World Leprosy Day

Posted by notestowomen on January 28, 2016

Tens of thousands of people in the world suffer from leprosy, a bacterial infection which affects the skin and destroys nerves. Since the disease affects the nervous system, the affected areas become numb. People suffering from leprosy cannot feel pain and can easily hurt or injure themselves. These injuries can become infected and result in tissue loss. I remember reading about a missionary who put one of his feet in a pan of boiling water and didn’t even feel any pain. It was then that he realized that he had leprosy.

The stigma that comes from having leprosy can be worse than the disease itself. People with leprosy are outcasts. Their relatives believe that they are cursed. Their lives are filled with loneliness and pain. People avoid them. This happened to Balwant. He was in his 30s when he discovered that he had leprosy. He had white patches on his leg that itched and then became numb.

Leprosy, if left untreated, can cause serious damage and leave a person disfigured. Balwant and others like him feel ostracized and humiliated. They are denied access to common wells or prevented from participating in festivals because people are afraid of the risk of contagion. Family members reject them because they don’t want to catch the disease or be socially rejected because of those affected. Some people even believe that when a person has leprosy he or she is being punished by the gods for past sins. So, they avoid those who are affected because they don’t want to the wrath of the gods to fall upon them.

Balwant ended up losing his leg because the disease had progressed severely. The doctors had to amputate his leg at the knee. This left him weak and unable to work. To make matters worse, he couldn’t afford to pay for the medical treatments he needed to treat his high blood pressure and diabetes which he had developed. All of these things began to take a toll on Balwant and he decided that death was the only way out. It would relieve him of his suffering, take away his shame and lift the burden that caring for him placed on his family. He thought of hanging himself but he had no strength in his hands or leg. He decided that he would jump into the well near his house.

It was at this moment of despair, resignation and hopelessness that God intervened in Balwant’s life. He sent a Gospel for Asia supported pastor and three Sisters of Compassion, specialized women missionaries to Balwant’s community. After hearing about Jesus and how compassionate He is, Balwant, moved by this, opened up to the pastor and the missionaries and told them all that he was going through and his plan to end it all.

Pastor Daha and the sisters prayed for Balwant and used God’s Word to encourage him. They prayed for him for many days and his health began to improve. He felt a peace that was beyond comprehension–the peace only Jesus can offer. Balwant began to see his life through God’s eyes–precious.

Pastor Daha and the missionaries visited Balwant and his wife regularly. They showed the love of Christ through simple acts such as fetching water, chopping vegetables and even trimming Balwant’s nails, something he couldn’t do for himself. Their care and Jesus’ love made Balwant want to live. “I was emotionally weak and thought to end my life,” he testified, “but I found Jesus in the right time. I thank God that He loves me.”

Sadly, a few months after Balwant found Jesus, he fell ill with jaundice and died. He was right. He found Jesus at the right time and one day he will be among the resurrected dead who will spend eternity with the Lord. On that glorious day when Jesus returns, Balwant will have a new and incorruptible body (1 Corinthians 15:52-54).

Every year, there are nearly 230,000 new cases of people diagnosed with leprosy. About 60 percent of those cases concern people living in India alone. While leprosy is a curable disease, many men, women and even children find themselves abandoned and scorned because of it. Like Balwant, they live with shame and hopelessness as their constant companions. But God is using His servants to give these precious people hope and new life in Him—and you can help – Gospel for Asia

Pray for those who are living with leprosy. Their world is filled with so much shame and hopelessness. They are abandoned and scorned by relatives, friends and neighbors. They are lonely and suffer from physical and emotional pain. Help Gospel for Asia’s Leprosy ministry to bring love and hope filled life to these people.

Pray that, like Balwant, they will come to know Jesus who loves them and longs to heal them just as He did when He was here on earth. He healed this man who had leprosy on his hands. His big smile and perfectly fine hands testify that the Lord is still in the business of healing. Read about how He also healed Radhika, a 19 year old leprosy patient whose husband left her. Pray for Gospel for Asia's Leprosy Ministry

You can help the GFA Leprosy Ministry by praying for:

the healing of leprosy patients
the missionaries who are going and sharing the Gospel with the leprosy patients
more medical personnel to care for and treat the patients
the children whose parents have leprosy

This year, for World Leprosy Day, let us join Gospel for Asia in raising awareness about the hopelessness and rejection that many leprosy patients face and the hope, love, joy and acceptance they can find in Jesus Christ.

