. Hearts burdened, the Sisters comforted Magda with news of God’s love and deliverance.

Deliverance? Perhaps this God could provide the deliverance she needed.

In the coming days, Magda’s new friends continued to visit her, bringing encouragement and prayer. Gradually, Magda’s faith grew.

A Dream Realized

One night, Magda dreamed the evil spirit was fleeing from her body and her home. Maybe it seemed surreal amid her slumber, but Magda awakened to discover a new reality: A peaceful home.

Sisters of Compassion minister God’s love to hurting and impoverished people, including slum residents and widows.

God had miraculously delivered her from the evil that had invaded! Full of peace, Magda felt light and free. Perhaps unsure how to respond to her new reality, Magda went about her daily chores.

Then the second wonder occurred: Magda was able to eat, without vomiting. Magda rushed to share her good news.

“[Jesus Christ] delivered me from the powers of darkness,” Magda said. “I am so happy and excited.”

Now free, Magda has joined the local community of believers and is growing in her faith. She is no longer alone or bound. There is a new light in her wrinkled face.

Thanks to donors like you, Sisters of Compassion can bring hope and deliverance to lonely widows like Magda.

July 2020, Vol. 17, No. 6

Rani’s life had withered under the shadow of pain and hardship, but one day light penetrated that shadow when three women simply noticed Rani and the sadness lining her face—a sadness that had built up over many years.

From Loneliness to Friendship

Rani received little education growing up, so she had limited options in life. She married, but her marriage proved a painful one as her husband fell prey to alcohol. While enduring her husband’s addiction, Rani suffered an excruciating case of hemorrhoids that sapped her health and strength, although she took medication. Doctors said she needed surgery, but she couldn’t afford it. Then Rani’s husband died. Suddenly, Rani was alone in her pain. She struggled to earn a living by washing clothes and dishes for people.

One day, Rani met three Sisters of Compassion. These GFA workers had received special training to share God’s love with the marginalized and neglected—including people suffering from leprosy, widows and people in poverty—and they were committed to serving Rani’s community.

When the Sisters of Compassion met Rani, they noticed she looked weak and sad. They prayed for her and shared words of comfort about God’s love. They began visiting Rani frequently, and a friendship grew. As Rani heard her new friends talk about Jesus, she felt a fresh sense of peace.

One day, Rani told the Sisters about her physical pain, and they prayed for her. The Sisters also encouraged Rani to believe Jesus could heal her.

A seed of faith germinated in Rani’s heart as the Sisters continued praying for her, and Rani gradually improved. When Rani went for a medical check-up, the doctor told her she no longer had hemorrhoids!

Rani chose to follow the God who healed her. She grew closer to Jesus, faithfully worshipped with the local church each Sunday, and joined in prayer meetings. The Sisters of Compassion, who once noticed Rani’s sadness, continued to visit their friend, whose face now shone with peace and joy.

July 2020, Vol. 17, No. 6

Once again, Aman walked out of the house, furious. He was tired of hearing the same response from his mother whenever he asked her for something. He just wanted what his friends had.

Materialism Leads to Strife

When Aman was only 11, his father abandoned the family. That forced Aman’s mother, Asha, and one of his older sisters to labor in the nearby tea gardens for the family’s survival. Out of love, they provided for Aman to attend school and gave him freedom to enjoy his childhood. They believed that Aman, as the only son, was their best hope for financial stability. If he could get a good education and a good job, he could take care of them one day.

But as Aman got older, he lost interest in school. He wanted to be like his friends, whose lives revolved around materialism and pleasure. The more Aman spent time with them, the more he wanted a cell phone, expensive clothes and other items the family couldn’t afford. His frequent financial demands created tension in the family. When Aman’s mother or sister explained why they couldn’t buy something for him, Aman complained, argued and stormed out of the house.

Even though Asha and the children attended church, her relationship with Christ functioned mostly as a duty, and she didn’t know how to teach her son contentment. She encouraged Aman to concentrate on his studies, reminding him of the sacrifices she and his sister made for him, but Aman didn’t seem to care. Asha’s hope for the future faded, and disappointment took its place.

Friendship Leads to Curiosity

One day, GFA pastor Rand visited the family. He knew Asha and her children well. As Asha shared about the lack of peace in their family, Pastor Rand listened with concern. Pastor Rand encouraged the distressed mother to cast her worries upon Jesus and to pray for Aman. He also assured Asha he would speak to her son.

From that day on, Pastor Rand intentionally talked with Aman after worship services. Aman had learned little about the Lord, despite the presence of biblical teaching in his life, but Pastor Rand helped the boy understand who Jesus is. Pastor Rand also encouraged Sajiv, a young man who had recently chosen to follow Christ, to befriend Aman and set a positive example for him.

Aman’s friendships with Pastor Rand and Sajiv grew. As their words and lifestyle impacted Aman, he had a fresh curiosity about spiritual things and pondered the state of his spiritual life. A question nagged at Aman’s mind: Where would he go after he died?

Thousands of children in Asia are finding hope and joy as they learn of God’s love through GFA’s ministries and workers in Asia.

Answered Questions Lead to Transformed Life

Aman went to Pastor Rand for answers. The boy listened as Pastor Rand explained what God’s Word says about eternal life. Suddenly, Aman realized he had been running after temporary pleasures instead of running to the Lord of heaven and earth. Aman decided to love and serve Jesus all his days. As the young man welcomed Christ into his life, contentment replaced the cares of the world he once chased after.

Soon, Aman’s mother and sisters noticed changes in Aman’s life, and they longed to serve Jesus wholeheartedly too. Aman and his mother now attended worship services out of gratitude and devotion instead of obligation. Aman, the young man who once brought grief to his family, now serves as an example to them as he faithfully serves the local church.

Thousands of children in Asia are finding hope and joy as they learn of God’s love through GFA’s ministries and workers in Asia.

The concern and friendship of a GFA pastor helped Aman understand his need for a relationship with Christ and impacted an entire family. As you partner with national workers, God is using them to transform many lives.

July 2020, Vol. 17, No. 6

Amita swept the floor, scrubbed the dishes and washed clothes, as she did most days. The girl’s faithful labor aided her mother, who struggled to provide for three children. But after her chores, Amita faced a challenge herself, and she had no one to turn to for help.

Too Many Burdens

Amita’s father passed away in 2011. Alone, Amita’s mother, Kriya, carried the burden of providing for Amita and her two brothers. Kriya worked as a daily laborer from morning until night to earn a little money for the family while her daughter helped by performing daily chores and caring for her brothers.

Even with the added responsibilities the girl bore, Amita went to school. An education could give the young girl the chance to one day overcome the poverty that stifled her family, but Amita struggled to complete her homework alone. Her mother, who was uneducated, couldn’t help her.

A Helping Hand

One day, some visitors came to Amita’s house. These visitors, staff from the local GFA Bridge of Hope center, were searching for the children who most needed the help Bridge of Hope could offer: a free education, good food and school supplies. After the staff members talked with Kriya, they invited her to enroll her children at the Bridge of Hope center.

