International Literacy Day underscores how, in helping people learn to read, GFA brings practical help and spiritual hope to many on the fringes of society WILLS POINT, Texas — In many parts of the world, being unable to read isn’t just an inconvenience—it’s a potentially deadly handicap that Gospel for Asia (GFA) is working hard to…
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…
Gospel for Asia (GFA) calls attention to plight of widows worldwide who need help to face tragedy and overcome the many indignations of widowhood. WILLS POINT, Texas — More than seven years after the United Nations formally called attention to the plight of widows, millions of bereaved women \still find themselves subjected to abuse, humiliation, ostracism…
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…
Gospel for Asia (GFA World) Special Report: Hope to Overcome the Challenges of Widowhood Written By Ken Walker of InChrist Communications Accounts of the humiliations, insults and indignations suffered by widows worldwide would make anyone cringe. Gulika, a widow in Asia, experienced helplessness after the people in her village turned their backs on her after…
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…
Gospel for Asia (GFA World) Special Report on Slavery & Human Trafficking Written By Palmer Holt of InChrist Communications Around 10 million people are currently behind bars somewhere in the world. Some have yet to face trial, a few have been wrongly convicted, but most are prisoners for a crime they have committed. Meanwhile, four…
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…
Gospel for Asia (GFA World) Special Report on Mosquito Netting and Malaria Prevention Combat a Parasitic Genius Written By Ken Walker of InChrist Communications Fighting Malaria. Though eradicated in many developed nations, malaria still claims thousands of lives around the world. One victim who survived this mosquito-borne disease compared its chills to “lying down between…
HARRISON, AR – Ron Hutchcraft Ministries (RHM) bears a strong similarity to that of Gospel for Asia (GFA) and many other faith-based NGOs in the 21st century. The ministry is a peer-to-peer outreach in which Indian people share the Gospel with other Indian people. By and large, both minister to the poorest of the poor…
KATMANDU – The 14th graduating class of the Believers Eastern Church vocational training class in the Diocese of Pokhara, Nepal, completed their work on 14 July 2018. A total of 24 women received their tailoring certificates at the end of the six-month course. A century ago, sewing and tailoring was a necessity for women in…
NEDLANDS, WESTERN AUSTRALIA – Slavery is not a thing of the past. Despite the efforts of William Wilberforce, Abraham Lincoln, and others, slavery did not end in the 19th century. In fact, according to the 2018 Global Slavery Index, over 70 million people are caught in the throes of 21st century slavery. More than 70…
DAMASCUS – Hundreds of thousands of innocent people have been killed in the seven-year-long Syrian Civil War. An estimated 11 million people have been displaced from their homes, creating one of the greatest refugee crises in history. Over 270,000 people have fled to southern Syria during the month of July. The single largest displacement of…
LONDON – WaterAid, the international NGO that is driving the United Nations sustainable goal to provide clean water for the entire global population by 2030, has just released a shocking new report. Based on current status and progress, the report claims that the goal is unreachable within the allotted time. Using data provided by the…
GENEVA – The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW) have collaborated to publish a new manual of guidelines for a “faith-sensitive approach” by faith-based organizations (FBOs). The 88-page document outlines guidelines by the UN-affiliated Inter-Agency Standing Committee for acceptable approaches for FBOs offering humanitarian responses to people in need around the globe….