Women’s Fellowship

Posted by notestowomen on November 22, 2015

Years ago, I was part of the Women’s Ministry at my church and one of the things I really liked about it was the fellowship. We would hold programs like “Lunch and Learn” where women would come together at someone’s home and a pastor or a speaker is invited to share a profound message with us. Then afterwards, we would enjoy a potluck while uplifting Gospel music played in the background. I have enjoyed the Women’s Ministries’ yearly three day retreats where I was blessed with Friday night vespers, a Sabbath school program and worship on Saturday morning and workshops in the afternoon. On Sunday we had breakfast and more workshops before we closed the wonderful three day event with prayer. Women’s Ministries also offer seminars where women come together and share their testimonies. It’s during these times when women dig into God’s Word, encourage, pray for and fellowship with each other. Women’s Ministries have truly been a blessing for me and countless of women.

Can you imagine not having a Women’s Ministry or not being able to fellowship with other women? Nor can I. It would be hard for the thousands of women all across South Asia not to be able to attend a weekly Women’s Fellowship group. Through this group, they learn God’s Word, memorize Scripture, pray, reach out and worship the God who reached out to them–Asia’s most unreached group. God is working to change thousands of lives.

Many of us know what it’s like to fellowship with other believers and how being a part of a prayer group or Bible Study class has helped us in our spiritual growth. Women in Asia need the same close fellowship as many of them come from families who don’t know Christ. Wouldn’t it be great if they could find a fellowship group where they can pray and study God’s Word? Well, you can help to make this possible. How? Through prayer. Gospel for Asia has put together this list of prayer requests:

Pray for Women’s Fellowship so that more women can be reached
Pray for women to understand Christ’s love and acceptance
Pray for more leaders
Pray for transformation of lives and families
Pray for God to empower women as they share
Pray for the Women’s Health Project and the Women’s Literacy Program

Women’s Fellowships are usually led by a woman missionary, a pastor’s wife or a godly believer in the church. A growing congregation needs someone to lead and mature women are best suited to teach the other women. Their experience and wisdom will help to guide the younger women.

Likewise, older women should be reverent in behavior, and not be false accusers, not be enslaved to much wine, but teachers of good things, that they may teach the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, and to be self-controlled, pure, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be dishonored – Titus 2:3-5.

As Christian women, we have duties towards each other. So, let us encourage one another through prayers, ministries, Bible studies, fellowships and worship.

Source: Gospel for Asia

A Mother’s Hidden Legacy

Posted by notestowomen on November 17, 2015

Naomi was a Christian. She grew up praying to Jesus as a Friend and reading the Bible so that she could get to know Him better. So great was her love for God that it was natural to believe that when she had children, she would pass on her faith to them. However, things didn’t turn out quite as she expected.

Naomi’s parents arranged her marriage and although the wedding was held in the church and followed all the Christian traditions, her husband was of a different religion. Can you imagine being in Naomi’s shoes? You were raised to love the Lord. You look forward to going to church and worshipping Him in His sanctuary with others who share your faith. Then, one day, you are forced to stop going to church because your husband won’t allow you. And to make matters worse…your husband is an alcoholic.

Shortly after the wedding, Tarak’s alcoholism reared its ugly head. He had a steady job as a truck cleaner but spent the money he earned on drinks or cigarettes. As a result it was a struggle just to have the bare necessities. The struggle only increased when they had Oppilmani and Sadhya, born two years apart. Now Naomi had two growing children to feed not to mention providing them with clothing and education. Overwhelmed, she was compelled to reflect on her life before she got married. With a penitent heart she began to pray.

She didn’t tell Tarak that she repented of her neglect of God or that she was praying for the family’s restoration. She didn’t tell him that she was praying for him–that he would stop drinking. Can you imagine how hard it must have been for Naomi to keep these things to herself? How she must have longed to tell her family about Jesus and how only He could help them. Then, hope came in the form of Gospel for Asia Pastor Zaafir when he came to their village. God heard her prayers and He sent help.

Naomi began to speak to Pastor Zaafir frequently and began attending church again. As she grew in the Lord, Pastor Zaafir helped her to enroll Oppilmani and Sadhya in the local Bridge of Hope center. This proved to be a blessing for the children. They excelled in their studies and learned about Jesus. How it must have brought joy to their mother who had dreamed of telling them about the Friend she had since she was a child.