Kriya excitedly registered Amita and one of her younger brothers. At Bridge of Hope, the siblings learned and grew alongside dozens of other children. Amita’s studies quickly improved as the staff helped her with whatever school subject she struggled in. Amita felt so happy attending the center and finally getting the help she needed with her homework.

The encouragement and help Amita received enabled her to excel in her education and in life. Kriya rejoices that Bridge of Hope has given her children the chance to thrive.

“I am very happy to send my children to the Bridge of Hope center,” Kriya says. “The Bridge of Hope staff takes extra time to teach them and [answer their questions] in all subjects. ... Now I don’t worry about their future, because Bridge of Hope will take care of them.”

June 2020, Vol. 17, No. 5

Loneliness. Financial hardship. Snakes. Sahima’s life was full of burdens, but now her hands were full of hope.

A shred of joy lit within Sahima’s heart as she took a sack of staple food items into her hands. Many would see the package as an unremarkable gift, but for Sahima, it represented that she was seen and loved.

Hardships Multiply

Sahima’s struggles began 20 years ago, when her husband passed away. With her two children grown, Sahima lived alone, struggling to make ends meet. Financial stability seemed an impossible dream, as she worked in her community’s traditional vocation, snake-charming, which earns tiny wages—and scrutiny from both the nation’s government and animal welfare groups.

She watched in sadness as her daughter, who lived in the same village, suffered from constant stomach pain. Sahima sold the family’s land for medical treatment, but her daughter wasn’t healed.

Ten years after the death of Sahima’s husband, the cruelest blow landed. Sahima’s son passed away, leaving his two sons behind. Sahima took in her grandsons, but the aging grandmother earned very little. Sahima was worn down physically and emotionally; she suffered from knee pain, and she grew depressed.

New Friends and New Life

One day, Sahima met three Sisters of Compassion who led a prayer meeting and tutoring program in her village. At Sahima’s home, the GFA missionaries listened patiently and attentively as Sahima told them about the sorrows and pain that burdened her, and they lovingly encouraged Sahima. After the conversation, a new sense of joy sprouted in Sahima’s heart.

Desiring to bless the widow, the Sisters of Compassion visited Sahima regularly to help her with housework. With love and care, they cooked food for the family, washed clothes and trimmed Sahima’s fingernails. During their visits, they shared about God’s love and prayed for Jesus to heal Sahima and her daughter.

“He will take care of you and your children,” they told Sahima.

Sahima’s knee gradually began to feel better. After two weeks, Sahima told the Sisters, “I am thankful to God for healing me from knee pain through your prayers. I do feel [the] peace of God filling my life. Now, I believe in Jesus Christ.”

Love Leaves Lasting Mark

From then on, Sahima began to follow Jesus. She started attending the prayer fellowship conducted in her village each Wednesday.

One day, Sahima attended a special event the Sisters helped organize to observe International Widows Day. To show widows God cares for them, GFA workers distributed sewing machines to 10 widows and packages of staple food items to eight widows. Sahima thanked God for the ration package she received.

Although Sahima and her family still face challenges, she now knows there is a God who cares for her and her family in all their needs. She is growing in her relationship with Christ as she daily prays to Him and puts her trust in Him.

After God sent Sisters of Compassion to Sahima’s doorstep, their friendship and help became a lifesaver to the hard-pressed widow and her family. He used the GFA workers to lift Sahima’s burdens, showing her that He loves and cares for her. Now, Sahima gets to watch joyfully as her family members encounter the same life-changing love: One of her grandsons has also decided to follow Jesus.

Thank you for supporting national workers like the Sisters of Compassion who shared hope with Sahima. Through them and through your partnership, Christ is transforming the lives of many hurting people and communities.

May 2020, Vol. 17, No. 4

Daya’s life turned upside down the day her husband, a laborer, fell off a roof and died. Daya, a stay-at-home mom, had to find work to feed her three children. Unfortunately, the job she found at a matchbox factory provided very little income. Financial hardships forced Daya’s two daughters to stop their education after 10th grade. Instead of finishing school and pursuing higher education, they helped keep the family afloat. The older daughter worked as a nursery school teacher, and the younger daughter cared for their brother and kept the household while her mother and sister were at work.

Eternal Hope, Immediate Help

Soon, Daya found an unexpected source of strength. After attending a worship service hosted by GFA pastor Sachitan, Daya felt an enormous sense of peace. She began going regularly to the worship services. Her children eventually joined her, and the entire family experienced God’s love.

Daya and her children found lasting hope when they decided to trust Christ with their lives. They also learned that He cared about their practical needs.

Pastor Sachitan noticed how hard the family worked—and how they struggled just to meet basic needs. He requested that Daya receive a gift at the next GFA Christmas gift distribution. At the event, Daya and more than 50 other widows received sewing machines! Tears filled Daya’s eyes as she kissed the smooth, dark surface of her gift. For Daya, it represented a chance for her family to thrive, not just subsist. She thanked God for providing for her family.

Embracing the Chance to Thrive

Daya already knew how to sew, so she got to work sewing clothes for her family and taking sewing jobs from people in her village. Soon, her skills earned her more jobs as people saw she charged less than the market rate.

Over time, Daya’s younger daughter learned to sew, too. While Daya worked in the factory, her daughter sewed at home. When Daya returned, she would resume the tailoring jobs.

Not only did the family save money by sewing their own clothes, but they also significantly added to their income through their growing tailoring business.

Though Daya and her family still face challenges, they know they serve a God who cares for them. Through the sewing machine He provided and their hard work, they have hope for financial stability.

April 2020, Vol. 17, No. 3

Delani’s past holds more tragedy than most people ever encounter. As a child, she and her four siblings became orphans. Their subsequent poverty forced Delani to abandon her dream of literacy and marry at age 14. She and her husband happily raised two sons together—until her husband died. At only 21 years old, Delani became a widow.

Then tragedy struck again: Delani’s house burned down. What once provided safety and comfort now lay scattered as charred fragments—just like her shattered dreams. Delani started to despair, even doubting the value of her life.

Rebuilding on Words of Life

During this time of crisis, Delani met a GFA-supported pastor. She learned about her true value, that God gave His life for her and offers her abundant, eternal life.

The news of Jesus changed Delani’s life. She began worshiping with local believers and learning about Christ, and her heart began to heal. But when Delani saw other women carrying their Bibles and songbooks, her long-suppressed desire to read rose to the surface again. Delani ached to read about the Savior she now loved and to learn songs to sing to Him.

Many women in Asia had no opportunity to learn to read during their childhood. Adult literacy classes empower women in many ways, from making fair deals in the marketplace to reading God’s Word for themselves.

A few years later, Delani’s dream of literacy came true, thanks to partners like you. A GFA-supported literacy class opened in Delani’s church, and she enthusiastically participated. She studied by candlelight at night, poring over her lessons. When neighbors mocked her for studying, she kept her eyes fixed on her goal. She asked God for help, and He granted her understanding.

Today, Delani’s childhood dream of reading and writing is fulfilled. Although waves of sorrow rocked her past, she is now grounded in God’s Word and is walking in new hope for her future.

