GFA World Newsletter

January 2018, Vol. 14, No. 1

Just like Daniel, whose photo you can see below, this little boy improved in his studies through the care and attention of his GFA-supported Bridge of Hope teachers.

Daniel is 20 years old now, a young man following his God-given dream. But he didn’t always have a mustache—he was once a little boy from a struggling family who didn’t have much hope for the future.

Growing in Hope

Daniel was born into a Christian family and grew up attending church. He even played the drums during times of worship, and he never missed a meeting if he could help it. As time passed, he grew in the knowledge of the Lord, but he struggled in the knowledge of scholastic subjects.

His family was poor. His father had steady work, but it was never quite enough. Thankfully, when a GFA-supported Bridge of Hope center opened in Daniel’s village, he was able to enroll.

When he first came to the center as a third-grader, he didn’t know much, but he learned quickly. As time passed, he excelled and started dreaming of the future.

Growing in Mastery

In 2010, a new GFA-supported pastor came to Daniel’s church. The two of them talked often, and the pastor encouraged the young boy to pray for his future. He did, and God answered.

After graduating from the Bridge of Hope center, Daniel went on to complete a special two-year program in math, physics and chemistry. When he took the admission test for an engineering college, he got good marks. Today he is pursuing a five-year program to get a master’s degree in chemistry.

“I feel very happy because I achieved my goal through Bridge of Hope and my family’s prayers,” Daniel shares. “I never thought that it would be possible in my life; this is my goal since my childhood. I really extend my special thanks to ... the Bridge of Hope leaders. Because of their prayerful effort and encouragement, I could get admission [in college].”

Thank You!

Through the committed prayers, support and love of men and women like you, we have been able to see tens of thousands of children like Daniel rescued from a life of poverty and given the chance at a brighter future through Bridge of Hope. Many of these students have become the first children from their families to enter college and pursue higher education.

Right now, there are more than 82,000 children enrolled in Bridge of Hope center scattered across several Asian nations. Your life is truly making a difference, and through GFA, you are part of blessing a generation. Thank you so much!

Just as Aapti and Sahasya longed for a child, this woman and her husband were unable to conceive—until a GFA-supported pastor prayed for them. She now has a son and another child on the way.

“You try to please your god, but he is angry with you,” Sahasya’s community mocked.

These words cut deep into Sahasya’s heart. He had been trying all he could with his meager income to bring deliverance and healing for his wife, Aapti. But his gods seemed to be upset with him, and his neighbors mocked him as he searched for relief. He and his bride had sold everything they owned, sought doctors and medical treatments and asked advice from witch doctors; they had even travelled to a neighboring country in search of healing—but nothing worked.

Young Couple’s Hopes Dashed

Sahasya and Aapti’s life was not always filled with worry and trouble. The young couple got married at young ages, according to the custom of their culture, and even though they lived in poverty, they were happy. However, they longed for a child of their own, but as years passed by, no baby came.

Life seemed peaceful for Sahasya and Aapti despite their yearning—until demonic forces began to work against Aapti. For five long years, Aapti suffered with an unknown illness, and eventually she was unable to move or even eat.

At Just the Right Moment

It was in this critical state that God sent GFA-supported pastor Jaitra to visit the discouraged couple. Sahasya quickly shared with the pastor about all their struggles.

Pastor Jaitra listened and encouraged the couple with truth found in God’s Word, telling them, “In Jesus everything is possible.”

After hearing what the pastor said, Aapti requested that he pray for her deliverance. “I want to believe and trust in Him,” she said.

Pastor Jaitra prayed for her and invited the young couple to church that week.

Answered Prayer

Sahasya and Aapti entered the church as many believers filled the building. They were amazed as they watched the believers around them worshiping Jesus with such love. That very day, the couple stood up and expressed their desire to live for Jesus and receive the love and healing He brings.

Pastor Jaitra and his congregation prayed for Aapti daily, and one month later, she was completely healed from her illness. As the couple continued to trust in Jesus, they soon received a gift they had long awaited: a baby!

Thank you for being part of lives like Sahasya’s and Aapti’s. Because of your prayers, God is meeting precious ones, just like this couple, right in their hour of need.