The joy was short-lived, however. Tarak’s animosity returned and he began to verbally abuse his wife when she attended church and insisted that the family follow his religion. In the wake of this new wave of opposition Naomi attended church less but refused to stop going altogether. All the while she continued praying for her family even as they were about to face a crisis…

…pray without ceasing – 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Tarak’s years of drinking and smoking finally began to take a toll on his health. What began as asthma quickly turned into something very serious and unmanageable. How terrifying it must have been for his family when he began vomiting blood. He couldn’t eat anything. However, the waves of nausea and the vomiting didn’t stop Tarak from continuing to drink alcohol. Within a few days, he was taken to the hospital where doctors determined that he had a serious lung infection. If he didn’t have an operation he would die. What was the family to do? For years Tarak had spent his income on alcohol. There wasn’t enough money for the operation.

Naomi and the children, went home, bracing themselves for a future without her husband. The children continued to attend the Bridge of Hope center but it didn’t take long for the staff to notice that something was wrong. When they inquired, Oppilmani told them about his father’s condition and that the family couldn’t pay for the surgery. The staff offered words of encouragement and hope. They assured the boy that Jesus could solve his problems and then they decided to visit the family.

The coordinator of the centre went with two social workers and GFA’s pastor Bahurai to the family’s home where they saw an alarmingly thin Tarak who looked much older than his age of 35 years. The group shared God’s Word and encouraged the family to ask for His mercy. The Lord spoke to Tarak’s heart and the father confessed his wrongdoings to God. From that moment on, there was a transformation. Naomi no longer faced opposition from her husband and she was free to regularly attend prayer meetings. She, the pastor and other believers prayed for Tarak’s healing. He began to recover slowly and he opened his heart to the God who was healing him.

Tarak no longer insisted that his family worship his god or protest his wife’s church going. Instead he brought the children to church. It took a life-threatening illness for Tarak to know the true God.

God had answered the prayers of a mother who had known Him all of her life. She had turned back to Him after she was forced to neglect Him–knowing that He was her only Source of comfort, hope and deliverance. God heard the prayers of a wife who wanted her husband to stop drinking. He heard the prayers of a mother who wanted her children to worship the true God and go to school. He heard the prayers of a woman who wanted to free her family from their struggles.

The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective – James 5:16

What a wonderful end to this story. A man once opposed to wife’s God had embraced Him. Oppilmani and Sadhya who once worshipped a traditional god was now worshipping the Creator. They will continue their family’s legacy by raising the next generation to serve the God who had brought them hope amidst adversity. As for Naomi, she watched the Lord do amazing things for her family. “Jesus turned our trouble into happiness,” she said, “and we are ever thankful to Jesus.”

You can help to do amazing things for other families like Naomi’s by sponsoring Bridge of Hope children. Your sponsorship will open the door for children to share Christ’s love with their families. If you are interested in learning more about Bridge of Hope visit this link.

I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy, For You have considered my trouble; You have known my soul in adversities – Psalm 31:7

Source: Gospel for Asia

Words of Life

Posted by notestowomen on October 19, 2015

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path – Psalm 119:105

Right now I can walk into any bookstore and buy a Bible. There are so many to choose from. There are Bibles for men, women, teens, children and couples. They are in different languages. And there are different versions. You have Study Bibles, Devotional Bibles, Life Application Bibles and even Spiritual Warfare Bibles. Then we have audio Bibles, online Bibles. The list goes on and on. Some of us have more than one Bible. Some churches give out free Bibles.

Bibles are available in most countries but not to new believers in Asia. Many of them don’t own a Bible. It’s hard for us to imagine not being able to read our Bibles everyday. It’s where we go when we want to know more about Jesus or to grow spiritually and deepen our walk with Him. We can use our Bibles for personal or group studies, witnessing and worship. Believers in Asia aren’t able to do any of these things. Can you imagine going to church and no one has a Bible, not even the pastor?

Try to imagine how different life would be for you if you didn’t have a Bible. Now think of the believers in Asia who don’t have God’s Word to guide them daily in their spiritual lives. Imagine not being able to share the Word with others.