February 2020, Vol. 17, No. 2

Leprosy. The very word carries a certain stigma and arouses apprehension in Asia, as if merely uttering it could expose you to the disease. Those affected by leprosy are often feared and find themselves either chased out of their homes or ignored and neglected. This forced exile leads many to live with others afflicted with leprosy in colonies across Asia.

A Life of Hardship

Bhini was diagnosed with leprosy as a child and subsequently began living in a leprosy colony. After Bhini married a fellow leprosy patient, they relocated to a different colony in another state.

Life was not easy for the family. In the face of poverty, Bhini and her husband went door to door begging in order to put their children through school. Then in 2016, Bhini’s husband died of a heart attack, leaving her as the sole provider for their son and daughter. Despite her illness, Bhini continued to beg, hoping it would be enough for her and her children.

Healing in His Arms

As the years passed, the struggle to survive took its toll on Bhini. The wounds from her leprosy grew more severe the older Bhini became. Wounds in her hands and feet kept Bhini from walking or doing simple chores in her home. Her children were grown by then, but Bhini could no longer take care of herself.

GFA-supported ministry to leprosy patients brings hope and practical help to those who are often rejected by society and family.

One day, a team of GFA-supported Sisters of Compassion visited the leprosy colony. The women brought love and compassion to each resident they met, and when they talked with Bhini, Bhini heard of the love of God for the very first time. They showed genuine care for the widow and invited her to attend services at the local church.

The Sisters of Compassion regularly visited Bhini, cooking her food, cleaning her home and dressing her wounds—all while praying for and encouraging her.

Little by little, Bhini understood the depth of God’s love. The debilitating wounds from her leprosy began to heal, and an even greater healing took place in her heart when she invited Christ into her life. Her children, seeing the transformation, followed her example.

Like many other men and women blessed through the compassion of GFA-supported workers, Bhini now rejoices in God’s love and acceptance.

Thank you for helping equip workers in Asia who boldly bring God’s love to men and women in slums and leprosy colonies. Through your partnership with GFA, God is transforming lives for eternity. Thank you!

January 2020, Vol. 17, No. 1

Who was the real God?

The question gnawed at Phyu Myaing’s mind. She had worshiped her god faithfully, but tragedy threw her life into a state of confusion. In 2009 her husband died from tuberculosis, leaving Phyu Myaing alone to care for three children. Three years later, Phyu Myaing’s oldest daughter died while giving birth.

Still reeling from these tragedies, Phyu Myaing met a pastor one day.

“There is a real God, whose name is Jesus,” he told her. “He gave His life to die on the cross and rose again on the third day to give eternal life to those who believe in Him.”

Phyu Myaing felt some distrust and hostility toward Christianity, but she pondered these words, wondering if Jesus was the real God.

Her questions intensified after she fell severely ill and was hospitalized for two weeks. She recovered, but a doubt lingered in her heart: “If I die today, where will I spend eternity?”

Inescapable Truth

Phyu Myaing couldn’t stop asking herself that alarming question. With no answer, her mind was enveloped by a fog of confusion and a fear of death. She wasn’t interested in Christian beliefs, though: Whenever Christians offered her literature about Jesus, she threw it away in front of them.

Phyu Myaing had a similar reaction when GFA-supported pastor Thet Moe visited her home. They talked, and Phyu Myaing took a copy of the Gospel of Matthew from him. After she opened it, she saw it was a Christian book and threw it away, angry. But before she tossed it, a verse had jumped out to her: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7).

Phyu Myaing couldn’t stop thinking about those words. As the verse played on repeat in her mind, Phyu Myaing’s heart changed. She wanted to know more about Jesus.

When Pastor Thet Moe’s church held an event for people interested in learning about Christ, Phyu Myaing attended. There, the pastor described how God had changed his life, and he shared key passages from Romans: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), and “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

Those words pierced Phyu Myaing’s heart. As images of past sins flashed through her mind like a slideshow, she knew she needed God’s grace through Christ.

Reading a simple New Testament or tract is often a person’s first step toward discovering truth and new hope.

A Burden Removed

Phyu Myaing came back to the program the next day. When it ended, she knelt down, tears streaming down her face. She asked God to forgive her and welcomed Him into her life.

Reading a simple New Testament or tract is often a person’s first step toward discovering truth and new hope.

Phyu Myaing later joined Pastor Thet Moe’s church and became actively involved in the Women’s Fellowship ministry. Now, with the burden of fear lifted from her heart, Phyu Myaing’s life is filled with peace and assurance. This journey of transformation started after she got to read one single verse from a copy of God’s Word. Even when she was angry and afraid, Scripture spoke to her.

Thank you for partnering with GFA-supported workers so they can continue sharing Bibles and New Testaments with those hungry for good news! Through partners like you, more people like Phyu Myaing are finding new life through the transformative words of Scripture.

June 2019, Vol. 15, No. 5

Today, there are around 284 million widows globally.¹ Some face prejudice and are blamed for their husband’s death. Others face extreme poverty. Najma, a mother of three, joined the millions of widows in their daily struggle for survival when her husband passed away.

Trouble After Trouble

When Najma’s husband died, their family’s source of income went with him. Najma had to find small labor jobs, like cleaning houses and cooking for events, to provide for her three sons.

Najma was able to get a third, more stable job at a grocery store, but could not work there for long. At that time, her younger sons were too little to leave for long lengths of time, and thus she had to quit. When he was old enough, her eldest, Aarnav, dropped out of school to work. His labor earned additional income, but three months after Aarnav started work, his job shut down.

If that weren’t enough, Najma’s middle son, Salal, battled a serious illness that weakened his immune system and gave him constant fevers and headaches. Three times a week, Najma had to take him to a local hospital.

A Ray of Hope

GFA-supported pastor Jafet leads a fellowship in Najma’s village. While visiting homes one day, the pastor spoke with Najma and learned of the struggles she and her sons faced. Filled with compassion for this family, Pastor Jafet prayed for Najma and her sons and invited them to Sunday services.

The next Sunday, the widow and her sons found themselves walking to the church. Having never visited before, they didn’t know what to expect. When the family entered the church, the believers welcomed them with open arms. Never before had Najma experienced such love and acceptance. She felt like she had found a new family.

Pastor Jafet continued to pray for this family, and a few weeks later, the Lord answered. Salal’s health improved drastically, and thanks to a believer at the church, Aarnav found a job! Najma also got a job in a garment factory. Then the church provided her with a sewing machine, so she could start her own business.

“I did not have a way to move forward and had no hope,” Najma said. “Through Pastor Jafet’s visit to our home, our lives changed totally, and now all our problems are vanishing one by one. I am able to work with my own hands and earn a living respectfully and also look after my children. I thank the Lord Jesus for healing my younger son.”

Millions of widows like Najma (not pictured) face a desperate struggle to provide for their families.

¹https://www.reuters.com/article/us-global-widows-factbox-idUSKBN19E04P

May 2019, Vol. 15, No. 4

Sabeena’s primary concern was keeping her girls safe. At ages 6 and 11, they were vulnerable without a father’s protection. The death of Sabeena’s husband reduced the family to poverty, forcing them to live in an open hut. Sabeena was scared to find daily labor work and leave her girls alone and unguarded from evil influences.

