GFA World Newsletter

April 2022, Vol. 19, No. 4

As cases of COVID-19 rose and lockdowns kept people at home, impoverished families found themselves struggling to survive. Without work, many feared starvation. In response to the growing desperation, thousands of GFA missionaries took the initiative to feed and encourage those in need.

Caring for the Vulnerable

Among those particularly struggling have been widows and single mothers, who are often the sole breadwinners for themselves and their children. The pandemic has prevented many from earning income. In one mountainous region, GFA missionaries and pastors identified 12 women who desperately needed help during the pandemic, providing bags of rice, lentils, oil, salt and other basic supplies to fight hunger. Many of the women also had been personally affected by the virus.

One recipient, Prue, and her husband had both tested positive for the virus. Prue survived, but her husband didn’t.

“The first wave of COVID-19 took my husband from me forever,” Prue shared. “… He was very much supportive of me. But after his death, I was loved by the local church. I want to thank the church family from the bottom of my heart for the relief items I received.”

The Cries of the Helpless

These women were among 12 who received packets of food from GFA missionaries.

Many women like Prue faced similar situations of helplessness and loss during the pandemic. When a cyclone swept through an area under lockdown from the pandemic, GFA missionaries distributed food supplies to nearly 100 needy widows.

“During the storm … the river water was overflowing, and it came all around my house,” said Palmira, one of the widows. Jesus answered Palmira’s prayer and spared her home from destruction.

“I hoped and had confidence that I will get some help from the church,” Palmira said. “I was waiting for the great God to provide [for] me. Finally, God provided [for] me.”

Other mothers had simply been abandoned.

When one GFA pastor distributed large bags of rice to 50 impoverished individuals in his area, he happened to meet Macey, who lived by herself. Her children had left her all alone, even taking her ration card for themselves.

When the pastor presented her with the rice, Macey wept.

“God has sent you to my house to feed me when I am hungry,” she said. “I now have enough rice for the whole month.”

Thanks to your support, vulnerable people, such as widows, are receiving the help they need during the pandemic.

April 2022, Vol. 19, No. 4

March 2022, Vol. 19, No. 3

June 2020, Vol. 17, No. 5

Pastor Marut’s phone kept ringing. The prime minister had declared a lockdown over the whole nation, and a chorus of voices echoed from Pastor Marut’s phone, one-by-one, each with a similar concern: “I can’t get home, and my family doesn’t have enough food for the lockdown. Please help!”

Threatened and Jobless

As the COVID-19 pandemic swept the globe, it created a crisis not only in health care but also in the economy.

Concerned for their citizens’ health, governments in South Asia imposed lockdowns starting in late March. While preventing the spread of disease, these lockdowns hurled many people into a sea of financial uncertainty. Work stopped for millions of people, including daily wage laborers and other low-paid workers who already struggle to put food on the table. They, along with millions of homeless people and people who beg for a living, didn’t know how their families would survive.

During this pandemic, GFA workers in Asia have been ministering to the most vulnerable in their congregations and communities in every way possible. With the permission of government officials, GFA pastors and Sisters of Compassion have been working to provide food to hungry families, promote awareness about COVID-19, encourage social distancing and help those who are struggling for basic survival.

Children in need received food through the efforts of Pastor Tarik’s and Pastor Marut’s congregations

Prayer and Provision

Most of the people in Pastor Marut’s church work as domestic helpers, housekeeping staff, vegetable sellers or rickshaw drivers. When the lockdown began, many couldn’t get home, and they didn’t know if their families had enough food stocked.

When they asked for Pastor Marut’s help, he didn’t know what to do—except pray. He sat down with his wife and children, and they asked God to intervene.

Afterward, his wife contacted women in the Women’s Fellowship, and they gathered money to help the neediest in the church. A few days later, Pastor Marut and some of the believers provided groceries to 12 families, three families from the church and nine other needy families in the community. Each family received rice, flour, dal (lentils) and oil.

Driving to the Hungry

Pastor Tarik, who serves in a slum in the same city, saw many people living along the street with no food to eat during the lockdown. Like Pastor Marut, he wanted to help.

On April 1, Pastor Tarik and six church members cooked and packaged food. With police permission, they drove through the city to distribute food to the needy. First, they found people living under overpasses and along roadsides. Many begged for a living, and some suffered from mental illness, and they had no access to food or water. Pastor Tarik’s team handed them water and packets of food, and the grateful recipients blessed them for the help.

Children in need received food through the efforts of Pastor Tarik’s and Pastor Marut’s congregations

Afterward, as they entered a slum area, the team beheld wandering children. The pastor and believers called out to the hungry children and gave them food. Altogether, Pastor Tarik’s team distributed 300 packets of food.

A Team Effort

On the same day, GFA pastor Marty also shared food—and compassion—in this city’s slums. For years, he has served Christ in a hurting slum community like the one he grew up in.

In partnership with Christian leaders, a non-profit organization and the local police, Pastor Marty and his team distributed food to people living in the slums, many of whom are migrant laborers from other states. Together, while observing social distancing guidelines, the team helped 150 families.

These three pastors in one city represent thousands of GFA workers who have ministered the love of Christ in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Your prayers and support have enabled them to bring physical and spiritual help to thousands of people—many of whom were in danger of starvation—during these challenging days. Thank you!

January 2019, Vol. 15, No. 1

The 2018 flooding in Kerala brought sadness and destruction, yet in the wake of this disaster, many bonded together to help those in need. In these trying times the people of Kerala showed great resilience in the face of devastation. Funds from all over the world poured in, and many brothers and sisters in Christ walked the many refugee camps. Bringing food, water, hygiene items and medical supplies, these faithful workers shared help and healing with those affected by the floodwaters.

Relief for the Needy

Among those who took refuge in the camps were Sailesh and his family, who attend a church led by a GFA-supported pastor. When the rains came, Sailesh and his family were warned by their neighbor, whose house was already flooded. There was no time to quickly evacuate to higher ground.

Fortunately, Sailesh was able to contact a friend who was outside the flood zone. Sometime later, an army rescue team came to pick up the stranded family and take them to a nearby stadium, which was functioning as a relief camp for 300 people. They remained there for five days.

It was at this camp that Dr. K. P. Yohannan, founder of GFA, and a GFA-supported relief team handed out clothing, hygiene items and medical supplies.

GFA-supported workers provided food and water to those affected by the floods in Kerala, India.

Sailesh, among the many people helped, said, “We were so worried during the flood situation. It was a really difficult time in our life. We would have [been] washed away by the flood water. But by God’s grace, we were rescued and reached the nearby relief camp. ... We thank the Church for the help.”

A Birthday, Shared with All

Frontline relief work wasn’t the only thing believers did to help the flood victims. Believers across Asia joined together by participating in fundraisers and prayer meetings on behalf of those in need. One young boy saw fit to go further. Yuvaraj’s ninth birthday was on August 30, and his birthday party would have taken place a few days after the flood.

Hearing the plight of these people, the young boy decided not to have a party. Instead, the money he would have spent for his celebration went to those in need.

“I have my parents to celebrate my birthday,” Yuvaraj said, “but many children lost their parents in Kerala due to the heavy flood. Therefore, the expenses for clothes and cake, I would like to dedicate them for the suffering children in Kerala.”

Like Yuvaraj, many people have risen up and answered the call for help, both in Asia and around the world. Because of donations like yours, those affected by the 2018 floods in Kerala have experienced God’s love. Thank you!