Rejoice!

At 23, Talleen could hardly have been a better son: He helped support the household, was kind to his parents and faithfully prayed to his traditional deity. Yet for all that, Talleen’s family was struggling to survive.

His parents earned a small income as farmers, and the only work Talleen could find was as a daily labourer. He asked his deity to bless his family and provide for his needs, but his prayers went unanswered.

Frustrated, Talleen would share his problems with his friend Kapil, a Gospel for Asia missionary.

Kapil had been telling Talleen about Christ’ love, but the young man firmly rejected the Good News. Every community has its own beliefs and faith, he said, and he wouldn’t betray his own. Besides, following Jesus could have dire consequences.

The village authorities would likely banish his family from the village, leaving them homeless—in addition to all their other struggles.

Still, Pastor Kapil seemed wise, so Talleen sought his advice in other matters of life and even asked for prayer. Kapil continued to encourage Talleen to trust Jesus and shared of God’s faithfulness in his own life. When Talleen explained his fears about embracing Jesus, Kapil prayed for him to be bold.

Determined to trust what he knew to be true, Talleen chose to follow Christ. His family thought for certain he’d gone mad.

The Folly of the Cross

Suddenly Talleen stopped attending religious festivals and refused to take part in any religious rituals. His father sadly thought the family’s poverty must have driven Talleen to insanity. The whole family was worried.

Talleen tried to comfort them,explaining that Jesus had opened his eyes, but they didn’t understand what he was talking about.

Once again, Talleen went to his missionary friend for counsel, and Kapil decided to visit the family. Seeing the family’s poor living conditions moved the missionary to tears. Talleen had not exaggerated their predicament, and Kapil desperately wanted to help them. He began praying wholeheartedly that God would have compassion on them. In little time,God did.

An End to Their Struggles

When it came time for the local church’s Christmas gift distribution program, Pastor Kapil chose Talleen’s family to receive pigs.

See how people like Talleen were helped by Gospel for Asia’s Christmas gift distribution program.

The family was overjoyed at the good news. Now they could earn a real living and put an end to their struggles. Through tears, Talleen thanked Kapil, who reminded him to thank God. Talleen has been telling others of Jesus’ faithfulness, desiring that everyone in the village embrace God’s love.

With new hope in their lives, Talleen’s parents could be some of the first to join their son. They’re beginning to realize that maybe the Gospel isn’t madness after all. Perhaps Talleen has led them to something better than they could imagine—just as a good son should.

He worked two jobs and was one of the most educated people in the village, but that didn’t keep Haamid and his family from the grip of poverty.

They barely had enough food to eat, and their small home was falling apart.

One year, though, Haamid’s church had a Christmas gift distribution program. And because Haamid had tailoring experience, he received a sewing machine so he could start his own business.

Previously, the nearest tailor had been more than six miles away, but when Haamid opened shop, everyone was excited to take their business to him. Soon, Haamid began earning enough money to quit his other jobs and fully focus on this new opportunity.

With his family’s needs met completely, Haamid shows his gratitude in his tithes and a desire to pass on his skills to others in the church. Words simply can’t express what God has done for his family.

When Akshay Sharma moved away from home 14 years ago, he couldn’t imagine the impact he’d make on his new city.

A Bridge of Hope project director, Akshay has a unique life story, but he shares something in common with all other Bridge of Hope project directors: a passion for blessing children and their families with Christ’s compassion.

Teacher and Disciple Maker

1998 marked a milestone in Akshay’s life. That year, he made a commitment to follow Jesus and moved more than 800 miles away from home to work at a Christian school. During his eight years teaching there, he got married and joined a team of believers dedicated to telling others about Jesus.

Akshay shared the Good News while visiting hospitals, handing out literature and visiting people’s homes. As he ministered, he witnessed four families embrace Jesus’ love. Among them was Ajith, a young man who later joined a Gospel for Asia Bible college. While visiting Ajith at the college, Akshay heard about Bridge of Hope and decided to become a staff member.

Bridge of Hope reaches out to some of the most needy children in South Asia, offering them the love and hope of Jesus.