Sabeena and her daughters desperately needed a safe place to live. When officials in her community reached out to a GFA-supported leader for help, he mobilized the church to help build her a home of her own.

For nearly 10 years Sabeena held together her struggling family. Though she was illiterate and unskilled, monthly rations from the government allowed Sabeena to feed her girls daily. She got them to school on a bicycle given by villagers, and Sabeena’s neighbors allowed her to draw water from their well for cooking and bathing.

Pulling Together to Build a Home

Despite the help Sabeena received, she still desperately needed a better living situation. Individuals in the community pulled together to help her but could not raise all the needed funds to build a proper home for Sabeena and her girls. Local officials asked several organizations to help the poor widow, but they received denial after denial.

Then one official reached out to a GFA-supported pastor and told him of Sabeena’s need. When the pastor heard of the family’s desperate situation, he mobilized the church to help build them a house.

On July 13, Sabeena and her daughters, surrounded by the neighbors and local officials who had done so much for them, rejoiced as Pastor Jyotis dedicated their new home.

“I am privileged to witness a great act of kindness for a poor widow in my division, which brings lots of joy to me,” said one local official. “There is not even one Christian in this village, but when I sent an appeal for help to [a GFA-supported leader], he responded positively without hesitation looking at the urgent need of this poor family. … According to the Bible, as I heard today, Jesus has commanded that first you need to help the poor, widow and the orphan, which I witnessed with my own eyes.”

With tears in her eyes, Sabeena thanked Pastor Jyotis.

“I now believe there is a God who really cares for people after I experienced it today,” she said.

January 2019, Vol. 15, No. 1

Selvan stood before the other Bridge of Hope children holding a heavy induction cooker beneath his bright face. His mother was going to love this high-efficiency cook top, a vast improvement over her current cooking method. Scanning the faces before him, he couldn’t believe he had won third prize in the Colors of Hope artwork competition.

Through GFA’s Bridge of Hope Program, Selvan, like the boy pictured, has received opportunities never before possible.

When Selvan had joined the Bridge of Hope program six years before, he never volunteered to speak and avoided the other children. He was only there because his life had fallen apart—what did he have to be happy about? He was not interested in extra activities, such as sports, art or competitions, provided by Bridge of Hope.

Sadness Makes Its Home in Selvan’s Heart

Acquainted with tragedy at the tender age of 6, Selvan watched his family fall into darkness after the sudden paralysis and subsequent death of his father. At the time, Selvan’s mother was pregnant with his little sister, and the young widow had no way to support her family.

After three years of struggle, hope dawned for Selvan’s family when a Bridge of Hope center opened in their community. Selvan was enrolled, and his mother was hired as a cook for the center—just what she needed to provide for her young children.

Light at the End of the Road

Despondency was Selvan’s constant companion in those days. He was unmotivated in school and at the center. What was the point of trying, a life beyond disappointment? The staff at Bridge of Hope patiently walked with Selvan through his dark days and encouraged him to hope for restoration. Gradually, Selvan knew joy in life again. He participated in sports and competitions. He made new friends. Slowly, his sadness turned to anticipation.

Selvan was preparing to graduate from school when he won third prize in Colors of Hope, Bridge of Hope’s art contest. He proudly showed the crowd his prize and his prize-winning drawing: a carefully sketched scene of Jesus’ birth. His mother watched with joy in her eyes.

This young family, whose story began with loss, has grown to hope for good. Bridge of Hope has not only supported Selvan in his education, but also helped the whole family, once in the dark valley of death, to emerge on the other side, where hope reigns.

September 2018, Vol. 14, No. 7

August 2018, Vol. 14, No. 6

Saci’s life was not easy. As a girl, she forwent an education in order to work alongside her parents as a laborer in the tea gardens. With the little money she earned, she helped ease the financial burden of her parents.

Saci eventually married and had four daughters, but her struggles just increased. Her husband abused her, often coming home drunk and picking fights with Saci. Then, one day, he left the village to start a new life with another woman, abandoning Saci and their four children.

After her husband left, Saci lived with the shame widows often bear in her region. Many women in remote places are seen as the cause of their own misfortune, and they are ostracized from society. The added responsibility of caring for their four daughters by herself rested heavily on her shoulders. She worked hard in the tea gardens to provide for her and her daughters because there was no one else to take care of them. The community did not show any compassion for her difficult situation.

Two Widows’ Lives Intersect

In Saci’s village lived another widow, Latha, a GFA-supported worker. Latha would often visit Saci to support and encourage the abandoned woman. Although Saci welcomed Latha into her home, she was not interested in hearing about the One Latha served. Saci was devout in her traditional religious practices. But one day, something changed.

Saci’s sister-in-law was afflicted by an evil spirit. She heard strange whispers in her ears and became very distraught. Latha heard about the girl’s distress and went to pray for her relief. After Latha prayed in Jesus’ name, the troubled girl was delivered from the evil spirit. Saci knew that it was the power of Jesus that helped her sister-in-law—and something shifted inside her.

Shortly after that, Saci got sick, and she immediately went to Sister Latha to share about her illness. Latha encouraged her friend to trust Jesus to heal her. Saci’s faith grew little by little. As the believers prayed for Saci’s health, she felt a peace that had never been there before. Her heart was comforted as she experienced the care and concern of these followers of Jesus. She was blessed even further at a gift distribution organized by the local church where she received a cow, which eased her financial burden.

Many women in remote places work manual labor jobs since their childhood to provide for their families.

Love Relieves the Burdens of the Heart

Saci, now healed in body and spirit, attends services regularly at the local church and tithes a portion of the milk she receives from her cow. She has embraced the love of Jesus and publicly testified of her faith. The love of Jesus, which was so tangibly displayed through the prayers of Sister Latha and the local church, has given Saci’s life new hope and purpose.

August 2018, Vol. 14, No. 6

Hansini looked incredulously at her husband. How could he want to kill their infant son? She refused to support his decision, which only caused more tension in the house and in their marriage.

Joy Turned to Sorrow

Hansini married Gautam when she was only 14, and their family grew to include two daughters. Hansini and Gautam both worked as laborers, but income was scarce, especially when Gautam squandered all his earnings on alcohol. His addiction caused many problems at home, and he abused Hansini.

Finally, Hansini found some relief after she bore Gautam a son. The delighted family named him Alhad, which means “joy”. Gautam’s behavior changed substantially, and he began to care for his wife and children.

But that joy was soon endangered—and so was Alhad. A year passed, and their beloved baby had not grown properly or learned even to sit. A doctor visit produced a shocking diagnosis: Alhad had a hole in his heart. Unable to afford the needed surgery, the family returned home.

The Cost of Love

Soon, Gautam announced he wanted to kill Alhad because there was no way to heal him. Hansini courageously opposed him. The tension in the home built. Finally, Gautam gave her an ultimatum: “You have to throw your son somewhere; otherwise I am not going to stay with you.”