FREETOWN – Pastor Alvin Smith arrived in Freetown, Sierra Leone in 1989 with a vision to evangelize and to build a local church ministry under the auspices of The Door World Outreach based in Tucson, Arizona. The West African nation was so poor at that time, it was ranked the second-poorest in the world. He…
WILLS POINT, Texas – The United Nations has set aside June 23rd of each year as International Widows Day “as an opportunity for action towards achieving full rights and recognition for widows. According to the UN, “It has been estimated that there are some 258 million widows around the world, with over 115 million of…
Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported Bridge of Hope centers help campaign for brighter future for youngsters at-risk for child labor in some of Asia’s impoverished communities WILLS POINT, Texas—In a part of the world where many children are valued only for the small amount of money they can earn through long hours of hard work in…
YANGON – Life goes on as normal for Christians and Muslims in Myanmar, just as life goes on as normal for Christians and Muslims in America. Normal is the operative word because what is normal for them is at the extreme opposite of what normal is for us. We often refer to normal as “the…
GENEVA – June 12, 2018, is World Day Against Child Labor. The annual event is sponsored by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and is intended to “direct attention to the plight of child laborers with the hope of one day being able to end all forms of child labor that may exist in the world…
One of thousands of women taught to read and write tells how GFA-supported initiative ‘made my dream come true’ WILLS POINT, Texas—It was a dream come true for a 50-year-old woman living in a village in northern India when she wrote her own name for the first time—a milestone made possible by GFA (Gospel for Asia)…
WILLS POINT, TX – Most people would agree that life is not easy. I know the homeless lady we took to church this week does. I’m sure those who have lost a job or suffered divorce or the death of a loved one do. Because of our own circumstances, it is difficult for us to…
GFA (Gospel for Asia) matches simple mosquito net distribution with awareness drive to further ‘life and death’ fight against malaria. WILLS POINT, Texas—Malaria may be a thing of the past in many places, but it remains a major public health threat in large parts of the world, prompting GFA (Gospel for Asia) to sound the…
UNANDERRA, NSW, Australia – Dr. Jerome Teelucksingh, who initiated International Men’s Day on 19 November 1999, recently called upon NGOs and national government leaders to celebrate an International Boys Day. May 16, 2018 will mark the first annual International Boys Day. While there is a tendency to emphasize the plight of girls and young women,…
DHAKA – Child marriage is defined as “a formal marriage or informal union before age 18.” Child marriage is widespread in poverty-stricken populations, especially those countries located within the 10/40 window across Africa and South Asia. According to UNICEF, “Worldwide, more than 650 million women alive today were married as children. An estimated 12 million…
WILLS POINT, Texas – It is no secret that the world is rife with problems ranging from terrorism and wars to hunger and health issues. Many of these and other problems spawn floods of refugees seeking safe harbor from potential harm. Many would consider making a successful journey to a safer place a success. However,…
“Yes, the Rich Are Getting Richer, but the Poor Are Getting Richer Faster. And what is driving that process? The Market,” says Daniel Hannan, British Author, Journalist and Former Member of the European Parliament LOS ANGELES — In PragerU’s newest video, As The Rich Get Richer, The Poor Get Richer, British author, journalist and former…
The Scandal of Entrenched Paradigms Open defecation describes the practice of people eliminate their fecal waste in on the ground or in water or at any other place than a toilet or latrine facility designed for that purpose. No one has an accurate count of people who practice open defecation, but most authoritative sources agree…
Regardless of economy, nations worldwide face need for better sources of clean water, providing opportunity to show God’s love and care: GFA (Gospel for Asia) article WILLS POINT, Texas—Best known for its work helping the underprivileged in poverty-stricken parts of the world, GFA (Gospel for Asia) is spotlighting a universal crisis that unites all nations:…
BANGUI, Central African Republic – Prior to gaining its independence in 1960, this landlocked county occupying the Ubangi and Chari River Basins was part of French Equatorial Africa. Since gaining independence, the county, although rich in uranium, crude oil, gold, diamonds, cobalt, lumber and arable land, remains one of the 10 poorest countries in the…
KNIFE RIVER, MN – FARMS International has established successful agricultural evangelism programs in Haiti, Cuba, Ecuador, Thailand, The Philippines, Moldova, Bangladesh, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Thailand, Vietnam, and the state of Nagaland in Northeast India. The organization recently announced that it is expanding its unique approach to doing good in the name of Christ to…
With the world facing a clean water crisis, technology companies, governments and NGOs are working to find ways to provide clean water for people in a place where clean water is either in short supply or non-existent. The United Nations even sponsors a World Water Day. While cutting-edge technology is trying exotic methods to capture…
Global Clean Water Crisis – a Special Report by Gospel for Asia (GFA World) Written By Karen Burton Mains The “Blue Marble” photo of Earth shot from Apollo 17, the last of NASA’s Apollo missions as the rocket ship was hurtling toward the moon, wasn’t the first satellite image of our planet, but it was the…
