Rejoice!

Feet kick up clouds of dust along the road. The hot sun beats down, causing foreheads to shine with sweat. Some people walk miles for the exercise, but Gospel for Asia- supported missionaries walk miles out of love.

Walking the Miles

Missionaries, both men and women, sometimes have to walk long distances to tell others about the redeeming love of Jesus. Sahila, a Gospel for Asia-supported Sister of Compassion, is one of these travellers.

“We are serving the Lord in [one village] among [tribal] people,” Sahila says. “We call the women and teach them from the Word of God and help them to stay neat and clean. But every Monday we go to another village, which is three kilometers away from where we are, to visit the people.”

Two other missionaries, Pakhi and her friend Kajri, minister to surrounding villages, which are anywhere from one to three miles away. But like many other missionaries, they face obstacles other than distance.

“It’s very difficult to visit these villages on foot in the scorching heat of the sun,” Pakhi explains.

In South Asia, April and May are often the hottest months of the year. The oppressive temperatures climb well above 100 degrees on a regular basis, making it difficult and sometimes dangerous to travel very far on foot.

Pastor Borrows Bicycle for Travels

Sahila, Pakhi, Kajri and 102 other missionaries received bicycles of their Bicycles/Compassion Services own at a Christmas gift distribution event in 2014. These bikes help our brothers and sisters share the love of Jesus in distant locations. Gospel for Asia-supported pastor Aayu also received a bicycle at this event. It was impossible for Aayu to travel long distances by foot in the summer heat before he received this gift.

“I travel at least 10 kilometers for . . . house visits,” Pastor Aayu says. “Since I did not have any means to travel, I used to borrow a bicycle from my neighbour to travel long distances. If I had to visit nearby villages, I never used the bicycle; rather, I travelled on foot because it’s not good to always use others’ things.”

Bicycles Help Change Lives

Now, with his new gift, Pastor Aayu can redeem both time and energy by riding his bicycle to places both near and far, even when it’s hot. Within just a few months after he received the gift, 10 people came to know the Lord as a result of Aayu’s encouragement and visits with them.

“I am very thankful to Gospel for Asia that I could receive a bicycle, which is very useful and helpful to my ministry,” Aayu states.

We thank God for your heart to equip our brothers and sisters with the needed tools so they may make His name known among the nations. Thank you!

As a widow, Tanuja found it difficult to provide for her four children even before Cyclone Phailin hit in 2013. Though casualties were few, the severe tropical storm ravaged much of South Asia, including Tanuja’s home and all the family’s belongings.

No one gave aid to Tanuja’s family in the days following the tragedy, except for Gospel for Asia-supported Compassion Services workers, like Pastor Baladhi and the church he leads. The believers brought the family food and helped them back on their feet, and Pastor Baladhi continually encouraged them from God’s Word. As Tanuja experienced these acts of love, she and her family decided to leave their old ways and put their trust in Jesus.

Thank you for your efforts to bring the Hope of the World to people like Tanuja. You truly are making a difference—you’re changing lives in the name of Christ Jesus!

When Mada was only 6 months old, her mother left the family for another man, never to be seen or heard from again. Mada’s father became deeply depressed by his wife’s sudden departure and tried to drink his problems away. He later died of tuberculosis, leaving his 5-year-old daughter in the care of her grandmother, Jana.

Her Burdens to Carry

Mada’s life didn’t get much better after that. Her grandmother often went out to find work, while Mada stayed behind to keep house. The little girl started at 5:30 a.m., cleaning, cooking and doing other chores. She didn’t go to school—she didn’t even know what school was. She had no friends where she and her grandmother lived, and she thought she would never have a normal life.

Hope for Mada

One day, some staff from a Gospel for Asia-supported Bridge of Hope centre found little Mada in the streets. The girl’s hair was grubby and tangled, and her clothes were filthy. They talked with Jana about enrolling her granddaughter in the Bridge of Hope program, and the woman readily agreed.

At Bridge of Hope, Mada received food, clothing and an introduction to quality education. The love and compassion of the staff members created a desire in the young girl’s heart to study well and learn like other children her age.

Now Mada is 12 years old and has made new friends at school. She likes to study mathematics and enjoys participating in theatrical skits and dance opportunities the Bridge of Hope program offers.