Akshay took on the difficult task of starting a Bridge of Hope centre in one of his city’s most underprivileged neighbourhoods—a slum. That was six years ago. Since then, Akshay and Suvali, his wife, who serves as a social worker at the centre, have watched children become competent young adults. Three students have graduated from the centre, and nine students have received a year of computer training.

Still dedicated to proclaiming the message of Jesus’ love, Akshay and Suvali regularly visit the students’ parents and pray constantly for them. Seeing Jesus’ love through the couple, many have put their faith in Him. In fact, Akshay now shepherds a fellowship of 15 people, including Bridge of Hope parents and other staff members.

Opposition Didn’t Stop Them

Akshay’s faithful ministry hasn’t continued without trials. While travelling to church one day in 2011, he nearly lost his life in a vehicle accident that left him unconscious for two days and injured his wife and two sons.

God restored their bodies, but they’ve have faced other hardships in the form of opposition. One time, a group of anti-Christian extremists set up an office near the Bridge of Hope centre, attempting to intimidate the ministry. But the students’ parents made sure the extremists couldn’t cause harm, showing their support for the Bridge of Hope staff members who nurture their children.

Through such challenges, God has sustained Akshay and Suvali and used them to transform children’s lives—and entire families! In only six years, they have left an indelible mark on their slum. Your prayers and support for Bridge of Hope are helping transform communities like this with Christ’s love.

Gospel for Asia pastor Dhumal Tambe is ready to do whatever it takes to shine the light of Christ among the unreached in his region. As he shares the Word of God and lives it out, he watches God transform people’s hearts.

Gospel for Asia pastor Dhumal Tambe is ready to do whatever it takes to shine the light of Christ among the unreached in his region. As he shares the Word of God and lives it out, he watches God transform people’s hearts.

Just ask Devak, who embraced Jesus’ love after seeing it shine through Dhumal.

When Dhumal helped Devak get a rickshaw through Gospel for Asia’s Christmas gift distribution, Devak’s parents, who had opposed their son’s new faith, opened their hearts to Jesus too.

Jaya can also attest to the Christlike compassion Dhumal displays. At first, she wouldn’t listen to Dhumal, but when he prayed for her sick daughter, the girl was healed. Jaya softened to the message of the Gospel and eventually chose to follow Jesus.

Determined but Limited

Dhumal lives a busy life serving people like these. In addition to leading his own congregation, Pastor Dhumal serves as an area supervisor, overseeing other Gospel for Asia pastors in his district. He always has work to do, whether leading worship for his congregation, visiting believers, praying for villagers, distributing literature or visiting the other churches in his area.

A few years ago, though, an obstacle stood in Pastor Dhumal’s way. Because he didn’t have reliable transportation, he usually had to depend on public transportation to reach the villages he needed to visit. Waiting for the public buses or jeeps delayed him. When members of his congregation or people in his village asked for urgent help, such as prayer for the sick or demon-possessed, Pastor Dhumal had to borrow bicycles from other people.

Ministry Multiplied

A few years ago, however, Dhumal received a tool to solve his problem. Blessed with a bike from Gospel for Asia’s Christmas gift distribution program, Dhumal’s ministry has stretched beyond the borders of what was once possible for him. He has established three fellowships in nearby villages. Whenever there is a strike and people are not allowed to travel by car, Dhumal can continue riding his bike to various places to share the message of hope, because no one bothers to stop bicycles.

The bike also makes it much easier for him to spend time with the other pastors and congregations he oversees. On Sundays, he can visit three churches in his district—not including his own. During the week, he can travel in one day to all three villages where he pastors new fellowships. Before he had a bike, this was impossible.

Dhumal had longed for a bicycle to make his ministry more effective. Now he praises God for answering his prayers.

As friends like you give generously in obedience to God, the borders of His kingdom are advancing beyond imagination. Bicycles are helping missionaries go places they never thought they’d be able to reach before, and more people like Devak and Jaya are finding new life as they learn about the Saviour.

A hospital is welcomed in all parts of the world.

As the inauguration of Gospel for Asia’s new medical centre took place, the hundreds of people gathered saw it as a beacon of hope. This hospital will provide healthcare for 56 villages—including treatment and care to thousands affected by leprosy.

