A Light Has Dawned: Send! Magazine

8/7/2019 A Light Has Dawned: Send! Magazine

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send!

rst quarter 2011 | volume 31 | number 1

{GOSPEL FOR ASIA NEWS MAGAZINE }

1

{www.g a.org+ GFA Radio Trans orms Lives and a Marriage

A LightHasDawned

FILM TEAMS BREAK THROUGH

THE DARKNESS IN ASIA { }
http://www.gfa.org/http://www.gfa.org/http://www.gfa.org/


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{GOSPEL FOR ASIANEWS MAGAZINE }

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFK.P. YohannanMANAGING EDITORHeidi ChuppCONTRIBUTING EDITORSShelly Moon,Gisela YohannanWRITERSTerri Beers, Michelle Jimnez,Rachel Kornman, Sally RobbinsPROOFREADER Tricia BennettDESIGN DOXAPRODUCTION Michele Alexander

send! SEND! VOLUME 31, NUMBER 1SEND! 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 reproducedwithout 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 havebeen changed or security reasons.

One hundred percent o all missionary supportis sent to the mission eld. Please visit us:www.g a.org

ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICESIn the United States: 1800 Golden Trail Court,Carrollton, Texas 75010. Phone: 972-300-7777.Fax: 972-300-7778. Email : in o@g a.org.In Australia: P.O. Box 3587, Village Fair,Toowoomba QLD 4350. Phone: 1300 889 339.In New Zealand: PO Box 302580,North Harbour 0751. Phone: 0508 -918-918.In South A rica: P.O. Box 28880, Sunridge Park,6008. Phone: 041 360-0198.In the United Kingdom: PO Box 166,York, YO10 5WA. Phone: 01904 643 233.

Gospel or Asia is an evangelical missionorganization that trains and equips nationalmissionaries to share the love o Jesus Christacross southern Asia with those who have neverbe ore heard His name. These missionaries haveproven extremely e ective because they arealready amiliar with the language and culture,and they live at the level o the people theyserve, thus removing many social barriers.

FOUNDER AND PRESIDENTK.P. Yohannan

rom the editor-in-chie e

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

I must tell you, I have always been ascinated

by technology and impressed at how much

in ormation is available to us at the touch

o a ngertip. But I am ar more grate ul

or how technology is helping spread the

Gospel in Asia.

In this issue o SEND!, you will read about how one

team o young men is carrying the story o Jesus on lm

into remote villages. And in some areas where missionaries

have not yet gone, the message o salvation is going ahead

o them through radio. When technology helps make an

eternal impact, that is the best use I can imagine!

Please turn to page 6 to read how two young

missionaries are bringing Gods love to thousands o

villagers and being used by Him to trans orm lives.
http://www.gfa.org/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.gfa.org/


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

20 short reportsBrie glimpses o what God is doingall across Asia.

rst quarter 2011 | send! | 3

rst quarter 2011 | volume 31 | number 1

22 pro leGospel or Asias Christmas Gi t Catalog touched the heart o a second grader, andas a result, she made a decision to makea di erence.

23 ve minutes with K.P.Each o us has a mission to ul ll inwinning the lost world and buildingGods kingdom. What should we dowhen distractions come up and we aretempted to lose our ocus? We ollowJesus example.

6 a light has dawnedA paralyzed woman, the village witch doctor, a rebelliousteenager, a dying old man all these people once lived indarkness. But today, because o Gospel or Asias lm teamministry, they have seen the light.

12 reunited by radioJanesh and Juhi had been separated or our years. It seemedthat nothing could save their tumultuous marriage that is,until the day they turned on their radios.

O N T H E C O V E R

When a GFA lm team came to her village, this woman hadthe opportunity to learn about Jesus' love or her through amovie about His li e, death and resurrection.

eatured:

22

23

20

16

18

How OneBroadcast Helped Save a Marriagepg 12


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

Telling ItLike It IsvMy sister sent methe link to getyour book Revolution in World Missions . I have read 3/4 o thebook and cannot wait to nishreading it. It has truly impacted the

way I think about missions. Godhas been dealing with me aboutgetting more involved with missions,and I had been praying or Hisguidance when I received the link

or your book. Praise God, someoneis not a raid to tell it like it is.R.J., Euless, Texas

Helping Bring HealingvAs a physician, I have compassion

or those su ering rom illness andwant to be a part o the missionaryhealth care workers that bring hopeand healing through Christs love.M.W., Baytown, Texas

The Joy o GivingvI love the catalog being able tosee and choose rom among gi ts

or my donations.J.P., Clemmons, North Carolina

I remember when I was homelessand cold with no blanket, I couldntstand thinking about a person

reezing at night. Thank God I canat least give someone warmth.