No one would disagree with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) that “Health is . . . essential to development. Good health improves learning, worker productivity, and income. As such, health contributes to economic growth.” There is a logic here. People must be healthy to be productive. Good personal and community health are necessary, not only…
Diarrhea. Just say the word out loud and watch people cringe. It is so sickening that no one wants to hear about it, let alone have it. One of America’s most trusted healthcare websites, WebMD, says, When you have diarrhea, your bowel movements (or stools) are loose and watery. It’s very common and usually not…
NEW YORK – April 4th is the United Nations’ International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, which provides an opportunity for the world to reflect on both the progress made and the challenges that remain in clearing landmines and unexploded ordnance. The vision of the United Nations is a world free of…
Chinese president, Xi Jinping, got rid of term limits, the amount of time a person can spend in office, in the People Republic of China. Once this is in place, the president is able to stay in office as long as he wants. NPR reports, “The move represents a dramatic departure from rules that have…
HAITI – Sherman Balch and his wife Cheryl volunteered to go to Haiti with a group from their church a few months after the 2010 earthquake. That visit became a life-changing experience that led to the founding of Extollo, a Latin word that means “to raise up.” Now Extollo is a life-changing experience for native…
KARNATAKA – Chief Minister of the State of Karnataka introduced the first statewide universal healthcare (UHC) program in India. The first phase of the program was initiated on March 2, 2018. Ultimately, when the program is entirely implemented, over 10 million households, regardless of income, will have some form of access to healthcare. Chief Minister…
Gospel for Asia (GFA World) Special Report on the global problem of violence against women Written By Michelle Jimenez, GFA Staff Writer Geeta, a mother of two, lived in the slums and struggled to put food on the table every day with the meager 20 rupees her husband gave her. That amount equaled less than…
WILLS POINT, Texas – Gospel for Asia has just released a significant Special Report in conjunction with the international observance of World Water Day on March 22nd. If we take anything for granted, it is water. Like the air, it is always there. With water being so commonly available, why would there even be a…
CHENNAI – President Ram Kath Kovind announced that India will begin soon offer vocational training services to more than 500,000 survivors of human trafficking. The program follows an anti-trafficking bill approved by the cabinet on February 28, 2018. Observers expect the bill to be easily passed by parliament. That bill includes measures that deal with…
For most who read this article, the thought of water evokes images in the mind of a thirst-quenching drink. If we spend a few minutes pondering the world of water, we might think about idyllic, picturesque lakes and streams. Some will think of water’s life-giving qualities. Those who are familiar with the Bible might reflect…
WILLS POINT, Texas – “Child marriage is one of the most worrisome problems in Asia. Boys and especially girls, who are supposed to play, learn and live a free life are married off at a very young age, and this not only affects their freedom but also takes a severe physical and mental toll on…
Gospel for Asia (GFA World) Special Report on the Open Defecation Sanitation Crisis Written By Karen Burton Mains For much of my adult life, it has been my privilege to hang out with the “renegades” of Christian missions, that relief-and-development crowd that rushes to help during natural disasters, struggles to alleviate the suffering and abasement…
AHMEDABAD – The United Nations’ World Water Report for 2015 said, “Problems of poverty are, on most occasions, inextricably linked with those of water – its availability, its proximity, its quantity, and its quality.” Piramal Sarvajal is a mission-driven social enterprise dedicated designing, manufacturing and providing clean, safe sources of drinking water for communities across…
WILLS POINT, Texas – Gospel for Asia (GFA) is drawing attention to the United Nations’ 11th Annual World Day of Social Justice (WDOSJ) during February, 2018 by producing a Special Report: Seeking Justice and Defending Human Rights Wherever Poverty and Oppression Exist. The theme of the WDOSJ this year is “Workers on the Move: The…
HULENE, MAPUTO, Mozambique – At least 17 people died, and numerous others are missing following the collapse of garbage landfill in Mozambique. Many of the dead had been residing in a slum village at the lower perimeter of the garbage pile that is three-stories tall. Early reports include accounts of failed attempts to close the…
CHENNAI, INDIA – They work in brick kilns, quarries, fisheries, fields, forests, and factories. They look like any other laborers. But they are different. They are slave labor. According to an International Justice Mission (IJM) Fact Sheet, 40.3 million people are held as forced-labor slaves around the world. Twenty-five percent are children. Nearly half of…
HERAT, Afghanistan – “HALO works with countries emerging from conflict, securing weapons and disposing of unexploded ammunition. It paves the way for infrastructure to enable economic development and it underpins international stability and security. By hiring men and women from the mine-impacted communities, HALO’s approach directly lifts our staff’s extended families and communities out of…
