Rejoice!

When Taral’s first child became seriously ill, Taral didn’t call upon the gods of his wife’s religion—he immediately called Pastor Havish and asked him to pray.

Drinking alcohol is a common pastime for many young men in Asia. Taral (not shown) left the church as a young man to follow such exampless—eventually landing him in jail.

Pastor Havish hung up the phone. Taral’s baby, only 2 months old, was sick. Taral asked for prayer, and Pastor Havish, as he had done countless times over the past 15 years, went to visit his wayward friend.

Youth Rejects Pastor’s Warning

Taral and Havish had known each other since Taral was a young boy. At the age of 13, Taral decided he wanted to become a Christian, even though no one else in his family shared his convictions. Sadly, as the years passed, instead of following the example of Jesus by loving God, loving others and serving his society, Taral began following the example of some local hooligans.

At age 15, he dropped out of school, stopped going to church and started spending his time pursuing his own desires. Pastor Havish didn’t give up hope for the young man, though. He visited him several times, counselled him, prayed for him and encouraged him to mend his ways, but Taral refused to change his course.

Things took a drastic turn when Taral and his friends decided to steal a vehicle. They drove it to a town about 72 km away, scrapped it and sold it for parts.

For three months, Taral lived the high life with all the money he had . . . until the police caught and arrested him.

Pastor Visits Young Prisoner

But Pastor Havish didn’t abandon his young friend. Instead, he continued to visit Taral in prison, encouraging him to forsake his criminal lifestyle and find new life in Jesus.

Sadly, after being released nearly eight years later, it seemed Taral would only continue to waste his life away outside the prison bars: He spent his days with his thug friends. Pastor Havish visited him again and again, praying for him, counselling him and advising him to change his ways and start his life fresh with Jesus in the lead.

Fresh Start Turns Sour

Eventually Pastor Havish succeeded in persuading Taral to leave the gang life and even helped him get a job in a factory. As the days passed, Taral pondered the pastor’s persistent love and challenging words more and more.

Then one day Taral met a young woman, and the two of them decided to get married. Taral’s wife didn’t believe in Jesus’ grace, and her influence had a powerful effect on her husband.

But when Taral’s first child became seriously ill, Taral didn’t call upon the gods of his wife’s religion—he immediately called Pastor Havish and asked him to pray.

Baby’s Healing

Pastor Havish rushed to Taral’s home to pray for his son. After that, Taral and his wife took the baby to the doctor, who declared the infant to be perfectly healthy.

Taral has a criminal background, just like this man on the right, but that hasn’t stopped local fellowships of believers from loving and accepting them.

Taral’s wife started to realize the power of God that day, and both of their lives soon changed completely.

Although they were a little shy to interact with believers because of Taral’s criminal background, Taral and his wife decided to go to church the following Sunday. Pastor Havish, as he had done throughout Taral’s life, encouraged him, prayed for him and showed him the love that comes from above—the all-surpassing love of God who loves even those who wander and stray. It wasn’t long before Taral and his wife decided to stop running from Jesus and walk with Him instead.

Thank You!

Stories of transformation don’t always happen overnight. Oftentimes God works through His servants for years, encouraging, guiding and helping people recognize His loving voice.

We pray this story encourages you to continue faithfully in all that the Lord has given to you—whether that means praying for loved ones, sharing Jesus’ love with strangers, giving financially to support national missions or many other things. As Pastor Havish says, “When we sow, the Lord will take care of the crops.”

Thank you for sowing into the lives of men and women in Asia through your prayers and generosity. May the Lord bless you abundantly.

In destitute villages such as Gulal’s, or this one shown, life is very difficult—especially during scorching summer heat. Bridge of Hope makes a huge difference for children in these villages.

Life in Gulal’s village is a challenge for almost everyone who lives there. It is not uncommon for daily laborers, working in the hot summer months, to fall victim to sunstroke. People need to travel more than a mile outside of town just to gather drinking water from a river. Many parents can’t afford to provide their children with school supplies such as pencils and paper to help them succeed in school, and several families don’t even own a proper pair of shoes.

People in Gulal’s village are poor, and life is hard.

Life for Gulal’s family was no exception. With four mouths to feed, Gulal’s parents worked hard and rarely had time at home to invest in their children’s lives. Although his parents loved their children, Gulal and his siblings grew up without much structure or discipline, leading Gulal to become a very disobedient and rebellious child. But despite all of his parents’ labor, their earnings only provided enough for one meal every day, if that.