Thank you, Gospel or Asia.G.M., Baraboo, Wisconsin

Making A Di erencevWhile in Chennai, India, onbusiness, I would pass by a largedump every day to the o ce. Inthat dump was a small villageo thatched huts. In this village14 or so children lived, with onewoman who watched over them.Every day I would see them livingamong the trash heaps and burning

res and ask God how I couldmake a di erence. I thank God orGFA and the outreach it is doing.G.M., Matthews, North Carolina

Multiply Your LoveYou have a love or the lost. Now you can multiplyyour ability to reach them in your workplace! Manyemployers will match donations to Gospel or Asia.> I youre a retiree, spouse or board member, your gi ts may also quali y.

> Some companies even match the value o volunteer hours and non-cash gi ts too.

> Contact your companys human resources department to nd out.

Learn more: Email us: strategicgiving@g a.org Visit: www.g a.org/matching-gi ts
mailto:[email protected]://www.gfa.org/matching-giftshttp://www.gfa.org/matching-giftsmailto:[email protected]


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Now on Our WebsiteNew videos rom the mission elds o Asia! Keep reading, orvisit: www.gfa.org/videos

When Kanga turned rom her unhearing gods to the true andliving God, He healed her rom cancer, and she ound peaceand strength. Though she was shunned by her amily andneighbors, she was compelled to share this Good News withothers even adopting a nearby village! Click on OneWomans Journey Part 1 to watch Kangas story.

What else you can nd here:> Timeless messages rom K.P. Yohannan> Interviews with Manja, a missionary who was wrong ully

imprisoned or nearly a decade> Sessions rom GFAs Renewing Your Passion con erences> Many more videos rom the mission eld

News and FeaturesIn 2008, Sharada Tamo was so angry at the Christian

church in his village that he joined a mob that tried to destroythe churchs building. Sharada personally climbed on the roo o the building and broke its telltale cross.

Today, Sharada visits the church every week. But now heis there to worship Jesus in the same building that he once tried to destroy.

Sharada was part o the violent mobs that tore throughOrissa, India, in August 2008, burning down churches,attacking Christians and setting their homes on fre. When theattackers were fnished, 75 Christians were dead, and at least 75,000 were le t homeless. . . .

Visit www.gfa.org/news/articles/orissa-persecutor-turned-worshiper to read the rest o the story! And subscribeat www.gfa.org/latestnews to receive more exciting news romAsia in your inbox.