Hansini sternly told her husband that at any cost, she would not kill her son.

After that, Gautam disappeared. Abandoned, Hansini struggled to care for her children. Each day, she faced the consequences of her decision to protect her son. But God, rich in mercy, sent some women missionaries to her to affirm His love for her and her son.

Jesus Loves the Little Children

One day, two GFA-supported Sisters of Compassion came to Hansini’s home. Hansini sensed she could trust these new friends, and she shared openly about her problems. Alhad was now 4 years old, and he still had not grown stronger.

The sisters comforted Hansini and reassured her of Jesus’ love for her and her child. Words from Scripture brought Hansini hope that one day, her son would be healed by Christ.

She asked the women to come to her home regularly to pray for Alhad, and she joined them in faith.

The Sisters of Compassion continued investing in Hansini’s life and in the lives of many others in her area. They visited Hansini every week to keep encouraging her and to worship Jesus together.

Although she is still without her husband, Hansini has discovered the One who never leaves us nor forsakes us. She has hope for her son and holds the knowledge that her Maker loves her.

Tragically, many women are abandoned by their husbands. These women endure many hardships and live much like widows. Thank you for enabling women missionaries to minister to women like Hansini!

June 2018, Vol. 14, No. 5

Two of her children were gone. Missing. Where were they? What had happened? Where had they gone?

It was her husband. He had taken them. Taken them and left again without telling her a word.

Panic and fear washed over Amlika. What would she do? Who could she turn to?

She had no one.

Locked in Fear

After getting married at an early age, Amlika, now 29, and her husband had five children. They crowded into a single-room shanty in the middle of a slum on the outskirts of a major city.

Her husband started drinking. He stopped working. He began chasing after other women.

And then he left, leaving Amlika with the responsibility of caring for their children, ages 9 to 3.

Loneliness. Agony. Fear. Shame. Worry. Hunger. This was her life.

Amlika cleaned people’s homes, but despite her daily labors, she scarcely earned enough to feed her family.

And then two of them went missing.

Amlika’s husband had come by a few times through the years, bringing a little bit of money for his children, but he had never stayed long. Then one day, he suddenly vanished with two of the kids. A few days passed before he showed up again to bring them home, but it was enough to fill Amlika with fear that she could lose them forever. After that day, she locked the door with her children inside whenever she went out to work.

A Compassionate Hand

Some GFA-supported Sisters of Compassion served in the slum where Amlika and her children lived. One day, Amlika decided to attend a special Mother’s Day event at the local Bridge of Hope center—the center her eldest daughter had been enrolled in soon after Amlika began cleaning homes.

The young mother saw the Sisters of Compassion sharing kind words with other women, and something made Amlika want to talk with them. She asked them to visit her home, and they did.

They came to Amlika’s home with eternal love in their hearts. The women talked, and tears flowed down the young mother’s face as she shared about her plight. The Sisters of Compassion comforted her and shared about the One who never leaves us. The women introduced her to a local GFA-supported pastor, who also visited Amlika. Through their faithful companionship and prayers, peace penetrated her fear, truth replaced anxiety, and dignity overcame shame.

“I am experiencing [Jesus’] guidance and love in my life,” Amlika shares. “I have nobody to trust or to support me in times of troubles. I have no idea what the future holds, but now I have found hope in Jesus. I am confident that Jesus will give me strength to overcome all the adverse situations of life.”

Meeting a Practical Need

Sisters of Compassion working in Asian slums bring hopeful light into what are otherwise deeply depressing places. Lonely, hurting people are uplifted and renewed by friendship with the sisters and with the Friend who heals their hearts.

Amlika found a peace that surpasses understanding and circumstances, but she still struggled to provide for her youngest children. Thankfully, Bridge of Hope was taking care of her eldest daughter’s need by providing a daily meal and other necessities.

Knowing Amlika could still use some help, GFA-supported workers collaborated to bring her aid. On International Widows’ Day, Amlika received a sewing machine!

Gifts like sewing machines, provided through the donations of men and women like you, have changed the lives of thousands upon thousands throughout the years, and Amlika is one of them.

Amlika started learning how to use her machine and became confident this gift would enable her to earn more money to provide for her children’s needs.

A sewing machine was a perfect fit for Amlika because now she will be able to run a tailoring shop from her own home. That means Amlika won’t need to worry about coming home to find her children missing again. She can spend more time with them, help them grow and love them well.

December 2017, Vol. 13, No. 8

Her doctors couldn’t understand. Harsika should have been dead. Her kidneys were diseased. They failed to function. Yet the widow was still alive ... barely.

As disease ravaged Harsika’s body, worries plagued her mind.

She was a widow with one unmarried son and daughter still at home. They had no money. How could her children get married if the family had no money? She was dying. Who would ever marry her children if she couldn’t arrange their marriages?

Death reigned over her, and fear robbed her of peace and joy—until God sent someone who carried hope with him wherever he went.

Worried Widow Wastes Away

When Harsika first met GFA-supported pastor Bodhan, she discovered a compassionate ear. She poured out her troubles while he listened patiently.

“Because of our financial crisis,” she explained to Pastor Bodhan, “the last three months I didn’t go for the regular treatment. So nowadays I feel very weak and near to death, and the doctors are also wondering about me, saying, ‘How is she still alive?’ ”

Pastor Bodhan didn’t have any answers in himself, but he knew about Someone who had been working countless miracles on earth for more than 2,000 years. As they talked, hope bloomed in the worried widow’s mind. Pastor Bodhan prayed for Harsika, and she responded in faith.

“If God heals me from this problem,” the dying widow determined, “I will testify of His miracle to every person in [my area].”

After that encounter, Harsika decided to start attending worship services.

Power of Prayer

When Harsika came to the church the following week, Pastor Bodhan and all the believers prayed for her. She came back the following week, and the ones after. As time passed, Harsika’s health improved—without any treatments!

Today she is a living testimony of the power and love of God to everyone around her. Praise Jesus!

June 2017, Vol. 13, No. 4

One hundred and ten women gathered together, invited by the local GFA-supported pastor and workers. Some were young; some were old. Some were Christians; others were not. Some had young children; others were bereft. Each one was a widow. Each one was loved.

It was June 23, International Widows’ Day, and this church—along with countless others across Asia—planned to do something to honor them.

Some widows received goats. Others, cows. Some were given tin sheets to help build better homes. Others received sewing machines. Each one was blessed. Each one was helped.

‘God Loves All Human Beings’

In many areas of Asia, widowhood brings with it a terrible stigma. Widows, blamed for the deaths of their husbands, are frequently abandoned, mistreated and even exploited—sometimes by the ones who should care for them most.

But God hears the cry of the widow, and He has enabled us to minister to many such needy women.

“Widows, no need to worry, because you are not alone,” they heard from GFA-supported pastor Sonit during the program. “The church is with you. You have lost your dear one from your life, but God loves you all. This is the reason why we are here.”

These two widowed women, and more than 100 others, received life-changing gifts through a special program held in their honor.

Malvika gratefully received a sewing machine. “This sewing machine will become a great blessing for the survival of my family,” she said.