Thankfully, that’s not how Gulal’s story ends.

A Happy Discovery

When Gulal was 11 years old, his father heard about a GFA-supported Bridge of Hope center in his village. He learned that the children in the center received a good education and school supplies. Wanting a better life for his son, Gulal’s father asked about getting him enrolled.

And so it was that Gulal began attending Bridge of Hope. Even though he had to travel more than a kilometer each way, he attended regularly.

Life Changes at Bridge of Hope

Gulal, 2014

Through the consistent love and care of the Bridge of Hope staff, as well as the nutritious meal he received every day he attended, Gulal developed into an intelligent, kind, obedient and healthy young man.

Meanwhile, his parents understood the depth of the Christmas story at a special program and underwent a heart transformation.

Gulal graduated from Bridge of Hope in August 2016. His desire is to help his society understand the importance of education and work to help provide that education for children who live in families, like his, that can hardly afford to put one meal on the table.

Pastors often meet new people and listen to their needs and burdens. They carry literature with them in case their new acquaintances want to learn more about Jesus.

Her son’s homework was piled all over the table. Again.

The young widow started to tidy up the mess left by her eighth-grade son but suddenly stopped when something caught her eye: It was a piece of paper that had nothing to do with school work. As she picked it up, she saw it was covered with information about Jesus.

‘Leave Me Alone’

Eyes glued to the pamphlet in her hand and all efforts of housecleaning forgotten, Trisha read about Jesus for the first time in her life. She remembered the day she had met the GFA-supported pastor and his wife months before; she had taken the pamphlets from them and heard about Jesus’ love.

“Leave me alone,” she had told them. “You’re wasting my time. I am not interested in the religion and beliefs of others.”

But even though she hadn’t been interested, Trisha hadn’t been able to throw away the information she’d taken from them that day

And now, as she intently read about Jesus, she couldn’t help but feel the author wrote the pamphlet specifically for her.

‘I Want to Know More . . .’

As Trisha read about Christ, she longed to know more about Him but didn’t know where to turn. From that day onward, she prayed a simple prayer to Jesus in her heart: “I want to know more about You.”

Little did Trisha know that Pastor Sarthak and his wife were remembering her in their prayers as well, and they had even asked other Christians in the area to pray for her.

Their prayers were answered when Trisha met Pastor Sarthak and his wife again one day. She told them about her experience with the pamphlet, and through many subsequent visits and conversations, they helped her understand the fullness of Christ.

Life became more difficult from there.

Challenged for Trusting Jesus

Trisha, age 28, had already experienced her share of hardship and rejection. She used to live with her husband in a home of their own, complete with a paddy field to grow food for the family, until her husband fell sick and died. They had borrowed a huge amount of money to pay the medical bills, and the only way Trisha could repay the loan was to sell her home. Sadly, after her husband died, her brothers-in-law took her paddy field and told her to go back to her parents.

Her mother and father had compassion on Trisha and let her and her son live in their home, helping out as they could.

But after Trisha decided to walk with Jesus, they almost walked out of her life.

Trisha’s parents scolded her for trusting Jesus and pressured her to recant. What’s more, they stopped helping her when financial needs arose. Trisha found it very difficult to face their continual ridicule and rejection.

The Love of God Through a Pastor and a Cow

It hurt Pastor Sarthak to see Trisha treated so harshly, too. He wanted to help her somehow, and God gave him an idea: Give Trisha a cow. Thanks to the generous donations of GFA friends, he was able to do just that.

Owning a cow gives an impoverished family a source of income and nutritious food.

Within a few months, the cow made a difference in Trisha’s life and in the lives of her parents. Through this simple animal, Trisha was able to care for her family.

Witnessing the kindness of Pastor Sarthak and the other Christians, Trisha’s family started to change their view about followers of Jesus. They felt bad for thinking Christians were selfishly trying to change Trisha, and they even began listening when Trisha or her pastor would share the Word of God with them.

Now, this young widow who wanted to have a clean home now has a clean heart as well.

Thank you!

Trisha’s story is not over, and neither is her parents’. Someday, when we get to heaven, we will see all that the Lord did in and through their lives—and yours.

Whether you gave directly toward Gospel literature; prayed for a national missionary; or donated toward the GFA general fund, enabling us to share opportunities for involvement with even more people like you, you are helping to make stories like this possible. Thank you for helping to change lives in Asia!

It was hot. Summers always were. Sweat beaded on Hasan’s brow and mingled with the dust from the street. The smells of human feces, unwashed bodies and rotting garbage filled the air, blending into a foul and ever-present stench.

