GFA World Newsletter

June 2013, Vol. 9, No. 4

Each time he entered the jungle, Hashmat didn’t know if it would be his last trip there. Then one day his fears became reality when a tiger pounced on him.

Like many men before him, Hashmat became a casualty of the jungle’s predators. He left behind two wives, Mutholi and Hasna, and five children.

Ten years later, these two widows still beg by the roadside to avoid starvation. Instead of going to school, their children work in tea shops to provide additional income.

Nature's Victims

Mutholi and Hasna are two of hundreds of struggling widows on the islands where they live. In this area, many people gain their livelihoods by fishing or gathering wood or honey from the dense mangrove forest that spans the islands. These occupations, however, pose the risks of drowning or being attacked by wild animals.

Despite their prayers to the forest goddess for their husbands’ safety, many women become widows. These women, usually illiterate, often resort to begging and can’t afford to send their children to school. Guilt and depression stifle their lives.

A Vision of Wholeness

As Gospel for Asia workers on these islands saw the desperate situation of the widows and their families, God inspired them to shine His light to them and their communities. Women missionaries started visiting widows to pray for them and share the Good News. As able, the missionaries provide food, clothing, basic medicine—and even shelter—to widows in need. When they met Anisha, 65, along the roadside and learned she had nowhere to stay, they brought her to live with them.

On June 23, 2011, GFA workers hosted an International Widows’ Day celebration, where 200 widows listened to a message of God’s special care for the vulnerable. Hearing the missionaries’ plans to stay with them in joy and sorrow, the women’s faces brightened. Each widow received clothing and a packet of food as well.

“It may well have been the first time they realized that there was someone who cared for them,” reports a GFA correspondent.

The missionaries’ vision for reaching the widows of these islands extends from uplifting their spirits to educating their children, teaching good hygiene, offering basic health care and providing opportunities to earn income.

They have established education centres to help widows’ children grow academically. A GFA Bridge of Hope centre opened in 2011 and is now blessing more than 100 students with education, nutritious meals and the knowledge of Jesus’ love for them.

In addition, through gifts of livestock or other income-generating tools, the missionaries give widows the opportunity to provide for their families.

Hope Dawns

Now, Mutholi and Hasna have something to be grateful for. As the women missionaries encourage these widows with God’s Word, they are glimpsing God’s plan to bring meaning beyond sadness and poverty into their lives.

Desiring to learn about the One who inspires the missionaries’ compassion, more than 500 widows have visited six fellowship centres in the area, where they are reading the Bible and learning to pray. Now, several come to Sunday worship services regularly, and 40 have decided to follow Jesus. As His light dawns over these islands, hundreds of widows can look forward to brighter futures.

He had given Naveen no warning, and now the boy was stranded.

After another long day at work, young Naveen walked back to his home just as he had done since the day he turned 10 years old. This time, however, his father wasn’t there. This normally would have been a relief for Naveen because his alcoholic father had a habit of beating him when he arrived home.

But on this particular day, his father was nowhere to be found. The neighbours later told Naveen his father had sold their house and left with the money he’d made. He had given Naveen no warning, and now the boy was stranded.

Nowhere Else To Go

Naveen’s thoughts went to his sister Rochi, who had moved some time ago to live with her husband. Although she was living in a distant state, she was Naveen’s only hope.

The only thing Naveen could do was try to earn enough money to make it to Rochi’s home. As he travelled, what little money he had quickly ran out. He started begging at a crowded railway station, and things quickly turned from bad to worse.

Naveen started sniffing bleach and smoking with the other children and teenagers at the railway, allowing him a temporary escape from the dark reality he found himself in.

One day the police showed up and took Naveen into custody. They asked him if he wanted to be taken to a place where he would receive food and care. He happily agreed, and they took him to a home for abandoned and runaway boys staffed by Gospel for Asia-supported workers

Hope for the Future

“It was way better than my own home,” Naveen says of the home, where the staff treated him kindly.

He attended evening devotions and morning Bible classes; there, the adults explained stories from God’s Word. He was amazed at the way they cared for each child.

Bibek, one staff member, gave Naveen extra attention and asked him about his life. After Naveen told him about his sister, Bibek said he would do whatever he could to help him find Rochi and her husband.

After two weeks of searching, with the help of the police chief in Rochi’s town, Bibek got in contact with Naveen’s sister. She planned to come for her younger brother shortly.

