Women Reaching Women: Send! Magazine

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1/24

send!

second quarter 2011 | volume 31 | number 2

{GOSPEL FOR ASIA NEWS MAGAZINE}

2

{www..

+ Spreading Jesus Light To Asias Children

WomenreachingWomen

LOVINGTHEIR NEIGHBORS,

BUILDINGCHRISTS BODY
http://www.gfa.org/http://www.gfa.org/http://www.gfa.org/


2/24

{GOSPEL FOR ASIANEWS MAGAZINE}

Editor-in-ChiE K.P. Yohannan

Managing Editor Heidi Chupp

Contributing Editors Hannah Chupp,

Gisela Yohannan

WritErs Michelle Jimnez, Susan Lawson,

Shelly Moon, Sally Robbins

ProorEadEr Tricia Bennett

dEsign DOXA

ProduCtion Michele Alexander

send! SEND! VoluME 31, nuMbEr 2SEND!is published our times per year byGospel or Asia, Inc., 1800 Golden Trail Court,

Carrollton, Texas 75010. 2011 Gospel or Asia, Inc.

No part o this periodical may be reproduced

without permission. Unless otherwise noted,

Scripture taken rom the New King James Version.

Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by

permission. All rights reserved.

Many o the names and places in the stories have

been changed or security reasons.

One hundred percent o all missionary support

is sent to the mission eld. Please visit us:

www..

adMinistratiVE oiCEs

i e ue se: 1800 Golden Trail Court,

Carrollton, Texas 75010. Phone: 972-300-7777.

Fax: 972-300-7778. Email: [email protected].

i a: P.O. Box 3587, Village Fair,

Toowoomba QLD 4350. Phone: 1300 889 339.

i new Ze: PO Box 302580,

North Harbour 0751. Phone: 0508 -918-918.

i s ac: P.O. Box 28880, Sunridge Park,

6008. Phone: 041 360-0198.

i e ue Km: PO Box 166,

York, YO10 5WA. Phone: 01904 643 233.

gpe a is an evangelical mission

organization that trains and equips national

missionaries to share the love o Jesus Christ

across southern Asia with those who have never

beore heard His name. These missionaries have

proven extremely eective because they are

already amiliar with the language and culture,

and they live at the level o the people they

serve, thus removing many social barriers.

oundEr and PrEsidEnt K.P. Yohannan

rom the editor-in-chiee

K.P. Yohannan [Editor-in-Chie]

In male-dominated Asian cultures,

diculties are nothing new to women.

Traditional, cultural and religious currents are strong and

have already set them up to be suppressed, beaten down,

segregated, even destroyedsimply because they are

emale. Now just imagine how much greater the challenge

is or women missionaries in these countries.

In this issue oSEND! you will meet Anshula and

Jasleen, two women who have risen to the challenge.

Oh, they still ace their share o struggles, but both are

rmly convinced o Gods calling and o His strength to

carry out that calling. And as a result, their lives are

bearing ruit in amazing ways.

Please turn to page 6 to read how one woman

is leading thousands more to testiy o Gods

love in their South Asian communities.
http://www.gfa.org/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.gfa.org/


3/24

insend!departments:4gospel or asia + youYou can impact the mission elds o Asia.16in ocusHow your partnership is changing lives.In this issue, we highlight our disaster relie

eorts and Bridge o Hope.

20short reportsBrie glimpses o what God is doing

all across Asia.

second quarter 2011 | send! | 3

second quarter 2011 | volume 31 | number 2

22profleWhen Sarika graduated rom Bible

college, she wanted nothing more than to

share the Good News with her amily

even though they had been her harshest

persecutors.

23fve minutes with K.P.I we ignore Gods laws and saety

measures ound in Scripture, no audible

sirens will automatically sound, but we

are traveling a dangerous road.

6 women reaching womenJasleens passion is to strengthen Christian women,

both in their walks with God and in their witness to

other women.

10 sunshine on the radioThrough radio, Anshula shares with millions oAsias youngest citizens that Jesus loves them and

can change their lives.

O N T H E C O V E R

As Jasleen Dasgupta speaks in a Bible college class,

one young student learns how she can play a vital role

in bringing the love o God to women just like her.

eatured:

22

23

20

16

18

SpreadingJesus Light toAsias Childrenpg 10


4/24

gospel or asia + you {You can impact the mission elds o Asia}+

Working and Lovingv

Thank you or helping me make

some important decisions about my

lie as I was getting ready to retire.

I have decided to keep working;

not just or mysel, but or India.

Right now the Lord has shown

me I can help those who ollow

His commandment to go to a

people who I love rom aar.W.g., Coldspring, Texas

Anniversary Gits or Asiav

My husband and I used the GFA

Christmas Git Catalogor our

anniversary gits instead o buying

gits or each other (because were

both impossible to shop or). We

got some chickens, mosquito nets,

Bibles, tracts and VBS materials. It

was really un picking things out.

a.W. a.W., South Korea

Feedback rom GFAs LiveStreaming Prayer Meetings

vIm so thankul this is available. Im

really standing in prayer with you

all! I decided to make this a

Facebook event.

The GFA prayer meeting is so

wonderul in many ways. I love you

allwhat a great, true ministry. So

glad to be renewed by God through

this weblink.

Listening to what God is doing in

Asia has encouraged me to share

news and requests with people in

the church where I attend and serve.

Im so grateul that I can participate

at these prayer meetings. I started

this with the intention to help a

bit. I never imagined that I would

be helped. God started to work in

me and I see so many things in a

dierent way.