www.g a.org/videos In Memory o > Amber Pelzer rom William andGerry Northey

> Barbara Eddings rom Mary and

Todd Wilhite

> Darrel Eakin rom Kay Seivert,

Arnold and Georgia Stender

> Delbert W. Bontrager rom

John Cummins

> Donna Brumley rom Julius and

June Kornman

> Doreen Esau rom Kenneth Clay,

Tim and Janet Van Natter, Wayne

and Joan Thompson

> Ed Abbot rom Dr. and Mrs. JerryDickson

> Ernest rom Jacqueline Smith

> Ethan Young rom Carol Storm,

Scott and Rebecca Young, Paul

and Sheryl Pilling, Richard and

Rachel Ann Aalbers, Ibarra and

Shiela Jaculbe, Anna M. Burns,

Phyllis C. Deyo

> Everett Salsberry rom

Fred and Luci Schaphorst

> Gary Hopwood rom

Mrs. Judith Reilley

> Glen Penner rom Bill and

Shirley Portingale

> Jack Burke rom Forest and

Dorothy Carnine

> Jacob Rempel rom Gertrude

Rempel, Mary Anne Schuster,

Jewel Bacon, Amy Buckley,

Catherine Busche, Adeline Kelly

> Jay Musselman rom Jean

Gordon

> John Cummins rom John andJenni er Tritch, Kirk and Lynne

Perkins, Vera Bontrager, George

and Dianne Noss

> Juanita Parks Mullins rom

Sharon Barger

> Judy Diehl rom Forest and

Dorothy Carnine

> Margaret Partlow rom

Dr. and Mrs. Jerry Dickson

> Mel Peel rom Neil and

Ee e Sedore

> Mr. and Mrs. James B. King

rom Dr. and Mrs. Jerry Dickson

> Mrs. Betty Heath rom

Mrs. Mary Bell

> N.A. Chacko rom Cory and

Debbie Traver

> Peray Bromley rom Bill and

Onalee Oakes

> Robert Eddy rom Arthur andKatherine Ellickson, Isabelle

Merlin, Earl and Hazel Barnes

> Ruth Jantzi rom Mrs. Eleanor

Smith

> Sherman Wheat rom Jack

and Arlena Wheat

In Honor o > Bethany, Matt, Christopher,

Heidi rom Ed and Myra

Herrmann

> Carolyn McEacherin rom

Janet Stephens

> Chris and Sarah rom Rebecca

Hertwig

> Ernst Stucke rom Forest and

Dorothy Carnine

> Gloria Dulany rom Janet

Stephens

> Greg Blackwell rom Robert

and Monica Hart

> Halla Aitken rom Ashlee Aitken

> Mary King rom Gloria Dulany,Janet Stephens

> Rachel Cana rom Matthew and

Denise Saltz, Paul and Kelly

McCants

{ }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.g a.org/videos
http://www.gfa.org/videoshttp://www.gfa.org/videoshttp://www.gfa.org/news/articles/orissa-persecutor-turned-worshiperhttp://www.gfa.org/news/articles/orissa-persecutor-turned-worshiperhttp://www.gfa.org/news/articles/orissa-persecutor-turned-worshiperhttp://www.gfa.org/latestnewshttp://www.gfa.org/latestnewshttp://www.gfa.org/videoshttp://www.gfa.org/videoshttp://www.gfa.org/news/articles/orissa-persecutor-turned-worshiperhttp://www.gfa.org/news/articles/orissa-persecutor-turned-worshiperhttp://www.gfa.org/latestnewshttp://www.gfa.org/videoshttp://www.gfa.org/videoshttp://www.gfa.org/videos


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A Light

Has DawnedThe peop le dwe l l ing in da rkness have seen a g rea tl igh t , and fo r those dwel l ing in the r eg ion andshadow of death , on them a l ight has dawned.

Mat thew 4 :16 , ESV

6 | send! | www.g a.org
http://www.gfa.org/http://www.gfa.org/


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It Started with a PrayerFrom the beginning o Gospel or Asias ministry, Founder and

President K.P. Yohannan saw the unique potential o lm shows

to give large groups o people a way to personally experience

the story o Jesus sacri ce or them. It was his earnest prayer

that the Lord would provide 100 lms and projector sets, and

God answered. Today there are hundreds o lm teams

throughout South Asia showing this great story, and thousands

o lives are changing every year.


Eat, Sleep, Play a MovieFirst we sit down and pray or Gods guidance,

Alok says. With so many villages close by, they need theLords direction or where to go rst, and they need theHoly Spirit to prepare hearts.

Carrying heavy equipment overmiles and miles o rough ground,the team will normally stay with aGFA-supported pastor or a weekor so at a time.

Sometimes we have to go to places where we canttake our bicycles, Balaji notes. We have to carry all ourequipment on our shoulders.

While they are staying in a village, they help the pastorwith his ministry work. During the day, they go rom houseto house, distributing Gospel tracts and inviting villagers tocome to the lm show that night. Be ore it gets dark, theteam must nd a place to set up their lm equipment. Thereis usually no electricity, but thats no problem they always

bring a generator.As darkness alls, people gather to see what this show

is all about. Then, Alok and Balaji wait to see what theLord will do through the movies message. Over the nextcouple o hours, Alok and Balaji have the privilege o watching a whole crowd o people discover the story o Jesus li e or the very rst time.

But the men know that opposition could come at anytime, including interruptions, damage to the equipment oreven physical beatings.

O ten people who are drunk will come and try to

create problems or us and disrupt the lm show, Balajisays. When this happens, the men do their best to calm theagitators and continue on.

When the lm ends, they pray with anyone interestedand aith ully gather contact in ormation. At last, late intothe night, they take down the equipment and carry it backto the pastors home.

The next day, the men make sure to visit each personwhom they met the night be ore.

Well begin to go rom house to house to all o thepeople who watched the movie, Alok explains. I theywere not able to understand the lm, well spend our timesharing with them to clari y the message.

These are the times when they begin to reap the ruit.People with questions get to talk one-on-one with the menwho brought this brand-new message to their village.People who need prayer encounter, or perhaps the very

rst time, the God who made them. Some are healed. Manyreceive Christ.

We are happy to see that many people have really beenimpacted with the ministry that we are doing, says Balaji.

Light for EternityBut how much can one movie really impact lives? Meet

Pastor Samir, the GFA-supported missionary who isdelighted with the results rom when Alok and Balaji cameto his village just last year.

People dont easily come and go in Pastor Samirsvillage. He serves the Lord in a rural area with extremelylimited transportation. Just to buy tea to make a cup o


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Images: Elias, Balaji and Alok (center three in image above) and their co-workers have seen the impact one

"night at the movies" can make in a village. The seeds are planted through fyers (opposite page, right)

announcing the lm show that night (opposite page, right) and ollow-up in the days a terward (this page,

le t). Pastors like Samir (inset below) see growth in their churches as a result.


beloved chai, he has to travelhours to the nearest town.