A New Life

When Rochi came for Naveen, he was both excited and sad to be leaving his new friends. He’d grown in every way since arriving at his temporary home five months earlier. His life changed from one of hopelessness to one of joy and freedom because of the love given to him by Christian workers like Bibek.

“I have understood that God is the only answer to all my needs,” Naveen said while waiting for Rochi to take him home, “and I am happy to be known as His.”

He returned home, unable to move from his bed, but his focus remained on God.

Siraj’s life changed in an instant. As he travelled home from college to visit his family, a sudden accident caused him to lose all feeling in his legs. But even before this physical trauma, Siraj had lived a tumultuous and difficult life.

Siraj had been taught by his parents to worship the traditional gods and goddesses of their people. His family was very dedicated to their religion; however, their home was far from peaceful.

Because of satanic episodes, two of Siraj’s younger brothers had died. Then a third baby brother started becoming weak and frail; he screamed for days at a time.

The family consulted witch doctors and priests for help, but they found no solution. Finally, they took the baby to the local pastor for prayer. Gospel for Asia pastor Jagan used this opportunity to share the Gospel with Siraj and his family. After the pastor’s fervent prayer, the baby was healed! The family put their trust in the Lord after seeing the miracle. Moved by what they had witnessed, Siraj and his family began serving the Lord wholeheartedly.

Dedicated to Sharing Christ's Love

When Siraj was in high school, he began helping Pastor Jagan with ministry responsibilities and eventually answered God’s call to enroll in a Gospel for Asia Bible college.

For three years, Siraj committed himself entirely to learning from God’s Word. It was on his way home from Bible college one day that he got in the accident that changed his life.

He spent the next six months in the hospital, but the doctors could do nothing to bring the feeling back to his legs. He returned home, unable to move from his bed, but his focus remained on God. He used this time as an opportunity to give thanks and to draw closer to Jesus.

Eventually, God healed Siraj’s body enough that he was able to walk with the help of a cane. After returning to Bible college and completing all of his courses, he wanted to go back home to serve the people in his community and share Christ’s love with them.

Still Serving against All Odds

Siraj was able to start a Sunday school class for local children in his home, because he couldn't easily walk around the village.

In the beginning, very few children came to the class. But as Siraj continued to sing songs, share Bible stories and say prayers with each child, their lives began to change. The children came from families who were suffering due to sicknesses and satanic bondage, just as Siraj’s family had before hearing about Jesus.

The children’s parents started attending and listening to Siraj teach from the Bible as well. When Siraj prayed for the families, they were miraculously delivered from the demonic powers in their lives. Experiencing the power of God, these families also chose to follow Jesus and embrace the freedom found in Him.

God's Continued Favour

The growth of this ministry did not stop there, though. People from outside the village travelled to Siraj to receive prayer. Men and women would come to the prayer meetings at his home with tears in their eyes, but leave rejoicing in the Lord.

Despite opposition, this community of believers continues to thrive. More than 50 men and women regularly gather to worship God together, and the number is rapidly growing.

Even though Siraj has been through many painful trials in his life, he always has found joy in Christ and been eager to share that joy with others.

“Ramila is abnormal,” Malini, Ramila’s mother, told the staff. “She could be attacked by an evil spirit at any time.”

It’s not uncommon for children to have nightmares when they are young. It is, however, unusual for them to try to throw themselves off a roof because of the nightmares. But this is exactly what Ramila did.

Ramila had been possessed by an evil spirit from the time she was just a small child. Her parents were desperate to help her, but every shrine and temple they visited ended with the same result—she was still possessed.

Some staff members from the local Gospel for Asia Bridge of Hope centre visited Ramila and her family.

“Ramila is abnormal,” Malini, Ramila’s mother, told the staff. “She could be attacked by an evil spirit at any time. It will be a problem for you to control her.”

Undeterred, the staff members shared with Ramila’s parents about Christ’s love and power over demons.

Jesus is Greater

Malini was eager to hear more, and she and Ramila began attending church together. Ramila’s father didn’t like them attending, though, and threatened to kick them out of the house if they continued.

“You are spoiling the family image by adopting another religion,” he told them.

Yet Malini and Ramila continued faithfully attending, even when he would beat them or not allow them to eat.

