Gospel for Asia

There are several large slums in the Delhi area. These slums are home to millions of people. Gospel for Asia-supported missionaries go into the slums to take hope to the people who live there.

Gospel for Asia missionary-supported Tarun Malhotra is ministering to people in many different life situations in New Delhi, India. Because of his faithfulness to share the Good News, many are finding new life in Jesus. Here are the testimonies of some of these new believers in the Delhi area.

An alcoholic’s marriage restored

Barkha and Divya Ajeda are one couple whose lives are forever changed because Tarun told them about Jesus. Barkha was raised in a family that worshipped the gods of their native religion. Much to Divya’s dismay, Barkha had become an alcoholic. When he met Tarun and first heard about Jesus, it sparked an interest in the Bible. He wanted to know more about the Word of God. He accepted Tarun’s offer to pray with him and invited the missionary to his home to pray for his family.

Tarun visited the Ajedas’ home and shared from the Bible. Barkha chose to receive Christ. He then brought Divya to the local church where Tarun is the pastor. After hearing the Gospel preached over a few months, she chose to follow Christ. Today the couple is growing in their faith. Their relationship with one another is also much happier and closer since Barkha stopped drinking.

From idols to Jesus

Many people whom Tarun ministers to have never heard that Jesus loves them.

Chandi Goel lives in the same area of Delhi where Barkha and Divya live. She was also raised in the traditional religion and was a devout worshipper of idols. When she met Tarun, he told her about Jesus and how much He loves and cares about her. The Gospel message touched her heart and challenged her to consider the claims of Christ. Later, she went to visit Tarun and told him she wanted to accept Jesus in her life. Today she is active in worshipping the Lord at Tarun’s GFA-related church.

Evil spirits driven out

Tarun was out doing house-to-house visitation when he met Sukanya Kumble. She told the pastor that she was having trouble sleeping because she would wake up terrified. She yelled and screamed during the night because evil spirits were tormenting her.

As was the custom in her religion, she had sought help from many witch doctors and magicians, but nothing worked.

When she told Tarun about the attacks, he shared the Gospel with her and told her that Jesus was more powerful than all of the spirits that were tormenting her.

With deep faith, Sukanya prayed with Tarun, asking God to remove the tormenting spirits from her life. She was instantly healed from her problem and is now a follower of Jesus.

Tarun asks for prayer for these four new followers of Christ, that they would continue to grow in the Lord and in their knowledge of his Word. He also requests prayer that their new lives would be a powerful witness to their extended families and that each family would raise their children to walk in the fear of the Lord.

This article was originally published by Gospel for Asia. To learn more about Gospel for Asia, click here.

New details about the severe persecution that Christians faced over the Christmas holiday in Orissa, India, continues to pour in from Gospel for Asia field

GFA-supported missionaryMatish Junni after extremists shaved his head in an effort to humiliate him.

correspondents. Many of the victims, which include GFA native missionaries and other believers, are still enduring opposition from anti-Christian extremists.

The latest incident occurred on January 5 when a group of radicals smashed a plaque that hung on a Jesus Well in their village. The well was recently built by a church where GFA-supported missionary Puru Nilay is pastor.

“We want the well, but we do not want Jesus,” the extremists told the believers while the well was being constructed. They also sternly commanded Puru not to place the Christian plaque on the well.

Wanting to give glory to the Lord, Puru and the believers did attach the plaque to the Jesus Well. Then last Saturday, the extremists completely destroyed it. Following the vandalism, they threatened Puru, telling him to stop ministering in their village. The radicals did not damage the well, just the plaque.

Beaten and Humiliated for the Gospel

In another area of Orissa, all of the GFA-supported missionary were persecuted and many have been forced to go into hiding. Matish Junni, the missionary who extremists beat and shaved his head, is serving in this district.

On December 23, Matish and his family boarded a bus to spend the Christmas and New Year holidays with a church in a nearby village where he serves as pastor. A member of an extremist group followed them onto the bus. When they pulled into a remote village the radicals told the bus driver to stop and then

After extremists destroyed their church and burned their belongings and home, GFA missionary Anand Nipun and his family are still in hiding.

kicked Matish out of the bus and onto the ground.