Be ore Pastor Samir came, noone had heard o Jesus. Samirknew that the villagers wouldntencounter Him by traveling totowns and cities where they mightmeet Christians believers would

have to come to them. So Pastor Samir moved to the villageor that very purpose, but he knows he is just one man.

With the ability o a lm team to share the Gospel withlarge crowds all at once, he saw that the message o theGospel could be brought be ore people so much aster.

Alok and Balaji made the rough trip and came to workwith Pastor Samir. During the time immediately ollowingtheir lm showings, six amilies chose Christ.

The people we are ministering to do not knowanything about Jesus Christ, Alok comments. Most o them said that it was the rst time they heard that such a

person existed.And God blessed the lm teams visit. Even though it

was rainy season and a ew drops were beginning to all atthe beginning o one lm showing, the team prayed. Godheld o the rain until just a ter the show was over, makinga way or the people to hear o Him.

Helping in the HarvestFor missionaries like Samir working hard to ollow the

Lords call, having a lm teams help provides a valuableopportunity to share the Gospel.

When a national missionary rst comes to anunreached village, he aces a multitude o potentialchallenges. As an outsider, it may be hard to win thepeoples trust. Sometimes there are pre-existingmisconceptions that Christianity is a oreign religion orlow-caste or poor people. Aside rom these obstacles, thedense population in many villages means it could take themissionary months o visiting homes to meet each amily.

Gospel tracts can play a great role in reaching a village,especially when someone reads a tract and passes it on. Butin many remote areas o Asia, the illiteracy rate is high.Many never learned to read because they had to work tosustain their amilies rather than go to school.

A lm team breaks through barriers like these. Themovie delivers a clear message or those who cant read.Those prejudiced against Christianity are still drawn to seea lm because movies are so rare in rural areas. Then,watching what Jesus did or them, hearts so ten. O ten,someone who ormerly led opposition to Christian ministry

embraces Jesus.


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It has really been a blessing or me and or ourministry here, because now it has become easier to sharethe Gospel, says Pastor Samir. What Ive been trying toexplain to people has been more clearly explained through

the lm. Its a great blessing or us.The number o people who gather ora lm means that suddenly, in one night, alarge portion o the community has heardthe message. Some may choose Jesusimmediately; many request prayer.Although the team members are therewith the pastor or a relatively short timeand then move on, they leave behind greatpotential. The pastor can reap more ruitand help new believers grow into discipleso Jesus Christ, who will in turn share themessage with even more people!

Light in Darkest HoursFor people who have worshiped demanding yet

unresponsive gods their entire li e, the message in thismovie is trans orming: There is a God who loves. And Heloves you.

This point is most clear when Christs cruci xion isportrayed.

Such a kind o scene they never see, says Elias, Alokand Balajis supervisor. One day, God may remind their

hearts, One Man died because o my sin. It is very di cultto orget that scene.

People come to the lm shows with their burdens, guiltand pain. When they leave, they have been introduced toJesus, the Way to reedom and to living the li e that Godmeant or them.

They are going to nd peace; they are going to ndhope in Jesus Christ, Pastor Samir notes. That is theresult I see rom the lm teams e orts.

For many people in rural villages, their mostimmediate di culties are o ten debilitating health

problems. Because o the lack o pro essional medical carein rural villages, there is usually little hope or recovery.

In their religions, their gods never do healings likehow Jesus healed the blind man or raised the dead, Elias

comments. These kind o miracles they never see! Butseeing this movie, they understand or the rst time thatGod can heal them.

For the villagers, the simple act o asking or prayer isa big step o aith. They are acknowledging that the Godthey saw in the lm can help their situation todayproblems or which they never had any hope be ore.

A man named Mohan ound that message to beamazing. Paralyzed a ter a motorcycle crash on thetreacherous village roads, Mohan was le t in an extremelyisolated area with little regard or accommodation orhandicapped people.

As weeks and then months went by, he had nowhere togo or help. But when Alok and Balaji visited his village,Mohan heard o the God who could heal. Mohan sent orPastor Samir, then shared his story with tears and pain. Forthe rst time, he had hope. He is now praying with PastorSamir that the Lord will heal him.

Mohans story is replicated in thousands o lives acrossAsia. And Pastor Samir is among the many pastors andleaders whose ministries have been greatly helped through a

lm team. The encouragement in their hearts is echoed byElias.

I can work till my death, because by seeing thisresult, I am so happy! he says. It is not us who areshowing the lm, but God who is changing their hearts.Thats what we are seeing with our own eyes. God isworking in the lm ministry, even through us.

More on the Web: Visit www.g a.org/flm to learnmore about how you can be involved in helping a lmteam like Alok and Balajis.

GFAFilm Teams . . .> are most o ten made up

o two or sometimes three

missionaries.