Visitwww.ga.org/prayer and pray

with the GFA amily via live

streaming services each month!

A Legacy or theDowntrodden

vMy mother died very unexpectedly,

though she had lived a good long

lie o almost 86 years. The money

enclosed is rom my inheritance

that she let me. I would much

rather have her than the money, but

I know she would be delighted that

I am sending you an oering rom

her estate. She had such a heart or

the downtrodden. I you can use

this in the ministry or the womenand girls who have been in the slave

trade, please do so.

d.b., Overland Park, Kansas

How has God connected your

lie with Gospel or Asia?

Wed love to hear your story.

Pee em :[email protected]

o we: Managing Editor

SEND!Magazine

1800 Golden Trail Court

Carrollton, TX 75010

Through your will, you can take care o your loved onesand you can

ensure that men, women and children in Asia no longer live in continued

darkness, but instead nd lives lled with Christs love and peace.

V: www.ga.org/wills

o c : 1-800-WIN-ASIA (1-800-946-2742)

Where There Is a

There Is a Way . . .

to reach Asia.
http://www.gfa.org/prayermailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.gfa.org/willshttp://www.gfa.org/willsmailto:[email protected]://www.gfa.org/prayer


5/24


nw o WeeBe inspired by these amazing photos o Gods work through

Gospel or Asia in some o the most remote locations in Asia!

Join us as we add a new photo each day, and:

> Learn more about it

> Download a high-resolution copy or your desktop or

or printing

> Share it with your riends on Facebook or Twitter

new ee

When two GFA-supported missionaries, Dempa and

Tren, arrived in a remote village to show a flm about the lie o

Jesus, the frst person they met was an 18-year-old girl named

Mesha Kumar. She was intensely curious and boldly began

asking them questions.

What are you doing? she quizzed them.

They told her they were hanging a large white sheet to use

as a movie screen. That led to another question.

What flm are you going to show? she asked.

Dempa and Tren patiently explained thatDayasagar

(Man o Mercy) is a flm about Jesus Christ. They encouraged

her to come watch the movie later that nightand she did.

Ater the movie was over, Mesha had even more questions.She wanted to know everything about Jesus. So Dempa and

Tren shared the Good News about Jesus and His love with

Mesha. When all her questions were answered, Mesha made

a decisionshe wanted to ollow Jesus.

Unortunately, Meshas amily is not happy about her

decision . . .

Visitwww../ew/ce/qeeecewp

to read the rest o the story! And sign up atwww../eew

to receive more exciting news rom the mission elds o Asia.

www.ga.org i Memy > a Wm herom Elizabeth Gilbertson

> b My rom Martin and

Gail McLean

> b E. Ew rom

Mark Edwards

> b Ew, s. rom

Mark Edwards

> C lq he

rom Sandi Dunbar

> dee rom

Rosemarie Florio

> d scke rom

Victor and Nancy Schkade> dy ry rom Raymond

and Marietta Roy, Violet Gerig

> Ew iee Jzkewcz

rom Rick Juszkiewicz

> e J m Dennis

and Cynthia Clounch

> gye by rom Robert Bytnar

> h rvey rom Charles

Austin, James and Bettelou Heil,

John De Luca, Midge Raverty

>Jep We Kcv

rom Nancy K. Rawe

> Ky rce rom Betty M.

Litcheld

> ly hee rom Leora Adams

> Mce ice rom

Annunziata Blandini

> My C. bw rom

Clyde and Diana Armstrong

> nck Pepp rom Scott

and Kris Davis

> Pck McCe rom

Doris Graham

> re Mpy rom Daniel

and Linda Murphy

> sm Ke rom Kay Seivert

> Vem dck s rom

Dr. and Mrs. Jerry Dickson

> W E. nee rom

Mrs. David Millet

i h

> ae M rom Joseph

and Terri Milburn

> b scm rom Ronald

and Kathleen Palmer

> Cy W rom Mrs. Linda

Wilson

> d Pey ge rom

Mrs. Tannie Landry

> d. ly b o

rom David and Kathy Danielson

> Eve gf rom Jack Harvey> h J rom Steven

and Heidi Johnson

>Jec, ic se bc

rom Jon and Margaret Lincoln

>J, Zcy

rce em rom Jon and

Margaret Lincoln

> Ke, sj Je swe


> K, Jc Ee lc


> l bye rom Gary Brizendine

> lye Mcgee rom Mrs. Gloria

Dulany

> Msgt Jeemy s sce

rom Mrs. Beverly Imsland

> nce hee heke

rom Mrs. Shirley L. Fischer

> P Jey Pe rom

Francis Verna

> sey Wec rom Almarie

Owen, David and Lisa Welch

> t C rom Mr. Randall

Murphree

> t Wm rom Chris and

Morgan Hess

> Yve r gppe rom

Donna Clements

{ }This list is a partial representation o many generous riends who havegiven to Gospel or Asia in memory or in honor o loved ones. I you wishto make a donation, please contact GFA in your country (see back cover).

new:www.ga.org/dailyphoto
http://www.gfa.org/news/articles/questions-lead-secret-worshiphttp://www.gfa.org/news/articles/questions-lead-secret-worshiphttp://www.gfa.org/latestnewshttp://www.gfa.org/latestnewshttp://www.gfa.org/latestnewshttp://www.gfa.org/http://www.gfa.org/dailyphotohttp://www.gfa.org/latestnewshttp://www.gfa.org/news/articles/questions-lead-secret-worshiphttp://www.gfa.org/dailyphotohttp://www.gfa.org/


6/24

6 | send! | www.ga.org

Womenreaching

Women

LOVINGTHEIR

NEIGHBORS,BUILDING

CHRISTS BODY
http://www.gfa.org/http://www.gfa.org/


7/24


Seven years beore, Jasleen

had stood in another Bible

college and aced a similar

group o girls. She needed a

translator at her side to

help her at rst. Despite the challenges

in communication, Jasleens passion to teach them the

ways o God kept them engaged. That was just the

beginning o Jasleens ministry in the mission eld.

