“Blessed is he who considers the poor.” – Psalm 40:17 Wills Point, Texas – GFA (Gospel for Asia) – Discussing the scandals of poverty. Nearly everything about poverty is scandalous. The United Nations Millennium Goals include the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger. Faith-based organizations and other NGO’s, major businesses, and UN member states have…
Gospel for Asia (GFA World) Special Report on the worldwide issue of extreme poverty Written by Palmer Holt of InChrist Communications More than 80 years after George Orwell wrote in his classic Animal Farm that “all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others,” his barbed observation on disparity rings ever truer for…
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…
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…
Developing a broader awareness of various global water crises during the month of March has been prompted, in part, by the UN’s Annual World Water Day on March 22nd. Gospel for Asia has contributed several articles intended to bring attention to the drought in South Africa, the meeting of the World Water Forum in Brasilia,…
Several billion people around the world live without sufficient access to clean water. Over one billion people lack water supplies. Another 2.7 billion find water scarce for at least one month of the year. Read Gospel for Asia’s Special Report on The Global Clean Water Crisis here. A 2014 survey of the world’s 500 largest…
BRASILIA – The World Water Conference opened this morning (March 19) in the capital city of Brazil. An estimated 40,000 people, including 15 heads of state, are expected to attend to discuss the growing crisis with the world’s water supplies. Thursday, March 22nd, is World Water Day. Brazilian President Michel Temer opened the conference 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…
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…
KUALA LUMPUR (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – The government of Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade issued a statement this week to draw attention to a new form of child exploitation that has been emerging and growing in Southeast Asia. The Australian government announcement “discourages short-term, unskilled volunteering orphanages (overseas).” The problem is not with…
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…
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…
NEW JERSEY – A U.S. District Judge has issued a temporary restraining order preventing a group of Indonesians currently in the United States and scheduled for deportation time to legally fight their deportation. The ruling was granted following a lawsuit initiated by the ACLU. The Indonesians, who are currently “on release,” have sought relief because…
The Western world has traditionally held the word “missionary” in high esteem, largely unaware that leaders of Eastern nations have often regarded the idea skepticism. That skepticism has grown over the past century, following the end of World War I and, even more so, since the end of the Second World War. Why the disparity?…
Dr. KP Yohannan has been crisscrossing the globe for the past 40 years, challenging the Body of Christ to discipleship. His call to a radical lifestyle—with an all-out commitment to Jesus—has left its impact on nearly every continent. To the Church caught up by the tidal waves of compromise and self-preservation, Yohannan’s life message is…
The Church tries to build healthy communities in impoverished areas, often times through hand-outs or one time gifts that do not help families out of poverty. By providing work opportunities, the Church can build communities and help eradicate poverty. Faith-based organizations (FBOs) are most often supported by the Church and its congregants in such a…
Hurricane Harvey hit the Texas Gulf Coast on August 25, beginning days and days of destruction, particularly in Houston and Port Aransas. Hurricane Harvey was a Category 4 hurricane, with top winds of 132 mph. Those cities were covered in flood and debris. They are recovering slowly, but it may take years to get back…
Photo by Gospel for Asia The death toll in Assam, India has reached 69 people due to flooding. Per FirstPost, “The death toll in the Assam floods climbed to 69 as four more deaths were reported on Tuesday, while nearly nine lakh [one hundred thousand is a lakh] people remained affected in 16 districts.” In…
Photo by McKay Savage Last July, an Indian woman who had been gang raped in 2013 was once again raped as she was returning home from college last July 13. Per CNN, “All four alleged perpetrators in custody appeared in court Sunday, where a magistrate ordered them held for at least three more days. It’s…
In September 2016, India was in a drought after the monsoon rains came in. There was a water sharing deal between two of the states, and this caused much protests. CNN reports, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to protesters to exercise restraint and follow the law as a heavy paramilitary presence was deployed Wednesday. Protests…
Photo by Sumon Mallick Not only did Cyclone Mora cause massive flooding in Bangladesh, it also caused mudslides which took the life of over 140 people. Rescuers are having difficulty getting to these areas because of the mud. Per The Hindu, “Rescuers struggled on Wednesday to reach villages hit by massive landslips that have…
Image by Carla Antonini In January, an Indian train crashed in the state of Andhra Pradesh. BBC reports, “At least 39 people have been killed and dozens injured after a train derailed in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, officials say.” The Indian railway system is one of the largest in the world, but…
Sri Lanka is facing their worst floods since 2003. In it, over 200 people have been killed. Per The Indian Express, “The death toll in Sri Lanka’s floods has climbed to 202 with 94 people still missing in the country’s worst torrential rains since 2003 that displaced nearly half a million people. The Disaster Management…
The Zika-related malady of microcephaly that has plagued Brazil and much of the Americas is now in Thailand where two babies recently born there have the birth defect, marking Asia’s first reports of the condition. While not all pregnant women infected with Zika deliver microcephalic babies, researchers say Zika is one of the leading…
TOKYO – A 6.2-magnitude earthquake shook western Japan, damaging homes and injuring seven people, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The Oct. 21 temblor struck west of Osaka near the city of Kurayosh, about 430 miles west of Tokyo. According to Japan’s meteorological agency, the area also experienced a 5.0-magnitude aftershock. No tsunami risk resulted….
Earthquake prone Japan had yet another earthquake May 16 when a 5.6 magnitude event shook the eastern region of Honshu, the nation’s main island. The epicenter was 60 miles northeast of Tokyo, and about 24 miles underground. Officials quickly stated that the earthquake would not cause a tsunami, which occurred in northeast Honshu in 2011….
A Hindu celebration meant to welcome in a new year in the southern Indian state of Kerala turned deadly in early April when a single firecracker fell into a pyrotechnic storage area and ignited the large inventory there. The resulting explosion and fire killed an estimated 107 persons, burned hundreds more and collapsed part of…
“There are individuals ripe to receive the Lord in the most resistant and hostile situations. We must take the Gospel to them.” ~ Virgil Amos ~ virgil amos was a missionary to europe, southeast asia, and western asia.