> serve in every country where

GFA supports missionaries.

> play DVDs on LCD projector

units to show the lm.

Images: While showing a lm is usually a mass event, the ministry

that surrounds each screening is very personal, including praying

or the sick (le t) and visiting villagers in their homes (right).
http://www.gfa.org/http://www.gfa.org/filmhttp://www.gfa.org/filmhttp://www.gfa.org/filmhttp://www.gfa.org/filmhttp://www.gfa.org/


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It was only a ew years ago that theirmarriage was shredded into athousand pain ul pieces. As Juhis

heavy heart pounded with grie , she evencontemplated taking her own li e.

Her marriage to Janesh had alwaysbeen a rocky one. And now it wasspiraling completely out o control. Hislosing battle with alcoholism and bursts o violent rage terri ed Juhi. When he camestumbling through the door each night, shenever knew whether hed just go to bed or

beat her mercilessly. Finally, out o ear orher sa ety, Juhi fed to her parents home.

As the next our years passed, Janeshell urther under the dark control o his

drinking binges, and he spewed anger whenbothered by even the slightest irritations.It seemed that nothing could save Janeshlet alone his tumultuous marriage. That is,until the day he turned on his radio.


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Healing WordsStill agonizing over their torn relationship and

destructive past, Juhi didnt know i she would evereel whole again. Although she was out o harms way

at her parents home, she still bore deep emotionalwounds rom the alcoholism, abuse and separation

rom Janesh. She longed or her husband to change,but she knew it would take a miracle. Hoping orsome answers, Juhi clicked on her radio and shecouldnt believe what she heard.

Flowing out o the speakers like a healing balmwere gentle words o hope and direction. Hardlybelieving her ears, Juhi listened intently. For the rsttime, she elt a measure o peace and hope.

Perhaps there is an answer to my problem,she thought. The message, which was a GFA Radiobroadcast, addressed the devastating e ects o maritalseparation and severed relationships.

A ter sharing the Good News that Jesus can saveand heal any person in any situation, the speaker closedthe message with a tender prayer that each broken

amily would receive Christs restoration and healing.Clinging to this promise, Juhi placed her trust in Jesus.

Exactly the Same BroadcastAs the weeks passed, Juhi grew in her new

relationship with the Lord, and her peace deepened.And then she received amazing news: Janeshs li e hadcompletely changed. He had turned away rom hisold ways and was a di erent man. When he showedup to ask or her orgiveness, she knew it was true.

Janesh recounted the past weeks and thetrans ormation that had come about in his li e andhow it all started with a radio broadcast. Heexplained that while listening to a GFA Radiomessage, he had heard a li e-changing challenge. Hethen wrote the radio program, and they respondedwith a letter telling him that they were praying orhim. This impacted him so much that he surrenderedhis li e to Christ and was completely reed rom thecontrol o alcohol and anger.


About GFA Radio> Gospel or Asia has produced and aired

radio programs in South Asia since 1986.

> GFA Radio receives more than 1 million

responses rom listeners each year, many

o whom have chosen to ollow Christ

a ter hearing a broadcast.

> Programs in more than 100 languages

are broadcast every week.


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As Janesh continued to share the details o hisincredible experience, Juhi was shocked. Could it bethe very radio broadcast that changed her li e too? Itwas! Both husband and wi e had been listening to thesame message at exactly the same time, and both

turned their lives and struggles over to the one trueGod who could heal their pain and their relationship.Their joy ul reunion brought a renewed uture

or the reconciled couple. Today, Janesh and Juhilive happily together in a supportive and lovingenvironment.

We go to church regularly and attend all o theunctions or married couples, Janesh says.

And my husband leads the amily in dailyprayer times too, Juhi adds.

And yes, they still listen to the GFA Radioprogram that brought them back together.

The radio programs encourage me to stay awayrom bad infuences, Janesh observes. They also

remind me to always love everyone, including myamily members, riends and neighbors.

Carrying Jesus LoveThe couple also attends a Bible study led by

Gospel or Asia-supported missionary Ranjan Tilak.In act, many people who have been impacted by theGFA Radio programs attend the study.

There are so many needy amilies here whostruggle with alcoholism and divorce, Pastor Tilakexplains. We thought it was important to have a

ellowship in this area, so we sent out a letter to allthe GFA Radio listeners.

The response was overwhelming. Nearly 300people like Janesh and Juhi showed up or a specialGFA Radio listeners retreat, and there has beensteady attendance at the weekly Bible study eversince. Through this personal connection, listeners

receive teaching rom Gods Word and biblicalcounseling or their struggles and problems.

