Dictionary.com defines poverty as “the state or condition of having little or no money, goods, or means of support; the condition of being poor.” It defines “poor” as “having little or no money, goods, or other means of support.”
Poverty means not having enough money. Right?
According to the World Bank, if you’re living on $1.90 a day or less, you’re living in extreme poverty. More than 750 million people fall into this category. But you can make more than $1.90 a day and still be poor. The World Bank has drawn two other lines.
Pause for a moment to reflect that eliminating extreme poverty is one of the original United Nations’ Sustainable Goals for 2030. We will still have a long way to go.
The UN has created a Human Development Index, the result of a complex calculation of the multiple dimensions of poverty that must be overcome. Not unexpectedly, the greatest measurable amount of poverty continues to exist in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Knowing that poverty exists is one thing. Knowing the extent to which it exists is another. There are several ways to view the data but here we will simply look at the ranking of the South Asian countries where, according to Gospel for Asia, the need is greater than most can imagine.
KATHMANDU, NEPAL —On World Poverty Day, 17th October 2024, the District Women’s Fellowship Council of Rautahat District, under the Believers Eastern Church Archdiocese of Kathmandu, Nepal, took a proactive step in addressing poverty by distributing goats to impoverished families. This initiative aimed to support needy families and daily wage earners by providing them with a…
NAIROBI, KENYA —Organized by Christian children’s charity CRY the aim is to bring together local and native Christian African educators who have the best understanding of what young people need to further their lives and escape poverty. Christian children’s charity CRY recently hosted an educational forum for African educators in Nairobi in Kenya, which was…
SEATTLE — From the Maui wildfires to devastating earthquakes in Syria and Turkey, along with cyclones in Mozambique and Myanmar, Christian humanitarian organization World Vision has been at the forefront of extensive humanitarian response efforts worldwide, supporting communities in crisis. In 2023, World Vision responded to 78 disasters and humanitarian crises in 59 countries around…
ALEXANDRIA, VA — The Salvation Army, the nation’s largest private provider of social services, is asking the public for support this Giving Tuesday and throughout December. The organization, which has a presence in nearly every ZIP code in the country, relies on donations from the public to support life-changing programs for nearly 24 million people…
BRAZIL — Joni and Friends aims to provide wheelchairs to respond to Jesus’s command in Luke 14 to “Go out quickly…and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame…so that my house will be full.” Their Wheels for the World program is just one of the ways they seek to answer that…
BEVERLY HILLS, CA — A remarkable evening unfolded on September 21 as The Salvation Army Southern California proudly hosted the prestigious 2023 Finding A Way Gala. Sponsored by Payden & Rygel, the event drew an array of renowned celebrities, including the likes of retired NBA star Olden Polynice, Annalynne McCord, Erica Ash, and Tisha Campbell,…
TOGO — Christian charity CRY has launched a campaign to highlight how education is helping to break the cycle of poverty in some of the neediest parts of the world. This report shares the story of how an orphanage that they support in Togo is providing life-changing opportunities for many young lives through the power…
BEVERLY HILLS, CA — The Salvation Army Southern California is set to host its highly anticipated Finding A Way Home Gala at the Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel on Sept. 21. Sponsored by Payden & Rygel, the extraordinary event will honor Sarah Michelle Gellar with the Judge Harry Pregerson award while showcasing an ensemble…
WILLS POINT, TX — A shocking number of adults around the world can’t read or write even a simple sentence, says mission agency GFA World (www.gfa.org) as it marks International Literacy Day, September 8. According to the United Nations’ education agency UNESCO, approximately 773 million adults worldwide — equal to more than twice the population…
UNITED KINGDOM — It is a sad fact that, globally, the number of children and adolescents who do not have access to school education is 260 million, nearly four times the entire population of the UK. In response Christian children’s charity CRY is launching their Back To School Education is Power campaign to highlight how…
EL SALVADOR — Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. They bring this vision to reality through programs like International Family Retreat. Andre’s family in El Salvador experienced finding inclusion in Christ, transforming acceptance and love through family retreat…
SIERRA LEONE — As Sierra Leone faces extreme poverty and high rates of illiteracy, Christian school Destiny Grace Academy is teaching hundreds of children, who’ve been rescued from the slums of the capital city of Freetown, to be the country’s next generation of leaders. A Christian-run school in war-torn Sierra Leone has provided life-changing education…
WILLS POINT, TX — A new three-month campaign aims to help some of the poorest families in Africa and Asia “sew their way out of poverty” — one stitch at a time. Texas-based mission GFA World’s “Sewing Their Way Out of Poverty” campaign aims to provide 500 new sewing machines and vocational training for 500…
ROMANIA — Didina was paralyzed at age 22 due to an unknown condition. Then for 30 years she lay in a small dark bedroom wanting to die to get free from the bed that felt like a prison.Joni and Friends Wheels for the World volunteers heard Didina’s story and came to provide her with physical…
KIBERA, KENYA —A Christian charity is empowering and educating children in Africa’s largest slum in Kibera on the outskirts of Nairobi in Kenya. Most of the residents live in extreme poverty. There are few schools, little clean water, and very little electricity, medical care or toilet facilities. With no government services, schools, clinics, water and…
EL SALVADOR — Four-year-old Ian from El Salvador was born prematurely. Lack of oxygen at birth caused a brain injury, leaving Ian with cerebral palsy. Living under the double weight of poverty and disability, Ian’s parents couldn’t afford a wheelchair for their son. Then, at a Joni and Friends Wheels for the World™ outreach in…
ALBA LULIA, ROMANIA — The “Philippi Vision” charitable association from Alba Iulia carries out missionary and social projects in Romania, Europe and Africa. The organization was founded in 2018 by some young men, Florin Lupean and David Murza, out of the desire to help people in poor areas and to make God known. We will…
JACKSON, MS — Reyna is a mother to four children in Jackson, Mississippi. Her oldest kids, Belen (19) and Leonardo (16), have disabilities that require the use of wheelchairs and around-the-clock care. Even with the help of her 10-year-old son, Yahir, to feed and change his siblings, Reyna lives in a state of mental and…
EL SALVADOR — The World Health Organization estimates that over 75 million people in the world today need a wheelchair, and more than 85% of them can’t access one*. The brunt of these unmet needs hits people in developing nations, like Marcela in El Salvador. Marcela suffered cardio-respiratory arrest at birth, which caused cerebral palsy….