“I like Bridge of Hope very much,” the young student says. “I am thankful to all the staff and those who help me. I want to become a teacher.”

Thank you for sharing the love of Christ with people like Mada. Today, this young girl has reasons to smile.

In every issue of Harvest, we want to help you see what you are part of through your prayers and support. We hope these short reports from the field give you quick glimpses into the lives of several men and women whom we, together, have been able to touch through Christmas gifts. Thank you for your heart to be the hands and feet of Jesus in this way!

Pig Sends Girl to School

When Firaki’s husband died, the poor widow struggled to provide for her two children. A physical handicap made walking difficult, and work was a daily struggle. But she knew the love of Jesus and looked to Him to take care of her.

One year, she received a piglet through Gospel for Asia’s Christmas Gift catalog. Over time, the piglet grew into a healthy adult pig, and when Firaki sold it, the profits provided enough to care for her needs and send her daughter to a training course to help her get a good job. Grateful, Firaki gave some of the profits as a thank-offering to the Lord.

Bicycle Removes Pastor’s Burden

Goral’s feet thudded on the ground under the heavy weight of a projector, generator and the other equipment he carried with him. He was on his way to a film showing in a remote village in South Asia. Goral loved sharing the movie about Jesus’ life and ministry on earth, but carrying more than 75 pounds of equipment tired him out. Goral often prayed for a bicycle to help him in his ministry, and one day, through a donation to Gospel for Asia’s Christmas Gift catalog, Goral received one!

Goral uses his bike as a push-cart to carry the equipment to more than 15 villages each month, and he rides it to visit Christians in the area and pray with them.

New Roof, Softened Heart

The thatched roof on Kamana’s mud-and- bamboo hut provided little shelter from the storms outside, while every day, a different type of storm raged inside. For three years, Kamana’s husband opposed her faith in Jesus. She often prayed Jesus would change his heart. Meanwhile, Kamana’s pastor found out her roof needed some help. Thanks to a donation through Gospel for Asia’s Christmas Gift catalog, he was able to give her some tin sheets that would make a stronger covering.

Kamana’s husband was surprised at God’s provision and the generosity of His people. Because of this, he has stopped opposing his wife’s faith in Christ.

Gift Answers Father’s Prayer

Ruchir’s wife often fell sick, and trying to care for her and their 2-year-old daughter on less than $2 per day was a tremendous challenge for the 28-year-old carpenter.

Ruchir had met Jesus through a Gospel for Asia-supported pastor and continually prayed for a better job to care for his family. His greatest hope was to have a rickshaw.

When his pastor gave gifts to bless 20 people in Ruchir’s village, Ruchir’s prayers were answered! The rickshaw increased his income, helping ease the family’s financial burdens. Today, he joyfully contributes back to the Lord’s work because of what God has done for him.

Sewing Hope for a Widow

In Pastor Ramra’s church was a poor widow named Panini, who spent her days earning meagre wages to care for her four children. She washed other people’s dishes, swept their floors and cleaned their homes.

Then Panini, who already knew how to sew, was overjoyed when pastor Ramra was able to give her a sewing machine through Gospel for Asia’s Christmas Gift catalog. She began stitching clothes for herself, her children and others in her village. Her income quickly increased, and now she can better provide for her family.

Kyine Kyi had his first swig of alcohol when he was 14 years old. Drugs were added, and before long, these two substances dominated the mind of the young man. Eight years later, Kyine Kyi had become a violent drunkard. After an intoxicated showdown with another man, Kyine Kyi staggered away only to discover later that the other man never recovered from the fight. At age 22, Kyine Kyi had become a murderer. He was put in prison and then transferred to a centre far from his home. It seemed he would spend his days alone.

Pastor Serves Among Prisoners

For several years, a Gospel for Asia-supported pastor had been serving in the area where Kyine Kyi was incarcerated. He had even started a special children’s class for more than 80 local children, teaching them how to read and write, and also sharing the love of Jesus with them. But the pastor, Nandar Mon, had a special place in his heart for the men locked up nearby, prisoners not only in body but also in spirit.