Bindu received tin sheets. “This is given by my loving Lord,” she shared.

At the event, another pastor shared: “We want to help our society. ... Take this small gift, and go with a cheerful heart, so that you may know that God loves all human beings.”

One of the widows, who attends the local church, said, “I am very much thankful to my God because He has given a church for us that has great concerns for the poor, orphan, widow and needy community.”

Thank you for standing with us to share that great love.

September 2016, Vol. 12, No. 6

August 2016, Vol. 12, No. 5

Just one year ago, life was different for the young woman.

Gina could feel the daily ache in her muscles from her hard labor. Dust from the quarry where she worked mingled with the sweat on her brow; she wiped it away before it could drip into her eyes.

Just one year ago, life was different for the young woman. One year ago, Gina was happily married and cared for. Then she lost her husband and made the heart-wrenching transition from being a housewife to working in a quarry as the sole provider for her and her 9-year-old daughter.

The work was backbreaking and money was tight, but somehow she managed to meet all of their needs— all but one. Gina couldn’t send her daughter, Prithika, to school, and it broke her heart.

Widow Finds Hope

When Gina happened to meet a group of women from the local church a few years ago, she unloaded her struggles and heartache on their attentive ears. They told her about Jesus, the God who can help anyone in their troubles. Curious to know more, Gina talked with GFA-supported pastor Ekanpreet. When Pastor Ekanpreet further explained Jesus’ grace, she soon embraced His love.

The Gift of a Cow

The church Gina attends, like many other churches GFA is privileged to stand with, hosted a special outreach for widows on International Widows Day last year. At this event, Gina received a cow— and this gift has transformed her life.

When the cow gave birth, Gina was able to start selling milk in her neighborhood. Through the proceeds, God provided for Prithika’s education, much to the mother and daughter’s delight. Today, Gina cheerfully gives a portion of her profits to the local church.

Thank you so much for standing with GFA through your prayers, donations and encouragement. We are so blessed to witness God move in the lives of His children around the globe, and it is our joy and privilege to share their stories.

You are making a difference. Thank you!

June 2016, Vol. 12, No. 4

If there is a god, she thought, Why does he not care for me? Why did he let me face such a sorrowful life?

The civil war changed everything for Gargi. It took away her husband and her two sons. It took away her home, her bed, her food.

For more than five years, the widow passed her days in desolation, idleness and sadness.

If there is a god, she thought, Why does he not care for me? Why did he let me face such a sorrowful life?

Angry about her circumstances, Gargi chose to turn her back on all the gods and goddesses she had ever heard of. She didn’t know about Jesus, though.

Jesus, however, knew Gargi. He saw her plight, and He loved her.

Moving to a Pastor’s Town

After spending half a decade in the refugee camp, Gargi moved out. The government provided her with a small hut in a nearby town, but she didn’t have any means to make an income. She would beg from neighbors and strangers, but still she often found her stomach empty at the end of the night.

Seeing her, Jesus sent His servant, a Gospel for Asia-supported pastor named Sadiva, to minister to Gargi. Every couple of weeks, Pastor Sadiva would come to Gargi’s home. He encouraged her from the Word of God, prayed for her and told her about the God of love. He also aided her by providing practical gifts of food and clothing. Life was still a struggle for Gargi, but these gifts helped her survive.

It gradually dawned on Gargi that Sadiva’s God cared for her.

Widow Experiences God’s Love

For almost six months, Pastor Sadiva prayed for Gargi, visited her, encouraged her and helped provide for her needs. One day he told her, “Jesus will not forsake anyone who is lonely in life.” These words touched her heart, and through them she understood the depth of Christ’s love. As Jesus poured out His love on her, Gargi decided to entrust her heart to Him.

Soon, one of her relatives started providing her with a daily meal—a miracle Gargi could hardly believe. What’s more, she received a ration card from the government, enabling her to purchase everyday items for her daily use.

She started attending the church led by Pastor Sadiva—a church where a few other widows from the surrounding area had also come to understand the love of God.

Loved for Eternity

Today, Gargi has a job she is able to do, and she has even become self-supporting. Her heart is filled with joy now that she knows her God loves her. And someday, she will be able to spend eternity with the One who loved her so much He died to bring her new life in Him.

Praise the Lord we get to be a part of seeing this love story unfold again and again as people in Asia, including widows, are coming to understand and experience the great love of the Savior.

January 2016, Vol. 12, No. 1

June 2015, Vol. 11, No. 4

With her usual messy hair and dirty clothes, Tulasi approached her neighbour’s home to ask a favour.

The widow’s poor hygiene and unkempt appearance repulsed most of her fellow villagers, but Tulasi was in for a surprise: Inside her neighbour’s house, eyes of compassion, not disgust, waited for her.

Widow Suffers Poverty, Pain

People typically didn’t want to spend time with Tulasi, but at least some would let her work for them. She earned meagre wages by cleaning homes and washing people’s dishes. Her son, who lived in another city, sent what money he could to help, but still Tulasi and her two daughters survived with very little food. At times, Tulasi was so hungry for meat that when she saw chickens roaming about, the famished widow fantasized about grabbing them and devouring them raw.

On top of all this, Tulasi had lived with constant physical pain for three years. Her stomach burned, and her body ached.

Widow Makes New Friends

When Tulasi went to a neighbour’s home one day to ask if she could borrow an axe, she didn’t know a Women’s Fellowship group had gathered there for a prayer meeting. When the group, led by Gospel for Asia missionary Eila, saw Tulasi’s unkempt appearance, they wanted to know her story. The hostess introduced them and told the team about Tulasi’s health struggles.

Hearing of this widow’s desperate situation, Eila and some of the women decided to begin visiting Tulasi. They told her Jesus cared for her and prayed earnestly for God to heal her. After four days, Tulasi’s pain vanished! Through the healing, Tulasi realized how much God loved her. Soon, she and her older daughter started worshipping Him with the local congregation.

In addition to receiving spiritual encouragement from the local church, Tulasi also received practical help. The believers collected money, clothing and food items to help her family amidst their hardships.

Finding Dignity, Hope

Although Tulasi still labours each day for meagre wages, she keeps a tidy appearance and a clean lifestyle. She has a new identity in Christ that gives her dignity, and she has a new family in Christ that comes alongside her in times of need. This widow, who once seemed destined only for disgrace, has now experienced love and hope.

Thank you for partnering with Gospel for Asia’s ministry to widows. Through your generosity and prayers, congregations can continue to support widows in practical ways, showing them how much Jesus cares.

October 2014, Vol. 10, No. 7

Mita lashed Pastor Jameson with her words, but he simply smiled. Her reaction wasn’t surprising—most of the people in Pastor Jameson’s community didn’t listen to him, convinced he worshipped a foreign God.

What Gospel for Asia pastor Jameson didn’t know, however, was that soon this same woman would be telling other people the same message he’d shared with her.

Disdain for a ‘Foreign God’

Since her husband had passed away, Mita, 40, lived with her two unmarried children, and the three of them survived off her son’s meagre income.