WILLS POINT, TX – GFA World (Gospel for Asia) founded by K.P. Yohannan, which inspired numerous charities like GFA World Canada, to assist the poor and deprived worldwide, issued this Special Report on a surprising antidote and solution to world poverty: farm animals. Recent decades have seen a general trend toward prosperity in much of…
CHIANG MAI, THAILAND — Namthan has cerebral palsy and hydrocephalus. She cannot walk or even sit on her own and has a permanent shunt surgically implanted in her brain. Raised Buddhist, Namthan’s parents believed that bad karma caused Namthan’s disability. But when Joni and Friends brought Namthan a wheelchair through our Wheels for the World…
CHIANG MAI, THAILAND — 12-year-old Pleng was born with cerebral palsy. Unable to afford a wheelchair for Pleng, her family resorted to carrying her, or just staying home. In addition to struggles with immobility, Pleng’s family suffered from shame, believing Pleng’s disability came from bad karma—a deserved punishment, or curse. When Pleng arrived at the…
WILLS POINT, TX – GFA World (Gospel for Asia) founded by K.P. Yohannan, has been the model for numerous charities like GFA World Canada, to help the poor and deprived worldwide. Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported medical ministry is helping thousands who are in need of medical attention, all the while displaying the love of Christ….
SAN SALVADOR, EL SALVADOR — Esmerelda’s pregnancy was typical and uneventful, but while carrying her son, she was a victim of domestic violence. Esmerelda worried that the abuse she suffered at her husband’s hand would cause their new baby to be born with a disability. At five months, Kevin was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. When…
ORLANDO, FL — Nations Church, one of the fastest-growing churches in America, based in Central Florida, recently partnered with One Heart for Women and Children to assist families and individuals struggling with food insecurity in the local community. On March 16th, Nations Church and One Heart combined their teams, arriving at the Christ for all…
AFRICA — A single mother of three in dire need, Shahd* was desperate when she called the national missionary supported by Christian Aid Mission. The missionary responded with compassionate aid and support, providing Shahd with the means to establish her own business and empowering her to provide for her family. According to the mission organization,…
KAMPALA, UGANDA – Richmond’s childhood was a painful and challenging one, marked by extreme poverty, illness, loss and hopelessness. His family often went without food. He suffered from malaria almost a dozen times, and his father was murdered. When he was sponsored and began attending Compassion’s child development center at a local church, the healthcare,…
ENGLAND, LONDON — A series of bad choices led Brian to the streets of London, England. It was chaotic and destructive, and Brian was desperate. After a day of heavy drinking in Trafalgar Square, Brian was at rock bottom. He woke to find his trainers and trousers had been stolen. With nowhere else to turn,…
BAKERSFIELD, CA — CityServe Network and the Housing Authority of the County of Kern announced today it has been awarded a Homekey Round 2 award by The California Department of Housing and Community Development. The $29,999,496 award is to build 126 units for those in need of housing on the CityServe Network property, 3201 F…
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO — Members of Compassion International’s Fill the Stadium team are extremely grateful and honor those who have participated in this life-saving initiative as they share remarkable news: this week, the $35 million goal has been surpassed for the Fill the Stadium effort, which has provided critical food, medical care and support for…
JERUSALEM — Winter storm Carmel has ravaged Israel, and the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (The Fellowship), in collaboration with Israel’s Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs, has immediately responded to assist the vulnerable sectors of Israeli society – in particular, the elderly and people with disabilities living alone, the homeless, and impoverished families…
JERUSALEM — In 2021, the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (The Fellowship) helped more than 2 million people by supplying basic essentials and financial assistance to 1 million people, providing security to more than 800,000 people encountering threats of terrorism and anti-Semitism, and helping more than 5,000 Jews return home to Israel. Throughout this…
STONEY CREEK, ONTARIO – One of the core values of GFA World (Gospel for Asia) founded by K.P. Yohannan, which inspired numerous charities like GFA World Canada, is being a people who work together with the body of Christ. In the week of November 15-22, 2021, GFA World was able to demonstrate this value by…
WILLS POINT, TX – GFA World (Gospel for Asia) founded by K.P. Yohannan, whose heart to love and help the poor has inspired numerous charities like GFA World Canada, reports: A “moo-ving” Christmas campaign aims to lift pandemic-affected families out of extreme poverty — with gifts of cows, goats, chickens and other farm animals. Texas-based…