My innermost ambition was to work withyoung peopleespecially women, Jasleen

remembers. I I can train them, then they in turn can

go back and win many people to the Lord.

Today, Jasleen still speaks in Bible colleges, but

thats only one o the responsibilities she shoulders as

a Gospel or Asia-supported leader on the mission

elds o South Asia. Its her original passion

equipping women to have an intimate relationship

with Christ and to spread the love o Christ to their

neighborsthat keeps her going.

Jasleen Dasgupta took a deepbreath as she stood in ront othe young women. The eyes o

every Bible college student werefxed on her as she began to

share with them the signifcanceo ministry among women.


8/24


Not Just the Pastors JobJasleen oversees the development o a special

ministry thats ound in every GFA-supported church

in southern Asia: Womens Fellowships. Established

in 2005 with the express purpose o sharing Gods

love with some o the most unreached people on the

ace o the earthwomen in Asiathis outreach

embodies Jasleens vision or her sisters in Christ.

We want them to learn that it is not just the job

o the pastor to bring people to Christ, Jasleen says.

As a ollower o Christ Jesus, as one who knows the

Lord personally, it is also your responsibility to

witness and share Christ with someone.

So the women in each church learn to carry

Gospel tracts with them wherever they go. They visit

homes to share the Gospel message o hope to those

whose lives seem grim and despairing. They pray and

ast or their neighbors to know Jesus love. They

learn to open their eyes to the needs around them and

ask themselves these questions:

What is my role as a woman in my church,

in my society?

What can I do to help those around me?

What can I do to help my pastor?

What can I do to grow in my personal lie?

With Jasleens help and that o the other

Womens Fellowship leaders, these believers lives

take on greater meaning as they live out their aith

in Christ. And their eorts are contributing to the

growth o the Church as well.

A Love That FreesThese women couldnt ocus on others without

rst knowing the Lord Jesus Christ and discovering

His deep, unconditional love or each o them. And

Jasleen seeks to make sure every woman knows how

much God values her.

But this can be dicult, especially in rural

regions where schools are ew and ar between.

There is a lack o education, which brings

awareness, Jasleen notes. People are so limited in

their understanding o whats happening, and they are

not exposed to the developments that are taking place

in our society.

I a woman is not really exposed to somethingelse other than what she knows within her culture, I

dont think she will be able to think dierently.

The lack o education keeps women illiterate,

unable to learn or themselves what Gods Word says

about the love and care He has or His children. Most

women living outside o the larger cities are held in

bondage to customs that view them as inerior. They

are taught they have no worth but to marry and bear

male children.

Images: Womens Fellowship groups all over South Asia meet regularly or worship, prayer

and Bible study (upper and lower let and opposite page). Jasleen joins a group whenever

she can, and she is always a welcome sight at the Bible college, too (above).


9/24


But Jasleen and others involved with Womens

Fellowship have taken it upon themselves to change

that and revolutionize the way women view

themselves in the eyes o God.

We want women to learn what God thinks

about them, how precious they are in His sight,

Jasleen states. In time, they are able to realize howJesus Christ gave value to them.

Part o My Very LieJasleens passion has always been twoold: to see

women grow in deeper intimacy with God and to see

lives won or His Kingdomand both o these are

realized through Womens Fellowship.

She longs or the women o each church to

become the backbone o their congregations ministry,

beginning with intercession.

The majority o the believers in our churches

are women, comments Jasleen. So i they start

taking responsibility or praying and start standing in

the gappraying or the missionaries who are in the

eld, praying or their pastors, praying or the

unreached villages, praying or their unreached

neighborhoodsI certainly believe women can make

a whole lot o contribution or the Kingdom o God.

Jasleen has been part o Gospel or Asias

Womens Fellowship since its inception. For ve years

shes seen it grow to include thousands o women.

Shes been part o every aspect o its development,

and by now its in her blood, she jokes.Every time when I get up, even when I go to bed

and all through the day, I think o Womens Fellowship,

Jasleen refects. It has become part o my very lie.

And her love and dedication or this ministry shine

through every Asian woman who becomes greater

than what her society and culture expect o her.

WHAT DoeS

WomenS

FeLLoWSHIP

DO?

E

ach Gospel or Asia-supported church

has a Womens Fellowship group createdto help the women o the congregation

grow spiritually and gain a missions-ocused

perspective. These women meet regularly

to pray, study Gods Word and reach out to

their communities.

Womens Fellowship also provides literacy

classes, social development programs

concerning health awareness and hygiene, and

simple vocational training such as sewing classes.

Although male missionaries may have

more diculties interacting with women due

to cultural restrictions, women can reely

converse and interact with other women.


10/24


SUNSHINE

ON THERADI


11/24


anshula Samayan is making aces into the microphone. Her expressions mimic her voice as it changes to refect the

characters in the story she is telling. Squeaky little-kid voices and deep rumbling sounds tumble orth. When she makes a

minor mistake, her ace momentarily screws up into a ball o rustration, but then she relaxes, smiles and gets right back to the

script. Todays subject is riendship, as described in Proverbs 17:17A riend loves at all times, and a brother is born or adversity.