Pastor Nandar Mon often visited the prison to pray for the inmates and to share the hope of spiritual freedom found in Christ. The pastor called upon his church to fast and pray for the inmates, which they did gladly. On many occasions the believers even joined the pastor to visit the inmates and encourage them from God’s Word. On one such visit, Pastor Nandar Mon met Kyine Kyi, a man imprisoned by his addictions, his guilt and his shame.

Released Prisoner Finds Freedom in Christ

After Kyine Kyi had served his sentence, the prison leaders brought him to Pastor Nandar Mon’s doorstep. Pastor Nandar Mon opened his home and cared for Kyine Kyi. He prayed with him and told him of the freedom found in Christ, sharing from the Bible about the nature of God and His offer of adoption. Kyine Kyi couldn’t resist God’s love. He decided to embrace the life Christ offers, and as he did, he found true freedom—not only from alcohol and drugs, but also from sin and shame. Pastor Nandar Mon was able to disciple the young man closely, and a few weeks later, Kyine Kyi returned to his home village a changed man.

Thank you for being among those who pray for men like Pastor Nandar Mon as they minister to those in bondage. Through your prayers, sacri ces and generosity, people like Kyine Kyi are discovering the true freedom found only in Christ.

The water was dirty. She could see it. Even though it flowed from a well in town, she knew the water wasn’t safe. People in the village often struggled with diarrhea, vomiting and unexplained fevers. Chandrima, like many others in the area, was well aware the water caused it. But she didn’t have any other options. Her family needed the water, even if it made them sick.

Woman Trades Burdens for Cement Box

One afternoon, Chandrima unexpectedly met a Gospel for Asia- supported pastor named Harshad and invited him to her home to meet with her husband and children. Chandrima poured out her anxieties about the water in town, something that troubled her greatly. Pastor Harshad, in turn, shared about the One he knew who has the answer to all of life’s troubles: Jesus.

Pastor Harshad left that day wanting to help this family. During one of his later visits, he told them about BioSand water filters. How do they work? Chandrima’s family wondered. Pastor Harshad explained: One simply pours water into the filter every day (a filter comprised of rocks and sand in a concrete box), and the water comes out 98 percent pure. It would smell nicer, taste better and not make them sick like the unfiltered water in town had been doing. As they excitedly asked him more questions, Pastor Harshad pointed their attention to Jesus—the Giver of all good gifts.

“The Lord has a plan for your family to live a healthy life and to bless you,” he shared. “He loves you.”

Clean Water and Joyful Hearts

When Pastor Harshad was able to give Chandrima’s family a BioSand water filter a few weeks later—thanks to the donations of someone like you—they were overjoyed. As they used their new filter, they quickly realized how true the pastor’s words were—the water was clean!

Today, this once-struggling family enjoys listening to the pastor and learning from him, and just as they once asked questions about how a box of rocks could clean their water, they have begun asking questions about how God could clean their hearts. Thank you for helping to make stories like this possible.

It’s January. Another year is behind us. I don’t know how it happened. Time went by so fast, and now we are in 2016. I can hardly believe it.

The nice thing about a new year is that you can look back over the past year and see how faithful the Lord has been. It gives us a chance to thank Him for all He has done. And every year I am struck again by how faithful He is through both good times and difficult ones.

Last year, we saw unprecedented growth of the ministry in South Asia and tremendous opportunities to show Christ’s love. At the same time, our brothers and sisters are facing increased difficulties, and there have been some tragic natural disasters in the nations where we minister. But through it all, God has shown Himself faithful.

We’ve likely already looked ahead to 2016 and planned our new year’s resolutions. I think it is also good if we can look back and reflect on the Lord’s faithfulness to us in the year that just passed. Can we take some time to thank Him for all He has done in our lives? Whether it was the courage to press on in a difficult situation, financial provision at just the right time, peace in the midst of sorrow, the joy of watching our families grow or any of His countless gifts, let’s thank Him for His faithfulness to us.

Philippians 1:6 reminds us it is God who began the work in us and He is the One who will carry it through. It is my prayer that the stories in this issue of Harvest remind you again of God’s faithfulness to change the lives of precious men, women, boys and girls in South Asia through you. On their behalf, I want to say thank you.