Immediately, a group of 30 extremists surrounded Matish and began severely beating him. Although Matish’s wife and children stood by weeping loudly and calling for help, no one came to their rescue. As the beating continued, Matish’s eyes, nose and ears started bleeding, and he fell unconscious.

Then the mob dragged Matish to a local barber shop and forced the barber to completely shave his head. They also applied a red powder to his head and dressed him in their traditional religious garb. Parading Matish around the village, the extremists took him to their temples and tried to force him to bow down to their gods.

“I serve the living God, and I will not bow down to anyone except Him,” Matish told the mob. Upon hearing this, they began beating him in front of his family again. Then finally, one of the radicals told the mob to stop. Before leaving, they stole all of Matish’s belongings and told him never to minister in their area again.

Following the attack, police took Matish into their custody in order to protect him. His wife fled with their children to his uncle’s home in another village. After Matish was examined at a local hospital, the police released him and he joined his family where he is still recuperating.

On December 28, while the family was in hiding, the extremists went to Matish’s home and burned it down. The attack destroyed everything the family owned. Matish and his family are seeking the Lord for His direction in their ministry.

A Church Destroyed

Anti-Christian extremists in this area of Orissa left a church building in ruins on December 26. The believers had used the brand-new building for a Christmas service the day before and were planning an official building dedication service for January 3.

The radicals had opposed the building’s construction by threatening GFA-supported missionary Anand Nipun, the pastor of the church. But because the

This is the church where GFA-supported missionary Anand Nipun serves as pastor. The building was destroyed by anti-Christian extremists.

construction had already begun, Anand and the believers decided to go through with building.

On the morning of December 26, the extremists sent a message to Anand telling him to leave the village immediately or he would be killed. So Anand and his family sought refuge in another village. That evening, the extremists vandalized and destroyed the building. They also wrote on a wall of the church, “Constructing the church in this place will cost you your life.” Then the mob went to Anand’s home and set his belongings on fire inside, damaging much of the house as well.

They Have Nothing but Faith

GFA-supported missionary Bidra Nayak was also forced to seek shelter from angry extremists in the area where he ministers. After being severely threatened, he escaped from the village on Christmas Eve.

The radicals also threatened many of the believers who attend Bidra’s church. One believer even lost his livelihood when a mob burned down the grocery store he owned.

Bidra remains in hiding, as the anti-Christian sentiments are still strong in this village. He is praying that the Lord will make a way for him to return to his ministry there soon.

Countless other reports of continuing atrocities against Christians in Orissa have recently been shared. According to a GFA field correspondent, more than 1,000 homes have been burned and more than 12 people have been killed across the state since Christmas. Several church buildings have been damaged or destroyed as well.

Many Christians, including a GFA-supported missionary, have sought shelter in the forests. Because tensions are still high, there is little hope for them to be

Extremists burned all of GFA missionary Anand Nipun’s belongings in his home. This is all that is left.

able to return home anytime soon.

GFA-supported missionary are doing everything they can to minister to the people in these areas. They request prayer that the attacks from anti-Christian extremists would stop and their attackers would come to know the love of Christ. They also ask for prayer for the many believers who are being threatened and attacked, that the Lord would give them strength and peace to endure these difficult situations.

This article was originally published by Gospel for Asia. To learn more about Gospel for Asia, click here.

Through the prayers of Mahadevi Kaler, shown here, the Lord healed Premila.

Two months ago, Mahadevi Kaler answered the door to find a man and a woman standing on her doorstep with a limp 10-year-old girl in their arms.

Desperation

The man and his wife were Brijmohan and Oja Kundhal. Two years ago, their daughter, Premila, contracted a virus. Because of the viral fever, she eventually lost the ability to speak, and her body became weak.