Since 1986, thousands o men, women andchildren have been deeply impacted in their greatesttime o need by GFA Radio broadcasts. Carrying the

love o Jesus across the vast airwaves o South Asia,these special messages o hope and counsel travelahead o many GFA-supported missionaries, pavingthe way with the Good News.

For Janesh and Juhi, the simple act o turning onthe radio may have been a li e-or-death decision. AndGFA Radio continues to be there ready and waitingto share the Gospel and save a li e the next time adesperate person turns a dial in a time o decision.

More on the Web: Visit www.g a.org/radio tolearn more about GFA Radios 100-plus broadcasts,listen to sample broadcasts and view a schedule o when programs are aired.

Images: Janesh and

Juhi continue to listen

to the daily radio

broadcast thatsaved their marriage

(opposite page) and

brought joy to their

whole amily (center).

They still attend the

Bible study (right)

started by Pastor

Tilak (le t).
http://www.gfa.org/radiohttp://www.gfa.org/radiohttp://www.gfa.org/radiohttp://www.gfa.org/radio


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in ocus {How your partnership is changing lives }

Staying in Shape toShare Gods Love

B I B L E C O L L E G E S

Graduates rom Gospel or Asia-supported Biblecolleges who go on to the mission eld know thatserving the Lord requires physical stamina. Many willwork in areas where driving is not practical. These men

and women will have to walk or cycle considerabledistances each week in order to reach precious souls.

Add to the mix hot weather during the summer months,rigid winter temperatures in the higher altitudes andseasonal monsoon rains, and youll see why its importantor these laborers to stay in optimal physical shape, wherever their

place o ministry.A sports program at one Bible college in South Asia gave

students the opportunity to do just that. Divided up into our teams,the entire student body and sta took part in the multi-day event.

The games were held just a ter the students had gonethrough the rigors o their rst-semester exams, so everyone was

ree to relax and participate enthusiastically and energetically.The games were inaugurated with an opening prayer,

ollowed by some instruction in good sportsmanship. Then theun began with a volleyball match.

The teams also competed in cricket, oot races, musicalchairs and kabaddi (a team sport, popular in many Asiannations, that combines aspects o rugby and wrestling). They alsoparticipated in mental challenges with carrom (a tabletop game)and chess. Sta amilies came out to cheer or their teams.

This special event ostered unity and community among thestudents and sta , who wholeheartedly cheered on theirteammates as well as competitors.

Everyone enjoyed the events so thoroughly that theyeagerly asked or more activities like this in the uture to keeptheir bodies t, one GFA sta member comments.

These things develop us spiritually, mentally and physicallyto ace li e challenges that lie ahead.

More on the Web: Visit www.g a.org/biblecolleges to learn

more and nd out how you can help provide a scholarship to a

Bible college student!


in ocus {How your partnership is changing lives }

Did you know? Ninety-eight percent o GFA-supported Bible collegegraduates minister in places where the Gospel has neverbeen preached be ore.
http://www.gfa.org/biblecollegeshttp://www.gfa.org/biblecollegeshttp://www.gfa.org/biblecollegeshttp://www.gfa.org/http://www.gfa.org/http://www.gfa.org/biblecolleges


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WHAT

WOULDJESUS REALLY DO?

About Gayle Erwin: Gayle Erwintravels around the globe playing, as he puts it,

the one string on my guitar. That one string

is the Nature of Jesus, a message developed

over a lifetime of study and experience a

simple message of servant lifestyle for this complex age.He is a father and grandfather, a writer and editor, a talker

and listener. He has created five magazines and served 6 years

as a college teacher and 20 years as a pastor. Now, as the

director of a ministry called Servant Quarters, he spends his

time speaking at conferences and retreats and writing.

Decades a ter rst readingthis book, it still continuesto impact me in my journey

with Christ. When youread The Jesus Style, youlldiscover something sosigni cant youll never be

the same! K.P. Yohannan

The Jesus Style by Gayle Erwin answers that question.Get ready for a wake-up call to your heart, gain a newunderstanding of who Jesus is, and discover practical ways tolive out your relationship with Him! Suggested donation: $10

There are three easy ways to order: 1. Use the order orm in the center o this magazine. Choose your

quantity, indicate your method o payment and drop the order

orm in the mail. We'll do the rest.

2. Call us at 1 800 WIN ASIA (1-800-946-2742) and a GFA

representative will take your order over the phone.

(Phone orders will be accepted rom 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time.)

3. Order online: www.g a.org/jesus style
http://www.gfa.org/jesus-stylehttp://www.gfa.org/jesus-stylehttp://www.gfa.org/jesus-style


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

two missionaries had the opportunity to share the love o Christ in a village. A ter the meeting, 16 people made a decision to ollow Christ.

