Rejoice!

Most 11-year-old girls are preoccupied with things like school, sleepovers and maybe the occasional daydreams about life as an adult. But for Vallari, being 11 meant turning her attention to her family— the one she was starting.

Most 11-year-old girls are preoccupied with things like school, sleepovers and maybe the occasional daydreams about life as an adult. But for Vallari, being 11 meant turning her attention to her family— the one she was starting.

Even in a culture where girls sometimes marry very young, Vallari’s marriage at age 11 was an unusual case. But growing up in a village filled with superstitions and unusual traditions, child marriage was a common practice. By the time she was a teenager, she already had a husband and two children to care for.

The young couple struggled to maintain a harmonious union. Arguments led to resentment, and after a while, the strain proved to be too much for the pair. The couple separated, and Vallari moved back into her parents’ home, with two young children in tow.

Starting Over

Rare is the teenager who finds herself in a position of starting over, especially with two children, but that is exactly the circumstance Vallari faced. There were problems with moving home: Vallari’s parents owned land where they cultivated a variety of foods, but the return on the products was minimal and Vallari’s children sometimes went hungry.

The children didn’t have many clothes to wear either, and they were too poor to attend school. Vallari felt helpless. With nothing to lose, she went to a local Gospel for Asia Bridge of Hope centre and asked if there was a place for her two young children.

A Future with Newfound Hope

Whenever new children join a Bridge of Hope centre, the local pastor and staff make customary visits to the family at their home. Vallari listened to Pastor Dilawar’s message of hope with keen curiosity. Her parents weren’t as interested, but Vallari’s heart had been opened by the changes she had seen in her children.

Ever since they joined the Bridge of Hope centre, Vallari had noticed a night-and-day difference in her two young ones. They had developed with their education, but more notably, they demonstrated a new discipline and respectful behaviour at home. And the daily meal and clothes they received were a huge relief to the family.

Vallari’s gratitude led her to insist that Pastor Dilawar conduct prayer meetings in her home. It was her way of thanking him for all the Bridge of Hope centre had done, but a change was occurring within Vallari as well.

She looked back on her past and could now see what she had been missing all along. Vallari decided she didn’t want to be without Jesus any longer.

Ever since Vallari’s decision, God has been transforming her day by day. She is now attending church with her children regularly, as she enjoys a restoration period from a motherhood (and adolescence) filled with trials. She is now looking forward to a future of hope and promise for both herself and her children.

Thank you for your role in bringing a brighter future to women all across South Asia, just like Vallari.

“After my father passed away, my dream of going to school disappeared.”

Anya explains, “I had to work from dawn to dusk to support my sickly mother and three siblings.”

It was hard for the young girl, year after year, to watch her friends go off to school, knowing she was being left behind in more ways than one. Even worse was the embarrassment of having to rely on others to read street signs and the names of shops to her.

As she grew older, Anya’s inability to read the Bible often brought her to tears. She was desperate for help.

She asked other women from the church to teach her, and though they helped her some, they couldn’t devote the time to help Anya like she wanted.

Just as she was ready to give up hope, Anya heard about an adult literacy class that the Women’s Fellowship at her church was starting.

Anya was the first person to sign up. She worked hard, and now she can read and write! She can even help her young son with his homework.

“My life has changed tremendously by taking this literacy class,” Anya shares, “and it’s truly wonderful!”

Ratnakar was just passing through the village. It was a day like any other—or so he thought.

His walk slowed when he spotted a group of people gathered. The crowd aroused his curiosity. Suddenly a voice rang out, drawing all attention to the front of the group.

This Jesus Well belonged to the whole village, the speaker said, and anyone could draw water from it without any hesitation.

Ratnakar realized the local church was inaugurating a well. But then confusion entered his mind. Why would the Christians want to share their well with the entire village? Hoping to have his questions answered, he stayed to listen to the rest of the program.

The speaker went on to share about the love and grace of Jesus Christ.

After the ceremony, Ratnakar approached the speaker, Gospel for Asia pastor Jalendra Singh, to find out more.

“Why are Christians doing this charitable work even though they do not know this community?” Ratnakar asked.