The family spent much of their meager income on medication for little Premila, but she still didn’t recover. In their desperation, Premila’s parents carried her from door to door, begging for money for medical treatment.

They knocked on several doors, and many people gave money to help their child. Little did they know that at the next door they would knock on, the God of the universe would give them much more than money could buy.

No Money to Give

Mahadevi Kaler is a Gospel for Asia-supported woman missionary. After opening the door, she listened as the parents told her of their daughter’s plight. Mahadevi didn’t have any money to give, but she offered to pray for Premila.

The missionary invited Brijmohan and Oja into her home and told them about Jesus, the Healer and Giver of Life who could save their daughter. She then prayed for Premila, asking the Lord to heal her. Mahadevi encouraged the parents to place their trust in Christ and to pray to the Lord for Premila’s complete recovery.

As they walked out, the parents asked Mahadevi to come to their home later to pray.

Much More than Money Could Buy

When Mahadevi visited the family, she prayed for Premila again. In faith, she asked the mute 10-year-old how she felt.

With a stammering voice, Premila responded! She said that before prayer, she had felt like something was clenching her throat, preventing her from speaking. Now, the feeling was gone, and she could speak again.

The family saw that Jesus really was the Healer and Giver of Life, and they chose to follow the Lord. Although she didn’t have any money to give them, Mahadevi had shown the family something much better: Christ’s gift of salvation.

Please pray for this family, asking the Lord to make them bright lights in their village. Pray also for Premila’s complete recovery, that she would regain her strength.

Please ask the Lord to bless Mahadevi and to continue to make her fruitful.

This article was originally published by Gospel for Asia. To learn more about Gospel for Asia, click here.

Two hundred Gospel for Asia-supported missionaries and pastors gathered for a pastors’ conference in South Asia in May, 2011. A few GFA leaders were present to encourage and motivate the missionaries and pastors in their service to the Lord.

Two hundred Gospel for Asia-supported missionaries and pastors gathered for a pastors’ conference in South Asia in May, 2011. A few GFA leaders were present to encourage and motivate the missionaries and pastors in their service to the Lord.

During the conference, those present prayed for breakthroughs in their mission fields.

At the end of the conference, some of the missionaries acknowledged they had been doing ministry in their own strength, depending on their skills and knowledge. But through the sermons and teachings at the conference, they were reminded to fully depend on the Holy Spirit for the success of their ministry. They are now determined to be even more effective while out sharing God’s love.

Please pray for GFA-supported missionaries as they serve the Lord to reach the unreached in South Asia. Pray God will continue to use them as His instruments, and they will not forget their strength is in the Lord.

This article was originally published by Gospel for Asia. To learn more about Gospel for Asia, click here.

Praise the Lord for these new brothers and sisters in Christ, whom we will one day meet!

The harvest is plentiful, and Gospel for Asia-supported missionaries are seeing how true Christ’s statement is as people turn their hearts to Him.

In a restricted country, GFA-supported missionary Nyein Khin and his son Zaw boldly shared Christ’s love to a people living in darkness and despair. There was not a single Christian in the village when they set foot on its soil. The people strongly adhered to their country’s religious beliefs, passing down its heritage from generation to generation—until the day the Lord brought Nyein and Zaw into their midst.

With the Spirit of Christ leading them, the Lord started a fellowship with 32 newfound sheep. Two months later, 24 more villagers came to know the Good Shepherd, and four months after that, 13 more embraced Christ’s love and began walking in His light.

The Spirit moved and broke away the chains of darkness, bringing new life to many people.

Zaw noticed the little ones in the village had a great need for schooling, so he opened up a school in his rented house, teaching basic reading, writing and arithmetic—and at the same time teaching the children from the Bible.

He and his father, Nyein, continue to pour out Christ’s love to these people, allowing the Holy Spirit to flood the village with Christ’s presence.

In another South Asian country, God used GFA-supported pastor Adil Kriti and his passion for the lost to start a small fellowship in one village. With continued teaching from God’s Word and prayer, six families and 15 individuals decided to follow Christ and have publicly testified of their newfound faith.