LOS ANGELES — As “Giving Tuesday” is coming up on November 30, the Los Angeles Dream Center is encouraging Americans in their city and throughout the country to join the global effort of showing gratitude by giving back. They will be kicking off their “Make 30 Matter” campaign on November 30, reminding current and potential…
JERUSALEM — The coronavirus crisis has greatly impacted many families in Israel. To alleviate the overwhelming need, Israel’s Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs, together with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (The Fellowship), has decided to provide more than $3 million for the benefit of individuals and families needing additional support. This will…
TEGUCIGALPA, HONDURAS – More than 15 million people worldwide live out their entire existence – work, home, play – in garbage dump communities. They wake up in the morning to the same stench of rotting and decaying garbage that they remembered yesterday. Try to grasp the reality. These are not a few people who live…
TOGO — Dr. Abram Wodomé could’ve left this own country of Togo in West Africa to pursue a successful medical career abroad. But thanks to support from the Christian charity Mercy Ships Dr. Wodomé has chosen to provide vital cataract surgery and medical training in his home nation. As the country’s leading cataract surgeon, he…
STONEY CREEK, ON — Gospel for Asia Canada (GFA World) founded by K.P. Yohannan shares how the COVID-19 pandemic is bringing death and destruction to millions around the globe. For many in Asia, the affect of the virus is felt in more ways than one as they struggle to make ends meet during the lockdown….
NAIROBI, KENYA – The title question is not one that needs to be asked in Kenya. Everyone there knows who Mully is. I had never heard about Mully until I watched the Mully Movie last evening. I immediately knew that I had to introduce our readers to Mr. Charles Mully. He is a man whose…
PHOENIX, AZ – Grand Canyon University and CityServe are announcing the creation of a major distribution hub on the GCU campus that will provide thousands of household goods to needy families in Arizona. A 35,000-square-foot warehouse on campus will house products such as clothing, heaters, fans, blankets, furniture, mattresses, food boxes and other essential items…
ARIZONA — Grand Canyon University and CityServe are announcing the launch of the first CityServe HUB in Arizona at Grand Canyon University campus to help people in need. A 35,000-square-foot warehouse on campus will function as the new GCU HUB—powered mostly by volunteers—to receive, sort and distribute goods in-kind (GIK), such as food, apparel, furniture…
SOUTH ASIA – Lalita is a widow who was struggling to make ends meet after her husband passed away. Through its Christmas Gift Catalog GFA World (Gospel for Asia) gave her a sewing machine which enabled her to earn a living through tailoring work. How one simple tool provided income for a family in desperate…
PAARL, SOUTH AFRICA – There are essentially two major problems when it comes to hunger among impoverished families. First, there is food scarcity. That doesn’t mean that there is not an adequate global supply of food to feed everyone. There is. The problem is that the food is not readily available to the hungry people…
PALM HARBOR, FL – For Haiti With Love is the exact representation of a faith mission. It has no plans for building bigger barns. (See Luke 12:18) It does what it can with what the Lord provides. The on-the-ground work of For Haiti With Love consists of four primary elements. Offering nutritious, balanced meals to…
WILLS POINT, TX – Because GFA World (Gospel for Asia) has supported pastors and missionaries across South Asia for more than 40 years, the organization understands the ugly effect of food scarcity. Over those four decades, Gospel for Asia (GFA) has distributed countless foodstuffs and cooked tens of thousands of meals for hungry people –…
BRAZIL — Six-year-old Miguel has spina bifida and lives with his grandparents in a tiny home, far from everything in a remote village in Brazil. Unable to afford a wheelchair, Miguel’s only means of transportation through the dirty paths of his village is a rusty wheelbarrow. In poverty and desperation, their family cried out to God…
TAIWAN — Wanhua District in Taipei, Taiwan has the city’s highest concentration of low income residents. During the COVID pandemic, many become nervous when Wanhua is mentioned. But while most people want to leave, there are some who feel compassion for the people there. Pastor Wen is preparing supplies for Wanhua residents who were caught…
WILLS POINT, TX — K.P. Yohannan — founder of global humanitarian agency Gospel for Asia (GFA World), best-selling author, and international speaker, who was born and reared in India — is available for media interviews on the current COVID crisis in India. What’s REALLY Going On in India Right Now? Millions are suffering as India’s…
GREENSBORO, NC — A second wave in the COVID-19 pandemic is rapidly spreading throughout Nepal with over 34,000 new cases reported in just the last week. The true number may be much higher because virus testing is inadequate across most of the impoverished nation of 30 million people. Sadly, hardest hit areas are the remote…