When Mita met Pastor Jameson, he told her about the Bible. She thought the pastor was speaking nonsense, promoting a religion for low-class people, but she didn’t say much then. After a few conversations with Pastor Jameson, though, Mita could no longer put up with his talk about Jesus.

“I have been listening to you, and I see that you are old enough to know what is right and wrong,” she said. “Why is it that you allowed yourself to be deceived by Christian people with their words and forgot about your origin, about your forefathers’ gods? You are a bad example for others, especially for the youth.”

But Pastor Jameson prayed silently and, with a smile, gently explained why he had put his faith in Christ. After this encounter, Mita began thinking deeply about the things she’d heard from the pastor. The more she pondered his message about Jesus and His Word, the more she believed that Jesus was God. Convicted of her wrongdoings, she decided to follow Christ.

When her children found out, they were puzzled, but after learning more about Jesus from Pastor Jameson, they also believed in Him and embraced His love. The family was filled with joy as they began attending church and praying together.

Spreading the Warmth of God’s Love

Pastor Jameson soon demonstrated that he cared not only about the family’s spiritual needs but also about their physical needs. Knowing the family’s difficult financial situation, Pastor Jameson began thinking about how he could help provide for their needs. He arranged for Mita to receive a gift through GFA’s Christmas gift distribution program. At the next distribution event, Mita received a warm blanket to her great joy.

“I am so happy to know that the Lord not only loves me but also cares for me and does not want me to suffer in the winter,” she said. “How could I repay the love of God? I am so blessed to have a risen Saviour who knows and cares for my needs.”

Filled with gratitude for all God had done, Mita started sharing her faith with others. After experiencing the love of God through a GFA missionary and the gift of a blanket, this woman who had once scoffed at the Good News became a witness for Christ!

June 2014, Vol. 10, No. 4

After having three children, Tapti faced sudden tragedy: Her husband died, leaving the four of them alone.

The young widow, a believer, couldn’t provide for her children. The family was destitute.

Neglected by Her Own Children

Laalamani also became a widow before her children were grown. She raised her son and daughter, and eventually they both got married and moved out. Sadly, neither of her children looked after her, and the people in her village didn’t have good relationships with her.

One day, Gospel for Asia pastor Baldev Das shared with Laalamani about Christ’s love for her, and she started attending services at Pastor Baldev’s church.

Touched by God’s Love

On June 23, 2013, Gospel for Asia fellowships across South Asia celebrated International Widows’ Day.

Tapti joined 120 women, 70 of them widows, for a celebration. The local pastor shared from God’s Word, telling the widows how much God loves and cares about them.

That day, through the generosity of believers around the world, Tapti received a piglet! With the profit she makes from the sale of the pig, she will be able to provide for her family and perhaps buy another piglet to continue the income.

“After a few years, [my husband] died,” Tapti shares. “I felt very sad, but through the encouragement from the speaker that God loves us and cares for us as widows . . . I am touched by this program.”

Laalamani also attended a Widows’ Day program. There the speaker distributed saris, the traditional dress of South Asian women, to 14 widows. The sari impressed Laalamani with the genuine concern the Church has for her.

“I was never given a sari anytime, not even by my own children,” she says. “But you people gave me one. I am thankful.”

In addition to the Christian widows at these programs, non-Christian widows also heard, perhaps for the first time, of God’s great love for them.

The Lord is using you to meet the desperate need of some of the most abused and abandoned people in the world. Thank you for showing them His love.

January 2014, Vol. 10, No. 1

Apurva and her seven children shared a small house consisting of a common room, a kitchen and one bedroom. The family of eight lived in poverty because Apurva, a widow, earned only a meager income from selling bananas she grew in her small garden.

But one day, Apurva’s pastor, a GFA pastor, gave her a gift that would drastically change life for her and her children: a piglet.

After taking care of the piglet for one year, Apurva sold it for 6,000 rupees (almost $100), more than one month’s wages for the vast majority of people in South Asia. With her earnings from that pig, she bought another piglet for 1,200 rupees (approximately $20). After raising this second piglet for six months, she gained a handsome profit by selling it for 4,700 rupees (approximately $77).

With her earnings from these two pigs, Apurva was able to build something her family desperately needed.

“My daughters are now growing up. I did not like for them to take baths outside,” she says. “Many times I felt bad . . . when I saw my daughters taking their baths outside. But I had no option since I did not have money to make a bathroom. With the money I received from selling the piglets, I was able to build a small bathroom and a toilet.

“Now I don’t have that uneasy feeling anymore about my children bathing. I feel secure. This toilet has helped us a lot. Before, we had to go to the jungle to go to the bathroom, but now it is very easy because we have it at our own house. I am very happy and thankful to God and to the church leaders who have helped me receive [the piglet], which has become a great blessing for my family.”

The gift of a piglet, donated by someone like you through Gospel for Asia’s Christmas Gift Catalogue, has not only helped a believer give her seven children a safe place for meeting their basic hygiene needs; it also has filled her with gratitude to the Lord. Thank you for your generosity!

June 2013, Vol. 9, No. 4

Each time he entered the jungle, Hashmat didn’t know if it would be his last trip there. Then one day his fears became reality when a tiger pounced on him.

Like many men before him, Hashmat became a casualty of the jungle’s predators. He left behind two wives, Mutholi and Hasna, and five children.

Ten years later, these two widows still beg by the roadside to avoid starvation. Instead of going to school, their children work in tea shops to provide additional income.

Nature's Victims

Mutholi and Hasna are two of hundreds of struggling widows on the islands where they live. In this area, many people gain their livelihoods by fishing or gathering wood or honey from the dense mangrove forest that spans the islands. These occupations, however, pose the risks of drowning or being attacked by wild animals.

Despite their prayers to the forest goddess for their husbands’ safety, many women become widows. These women, usually illiterate, often resort to begging and can’t afford to send their children to school. Guilt and depression stifle their lives.

A Vision of Wholeness

As Gospel for Asia workers on these islands saw the desperate situation of the widows and their families, God inspired them to shine His light to them and their communities. Women missionaries started visiting widows to pray for them and share the Good News. As able, the missionaries provide food, clothing, basic medicine—and even shelter—to widows in need. When they met Anisha, 65, along the roadside and learned she had nowhere to stay, they brought her to live with them.

On June 23, 2011, GFA workers hosted an International Widows’ Day celebration, where 200 widows listened to a message of God’s special care for the vulnerable. Hearing the missionaries’ plans to stay with them in joy and sorrow, the women’s faces brightened. Each widow received clothing and a packet of food as well.

“It may well have been the first time they realized that there was someone who cared for them,” reports a GFA correspondent.

The missionaries’ vision for reaching the widows of these islands extends from uplifting their spirits to educating their children, teaching good hygiene, offering basic health care and providing opportunities to earn income.

They have established education centres to help widows’ children grow academically. A GFA Bridge of Hope centre opened in 2011 and is now blessing more than 100 students with education, nutritious meals and the knowledge of Jesus’ love for them.

In addition, through gifts of livestock or other income-generating tools, the missionaries give widows the opportunity to provide for their families.