Pastor Jalendra was excited for the opportunity to share more about Christ’s love. He explained to Ratnakar the purpose of the Jesus Well and why they were glad to share it with the villagers.

Interested to hear more, Ratnakar invited the pastor to his house. Pastor Jalendra began to visit regularly and continued to share the love of Jesus with the family.

Seeing God’s care and concern, Ratnakar’s family decided to follow Christ as their Saviour. They are now serving the Lord and regularly attend services at the church.

Now, when Ratnakar attends church and sees the Jesus Well, he remembers the Living Water he received and how different his life would have been had he not stopped that day.

Thank you for your gifts and support, which help make stories like Ratnakar’s possible.

Ria and her two friends had been walking for more than six miles when Ria noticed a woman sitting beneath a tree.

“She looked frail, as if she had been ill for a long time,” Ria remembers. “Her two big eyes looked beautiful but grim. Suddenly, the Lord’s compassion overflowed deep inside my heart for her.”

Ria and her friends decided to rest by the tree. As they sat down, the woman stood up to leave, but an inner compulsion told Ria—a GFA missionary—to seize a God-given opportunity. She asked the woman to stay.

Always a Burden?

Nishi was a burden—or at least she felt like one. Her in-laws had rejected her, and now her brothers were becoming frustrated too.

At age 6, Nishi had lost her mother, and two years later her father died. When she was only 16, her brothers arranged her wedding. Then, four months after the wedding, Nishi’s husband left to find work in another country.

Nishi soon gave birth to a daughter, but her in-laws didn’t rejoice. They said Nishi and her daughter were a burden, although Nishi worked hard to serve them. Their continued harassment eventually forced her to leave.

Nishi’s brothers took her in, but she could sense their reluctance. She toiled faithfully every day so their wives wouldn’t resent her. She performed all the household chores with her daughter strapped to her back, and she went to the forest to gather food for their cattle.

“There was no time to rest,” Nishi remembers.

At night, after spending some time with her daughter and putting her to bed, Nishi would weep bitterly. She missed her husband, and the cruel comments of her sisters-in-law proved she was a burden to them, despite all her labour.

“I was in trouble,” Nishi recalls. “But I could not share my inmost troubles with anyone. ... I kept all my worries and problems to myself.”

Strangers Listen

Then someone actually showed concern. When Ria and her friends began talking with Nishi underneath he tree, they treated her not as a burden but as an individual with value.

“When she found out that we were also ordinary women like her, . . . she gave me her full attention,” Ria recalls. “I talked with her about our Lord Jesus Christ. I told her . . . about His love and grace to ordinary people like us.”

Nishi’s eyes widened as she heard about the One who sacrificed His life for all humanity and promised to save everyone who comes to Him.

“Sister, I would like to meet you again tomorrow,” Nishi said.

Woman Finds New Shelter

Ria and her friends were surprised when Nishi found them at 5:30 the next morning. Although she seemed nervous, Nishi shared her heavy past with them. Then she surprised them once again. She told them that the night before, she realized she had finally found Someone who would love and care for her and her child, and she wanted to follow Him.

Ria prayed for the new believer. Because there was no fellowship in Nishi’s village, Ria introduced Nishi to a Christian woman who would bring her on the three-hour journey to church each weekend.

Nishi’s brothers began to oppose her new faith and eventually refused to let her stay with them. But Nishi has the shelter of Someone infinitely greater. God has now provided her with a room near the church, and her daughter attends school nearby.

Nishi hopes her husband will return one day, but thanks to the compassion of a missionary named Ria, Nishi now knows the love of the Saviour who took her burdens upon Himself and calls her His daughter.

Malay and Hamid trekked up another hill. They had already travelled through many villages to show the film about Christ and what He had done on the cross.

When the two missionaries arrived at their next stop, they met the local Gospel for Asia pastor, Zahir, who helped them prepare for the film show.

Once the film began, around 200 villagers showed up to watch it. When the movie ended, Pastor Zahir explained the film’s message. He shared how the Lord Jesus had gone through all that pain to give us a way to heaven.

As the crowd began to disperse and Malay and Hamid packed up the equipment, a young man made his way toward them. When he got closer, they noticed that tears were streaming down his face.