A Disease of Exiles

Leprosy, a bacterial disease that is easily cured if discovered and treated early, has dealt a devastating blow to these people. Shunned and ignored by society, they’ve had no treatment and little knowledge of how to properly care for leprosy. Because of this, many are disfigured or blind or have severe nerve damage. Others have lost loved ones to the disease.

Gospel for Asia began to work among the leprosy colonies in 2007. Through this ministry, leprosy patients receive a daily meal, tailor-made shoes, wound cleaning and education and awareness programs.

Watch as one girl shares about her visit to a leprosy colony.

Gospel for Asia also opened a Bridge of Hope centre and 18 tutoring centres for the children of the leprosy patients. Through these practical and tangible expressions of Christ’s love, many are realizing and embracing the hope He gives.

These actions have not gone unnoticed by the government; several dignitaries attended the inauguration ceremonies and commended GFA for their compassion work. They also promised to help in the coming days.

Through your prayers and gifts to GFA’s Compassion Services, you are reaching the lepers, slum dwellers and those in need of medical and disaster relief.

Pastor Champak has a vision for his ministry. His mission field: a local prison.

Champak has had this prison on his heart for many years. He prayed and fasted and then approached the authorities for permission to visit with the prisoners, but they denied his request. However, Champak didn’t give up, but continued to ask the prison chief for an opportunity to minister to the prisoners. God rewarded his perseverance, and he was allowed to begin working with them. After Champak had been sharing the love of Jesus with the inmates for only a few days, God began moving in hearts and several prisoners decided to follow Him.

Pastor Champak continued to visit and encourage the prisoners daily. As they saw God’s love for them in action, many more decided to embrace Jesus.

Church Needed. Location: Prison.

The new believers soon had a dilemma. With their growing numbers, they needed a place to worship. Pastor Champak noticed there was a temple in the prison for worship of the gods and goddesses, and he wanted the believers to have a church building. He again took his burden to the Lord for direction. As he prayed, God gave him the courage to approach the authorities with another request: to build a church inside the prison. After a few months, they finally said yes.

God provided the funds through friends like you, and a church was built on the prison grounds. Pastor Champak now shares the Word of God with the inmates and seeks to meet their spiritual needs.

A Younger Generation Impacted

Champak’s ministry is not only touching prisoners, though. A small number of children live in the prison with their parents. Champak saw that these children were malnourished and weak, so he started bringing in fresh fruit and milk for them every day. He even brought in Christmas presents of notebooks, pens, dolls and bags for the children and supplied a computer and water pump for the inmates. The prisoners are extremely grateful. Pastor Champak knows it’s not because of him.

“I am very happy and thank God for opening the way for me to work among the prisoners,” Champak says. He desires to see the entire prison embrace the love of Jesus.

Your partnership with Gospel for Asia is opening up amazing doors for national missionaries like Champak to reach into the darkest places with the light of Christ.

Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. . . . Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me. (Matthew 18:5, 10, NKJV)

Matthew 18 is a familiar passage where Jesus talks about the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. It’s about kids. He picked up a little child and told His disciples, “You must become like these children.” Then He said, in essence, “When you embrace these children and receive them in My name, you embrace and receive Me.” What an incredible statement!

Thousands of kids, some blind or maimed, are forced to walk the streets of cities like Mumbai to beg for money. It is estimated there are more than 150 million child labourers in our world, and the largest number is in India. How many times have I studied Matthew 18 before realizing the Lord is saying, “Don’t ignore them. Don’t walk away. Don’t pretend they are not there”.

The Father cares about them, and Christ lives in us. We should say with Him, “I care. I feel their pain. I ache. I can no longer say they are not my problem.”

When Christianity comes to the place where it is all about “me”—my health, my wealth, my weight, my kids, my future—we are missing it. Christ calls us to die to ourselves so He can live once again through our earthen vessels. As believers, we are Christ in our generation.

My dear friend, that is exactly what you are doing! Thank you for being obedient to live as Christ for the “least of these.” As you partner in the Lord’s work in Asia, you are bringing the Good News to boys and girls, leprosy patients, slum-dwellers and prisoners. May God encourage you as you remember how you’re helping servants like Akshay and Champak touch people despised by society with the love of Christ.