12/24


Anshula wants this broadcastlike every one

o the 104 she records each yearto be

perect and her message to be clearly heard.

Her desire, and the goal o her radio broadcast, is to

help the children o South Asia really understand that

Jesus loves them and can change their lives. From thissparsely urnished basement radio studio tucked well

away rom the blaring city trac above, Anshula is

telling millions o Asias youngest citizens how they

can have a relationship with Jesus.

Just outside the studio,

correspondence rom her little listeners

is tacked on a bulletin board. There are

drawings o Jesus and letters telling o

young lives radically transormed by the

Good News she is sharing.

Weee CmmmeAnshula is the voiceand the acebehind

Gospel or Asias radio program Bachon ka Dost

(Friend o Children). With Anshulas shining smile

and bright personality, the love o Jesus literally

overfows rom her tiny rame. It seems no accident

that the name Anshula means sunny.

Anshulas commitment started with her Christian

upbringinga rarity in the country where she lives.

Her parents are both committed ollowers o Christ

who raised Anshula and her brother to

wholeheartedly serve the Lord. Both siblings studiedat Bible colleges and went on to earn masters degrees

at a seminary in their country. They are now both

serving in ministry.

Anshula chose to ollow Christ when she was 12

years old and in subsequent years gave Him total

control o her lie. She started writing and recording

the childrens radio programs in 1997, when she was

in her second year at seminary. The programs were a

classroom assignment, and Anshula discovered she

had a knack or putting them together.

When it was time or her to wed, her amily

arranged a marriage to a godly young man

named Pratap Samayan. Today, he is a Gospel or

Asia-supported state leader, overseeing the work o

hundreds o missionaries in one part o their country.

Their marriage is unusual by most South Asianstandards, where it is considered out o the norm or

a wie and mother to work outside the home and or

a ather to take part in the hands-on, day-to-day care

o the children. But Anshula and Pratap knew that

God called each o them to serve, and neither wants

the other to tell God no.

She wont say no to any opportunity to serve

the Lord. She always says these opportunities are a

privilege given to her by the Lord, and she doesnt

want to waste that privilege, Pratap says.

So, Pratap and Anshula each set aside their

personal desires, and together, they strive to serve the

Lord and each other. The end result is a partnership

between a man and a woman that beautiully brings

glory to God.

Mpp seHonoring their commitments to the Lord and

one another is not easy. Most oten it simply means

long days o hard work.

On a typical day, Anshula is up and going at

around 4:30 a.m. The rst thing she does is spend

time reading her Bible and praying. The couple hasset aside a closet-sized room in their home or this

purpose. The simple space with a carpeted foor and

no urniture allows them to block out the worries o

the world and meet their Savior with no distractions.

This is the only time o day that Anshula gets to

indulge in the quiet contemplation that keeps her

spirit charged.

She rises rom prayer and begins tending to the

needs o her household. Pratap slips into the prayer

closet to steady his heart or the day, and Anshula


13/24


spends the next hour cleaning their small house.

There are no appliances to help, so the sweeping,

mopping, dusting and scrubbing require a lot o

old-ashioned manual labor.

Then its time to get the

boys ready or school. Thecouple has two sons, 6-year-old

Biju and 5-year-old Salil. Pratap

is out o the prayer closet and

rousing the boys rom sleep as

Anshula goes into the kitchen

to make breakast.

Once the boys are awake, bathed and dressed,

Pratap takes them into the prayer closet or a

devotional and prayer time.

Then the amily sits down to a South Asian breakast

oidli (a steamed, disc-shaped cake made rom rice

and bean four), curry and a mixture o ruit and spices

blended together and served as chutney. When the boys

leave or school, Pratap and Anshula board a rickshaw

and head to their oce or a ull day o work.

a dy e ofceFor Anshula and Pratap, there is no typical day

at the oce. His days are ull o meetings, and he

oten travels to visit the missionaries he oversees.

Anshulas duties bounce her around to many

locations as well.

Anshulas days in the local ministry oce arespent answering letters rom the children who listen to

her twice-weekly radio programs. She receives about

50 letters a month. Many contain simple, innocent

messages, along with snippets o day-to-day lie:

I hear your sweet voice that sounds like a bird,

calling us, saying children, children and telling

us these wonderul stories. When I used to tune

into your show, my ather would scold me,

saying, You are always listening to the radio

instead o studying. Youve got to stop that.

But I wanted to listen to your program.

Other letters contain questions, some o which are

easy to answer:

In one program you talked about how we can

speak to our Heavenly Father as you speak to

your earthly ather. How is that possible?

Can you tell me what I need to do to obey

the commandments you taught about on your

program? Is it that we should not steal?

Should we not say lies?

Others are more complex:

You said the Father, the Lord, loves all children.

So i that is so, then why are there so many

children who are orphans?

Anshula, along with women students rom a

local GFA-supported Bible college, spend several days

each month praying or the letter writers and

personally answering each o them.

These letters give me the encouragement to give

more and more and to go on, Anshula says. When I

read the letters that tell me how their lives were

changed, that really makes me happy because then Iknow that my message is getting through. That is

especially important now because so many children

are turning their lives toward bad things.

Me e b KAnshulas desire to share the love o Jesus with

children extends beyond her radio program. She is

also the womens dean at the Bible college. Her

gentle, nurturing style has won the hearts o students,

who adore their sunny leader.

Images: Anshula

receives many letters

rom her young listeners

each month, and

each one gets a reply

(above). Although

her broadcasting

responsibilities

sometimes call her

away rom home

(opposite page, let),

she remains aithul to

her amily commitments

(opposite page, right).