“[We] are always looking to help the people in their need based on the love of Jesus,” shared the GFA-supported pastor pictured. “Thousands of people [in this region] are being benefited through the Christmas gifts provided according to the need of people. There is only one purpose behind doing a whole lot of community development projects: to develop the citizens of [this nation.] The Lord Jesus has given [us] a great burden for helping people in need.”

Many people throughout the world have the skills they need to provide for themselves, but they lack the means to purchase required tools. Without these necessary resources, many become daily laborers, depending on inconsistent income to meet their financial needs.

Simple gifts, such as sewing machines or rickshaws, can provide families with a source of income, meeting their needs in such a way to make their daily lives easier.

“The majority of the people in our society are poor and underprivileged. Some of them are not able to take care of their families,” one GFA-supported worker explains. “Some of them are weak in their physical body, and they cannot work. In this situation, community-development gifts are helping them to survive.”

Thanks to your generosity, GFA-supported Christmas gift distributions have provided invaluable gifts to hundreds of thousands of families in need. Here are just a few stories from two such distribution events.

Son Starts Own Tailoring Shop

Goral had dropped out of high school to find work and provide for his parents. He joined a tailoring shop and learned the craft of sewing clothes. Unfortunately, he was only getting a small amount of money each month.

Then Goral, now 20 years old, received a sewing machine through a GFA-supported Christmas gift distribution after his pastor found out about his need!

“I am very happy to have a sewing machine of my own,” Goral says. “So far, I was working in another shop to earn money. Now I will put a shop in my own village and stitch clothes for my village people. There is only one tailor in my village. I will have a lot of clothes to stitch, which will give me money for the expenses of my family.”

Solar Light Helps Studies

At a GFA-supported Christmas gift distribution, Kalpa received this solar light! This simple device provides bright light to study by. It will also help his family save money that they would have otherwise spent on kerosene to light their lamps at night.

Kerosene lamps were not enough for Kalpa’s siblings to see their homework in the evenings. They often struggled with studying because it was too dark to read and write.

Kerosene lamps are also expensive to maintain, which can be difficult for poor families to afford. Thankfully, the Lord provided a solar panel for Kalpa’s family!

“There is no electricity facility in my village. This solar light will be very helpful for my brother’s study,” Kalpa says, “and we, as a family, will enjoy having bright light in our house. Thank you very much for providing me such a valuable gift.”

Buffalo, the Gift of Sustenance

This is Ravan with the water buffalo he received through the generosity of GFA friends like you. Thank you!

Ravan worked as a daily laborer, and he depended on each day’s earnings to feed his four children and send them to school. But sometimes his children would go hungry.

Then he received a gift he never dreamed he would have: a buffalo.

“My children had very little chance of drinking buffalo milk,” Ravan explains. “But now my children will have enough milk to drink. I can have a lot of milk products, which will be a really good [source] of healthy food for my family. This gift is an everlasting gift for my family. I am really thankful to you all.”

A New, Steady Income

Eshan, like many in his village, was poor. He earned a meager living as a daily laborer. As he strived to provide for his wife and son, he faced frustration and discouragement because he did not earn enough money to feed his family. By the Lord’s grace, his pastor saw his struggle and advocated for him to receive a Christmas gift.

He received a rickshaw, which helped him to earn a steady income. Eshan could not control his joy upon receiving his gift!

“I am very thankful to the Church,” Eshan shares. “It is all because of their support that today I am able to care for my family and feed my family properly.”

The bicycle this GFA-supported pastor received empowers him to bless more lives every single day. When pastors have bicycles, they can respond quicker to requests for prayer. It also means they won’t tire as easily as they would by walking.

GFA-supported pastor Bhupad had a long way to go. He wanted to meet the people in his village, and that meant walking. He wanted to pray with them and encourage the believers he knew, and that meant walking. A few miles here and there really added up, and even for a healthy 34-year-old father of three, all that walking wasn’t easy—and it took time.

On rare occasions, Pastor Bhupad would hire transportation if the distances were too far to travel on foot, but that always cost more, so most of the time, he walked.

Still, Pastor Bhupad faithfully served others and ministered to everyone he could. Then, in August 2014, he received a bicycle through the generosity of Christians around the world—people like you.