In the same region, a GFA-supported mobile film team traveled to help a GFA-supported pastor in his ministry. They conducted a film show where three families discovered the true Savior who loves them. With tears in their eyes, these family members gave their hearts to Christ after watching the powerful story about His life. They now faithfully worship the Lord at the local GFA-supported church.

Just as Jesus declared, the fields are truly ripe for harvest, and we have the unique privilege to be part of bringing in this harvest.

Please pray for these new believers who have given their hearts and lives to serve Christ, that they will grow in their faith and remain devoted to Jesus all their days.

This article was originally published by Gospel for Asia. To learn more about Gospel for Asia, click here.

The tin sheets Mena received from the Gospel for Asia Christmas Gift Catalog are strong enough to withstand the South Asian monsoon season, so she sleeps soundly at night.

Mena Jyani lives with her four children in a small house in South Asia. The Lord has shown His enduring love for her in the midst of the hardships she has faced.

Abandoned by Her Husband

Five years ago, Mena’s husband set out to find a better job in another village. A month went by, then two, then three; Mena never heard back from her husband. The mother of four realized she had been abandoned, so, in addition to caring for her children, she began working to provide food for the family. This responsibility weighed heavy on her shoulders, and the years ahead only proved to bring more difficulties and financial hardships.

Left without Sleep

Living in one of the wettest regions of South Asia, Mena couldn’t escape a simple but wearying problem. During the monsoon season, her dilapidated roof leaked so much that Mena would often wake up in the middle of the night with water dripping on her. She would get out of bed and carry her cot to another corner of the tiny house where she would fall back to sleep, hoping to stay dry the rest of the night.

These midnight interruptions became a normal part of Mena’s life. With barely enough income to feed her family, she had no way to pay for the repair of her roof—no way to get a restful night’s sleep. But the Lord—and His Church—knew her need.

Loved by the Lord

The believers in Mena’s Gospel for Asia-supported church have walked alongside her as she has endured these struggles. Mena’s pastor, Deeraj Chettri, told GFA leaders of her need, and they selected her as one of the recipients of tin roof sheets from the Gospel for Asia Christmas Gift Catalog. Her new roof keeps the monsoon rains at bay, and Mena now sleeps soundly at night.

“I’m very happy,” Mena said. “Although my own people have forsaken me, my loving Lord and the Church never have. I’m so glad. Now I can sleep in peace.”

Please pray for Mena as she works to provide and care for her children.

This article was originally published by Gospel for Asia. To learn more about Gospel for Asia, click here.

Pastor Sudhir, shown here with his wife and their three children, has given himself to the Lord’s work in his village.

Sudhir Ahluwalia’s family loved the Lord, but he didn’t. Growing up in a small village of South Asia, Sudhir didn’t have any interest in knowing God. He spent his teenage years chasing after things of this world and becoming wrapped up in a life of sin.

But in 1997, a Gospel for Asia-supported pastor befriended Sudhir and began sharing the Word of God with him. The teenager joined the pastor and his fellowship for a three-day prayer and fasting meeting. There, the Lord showed him his need for salvation, and, at the age of 17, Sudhir gave his life to Christ. He decided he would not return to his old lifestyle, but instead would pursue godliness.

Moved with Compassion

When Sudhir turned to Christ, he was moved with the Lord’s compassion for the lost. He accompanied his pastor in reaching out to the many in his area who had never heard of the Savior. Sudhir recounts that, despite opposition, “The grace of the Lord followed us wherever we went.”

Sudhir had only been following the Lord a month when he made a commitment to reach the most unreached and enrolled in a GFA-supported Bible college. After graduation, Sudhir ministered for four years in a village where 15 people decided to follow the Lord.

The village Sudhir works in now is deeply rooted in a traditional religion, which makes sharing the Good News difficult—and dangerous. Pastor Sudhir has faced much opposition from anti-Christian fundamentalists in the area. Through his ministry, however, the Lord has brought salvation to 17 people, including a man named Ganesh.