“Why are you crying?” the missionaries asked with concern. They listened as the young man’s story poured out.

Baladhi, 22, lived with his parents and five siblings on their farm. As he watched the film, he was cut to the heart by Jesus’ sacrifice.

Baladhi told them he had never known of a God who had suffered and died for the sins of others.

“Now I know that Jesus suffered for my sin and the sins of the whole world. I understand that Jesus is the real God,” Baladhi explained through his tears.

That very night, Baladhi made the decision to follow Christ as his Lord.

Malay and Hamid rejoiced with the young man who had come to know the saving love of Jesus. After packing up their equipment, they continued on their trek—excited to see what miracles the Lord would work in the next village.

Although Navina had survived through her teen years, it seemed she would never recover.

Would Navina’s story end the same way her older siblings’ had? All 14 of Navina’s older siblings had died prematurely. Her family, devoted participants of their traditional religion, was victim to years of demonic oppression. Navina was no exception. Since she was 4 years old, demons had attacked her, leaving her in intense stomach pain that made her wail in agony.

Navina got married at age 15, but she had to move back home because her husband mistreated her. The pain of her broken marriage damaged her already fragile health; she became unable to even get out of bed.

Time for a Change

Navina’s parents had prayed to their gods for her healing and had given her medicine, but they feared she would die as her older siblings had. Although Navina, 20, had survived through her teen years, unlike 13 of her siblings, it seemed she would never recover.

But one day that changed.

Jesus Delivers Her from a Lifetime of Pain

When the local GFA pastor, Varun Gurram, came to visit Navina’s family, he listened to all the losses they had suffered and learned that Navina herself had been oppressed by demons for 16 years. He shared Jesus’ love with them and prayed for Navina. Feeling drawn to Jesus’ compassion and His power to break the bondage that had entangled them for so many years, Navina and her family believed in Christ.

Pastor Varun began visiting them regularly to encourage them and pray for them. Gradually, their faith in Jesus grew, and Navina’s health improved. She, her parents and her younger brother started attending church regularly, and in 2006 they made a full commitment to follow Jesus. God answered the fervent prayers of Pastor Varun, delivering Navina and healing her completely!

As time passed, Navina felt the Lord leading her to serve Him in ministry, and she began attending the local Gospel for Asia Bible college.

Freed—and Helping to Free Others

After graduating from Bible college in April, Navina went to a small town to serve in the Women’s Fellowship ministry there. As Navina has opportunities to share her testimony with people in her town, many are expressing interest in learning more about Jesus.

The owners of the room she and another woman missionary used to rent see that she is different. When she told their son, a 30-year-old schoolteacher, that she and her brother were only living because of God’s grace, he replied, “Your Jesus is surely alive.” Now he often comes to share prayer requests with Navina and her fellow missionary. As people see how God has transformed Navina’s life and family, He is using her to draw many people to Himself.

I don’t think it was a coincidence that Ratnakar happened to be passing through Pastor Jalendra’s village the day of the Jesus Well dedication. I imagine that was the Lord’s answer to someone’s prayer—maybe the pastor’s, maybe mine, maybe yours.

I am sure you know this, but we so easily forget: The Lord sees us, and He knows what we need. We really don’t have to do gymnastics and use special words and do a whole bunch of funny stuff to get His attention. He is here.

Think about this: Before you or I or anybody knew about Nishi’s pain— being lonely, overworked and rejected by her in-laws and brothers—the Lord saw her. It amazes me that when this simple village woman was hurting, the God of the universe sent Ria and a few other sisters to minister to her and tell her about the love of Jesus. He cares.

Honestly, I think the Lord gets so excited when we pause and take time to talk to Him. And He basically says to us, “Tell Me your need; talk to Me about it, and I will answer you. As a matter of fact, I will show you things you never even imagined” (see Jeremiah 33:3). He is ready to work in your life and in my life.

In John 20:29, the Lord says, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” I am grateful to the Lord for your faith. Please know that as you intercede for your family and business and church and for a world that is dying without Christ, God is with you and He is answering your prayers. These stories of transformation and deliverance are happening because of you. You and the GFA staff here and the missionaries on the field—together we are all making a difference.