Bike Blesses Pastor so He Can Bless Others

With his new bicycle, Pastor Bhupad visits even more people without using up so much time or getting so worn out by all the walking. He is even able to conduct a regular prayer meeting with the believers in a village that is more than 18 miles away! To walk there and back would have taken almost his entire day, but now he is able to cut his travel time significantly and have more time to bless those in need.

Not only that, the bicycle has also enabled him to travel more at night, when transportation isn’t available, so he can visit families when they call him for prayer. And with his bicycle, Pastor Bhupad can bring his wife along for ministry, so the two of them, together, are more effectively bringing hope to those they meet.

In one place, Pastor Bhupad and his wife started hosting a Sunday school for local kids. Among those youngsters were the children of a poor laborer named Nishat, whom you can read about in the next story.

Just like Nishat received a bicycle through a GFA-supported Christmas gift distribution, these men have also received bicycles! For those whose only other option may be walking to find work, a bicycle provides tremendous opportunities for better employment. The prayers and support of men and women like you have enabled many to receive these life-changing gifts. Thank you!

Nishat struggled to provide for his family. He worked hard every day he could, but as a day laborer, he struggled to find consistent work. That meant he often wasted precious time and energy walking around his community, just looking for someone to hire him. When Nishat did find someone, he’d often have to walk even farther to the job site. The more time he spent walking, the less time he spent working, and the more tired he was by the time he got to work as well, but what could a poor laborer do?

Meanwhile, Pastor Bhupad, along with his wife, had started a Sunday school not far from where Nishat lived, so Nishat and his wife decided to start sending two of their three children there. Nishat’s children started learning stories from the Bible, singing action songs and even memorizing some Scripture verses, all of which they enjoyed very much.

Pastor Blesses Laborer with Bicycle

Over the next year, Pastor Bhupad and Nishat developed a good relationship. Pastor Bhupad saw how hard Nishat worked and how, despite his efforts and labor, his family continued to struggle financially. As Pastor Bhupad remembered his own days without a bicycle, he realized a bicycle would be a tremendous blessing for Nishat as well. That’s why, when the pastor had the opportunity to host a Christmas gift distribution in his area, he wanted to give a bicycle to Nishat, a gift that could change this father’s life.

“I was in dire need of a bicycle,” Nishat says. “How kind you people are who considered me worthy of getting this gift. Thanks a lot.”

Thank You!

Bicycles given through GFA go to pastors, missionaries and others who could benefit from such a gift. Just like other Christmas gifts, bicycles have changed the lives of many recipients over the years and pointed many to the greatest gift Christ offers.

With his new bicycle, Nishat can find work faster, which saves him time and energy he would have wasted walking before. His children are happy to be able to attend the Sunday school, where they are memorizing Scripture and experiencing Jesus’ love, a love they are sharing with their parents, as is Pastor Bhupad.

I reconnected with an old coworker recently, someone I remember as having great potential, many talents and an eager heart to follow the Lord. But a few years ago, all of a sudden, he disappeared. The only reason he gave at the time was “for personal reasons.” I was grieved to see him go, but what could I do?

As we talked on the phone, I asked him again why it was that he had left, and he told me more of the story.

“You talked so many times about 2 Corinthians 10,” he said, “pulling down imaginations that rise up against the knowledge of Christ, and you wrote about it, you talked about it, how ‘God is not going to do it for you, you have to do it, and your mind is the battle ground.’ ”

Then he told me how he had become consumed with thoughts about his future, worrying about his security and the future of his children. Many of his friends and relatives started pressuring him about those same things, and his worry got reinforced. He told me how his wife did everything she could to pray for him and challenge him to trust God, but in the end, she gave up.

“Now, looking back,” he said, “I have no doubt what it was—I lost the battle in my mind. And I should not have done it.”

Of course, he is still following the Lord, and God is with him. But the encounter felt like another reminder from the Lord, how amid struggles and battles, my mind can start dwelling on what it should not. The enemy can be so crafty to plant thoughts in our minds, and it is so important for us to ask ourselves, “Why am I thinking like this? Why am I doing this?” And you may find there are CURRENT_USERs of bitterness, anger, fear, worry or unforgiveness that need to be dealt with. It is so important for us to keep our hearts and our minds clean before the Lord.

My friend, let us commit afresh to praying for ourselves and for one another as we continue the journey into another year, that the Lord would help our thoughts remain fixed on Him always.

Rejoice!

Other Articles in this Issue