Read more news online:www.g a.org/latestnews

His Gods Didnt AnswervChandan Powar and his amily were deeply religious. But thegods his amily worshiped did not answer their desperate pleas

or help in a time o great nancial need and Chandanwondered why.

Then one day, Chandan heard about a local church led byGospel or Asia-supported pastor Vikrant Tambe. He decidedto visit Vikrant and ask him or prayer.

Vikrant used the opportunity to tell this troubled youngman about the love o Christ. By the end o their conversation,Chandan realized that Christ was the true and living God, andhe chose to trust in Him as Savior. Today Chandan is stillgrowing in his aith under Pastor Vikrants discipleship.

Her Son Came BackvA group had gathered in a South Asian village to watch a movieon the li e o Jesus. A terward, Preeti Sarin walked up to theGospel or Asia lm team members and shared her sad story.

Preetis husband had abandoned her 11 years earlier. Ever

since, she had worked hard as a day laborer to eed her children.Then one day her oldest son ran away rom home, leaving

her heartbroken.The two missionaries listened to Preetis story and prayed

or her. They also invited her to the local church led by GFA-supported pastor Vijay Malik.

As Preeti attended the prayer meetings, she experiencedpeace and com ort. Vijay and his congregation prayedcontinually that Preetis son would come home andmiraculously, he did! Today, Preeti and all her children are

ollowing Christ.
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A Hard HeartvThe Good News o Jesus came to one village in South Asia through aBridge o Hope center, but not everyone has been enthusiastic aboutChristianity. One man in particular had an intense dislike or Christians.

In act, he would make un o the Bible and deliberately misrepresentGods Word.

One day, he tore out several pages rom a Bible and used them tomake a cigarette, which he smoked, continuing to ridicule the Scripturesas he did so.

But a ter a while, the mans mouth became crooked and dis guredon one side. This caused quite a stir in the community. Even nonbelieverswho respected the Bible as a sacred book saw his dis gured countenanceas a punishment. Yet he still has denied it and remains hard-hearted.

Gospel or Asia workers in this area request prayer that this manwould realize his need o a Savior.

Finding Gods Loveon Valentines DayvOn February 14, two missionaries had the

opportunity to share the love o Christ in a village.The men invited people to a special program tohear rom Gods Word.

Twenty- ve people showed up, and a ter atasty meal, a local pastor care ully explained thedistinctives o Christianity using the Scriptures.The audience listened attentively, and some askedquestions. A ter the meeting, 16 people made adecision to ollow Christ.

Pray that these people will stand rm and growin the Lord, requests a GFA eld correspondent.


22/24


pro lep

GFA FRIEND

She came home rom church and poured overthat thing or days, her mother, Katie,remembers. That was her nighttime

reading material!Mackenzie would lie in bed, her eyes xed on

pages lled with photos o cows, goats, bicycles andmany other items provided to poor amilies insouthern Asia.

Each picture produced questions.But why would they need a goat? Mackenzie

would ask.So Katie would read the photos description and

explain to her youngest daughter the impact a pair o

goats would have.Oh, wow! And what about this?With each photo, Mackenzies ascination grew,

and she decided she would do something to help.She picked out all the things she wanted to give,

but her allowance wasnt enough to cover everything.So her mother encouraged her to come up with aplan to raise the unds, which she did: Katie wouldemail all their riends and amily about helping buygi ts to send to those in need, and Mackenzie wouldtalk with her teacher and classmates.

Katie wasnt sure about the outcome; so manypeople were already acing economic hardship, andthis was the Christmas season. But they gave, andMackenzie was able to raise more than $400everything she needed or all her gi ts, which includeda goat, chickens, blankets, a water lter and a lot o Bibles and Gospel literature.

When Mackenzie received a Thank You videorom GFA, she was elated to see how her contribution

was making a di erence.Theres my goat! she exclaimed as she watched

one man and his amily standing, smiling, next totheir gi t o livestock. Theres my water!

Katie says the catalog was a huge eye-opener orMackenzie to learn how she could share Gods lovewith the world.

To have this simple tool its somethingchildren can understand and say, Heres somethingI can do, she comments.

That little catalog lled with Christmas wishestouched the heart o a 7-year-old girl, and she madea choice to do something about it.

That little

catalog flled

with Christmas

wishes touched

the heart o a

7-year-old girl.

N A M E :

MackenzieL O C AT I O N :

Cali ornia

USA

Give Christmas gi ts

all year round! How about a rickshaw?Or a camel? Check out GFAsChristmas Gi t Catalog online:www.g a.org/gi t
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5ve minutes with K.P.

Stay Focused!W hile Jesus was on earth, He could have done all sorts o antastic things.

He could have built buildings that would have made the

engineers and architects o the Roman Empire look stupid.

He could have opened a university and taught science to the

smartest scholars rom every nation.