Hope Dawns

Now, Mutholi and Hasna have something to be grateful for. As the women missionaries encourage these widows with God’s Word, they are glimpsing God’s plan to bring meaning beyond sadness and poverty into their lives.

Desiring to learn about the One who inspires the missionaries’ compassion, more than 500 widows have visited six fellowship centres in the area, where they are reading the Bible and learning to pray. Now, several come to Sunday worship services regularly, and 40 have decided to follow Jesus. As His light dawns over these islands, hundreds of widows can look forward to brighter futures.

June 2013, Vol. 9, No. 4

April 2013, Vol. 9, No. 3

Sahasra’s life as a single mother and sole breadwinner for three sons was difficult enough. Now that her tiny, one-room house had collapsed, she didn’t know what to do.

When a week-long deluge of rain overflowed the rivers and canals around Sahasra’s village, flooding wreaked havoc, destroying homes and halting transportation and communication lines for days. Sahasra’s life as a single mother and sole breadwinner for three sons was difficult enough. Now that her tiny, one-room house had collapsed, she didn’t know what to do.

After hearing from a local pastor about the plight of the flood victims, Gospel for Asia leaders in the region visited the affected villages. As they went from house to house, they found out what needs people had and comforted them, assuring them they would assist them. During this visit they met Sahasra.

“I am a daily labourer,” she told them. “I barely survive with my children. Now I have lost my house, and no one is there to help me.”

The GFA workers promised Sahasra they would help meet her needs.

Not long afterward, they hosted a Christmas gift distribution program for the flood victims, blessing 54 families with much-needed gifts like tin roofing sheets, blankets, bags of rice, goats and bicycles. They didn’t forget their promise to Sahasra: She received a blanket, a bag of rice and some tin roofing sheets.

Given More than a New Home

One month later, the local GFA pastor, Ghalib, followed up with the gift recipients, visiting them to see how they had been able to use their gifts. When he came to Sahasra’s house, he saw that she and her sons had rebuilt their house with the roofing sheets.

Sahasra opened up to Pastor Ghalib about her struggles and expressed interest in learning about Jesus.

“He came to earth and rescued sinners and the needy,” he said. “Because of Jesus’ teaching, the church has been helping society.”

Hungry for the kind of care and help Christ and His children offered, she replied, “I alone work and care for my children. The people of my community refused to help me. Because of my continuous work, I am suffering from joint pain but am unable to seek treatment.”

Pastor Ghalib consoled her with the promises of Scripture, and she asked him to pray for her. After interceding earnestly on her behalf, he invited her to attend church services. As Sahasra started coming to church, God healed her of her pain. She chose to follow Jesus and has been faithfully attending worship services, even though members of her community are trying to stop her.

Sahasra says, “In Jesus I have found an eternal shelter, which cannot be taken away.”

February 2013, Vol. 9, No. 2

When Sneha asked Rajeshri about her past life, Rajeshri’s face darkened. Sneha, a Gospel for Asia woman missionary, had reached out to Rajeshri at her lowest point, near death, but Rajeshri had faced many other difficult times too.

She Reached Her Breaking Point

Rajeshri, a mother of nine, endured a nightmarish life with her cruel husband for more than 35 years. She patiently suffered—until he brought home his mistress. The woman wouldn’t allow Rajeshri to touch anything in the house without permission and prohibited the children from attending school. Rajeshri and her children felt like prisoners in their own house.

Humiliated, Rajeshri decided to leave. Three of her adult children had already moved out, so she and her remaining six children relocated from their village in the mountains to the bustling capital city.

Through the help of a childhood friend, Rajeshri started a manual labour job at a construction site and rented a small apartment. As she and her family gradually adjusted to their new life and community, Rajeshri was able to start sending her older children to school. It was hard work to pay the rent and provide food, clothes and her children’s school fees, and to make matters worse, Rajeshri had weak health. Despite the hardships, though, Rajeshri considered her life a thousand times better than what she’d left behind. She didn’t know things would soon fall apart.

Who Would Look After Her Children?

One day, Rajeshri woke up and was unable to get out of bed. Pain engulfed her whole body, and she shivered with cold. One daughter brought her some medicine for a fever, but Rajeshri couldn’t even raise her head to swallow it.

She was no longer able to work, and though she visited many doctors, the remedies they prescribed had no effect. Her friend brought a sorcerer and then a witch doctor, but neither succeeded in healing her. Three months slipped by.

“It seems to me that I am going to die,” Rajeshri told her friend one day. “If I die, who will look after my children?”

Sorrow Erased by New Life

Rajeshri’s friend finally went to the right place for help. She brought two Christian women, including GFA missionary Sneha, to pray for Rajeshri. They told Rajeshri that Jesus loves sick people and makes them well and that when He came to earth, He healed the sick, raised the dead and died on the cross to save all humanity.

Sneha and her co-worker prayed for Rajeshri and promised to visit often. Filled with hope by their words, Rajeshri started to attend church with her friend’s help.

After a few months, she was completely healed and able to begin working again!

Today, Rajeshri has found new life in Christ. Because she experienced Jesus’ love through the miracle of healing and the care demonstrated to her by Sneha and her fellow missionary, Rajeshri chose to follow Him. Now she participates faithfully in church activities, grateful for God’s work in her life.

Thank you for helping send missionaries like Sneha to bear the light of Christ to women oppressed by darkness. As these servants lift up the name of Jesus, women like Rajeshri are finding new lives full of hope and purpose.

Peace at the Door

A Dream Realized

From Loneliness to Friendship

Materialism Leads to Strife

Friendship Leads to Curiosity

Answered Questions Lead to Transformed Life

Too Many Burdens

A Helping Hand

Hardships Multiply

New Friends and New Life

Love Leaves Lasting Mark

Eternal Hope, Immediate Help

Embracing the Chance to Thrive

Rebuilding on Words of Life

A Life of Hardship

Healing in His Arms

Inescapable Truth

A Burden Removed

Trouble After Trouble

A Ray of Hope

Pulling Together to Build a Home

Sadness Makes Its Home in Selvan’s Heart

Light at the End of the Road

Hope Appears from Outside

A Compassionate Heart Leads to Practical Help

Two Widows’ Lives Intersect

Love Relieves the Burdens of the Heart

Joy Turned to Sorrow

The Cost of Love

Jesus Loves the Little Children

Locked in Fear

A Compassionate Hand

Meeting a Practical Need

Worried Widow Wastes Away

Power of Prayer

‘God Loves All Human Beings’

Widow Finds Hope

The Gift of a Cow

Moving to a Pastor’s Town

Widow Experiences God’s Love

Loved for Eternity

Widow Suffers Poverty, Pain

Widow Makes New Friends

Finding Dignity, Hope

Disdain for a ‘Foreign God’

Spreading the Warmth of God’s Love

Neglected by Her Own Children

Touched by God’s Love

Nature's Victims

A Vision of Wholeness

Hope Dawns

Given More than a New Home

She Reached Her Breaking Point

Who Would Look After Her Children?

Sorrow Erased by New Life