Hasan works as a cloth vendor in an Asian slum, just like this man.

Life in the slum had its challenges.

As Hasan shouldered his burden once again—feet protesting, back aching—he prayed, asking God to provide him with a bicycle.

A Heavy Burden

Hasan was a cloth vendor. After purchasing bundles of clothes, sheets and other cloth items from wholesale retailers, the young father carried them from shanty to shanty, praying people would buy enough for him to make a profit and feed his family; he had a wife and five children depending on him.

But it was hard work.

A bundle of clothing isn’t normally very heavy until you walk with it kilometer after kilometer after kilometer, day after day after day. Sometimes the pain in Hasan’s feet and legs became too severe for him to handle. When that happened, Hasan stayed at home—a small, thatched shanty—unable to work until he recovered.

But Hasan had hope, even in the midst of these trials. Hasan knew Jesus, and he knew Jesus loved him. Hasan and his family regularly gathered to worship Jesus with many other Christians from their slum. As he prayed and asked for prayer, Hasan had hope that, somehow, God would provide for his needs.

Bike Brings Blessings

One day Hasan’s pastor, GFA supported pastor Peter, received happy news: He would be able to host a Christmas gift distribution for people in need living in his area, both Christians and non-Christians alike. As he prayed about who to give a gift to, Hasan came to mind.

Two months later, in February 2014, joy overwhelmed Hasan when he received a bicycle. He didn’t have enough words to express his gratitude.

His profits increased almost overnight.

Hasan and his family with his new bicycle, a gift from GFA’s Christmas Gift Catalog.

Where he could only travel to two or three villages each day on foot before, now he could visit several more. As someone who knocks on doors daily to sell his products, the bicycle really helped him meet more potential customers every single day, and that made a difference.

The pain in Hasan’s legs vanished. He started providing nutritious food for his children and sending them to a better school. He purchased a plot of land to build a proper home on, so soon his family will be able to leave the slum life behind them.

“I am very much thankful to my God as well as to the Church for giving me this bicycle,” he said. “Our family condition has improved a lot. Now we are able to meet all our needs.”

Thank You!

Through the years, the workers we support on the field have come to recognize the humble bicycle as one of the greatest gifts they can give to a poor, laboring family. While many of the bicycles, provided for through donations to GFA, go to help missionaries and pastors, every bicycle serves to help more people understand the love of Christ and help those in need. Gifts like these also bless local congregations, because when someone increases their profits, they also increase the amount they can give back to the local body.

Hasan has been walking with Jesus for 11 years now, and this bicycle is a physical reminder and testimony of the Lord’s faithfulness. To see his prayers answered has only served to strengthen his understanding of the great love of God—and it helps Hasan bring his youngest two children to church, too! Whenever someone asks him about his bicycle, Hasan is able to share with them about the God who answered his prayers.

Thank you for being part of more stories of transformation and for helping us to share them.

We recently had a special guest come from overseas; he is a significant leader of the Church in India and has been walking with the Lord for decades.

This saintly leader came to our office to be with us and pray with us for a few minutes. While he was here, he shared briefly with our staff, and he reminded us how Jesus is the only constant in our lives and how critical it is that we spend time with Him. After this brother finished sharing, he followed his own advice: He walked directly away to find a place to pray. It was such a blessing for our staff to witness.

I remember when I first met this man about five years ago. He took me into his prayer room—a simple, small room—and sat me on the floor with him so we could pray together. After a while, I looked at my watch— he had been praying for almost two hours! I was shifting around a little, uncomfortable because my legs were falling asleep.

Eventually he said, “Amen,” and I thought he was done. Then he looked over at me and said, “Okay, now it’s your turn.”

It was in meeting him that I began to really understand the reality of sitting still, of being quiet in the Lord’s presence, of simply being with Jesus. This is a man who spends an average of seven hours with the Lord every single day. He didn’t tell me this himself, but those who are close to him mentioned it to me. I was inspired and awed by my time with him, and I know I still have much to learn in the reality of prayer and solitude.

My friend, no matter where you feel like you are in your walk with the Lord, may I encourage you to keep going? Stories like the ones you read about in Harvest come about because of the prayers of God’s people—even if those prayers aren’t anywhere near two hours long. Believe me, you are making a tremendous difference. Jesus loves you, and He will continue to draw you closer to Him. Remember, knowing Him is what matters in the end. Let us press on to know Him more.