GFA World Newsletter

February 2022, Vol. 19, No. 2

What GFA pastor Souta witnessed grieved him. The people in the village were poverty stricken, marginalized, uneducated regarding health and hygiene and lived without proper sanitation or health-care facilities. As a result, they frequently suffered from various illnesses. Without access to medical treatment, or the funds to pay for it even if it were available, these people bore the burden of sickness the best they could.

Compelled to ease their suffering, Pastor Souta organized a free medical camp, hoping to bring positive change and restore health in the community. He partnered with local government leaders and medical professionals, who volunteered their time and expertise, to provide quality health care to people with none.

Doctors performed routine checkups and treated ailments such as the flu, colds, allergies, diarrhea, headaches, stomachaches and fever. Though these are common sicknesses, early detection is often key for successful treatment. People without access to medical care often suffer needlessly, sometimes even die, from treatable illnesses.

More than 100 people benefited from the camp, which also included free medication, HIV testing and bloodwork. Pastor Souta and his team rejoiced in the camp’s success and that they were able to show Christ’s love and care by helping the underprivileged, needy people in this way.

Medical camps such as this one offer free medical care to people who may otherwise have no access to health care.

While many came seeking medical help, 22-year-old Sani also sought spiritual help. She approached Pastor Souta, asking for prayer.

“I want to come to the church because I have been mentally stressed a lot,” Sani told him. “I want to get peace in my mind as well as in my family.”

The missionaries’ concern also impacted a doctor who participated in the program.

“I worked with many non-governmental organizations, but this type of care, love and commitment I am seeing for the first time,” he said. “I would like to work with this church again.”

Thanks to donors like you, GFA missionaries can minister to people in need spiritually and physically through free medical camps and other medical outreaches.

Primia’s throat burned. Each time the young girl took a sip of water, her throat protested. Every bite of food took effort to swallow. Her parents thought it might be a side-effect of the weather, but as the months passed, the pain grew worse. Belicia, Primia’s mother, took her to the hospital, where she found out Primia had a severe case of tonsilitis.

Unable to Afford Medicine

The doctor recommended Primia undergo surgery to relieve the girl’s pain and prevent it from getting even worse.

After the operation came the news that Belicia perhaps dreaded most: the cost. They couldn’t afford the medication needed post-surgery, a side-effect of the poverty that afflicted their family. Belicia worked cleaning houses, earning a small amount of money. Primia’s father worked, too, but he spent his income mostly on alcohol instead of on his family, so Belicia alone had to provide for Primia and her older brother.

Belicia went from person to person, asking for help. As she borrowed money, the distraught mother did her best to pay for Primia’s medication. Belicia’s efforts alleviated the immediate crisis, but questions loomed: How would she pay back the money she borrowed? How long would Primia need medication?

Help, Hope Given by GFA Workers

Then, one day, three GFA World child sponsorship workers visited Belicia at her home, having learned of the family’s struggles. Primia had been a member of the program for three years. Without her enrollment in the program, Primia would not have been able to continue in school.

Among the various benefits the young girl received, including proper nutrition and tutoring in her studies, what Primia gained from the most was the care and guidance of the staff. The teachers encouraged Primia to be her very best, correcting and inspiring where needed.

But this care didn’t extend only to Primia. After hearing of the family’s financial plight, the workers visited their home to offer prayer and encouragement. Tears welled in the harried mother’s eyes as they spoke. Desperate, Belicia asked if the staff could help. Could they pay for Primia’s medical expenses?

Yes, they responded, they could help.

Belicia couldn’t believe it. It seemed almost too good to be true. Relief poured over her heart, leaving her nearly speechless.

GFA World’s Child Sponsorship Program helped Primia receive medical care and offered her family encouragement in a time of urgent need.

“There are not enough words to thank the help that is lent from [the program staff ],” Belicia said. “Today, my daughter is alive just because of the prayer and assistance from [the program]. I can never be able to forget this great aid.”

With the help Belicia received from the GFA workers, she would no longer have to worry about increasing debt. As Primia recuperated, the workers visited and checked on the young girl, offering prayer and encouragement for her and her family. They were committed to seeing Primia flourish so she could reach for a better tomorrow, no matter what difficulties she may face.

Thanks to your support, stories like Primia’s take place wherever GFA missionaries serve. These faithful men and women can bring Christ’s compassion to the communities they work in because of donors like you. May the Lord bless you!

For Mai and the other children of her community, daily life carried risks. One of the biggest risks was getting sick with typhoid, diarrhea, malaria or another waterborne disease. And it was a risk these children couldn’t avoid: Their only water sources were open wells, ponds and rivers, which were contaminated by cow dung, leaves and trash. In the summer, these sources dried up.

GFA pastor Raffe saw the residents’ hardships, and he and other Christians in the village began to pray for a well that would supply clean water. The next year, ministry leaders approved Pastor Raffe’s application for a Jesus Well. When the villagers heard they would receive a new well—one that could yield pure water for years to come—excitement buzzed around the village.

Fresh Water, Fresh Opportunity

After the well was drilled, families began using it daily. They finally had clean water for drinking, washing produce and watering their cattle.

“For a long period of time, ... we were facing shortage of clean drinking water,” says Mai, who was about 13 years old when the Jesus Well was installed. “But at the right time, [the church] got a Jesus Well installed for us to have enough pure water for our needs.”

With the clean water, the families’ health improved. They saved money that earlier would have been spent on medical treatment. Things looked brighter for the next generation. They now had the chance to enjoy freedom from the cycle of sickness and poverty that had shackled their parents. They could dream and plan for better lives as waterborne illnesses no longer drained their energy and resources, giving them more time to be productive.

Gratitude filled the villagers’ hearts, and some wanted to know about the One whose name was inscribed on the well. Mai and her family were among them. They began to visit the local church, where they could learn more about Jesus, who offers Living Water. Eventually, Mai and her parents decided to follow Him.

Through the gift of a Jesus Well, Mai and her village not only have hope for better lives, but some have also found the living, steadfast hope Christ offers.

From the time we are young, it seems we are always afraid of something—whether that thing is real or imaginary.

We fear both the known and the unknown. And even though studies show most things we fear seldom happen, we continue to be afraid.

Job was a man who seemed to have everything going for him. He had respect, wealth, healthy children and a multitude of servants. His influence stretched far and wide, and he was even called the greatest of the men of the East (see Job 1:1–3).

But even when everything was going well for him, Job was afraid. Soon, all that he had was destroyed in one crisis after another. And after sitting in ashes, not speaking for seven days, Job made a very revealing statement: “The thing I greatly feared has come upon me” (see Job 2:13; 3:25, emphasis mine).

I have found that it is often when things are going especially well that we start to fear things will go awry. We tend to think, “All good things must come to an end, and what goes up must come down.” Unfortunately, that theory means the more we are given, the more we have to worry about losing—whether authority, status, respect, money or people. It is very easy for fearful thoughts to sneak in—thoughts that maybe everything will fail or fall apart.

Instead of taking the negative thoughts of fear captive, there are times ... we allow these fears to control us, and we begin to try to preserve our own life. When we do that, we are stepping into the realm of uncertainty and instability. As Christ’s Church—His bride—we must remember that God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7).

We must remember that God has given us the power to overcome fear, knowing we can trust in Him as He directs our lives. As we do this, we are united with thousands of brothers and sisters on the field, like those mentioned in this newsletter, who are overcoming fear to bring God’s love to those who need it most. Thank you for your faithfulness in supporting their work. May the Lord bless you!