WASHINGTON DC – People need to be seriously aware that Jesus said more than “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s” in Mark 12:17. He also said, “And to God the things that are God’s.” Christians and evangelical churches around the globe are feeling the oppression of officials whose desire is to bring the…
IRAN – Mojtaba Hosseini was arrested for being a threat to the national security of his home country of Iran. His crime was being a leader of a house church group. When he was originally arrested, he was placed on probation and warned to cease his church activities. I wonder what I would have done…
WASHINGTON DC – The International Monetary Fund has appointed India-born Gita Gopinath as its next chief economist, replacing Maurice Obstfeld who will be retiring at the end of 2018. Dr. Gopinath was born in Kolkata in 1971. She earned her BA at the University of Delhi, followed by a double Master’s degree in economics from…
SUDAN – Good news is getting hard to find. It just doesn’t seem to be sensational enough to make compelling headlines. Missions Box News is seeking to change that by reporting the good news that Christians should know. Some exceptionally good news has come out of Sudan over the last several days. Sudan is currently…
INDONESIA – People all over the world have heard the story of Aldi Novel Adilang. Most won’t remember his name. They will remember him only as the Indonesian teenager who was survived being stranded at sea for 49 days in a wooden fishing hut. Most mainstream media has told the story of how the 18-year-old…
SIKSA, Pakistan – The World Health Organization estimates that more than a third of the people in Pakistan lack access to safe drinking water. It is a problem all too common for countries in South Asia and the 10/40 window. The village of Siksa is an example of how things change when clean water becomes…
YANGON – Myanmar, formerly Burma, may best be described a line from Rogers and Hammerstein’s “The King and I” in which the king exclaims, “It’s a puzzlement.” In a recent article, we related the story of a Christian pastor in a small village in the Chin state in northwest Myanmar. The gist of the story…
LONDON – The independent think tank, Overseas Development Institute (ODI) has released a shocking report that indicates that 25% of the world population – 40% of all urban dwellers – will live in slums by 2030. This is only one of the failures to achieve adequate progress on the UN’s list of 17 Sustainable Development…
RANGOON – Most Western people still know Myanmar as Burma – a country somewhere in South Asia. Situated east of the Bay of Bengal, Myanmar borders Bangladesh, India, China, and Thailand. Myanmar, then Burma, was evangelized in the early 1800s by Adoniram Judson who also completed the first Burmese language Bible. In 1950, there were…
Kerala, India, now faces continued tragedy as water wells across the state appear to be drying up. According to the latest news from the flood-affected state, reported by the Times of India “A series of issues including soaring mercury levels, unprecedented dip in water level of rivers, sudden drying up of wells, and depletion of…
ALLAHABAD – The monsoon and post-monsoon seasons are hard on the poor in India, particularly those who work in the fields. A consortium of over 400 humanitarian aid agencies has come together to help during these difficult times this year. The consortium has established grain banks in over 100 villages across northern India in expectation…
KIEV – Ukraine (fka “the Ukraine) presents many conundrums. Because of the Russian annexation of the Crimean Peninsula in 2014, many measurements and statistics must be listed and compared as “including Crimea” or “not including Crimea” – an issue that remains a point of contention for Ukraine. Although Ukraine is the largest nation located entirely…
SINGAPORE – Matthew and Mark both record Jesus describing the danger of being a rich man. He told those gathered around him that “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:25) Jesus was explaining his previous…
KINSHASA – When last Missions Box News reported on the reemergence of the Ebola virus on August 20th, the estimated number of deaths over the previous 10 days had risen from “at least 20” to 55. Yesterday, September 17th, UNICEF issued their latest Ebola Situation Report indicating that the death toll has reached 97. As…
NEW DELHI – Asia Times may have best summarized recent reports about the continuing population growth in India. “Top demographers feel that within three to five years, India will overtake China as the world’s most populous country.” While the population growth rate has been on the decline in China, India’s population continues to advance at…
DELHI – Celebrations were held across India today to honor Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 68th birthday. PM Modi is the MP (Member of Parliament) for Varanasi. His party’s election in 2016 was the first majority party election in India since 1984. He is India’s 14th Prime Minister. Monday, September 17th, actually began an entire week…
SANA, Yemen – “More than 25 percent of children (1.8 million) are malnourished; 900,000 people in the governorate are desperate for food and 90,000 pregnant women are at enormous risk. Families need everything–food, cash, health care, water, sanitation, emergency supplies, specialized support, and many need shelter. It’s heart-breaking to see so many people who need…