He could have conducted the largest Gospel crusade the world

had ever seen.

He could have healed all the sick people on earth and cleared outevery hospital.

He could have sent out 12,000 apostles instead o 12 to build

His Church.

Why did Jesus re rain rom doing these and a million other

wonder ul things that were within His power? The simple answer is this:

Jesus knew His mission the one task or which He came.

He stated it very clearly: For the Son o Man has come to seek and

to save that which was lost (Luke 19:10).

Although He was well aware that He would die or the sins o the

whole world, He also knew that He needed to accomplish His mission

within the tiny nation o Israel. Jesus lived daily to ul ll His mission

and never allowed Himsel to be distracted by anything or anyone.

When His journey came to an end, He simply said to His Father, I have

nished the work which You have given Me to do (John 17:4). And on the

cross, He looked at humanity past, present and uture and proclaimed,

It is nished (John 19:30).

Jesus was surrounded by distractions just like we are. Right

be ore He began His ministry, the devil attempted to cause Jesus to

use His embodied spiritual powers in a sel sh way and without the

authorization o His Father. Jesus could have indeed turned stones

into bread, jumped o the tower and survived, or walked away rom

the cross, but He re used.

Even when the devil used Peter and later the Greeks to try toprevent Him rom completing His mission, Jesus still didnt give in to

distractions. Instead, He explained why He was keeping His ocus:

Unless a grain o wheat alls into the ground and dies, it remains alone;

but i it dies, it produces much grain [ ruit] (John 12:24).

And then in the last ew hours o His li e, when Judas betrayed

Him, Peter denied Him and all o His disciples ran away, Jesus could

have easily given up and said, Its all been a mistake. They betrayed

everything I showed and lived be ore them. Its not worth it and

walked away rom the cross. Thank God He didnt.

Paul and Nehemiah also didnt give in to distractions. One o

the secrets behind the Apostle Pauls achievements in li e was his

absolute ocus. His statement, None o these things move me (Acts

20:24) meant that none o the difculties, persecutions and problems

he aced could persuade him to walk away.

Nehemiah had the same determination when he was building

the wall o Jerusalem. Although his enemies used every tactic in the

book to righten him into quitting, he kept right on building and

answered, Should such a man as I fee? (Nehemiah 6:11).Others gave in and or eited the most incredible

possibilities they could have achieved in their lives. Baalam the

prophet was handpicked by God. Gehazi was in line to inherit Elishas

mantle and a double portion o his masters ministry. Demas could

have possibly been the one to receive the torch rom Paul. Yet all three

got distracted by the love o this world and money and hence were

sidetracked rom their mission.

We are asked to ollow Jesus example in handling

distractions. Each o us has a mission to ul ll in winning the lost

world and building Gods kingdom. The writer o Hebrews gives us

precise instructions about what we must do to keep our ocus: Let us

run with endurance the race that is set be ore us, looking unto Jesus, the

author and nisher o our aith, who or the joy that was set be ore Him

endured the cross . . . (Hebrews 12:12).

Christ, our example, is the One who has gone be ore us in the

race. We are not asked to look at the spectators in the arena or at the

other runners, but to keep our eyes on Jesus and imitate Him. Jesus

Himsel said, Follow Me, because He knew that staying ocused

would be one o the most difcult things or us to do.

I remember well when, during the early days o our ministry,

someone o ered me all the nancial assistance in the world i I would

give up my calling and commit mysel to advance his cause overseas.

The thing that helped me walk away rom this distraction waswhen my wi e asked me, When the journey comes to an end and you

look back, what will you answer? I or the sake o money you

compromise your calling and your walk with the Lord, how will you

explain this to the people who are ollowing you?

My dear brothers and sisters, let us aith ully encourage each

other daily to stay ocused and to say no to distractions.

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

Visit www.g a.org/5minutes to read more Five Minuteswith K.P. articles.
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SHESSAFENOW.She lost both parents be ore she was ve years old. In a

place where many children end up in bonded labor or

human trafcking, she was extremely vulnerable. But

Jesus gave this little girl security. Now she has a uture

o love and care because o her Bridge o Hope center.

For only $28 each month, you can make this same di erence in the

li e o a orgotten, cast-aside child o Asia.

Show Jesus love with a sponsorship thatprovides ood, medical care, clothing

and an education. It will change a childs

uture more than you know.

Sponsor a child today!Sponsor online: www.gfa.org/child

Or contact us : Gospel or Asia

100 percent o your support will go to the mission eld oryour Bridge o Hope sponsorship; nothing is taken out oradministrative expenses. For each child you support, you will
http://www.gfa.org/childhttp://www.gfa.org/child

A Light Has Dawned: Send! Magazine

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