With the support of the Bridge of Hope staff, Ramila excelled in her studies. She was awarded first place in fifth-grade academics at school, and this marked a turning point in her father’s life. When he was invited to accept the award, he was so proud of her!

“You have brought honour to me,” he said.

His heart began softening toward Ramila and her mother.

In addition to helping Ramila thrive academically, the Bridge of Hope staff prayed for Ramila and her mother. Learning from their example, Ramila and her mother prayed constantly for deliverance from the demons. Hearing their faithful prayers, God freed Ramila from her affliction.

Now, Ramila’s whole family—including her father—is following Christ and witnessing His love in their community.

The Lord Brings Healing

In August 2012, Ramila was having stomach pains from a kidney stone. The doctor wanted to operate, but Ramila and her mother trusted the Lord would heal her and prayed continuously. She was released and has not had any more stomach pain.

“Now, wherever I go, I share this incident with others, so they will also know the love of God,” Ramila says.

She is planning to graduate from the Bridge of Hope in 2014 and begin Bible college. Most important, she has found freedom in Christ. And thanks to your prayers and support of the Bridge of Hope ministry, many other children have the same opportunity.

Rasul had such a burden to share the love of Christ with the people of that village, but obstacles stood in his way.

It’s difficult when you feel a calling in your heart from the Lord, but you see no way to accomplish it. You know the exact tool you need, in fact, but have no way to acquire it. This is the dilemma that Gospel for Asia pastor Rasul faced.

Rasul, along with his wife and four children, had been serving the Lord faithfully in his village. But this wasn’t the only village the Lord had given him a burden for. He knew of one village 31 miles from his own where nobody had ever heard the Gospel. Rasul had such a burden to share the love of Christ with the people of that village, but obstacles stood in his way.

This village had only recently been settled and was still surrounded by a lot of jungle vegetation. Travelling there also involved the threat of being attacked by wild animals or militant groups. The paths leading to the village are not large enough for buses or other vehicles to travel.

Certain the Lord had placed a call on his heart for this village, Rasul began to pray. He asked God for a way to reach the village and share the love of Jesus with the people there. As months stretched into years, Rasul never gave up hope that the Lord would answer. So he continued to pray.

Going Farther, Reaching More

Four years after Rasul began praying, he received the perfect solution—the gift of a bicycle. Rasul was so excited because he knew the Lord had answered his prayer.

It has been five years since Rasul first reached the village with the Gospel. Since then, 10 families have chosen to follow Christ and are now worshipping the Lord together. Without the gift of a bicycle, this congregation may not have ever been started.

“How shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?” Romans 10:14–15 asks. Rasul needed a bicycle to share the Good News with those who had never heard. Because of friends like you who gave toward bicycles, he was able to go much farther to share Christ’s love with others.

When was the last time you cried out, “Lord, how long must I wait before I can see You?”

A long time ago, at one of our all-night prayer meetings in India, an elderly lady started praying. Her words were such that I had to look up and see who it was.

I imagine the woman must have been 85 or 90. As she was praying, tears flowed from her eyes, and her face almost had a glow. She prayed something like this:

“Lord, I’ve been waiting for You all these years. How long must I wait before I can see You?”

It was so charged with emotion that I was gripped. When the prayer meeting was over, I asked someone, “Who was that lady?”

I found out that when she was a young woman, she chose to follow Christ and serve Him, and her family threw her out of their home. They were well-to-do, and she had to walk away with just the clothes on her back. I wonder how many thousands of times she must have privately prayed that prayer.

I found myself thinking, When was the last time I prayed with such desire for the Lord?

What about you? When was the last time you cried out, “Lord, how long must I wait before I can see You?”

Like this elderly lady, we can live today remembering this is not our home. We don’t have to wait 70 years to discover this truth. Look at your life right now realizing that your journey here is short. Let’s remember that even suffering—like the loneliness that woman must have experienced—is one of the greatest mysteries of God’s plan to prepare us for eternity.

Thank you for looking beyond your own life in order to see eternity. I know that your commitment to pray and give may not be easy, but by choosing to help thousands of unreached people in Asia hear the Good News, you are sowing seeds that will reap lasting fruit. May your joy be full as you remember that one day we will stand before the Lord with innumerable multitudes—including brothers and sisters in Asia like Ramila, Malini and Nabanipa, who now know Jesus because you helped reach them.