LOS ANGELES – Last week, more than 3,000 evangelical Christians and churches became signatories along with Dr. John MacArthur to The Statement on Social Justice and the Gospel. The statement grew out of a series of messages by Dr. MacArthur in which he named the growth of “social justice” as a leading threat to the…
NEW YORK – From 2005 through 2013, it appeared that we were making progress on the global war against hunger. Today, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) released its 202-page report on The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World. The results indicate that, since 2014, “the war against hunger…
This morning [Friday], Hurricane Florence reached the coast of North Carolina as a Category 1 storm, quickly flooding many coastal areas in North Carolina. Photo Source: NASA (with adaptations) Five deaths have been reported due to trees collapsing and other incidents. Thankfully most people had already evacuated and further evacuations and rescues are taking place…
IRAN – You may have heard a story like this before. It’s a narrative about a man who devoted his life to persecuting Christians. He would have done anything in his power to eliminate them from the face of the earth. He traveled with orders to find, detain, and bring professing Christians before religious courts…
With more than five confirmed deaths of leptospirosis, also known as “Rat Fever,” Kerala, India, suffers not only under the destruction of the floodwaters, but now a disease that is spreading across the state. Rat Fever is spread through contact with fluids from infected animals. With rotting carcasses and stagnant waters furthering the contamination, more…
KOCHI – When floods are raging like the recent deluge in Kerala, survival is foremost on the minds of those trapped in their torrents. Flood survivors are often unaware they will continue to face post-inundation threats. In the case of Kerala, as we forecasted in an article on August 25th, Water and Vector-Borne Diseases [Have…
HOKKAIDO – While the monsoon and flooding in the Kerala state of India have received their share of attention in recent weeks, Japan has suffered a string of natural disasters, one following another, all summer long. The latest crisis is the damage done by a 6.7 magnitude earthquake that hit the island of Hokkaido early…
BRUSSELS – Asylum is an existential goal of every refugee. A refugee is a displaced person who has left his home country in hopes of obtaining asylum in another country. The numbers of people displaced by wars in the Middle East and Africa have created a refugee crisis of unparalleled proportions. So much so that…
As the people of Kerala recover in the aftermath of the worst flooding in nearly 100 years, the reality of devastation is beginning to sink in—and so is the need to repair, rebuild and start over again. Many flood survivors in this southern Indian state have lost all their belongings—including their means to earn a…
DELHI – For a great many people around the world, the most influential person in their lives has been a teacher. India celebrates Teachers’ Day every September 5th and has done so since its commencement in 1962. Scholar, philosopher, and teacher, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, suggested that the country establish the annual event. Dr. Radhakrishnan had…
They fled their flooded homes but the rains could not stop their love. The rains came down incessantly causing severe flooding in southern Indian state of Kerala. Whole villages and towns were destroyed in a matter of days. Partnered with the Indian government, Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported relief camps provided food, shelter, and basic supplies…
KERALA – Merku Thodarchi Malai is a made-in-India Tamil language film that chronicles the daily lives and the continuing plight of tea estate workers in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The English title of the film is The Western Ghats. The Western Ghats is 62,000 square miles of the mountain range that runs parallel to the…
Dr. Daniel, director of Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported medical ministry in Asia, reflects on the flood situation in Kerala and his trips to rescue people who were stranded. “It is easy for me to sit back at home and watch the television and see the different things that are happening. But on the first day…
CHENNAI – Vijay Jayaraj holds a Master of Science degree in Environmental Science from the University of East Anglia in Great Britain. He is a native of India and a resident of Chennai. In a recent op-ed to published by the Christian Post, he lauded the immediate and substantial aid by Christians following the Kerala…
KERALA – There is one emotion common to anyone caught in a major flood. Fear. It is a fear that comes, like the water, in waves. The first wave of fear begins with the initial awareness that a flood is possible. This fear is allayed by the hope that “Maybe it won’t affect me.” The…
As flood relief efforts continually take place in Kerala, India, Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported workers serving in various locations are raising funds for their brothers and sisters in immediate need. “When I heard the flood situation of Kerala, I felt very sad and immediately visited the mission fields to make contribution for Kerala relief work,”…
MUMBAI – Satyapal Singh is India’s Minister of State for Human Resources responsible for Higher Education. He holds several post-graduate degrees, not the least of which is a Ph.D. in Chemistry. He is a member of the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and is the former chief of police for Mumbai. In January of this…