When I read the letters that

tell me how their lives were

changed, that really makes me

happy because then I know that

my message is getting through.


14/24


I dont scold them. I use loving words to

encourage them. They look at me like an elder sister

or a mother, Anshula comments. I really want to

teach them by being an example to them.

Anshulas roles with the girls range rom mother

to counselor to instructor. She listens to girls tell theirheart-wrenching stories o abuse at the hands o

amily members. She also instructs them in practical

matters, like housekeeping and washing clothes.

Anshula has even been known to share the secrets o

making perect chapatissot, tortilla-like fatbread

that is an appetizing staple o their diet.

She also teaches classes. One o the subjects she

instructs is worship, where both male and emale

students nd out that Anshula is an accomplished

music leader. She even has a ew tricks to keep these

older students entertained as well.

One o my classes is right ater lunch and the

students are sleepy, so I teach them action songs! she

conesses.

O course, Anshula wants the students to urther

develop their hearts to reach the lost, so she enlists

them to pray or the children who write letters in

response to the radio programs.

One o her happiest moments in ministry came

when her roles as Bible college dean and radio

broadcaster united. That was the day Anshula learned

that a ormer radio listener had given his heart to

Christ, graduated rom Bible college and now servesin ministry.

I was so happy! she exclaims.

W le e nThe work and school day ends late by Western

standardsAnshula, Pratap and their sons are all

home by 7 p.m. She prepares the evening meal while

he monitors the kids activities. When the meal is over

and the dishes are washed, the amily spends time in

their prayer closet together studying Gods Word and


15/24


praying. Once the boys have gone to bed, its time or

Anshula to write radio program scripts.

With Biju and Salil sleeping peaceully and

Pratap working in another room, Anshula retreats

back to the prayer closet. This time she has her Bible,

a notebook and a avorite pen. She prays, opens theBible and starts writing.

By this time the ideas or her radio scripts have

been rolling around in her mind or some time.

Anshula holds onto scraps o ideas and pieces o

stories that the Lord puts in her mind throughout the

day. It is a relie to nally get them down on paper.

God has given me the git o storytelling, and

or this I really thank Him, she says.

She writes ve 15-minute programs in about a

three-hour span o time.

Only ater they are all written will I go to bed,

she explains. By then, its well past midnight.

And shes not the only one losing sleep or the

sake o childrens radio.

Whenever she is writing scripts, I will stay

awake too, Pratap says. I wont disturb her or ask

her or anything, but I just want to be available or

her. She will ask me about Bible reerences or

applications, and I am happy to help her. I will even

make tea or her!

Pratap also steps into his wies shoes when she

goes to the recording studio. Because it is quite a

distance rom their home, Anshula is gone or anaverage o three days a month. While she is busy

traveling and recording, Pratap takes over her

household roles. It is exhausting, but he does not

complain.

I dont want to stop my wie rom recording or

any reason, because her burden is or those children,

Pratap explains. So whenever the opportunity

comes, whenever she needs to go, Ill be happy to let

her go. I will prepare everything or her, and I will

encourage her.

In every waking moment o her day, Anshulas

desire is to stay ocused on Gods calling on her lie:

to share the love o Christ with children and young

adults. From the time she rises rom bed in the

pre-dawn hours, throughout her long workday and

until she lays her head down to sleep, Anshula shinesorth the light o Jesus Christ to all those around her.

No one orces her to work hard. She sees her

responsibilities as something shegets to do, not

something she has to do.

Pratap agrees: It is a privilege that God has

given us.

Visitwww../eto learn more about

Anshulas lie and ministry.

Images: Anshulas days star t early

(let), and she makes her time with

the Lord a oundation or everything

else, rom teaching at a Bible college

(opposite page) to leading a womens

prayer meeting (right).
http://www.gfa.org/sendhttp://www.gfa.org/sendhttp://www.gfa.org/sendhttp://www.gfa.org/send


16/24

in ocus {How your partnership is changing lives}


When Disaster StrikesC o M Pa s s i o n s E r V i C E s

Myanmar and its people lay

in ruins ater Cyclone Nargis

ripped through the country

in May 2008. The unceasing waters and

erce winds destroyed homes, stole

140,000 lives and orced millions o people

into starvation and desperation. Nearly

three years ater the cyclone hit, the

suering has yet to subside. One doctor

believes that nearly all o the cyclones

victims suer rom serious mental

problems caused by the devastation.

Relie was minimal as Myanmars government restricted

oreign aid rom entering the country, but Gospel or

Asia-supported missionaries didnt have to go through

red tape to gain approvalthey were already serving there.

GFAs Compassion Services teams brought in ood, clean

drinking water, medicine, tarps or temporary shelter and the

message o hope and peace in Jesus Christsomething the

victims desperately needed. And people in this predominately

Buddhist nation began opening their hearts toward the true God

as they experienced His love through His people.

i W a K MyeMya Thuza lost six o her seven children to the cyclone and

contemplated suicide. The physical aid wasnt enough to erase allthe pain she elt, but members o a GFA Compassion Services

team showed up and shared Gods love with her beore she took

it upon hersel to nd a release rom her suering.

I was about to kill mysel, Mya remembers. In that

moment, the Gospel team came to my house and shared the

Gospel with me and showed me Gods love. Amazingly, Jesus

came into my heart and gave me His salvation.

Another survivor, Khin Htay, was born into and brought up

to be a strong believer o the Buddhist aith, but he ound no


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comort in the religion o his ancestors ater the natural disaster

took away his wie.