A Downtrodden Family

Ganesh Dhindsa and his family were, like the rest of the villagers, completely devoted to their gods. They faithfully carried out all the practices of their religion, pleading with their deities to give them peace and blessings. Ganesh’s family, however, never received the peace they desperately longed for.

The Dhindsa family had gone through many trying circumstances. When Ganesh was young, someone murdered his father. Ganesh, his widowed mother and all his siblings went through several painful experiences as they picked up the shattered pieces of their lives. Without their father there to provide, Ganesh’s family fell deeper into poverty. And when a severe stomach illness began to afflict Ganesh, he couldn’t afford to treat it. On top of all this, one of Ganesh’s sisters suffered from a handicap.

Despite all Ganesh’s efforts to appease his gods, they never brought his family peace.

Proclaiming the Prince of Peace

Then, one day, Ganesh met Pastor Sudhir and told him about his hardships. Pastor Sudhir was moved, and, with a great burden for the family, he prayed for them. Then, Sudhir told them about the God who can bring peace. They were deeply touched, and, that very day, the whole family chose to follow Jesus! Now they join Pastor Sudhir and the rest of the church in worshiping the Prince of Peace.

Please pray for Pastor Sudhir, that the Lord would continue to produce much fruit through his ministry.

Also ask the Lord to draw Ganesh and his family closer to Him, to provide for their finances and to comfort and lead Ganesh’s handicapped sister.

This article was originally published by Gospel for Asia. To learn more about Gospel for Asia, click here.

Fires in the slums quickly spread from one hut to the next, reducing entire blocks to ashes.

A fire swept through a South Asian slum in April, reducing six huts to ashes within minutes and taking the home and livelihood of a new believer, Nadira Gururani.

The blaze, which is believed to have been started by firecrackers set off during a celebration, killed four and sent three to the hospital in critical condition. Firefighters were unable to reach the area in time due to the density of the slums.

Nadira’s family lost their home and their only sources of income: a sewing machine, a goat and a push cart.

Gospel for Asia field leaders provided aid to the homeless family, giving them two sewing machines and two goats, which were bought with funds from believers around the world. The income-generating gifts helped Nadira’s family rebuild what they lost.

This practical love is a powerful testimony for Nadira’s unbelieving family and for hundreds of her neighbors who are without hope. Nadira is one of 10 members in her Gospel for Asia-supported fellowship, and the sacrificial giving of other believers strengthens their witness. In a culture where kindness toward the poor is a rarity, people take notice of Christians’ generosity and often want to know more about the Lord.

Please pray for Nadira’s family as they recover. Please also pray for her fellowship, that it will be a bright light in this dark area.

This article was originally published by Gospel for Asia. To learn more about Gospel for Asia, click here.

After speaking with a GFA-supported pastor, Deeptiman—like this young boy—realized his Heavenly Father could help his family.

Deeptiman’s family struggled for their daily bread. His father was a day laborer who earned barely enough to feed their family. The lack of financial stability caused many quarrels among the family, bringing an absence of peace and happiness.

Young Deeptiman sought to help his family by doing the only thing he knew: worshiping the gods and goddesses in order to gain their favor. He thought if he faithfully devoted himself to his family’s gods, they would grant them peace and blessings. But for all his piety, the family strife continued. Not seeing any results from his persistent devotion, Deeptiman lost his faith.

But the Lord intervened in Deeptiman’s life when He brought Gospel for Asia-supported missionary Hetal Masih to his village. When the two met, Hetal told Deeptiman about a God who cares about him and his family’s situation. The pastor began visiting the young boy and his family, frequently sharing Christ’s love.

A tiny spark ignited within Deeptiman as he learned about the Father’s rich love. He often asked Pastor Hetal questions about Jesus, eager to know more. Although his own father tried in vain to provide for the family, Deeptiman believed Jesus could bring his family peace and blessings. In time, the young boy gave his heart to Christ and publicly testified of his faith. Peace and joy, which were once fleeting, flooded into his life.