PHOENIX – Gary Edmonds, President of Food for the Hungry (FH) has responded to a recent study sponsored by Grey Matter Research and Opinions4Good (Op4G). The Donor Mindset Study provided many interesting insights, one of which is that 54% of child sponsorship donors think it is “mostly a gimmick to get donations” and that donations…
KERALA, INDIA – No one can comprehend the terror of a major flood until they have been personally affected by one. This is especially true of those who lose their homes, their possessions, and their loved ones to raging waters that cannot be contained. This writer has been at the sites of four floods over…
As the flood survivors of Kerala, India, recover from the devastation caused by the massive flooding, Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported workers continue to diligently serve those in need. Congregations led by Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastors are stepping in to help in various ways. A Women’s Fellowship located in one of the hardest hit places…
KERALA, INDIA – The latest news indicates that the known death toll from devastating floods in the southern Indian state of Kerala rose to 445 by Sunday, August 26th with the discovery of 28 more bodies as the waters recede and a massive cleanup gathers pace. Another 15 people are reported as missing. A million…
MADRID – International Media Ministries (IMM) was founded by the Assemblies of God World Missions (USA) in 1981 as it became apparent to forward thinkers that the ability to have and share information would become the essential and driving strategy for successful businesses. There was no reason to believe that successful business platforms built on…
KERALA, INDIA – The southern state of Kerala on India’s west coast has been inundated by monsoon-generated floodwaters that have destroyed 40,000 crore hectares of crops, destroyed countless homes, commercial buildings, and displaced more than a million people. Although the flood waters are receding, much of Kerala is still under water. State Agriculture Minister Sunil…
Indira is a mother of three who lost everything in the Kerala India Floods. Hear her heart-wrenching story and see what once was her home. Please continue praying for the recovery and rebuilding of these precious families. Give to the Disaster Relief Fund Help Disaster Relief teams serve survivors of flooding and other disasters. Donations…
After hearing of monsoon rains ravaging the southern Indian state of Kerala and of the floodwaters that were destroying paddy fields and homes and claiming lives, Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported pastor Jacob, living in Northeast India, immediately mobilized the national workers in his region to help. Although the disaster was thousands of miles away, compassion…
After hearing about the monsoon flooding in Kerala, India, the Mission Support Team serving at GFA’s headquarters in Wills Point, Texas, sprang to action to help spread awareness of the timely need. Many shifted their schedules to work long hours through the weekend to bring awareness to the devastation many are currently facing. After receiving…
BEIRUT – According to the Thomas Reuters Foundation, “A Syrian army offensive in the rebel-held enclave of Idlib would have a “catastrophic” humanitarian impact and cause levels of civilian suffering unprecedented in the seven-year war, aid agencies have warned.” Joelle Bassoul from Care International said that a large-scale military offensive in Idlib would be catastrophic,…
KERALA, INDIA – India is experiencing monumental meteorological and geophysical problems that constantly threaten the potential of the country’s efforts to raise itself to a position of global leadership. As governmental agencies, private companies, and NGOs work consistently to improve education, healthcare, and alleviating poverty and disease, circumstances beyond the control of mankind take one…
Along with many heroic efforts from the armed forces, various rescue teams, fishermen and locals serving as guides to the more remote areas in Kerala, India, Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported Bridge of Hope staff members have stepped in to help families and children after the terrible monsoon flooding. Approximately 191 enrolled students in Bridge of…
KINSHASA – The death toll from the latest outbreak of the Ebola virus has more than doubled over the last 10 days. In our last report, the estimated number of deaths was “at least 20.” Today the count has reached 55. Reports issued today claim that other cases of the virulent fever have been as…
The heavy rains have mostly subsided in Kerala, India, and now, the red alert has been lifted in all 14 districts. Even though the rains have stopped in most parts of Kerala, ongoing rescue operations continue, saving those who are stranded. Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported relief teams have been hard at work, caring for the…
“I visited two camps where those who are displaced by the catastrophic flooding in Kerala, India are staying,” says Gospel for Asia (GFA) founder KP Yohannan. “I was able to meet with and pray for many.”
More than 300 deaths have now been reported from the monsoon rains and flooding that have devastated Kerala, India. Many rescue teams had to stop after dusk yesterday because the currents were too risky for teams to venture out successfully. According to the chief minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan, a total of 82,442 rescues were…