Now I have only my daughter, Khin shares. I elt so

much loneliness and regret in my heart. One day, a GFA-

supported missionary came to my house and prayed or me. That

day I received Jesus as my own Savior and Lord. Jesus came into

my heart and gave me peace.

Zeyar Ye, another victim o Cyclone Nargis, trusted in the

traditions o her ancestors to answer her plea or help, but an

answer never came. Compassion Services teams spoke to her about

the living God and aided her in the reconstruction o her house.My whole amily suered rom the Nargis cyclone, Zeyar

says. When I was looking or help, the relie workers shared the

Gospel with me and helped me in so many things.

rec o tme neeMya, Khin and Zeyar are just three o the thousands o

people who have experienced the loving hand o God as they

struggled to get their ruined lives back. Compassion Services

teams stood by them, sharing in their suering and oering them

rays o hope while striving to help each victim with their

physical, emotional and spiritual needs.

Whenever a disaster hits, GFA Compassion

Services teams are quick to arrive on the scene to

bring aid and Gods love as a healing balm to

those in need. These men and women

missionaries have a heart to reach out in

desperate times o need, no matter how dicult

the circumstances may be. They give o their

time and love and help people recover rom cyclones, foods,

tsunamis and other natural disasters. Through these missionaries

unceasing eorts, many hearts have been changed toward Christ

and lives transormed.

The missionaries who dedicated their lives to help theNargis victims have been wonderully helped by the Holy Spirit,

says a GFA eld correspondent, and the victims are

experiencing Gods love and peace in their lives.

Me e We: Visitwww../cto see how you can

help bring relie to suering men, women and children through

GFAs Compassion Services ministry.

d Y Kw?Compassion Services doesnt end

with disaster relie. It also includes:

> Reaching out to epy patients

> Working in the m o South Asia

> Mec ministry, especially to

those who have little or no access

to doctors
http://www.gfa.org/cshttp://www.gfa.org/cshttp://www.gfa.org/cshttp://www.gfa.org/cs


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b r i d g E o h o P E



But ater Aghat enrolled at the local

Bridge o Hope center, things

began to change. Through the

dedicated help o the Bridge o Hope sta,

he gradually began to improve in his

schoolworkand his attitude. And or the

rst time in his lie, Aghat, who was raised

in the religious traditions o his Asian

amily, heard about Jesus.

Now in the eighth grade, Aghat has

experienced major transormation in his

lie. He shines as an exemplary student who

actively participates in all the events at the

Bridge o Hope center. And today he is a

ollower o Christ whose aith is growing.

Whenever he gets sick, he prays to

Jesus or his healing, writes a Gospel or

Asia correspondent. He has memorized

many Bible verses, and he prays or his

parents salvation too.

Although they may not have receivedsalvation yet, Aghats parents have

witnessed Gods goodness through their

sons change in attitude.

We had no hope or his lie; we

thought that he would drop his studies,

because he never cared about them, they

remember. But by the grace o God, and

through the help o the Bridge o Hope

center, our son is blessed, and we are very

happy about it.

Begun in 2001, Bridge

o Hope reaches out to

children throughout South

Asia, especially those who

come rom Dalit and

low-caste backgrounds. By participating in

the program, more than 59,000 children

have the opportunity to thrive academically

and experience the love o Jesus. They

receive support or their education,

including ater-school tutoring and

unding or their tuition. Children also

receive teaching about the Bible, medical

checkups and hygiene training.

Children who were once

hopeless and apathetic are

now successul and engaged

students, thanks to Bridge o

Hope. And like Aghat, these

boys and girls oten grow to have aith in

Jesus. Their testimonies o transormationtouch their amilies and spill over into

their communities too.

Visitwww../cto nd out

more about Bridge o Hope and how

you can share educationand hope

with a child in Asia.

d Y Kw?> 50 percent o children in

India aged 6 to 18 do not

have access to education.

> More than 50 percent o girls

ail to enroll in school; those

who do are likely to drop out

by the age o 12.

Source: 7th All India Education Survey
http://www.gfa.org/http://www.gfa.org/childhttp://www.gfa.org/childhttp://www.gfa.org/childhttp://www.gfa.org/http://www.gfa.org/child


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100 pece y pp goes directly to the Bridge o Hope centersnothing is taken out or administrative or undraising

costs. For each child you sponsor, you will receive a sponsorship packet that includes your childs picture and inormation.

Can hedream

about hisfuture?

Dream that he islearning in a classroom

instead ofwandering the streets.
http://www.gfa.org/child


20/24


short reports {Brie glimpses o what God is doing all across Asia}r

The reason why these people received Jesus is that whentheir gods and

goddesses ailed them,it was Jesus who answered their prayers.

Read more news online:

www.ga.org/latestnews

Once Backsliding,Now Believingv

Jatan ollowed Jesus or ve years, but then he turned away

rom his aith. When his wie, Bhavika, developed breast cancer,

Jatan took her to a hospital and spent a large amount o money

or her treatment. Ater going many dierent places to ndhealing or Bhavikaanywhere but to Jesus ChristJatan grew

tired o searching.

As a last resort, he sought help at the church o GFA-

supported pastor Gaurav. Gaurav and his congregation began

asting and praying or Bhavikas healing.

Ater one month, God healed her! Witnessing Bhavikas

reedom rom illness and Gods love displayed through the

believers, the whole amily returned to the Lord and began

attending church aithully. Pastor Gaurav requests prayer that

they will continue to grow in aith.

From Embarrassmentto Examplev

In the 10th grade, Maher dropped out o school and started drinking

alcohol with riends who led him astray. His behavior brought

dishonor to his amily, and he was an embarassment to them.