Deeptiman asks for prayer that he would grow in his love and commitment to the Lord and live to glorify His name. He also asks for prayer for his family, that they, too, would come to know the peace of God in their lives.

This article was originally published by Gospel for Asia. To learn more about Gospel for Asia, click here.

Free at Last - Manja Tamang (L) walks away from nine years in prison accompanied by GFA Nepal leader N. Sharma.

Gospel for Asia native missionary Manja Tamang was released from a Nepali prison Friday after serving 9 years of a 20-year sentence. Manja was imprisoned in 2000 after being falsely accused of murder.

Manja was freed along with 13 others in his prison and 120 others from jails around the country. His release was the cause of celebration among Christians in Nepal and was praised by GFA Founder and President K.P. Yohannan.

“We rejoice that our faithful brother has been released from prison,” said Dr. Yohannan from his Carrollton, Texas, office. “He was unjustly accused and has spent nearly a decade in jail. But his testimony is a parallel with the testimony of the Apostle Paul. Even in prison, our dear brother was preaching the Gospel and bringing people to Christ. Whatever has happened has been used by the Lord to bring even more people to Him.”

Manja’s saga began one day as he was out sharing the Gospel. As he walked along a river path, he saw a dead body and immediately contacted the police.

An anti-Christian extremist group who had opposed Manja’s ministry seized the opportunity to stop his work. They arranged for several false witnesses to testify against him, “framing” him for the murder. Manja was arrested, charged with the crime that he did not commit and beaten to near death.

Even though the widow of the deceased man testified to Manja’s innocence, the missionary was sentenced to 20 years in prison. His case was appealed all the way to the Nepali Supreme Court, where, citing the “evidence,” it was upheld.

At the time, Nepal was officially a Hindu kingdom, and Christians were routinely and officially persecuted. Under today’s secular government, Christians have more legal freedom to worship openly, but Hindu extremists are becoming increasingly militant in opposing other religions. They have attacked individual Christian pastors and have threatened the lives of Christian leaders. “The Body of Christ from literally around the world has been praying for this day, and now we can all rejoice together at what God has done in releasing our dear Brother Manja,” Dr Yohannan said.

All through his imprisonment, Manja continued to be a joyful witness, sharing the Gospel with the other prisoners. He organized and led Bible studies and worship services, with at least 30 inmates attending many of those services. And several men in his little “prison congregation” chose to follow Christ. Manja also taught social studies classes in the prison’s education system.

“Manja’s patience in bearing all these difficulties and injustices is a lesson for all of us to learn,” said N. Sharma, GFA’s leader in Nepal. “Whenever I saw Manja in prison, he was always smiling. He reminded me often of the Apostle Paul’s own statement from prison ‘rejoice in the Lord always.’ This is a quality that can only be developed through bearing pain from within, such as our brother Manja has done.”

Manja’s wife, Rati, was equally as strong during his long imprisonment. During her time as a “single” mother of two, she completed studies at a GFA-affiliated Bible college and carried on her husband’s ministry. She also works with the Women’s Fellowship and teaches the children in the GFA Bridge of Hope Center in her village. Manja was reunited with Rati and their two children on Friday. He was also welcomed back to freedom by Sharma and other pastors from both Nepal and India.

Sharma, the Nepal leader, also asked for continued prayer for Manja, Rati and their two children.

“Let us pray for them as Manja adjusts to life outside of prison,” Sharma said. “Pray also for the prisoners whom Manja was ministering to while behind bars. Pray that God will raise up a new leader from among them so that they will be able to continue growing in their faith, even as our dear brother returns to life outside the prison.”

Manja began serving as a GFA-supported missionary in Nepal in 1997. When Manja began his ministry, very few people in this small, mountainous country professed Christ.

The first person Manja shared the Gospel with was a village chief, who chose to receive Christ. Later, 14 villagers chose to receive Christ, and that small band of believers became the core around which his ministry grew.

This article was originally published by Gospel for Asia. To learn more about Gospel for Asia, click here.