But Mahers rebellious liestyle did not give him truehappiness or peace. One day, Gospel or Asia-supported pastor

Jayant met Maher and shared the Good News with him. Jayant

told Maher that Jesus could transorm his lie orever.

Ater hearing Jayants words and realizing his need or

salvation, Maher chose to ollow Jesus. And God did transorm

his lie. He began to pray regularly, read the Bible and experience

peace. Instead o hanging out with wayward companions, he

enjoys riendship with God and His people. Today, Maher is a

blessing to his amily. Jayant requests prayer that Maher will

grow spiritually and that God will meet his amilys needs.
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21/24


HealedTwicev

Akhil, 15, had suered rom seizures or a long time, but he

and his amily could nd no healing. Although his amily

spent a large amount o money by taking him to many witch

doctors, their attempts to restore Akhils health ailed.As Akhil grew weaker, his amily grew more worried.

One day, Gospel or Asia-supported pastor Kalyan met

Akhils amily as he was visiting homes. Kalyan told them

about Jesus and shared the Good News. Akhils amily

listened to his words and chose to believe in Jesus. And when

Kalyan prayed or Akhil, God healed him.

Not long ater this miracle, however, Akhils amily lost

their interest in Jesus. Akhil started having seizures again

this time, with greater intensity.

The amily called Kalyan again to ask or his prayers. Kalyan

prayed or Akhil and taught the amily the importance o growingcloser to the Lord, praying and reading Gods Word. Ater two

weeks, Akhil once again experienced Gods healing touch.

Akhil and his entire amily are now growing in their walk

with Jesus, and their lives shine Gods light to many people.

Four WomenWho Found Jesusv

Four young women in one Asian metropolitan area recently made

a decision to leave their traditional religion and ollow Jesus.

Sunita, who works as a housemaid, learned about Jesus

through her husband, Deepit. Now they are both members in the

ellowship o Gospel or Asia-supported pastor Devadas.

Satyaki also worships with Devadass congregation. She

heard the Good News when visiting this church. As she attended

services and prayer meetings, God worked in her heart, and she

chose to believe in Jesus. Her husband, Ram, is interested in

Jesus, but he still has many questions about Christianity.

Another GFA-supported pastor, Mubarak, helped two other

women learn about the Saviors love or them. Both Parveen andPratibha chose to ollow Jesus ater witnessing Gods miraculous

response to their prayers. Parveen, a housewie, suered rom

seizures or a long time. When God healed her and she

understood His love or her, she gave her lie to Him.

Pratibha, a widow, was raising a child alone at age 24, and

her brother was in prison. The Lord ordained her brothers

release, and she responded by surrendering her heart to Him.

The reason why these people received Jesus is that when

their gods and goddesses ailed them, it was Jesus who answered

their prayers, comments a eld correspondent.

Climbing Mountains,Sharing Hopev

Celebrating a special holiday, villagers in one area o South Asia

climbed a mountain, planning to worship their local deities whenthey reached the top. A group o Bible college students climbed

the mountain or a dierent reason: to share the love o Him

who created it.

To celebrate this religious occasion, people worship various

gods and goddesses, cleaning and decorating their houses and

oering estive meals to the deities. Then they climb the closest

hilltop, believing it will allow them to reach greater heights in lie.

With prayerul attitudes, the Bible college students handed

out Gospel tracts as they hiked the mountain. Some village elders

criticized them, asking, Why do you disturb us by distributing

tracts that belong to another religion?In spite o this opposition, 1,500 hikers willingly received

Gospel tracts. The students request prayer or the villagers salvation.

New Vehiclein Nepalv

In Nepal, Gospel or Asia-supported leaders recently

purchased a new all-terrain vehicle to be used or ministry

throughout the country. Their previous jeep traveled more

than 434,000 rugged miles. Thankul or Gods provision,

the leaders dedicated the new vehicle to the Lords work.

They ask or prayer that the vehicle will be used eectively

and that God will protect it. Visitwww.ga.org/videos/

talking-jeepto watch a short video about the old vehicle.

Tormented by Demonsv

Karunakar and his amily aced a strange and troubling problem:For a year, demonic oppression prevented them rom starting a re

in their kitchen to cook their ood. Although Karunakar aithully

worshiped his deities, his prayers or deliverance did not make a

dierence, and the amily had to prepare meals at a neighbors house.

One day, a believer showed compassion on Karunakar and

his amily by bringing his pastor, Sutej, to Karunakars home. Upon

hearing their story, Sutej prayed or God to deliver the amily.

God answered Sutejs prayers, reeing Karunakars household

rom the satanic oppression. Now the amily can cook in their

own home. But more important, they have ound reedom in Jesus.
http://www.gfa.org/videos/talking-jeephttp://www.gfa.org/videos/talking-jeephttp://www.gfa.org/videos/talking-jeephttp://www.gfa.org/videos/talking-jeephttp://www.gfa.org/videos/talking-jeephttp://www.gfa.org/videos/talking-jeep


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proflep

gfa

Missionar

Y

When Sarika was in the eighth grade, Gospel

or Asia-supported missionary Hirla

Harish visited her home to share the Good

News o Jesus and pray or the household. Although

her ather, mother, two brothers and three sisters

immediately disregarded Hirlas message, Sarikas

tender heart could not orget the lie-giving words o

hope she heard.

Knowing the risks o leaving her amilys

traditional religion, Sarika secretly visited a nearby

church. As she learned more about Jesus and

witnessed His tangible love through the believers,

Sarika decided to place her trust in Christ.But when she chose to publicly testiy o her

aith, her amily members met her decision with

violence, uriously thrashing her, locking her in the

house and denying her ood and water or three days.

Then, when her parents let home, her brother took

the opportunity to urther torture her, beating her

and then searing her with a burning piece o wood,

and causing her to pass out.

Concerned that their amily would ace trouble

i Sarika died, her parents called Pastor Hirla back

to their home to pray or her healing. God moved

powerully in Sarikas lie, healing her wounds and

calling her to serve Him.

Then Sarika enrolled in a Bible college where,

out o harms way, she spent three years studying

Gods Word and preparing or ministry. During this

time, her parents sometimes searched or her, but

they didnt worry much.

When Sarika graduated, she wanted nothing

more than to share the Good News with her amily.

Hoping their hearts had changed, Sarika traveled

back to her home village, but she was met with anger

and was rejected again.Today, as a GFA-supported missionary, Sarika is

resolved to continue to share the love o Jesusno

matter the cost. She remains committed to praying

or her amily members and looks orward to the day

when they will trust Christ. She knows that God has

brought her through the most dicult o timesand

that He will always be there, even when she suers

or her Savior.

n a M E :

Sarika

l o C a t i o n :

South Asia


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5fve minutes with K.P.

Dont Ignore the

Warnng SignsI

was driving along the road in my noisy 62 VW Bug with my

seatbelt on, calling a riend on my hands-ree phone. Ater a ew

rings, he picked it up, but as soon as I said Hello, I heard a sound

like a siren going o.

Oh, Im sorry, its my car alarm, explained my riend. I didnt put

my seatbelt on.

A ew seconds later the alarm went oater he had buckled up.

When our conversation ended, I refected on the incident.

This is interesting, I thought to myself. That alarm made my friendrealize that he didnt have his seatbelt on. What about my Bug? Its so old it

doesnt have an alarm system to warn me.

And then I thought back to the long time I drove without a

seatbeltuntil God nally sounded the alarm. Yes, I knew the law, but I

ignored it, because I thought nobody would notice and ater all, what

policeman would want to stop a slow-driving old Bug?

But one day ater I had talked at length about a well-known

Christian singer who died in a plane crash because he had

overloaded his airplane, it dawned on me that I, too, was

violating saety regulations. I suddenly realized that I should

have obeyed the law. I quickly told the Lord that I was sorry

and that rom then on I would wear my seatbelt.

I am very sure the Lord must have tried several times to

talk to me beore, but I was not listening. This time He not

only talked to me, but also convicted me that I was

wrong to jeopardize being seriously injured or even

killed in a car wreck.

A Dangerous RoadMy dear riend, perhaps you have a car that sounds an alarm when

you drive o without putting on your seatbelt. But what about the

other areas o your lieyour personal walk with God, marriage,

nancial dealings, conduct, speech, purity and aithulness?There are no audible sirens that will automatically come on when

you head in a wrong direction or ignore Gods laws and saety

measures, which you well know rom the Bible.

However, or one reason or another you choose to ignore them

and you coast along just neor so you think. Oh yes, here and there

you see a ew warning signs, but you conveniently decide to disregard

them. You like to eel that you are in control.

Its a dangerous road you are traveling on, convincing yoursel

that you know better than God, that you are stronger, holier and

smarter than anyone else and that thereore you dont need to heed

Gods saety measures.

I can assure you that you are heading or a sure crash i you keep

ignoring the warning signs God sends you through Scripture, other

believers and the Holy Spirit speaking to your heart.

Giving an Account or Our GenerationHeeding such warning signs applies not only to our personal walk

with God, but also to our calling as the Body o Christ in this world. We

are called to be salt and light, to set our mind on the things above and

not on the things o this worldand we are commissioned to take theGospel to the ends o the earth.

How serious are we taking our calling? Let me ask you a ew questions.

When was the last time you and your church or ellowship group

asted and prayed a ew daysnot or your own needs, but or the lost

world? When was it that your church body sacriced their comort,

resources and plans so others could hear the Gospel?

What are the things your ellowship preaches and promotes? Is it

how to have a more comortable lie and increasing wealth in the

here-and-now, or is it how to become a grain o wheat and die so

that others may live?

My dear riend, are we waiting or the sirens o war,

terrorism and economic crisis to go o beore we wake up

and get serious about picking up our cross and ollowing Jesus?

I, as members o the Body o Christ, we dont heed the

warning signs, we will one day stand beore the throne o

God to give an account or losing our generation.

Lets Listen!The history o the people o Israel is given to us as instruction and

warning. Ater crossing the Jordan river, they took possession o their

promised land, with God ghting their battles. He told them that this

land would be theirs orever i they obeyed His Word. But very soon the

people drited away rom Gods instructions and did their own thing.God in His mercy sent prophet ater prophet to warn them and

to keep them rom losing their lives and land. However, they ignored

all His warnings until they nally lost everything and were taken away

into captivity.

May God open our eyes, ears and hearts to the warning signs all

around us and the alarms that are already going o.

K.P. Yohannan is ounder and president o Gospel or Asia.

Visitwww../5me to read more Five Minutes

with K.P. articles.
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sp e:

www.ga.org/women

o cc :

Gospel or Asia

1800 Golden Trail Court

Carrollton, TX 75010

1-800-WIN-ASIA

(1-800-946-2742)

How beautiful on the mountains arethe feet of those who bring good news,

who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings,who proclaim salvation . . .

ISAIAH 52:7, NIV
http://www.gfa.org/womenhttp://www.gfa.org/women

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