The Bible is more than a book. It is the living Word of God. It brings hope, encouragement, light and joy to those who read it. It is the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17). It protects us from the attacks of the Devil. It was the Word of God that Jesus used three times to defeat Satan in the wilderness. It reveals who God is to us. We learn about His will for our lives. We have the Gospels which tell us about Jesus and His ministry. It is from the Bible that we learn that, “…God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16).

The Word of God teaches us what our responsibilities are to God, society, authorities and our neighbors (Romans 12). It gives us instructions on how to keep ourselves from conforming to the world (Philippians 4:8; Galatians 5:15). It shows us how we can follow Jesus’ example when it comes to prayer, our relationship with God and how we treat others. The Bible is our guide to right living and right thinking. God speaks to us through the Word.

We go to the Bible when we have questions and doubts. It addresses our fears and encourages us. Paul explained why the Scriptures are so important in the believer’s life. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is valuable for teaching the truth, convicting of sin, correcting faults and training in right living; thus anyone who belongs to God may be fully equipped for every good work“ (2 Timothy 3:16, 17 Complete Jewish Bible). The Bible is a must have for every believer.

Sing them over again to me, wonderful words of life,
Let me more of their beauty see, wonderful words of life;
Words of life and beauty teach me faith and duty.

Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life,
Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life.

Help to bring the wonderful words of life to South Asia. Find out how here.

Source: Gospel for Asia

Women’s Literacy = Women’s Liberty

Posted by notestowomen on September 8, 2015

“Literacy is a bridge from misery to hope. It is a tool for daily life in modern society. It is a bulwark against poverty, and a building block of development, an essential complement to investments in roads, dams, clinics and factories. Literacy is a platform for democratization, and a vehicle for the promotion of cultural and national identity. Especially for girls and women, it is an agent of family health and nutrition. For everyone, everywhere, literacy is, along with education in general, a basic human right…. Literacy is, finally, the road to human progress and the means through which every man, woman and child can realize his or her full potential.”
― Kofi Annan

Tuesday, September 8, 2015 was an important day for lots of parents and their children. It was an important day for my family. It was my son’s first day back to school. This year he will be in grade 2 . It was wonderful seeing parents and their kids filing into the school. The halls were crowded and noisy as we squeezed our way to the gym where the children were to line up before heading to the auditorium for the greeting and morning prayer. As I looked at the children in their uniforms, I thought of how what a blessing it is to be able to go to school.

September 8 was an important day for another reason. It was International Literacy Day, a day first proclaimed as such on November 17, 1965 by UNESCO. It was first celebrated in 1966 and its objective has always been to highlight the importance of literacy to individuals, communities and societies. The theme for this year was Literacy and Sustainable Societies and the Day marked the 50th anniversary of the World Congress of Ministers of Education on the Eradication of Illiteracy. It is a day when the world is reminded of how important learning is.

International Literacy Day gives children and communities a chance to rediscover the joys of reading while raising awareness for those without access to education.

Can you imagine being a mother and unable to read your child’s school report or help him with his homework because you can’t read or write? What if you couldn’t read the Bible or a bedtime story to your child or a Mother’s Day or birthday card? Sadly, there are women in South Asia who can’t read or write. Can you believe that over 30% of Asian women are illiterate? In fact, more than one out of every three women in Asia are illiterate!

There is hope, thanks to Gospel for Asia’s Literacy Program. Through literacy classes held by GFA supported local Women’s Fellowships, women are learning how to read, write, do basic math, some of life’s most basic lessons, and, most importantly, they are learning how to read and study God’s Word on their own. What a joy it must be to be able to read about a loving God and a Savior who gave His life for them. And better yet, they can read to their children.

So women volunteered to teach literacy classes to other women. The program expanded into several states and two countries, so a standardized curriculum was developed.

In this day and age, it is hard to believe that there are so many people who still cannot read or write. Last year, Gospel for Asia supported the work of missionaries who saw International Literacy Day as an opportunity to raise awareness of the value of women’s literacy and to share the Gospel.

I rejoice at Your word As one who finds great treasure – Psalm 119:162

Do you want to bring hope to women by helping to make it possible for them to read and study God’s Word? Find out how you can do so here. Reading and writing are basic necessities of life that everyone should have. Women who learn how to read, write and do basic Math will be able to provide for their families. You will be helping a woman to keep her children safe because she can read the warning labels or from being cheated at the marketplace because she knows basic Math. Think of how different your life would be if you couldn’t read your Bible, recipes, emails or letters. Then think of the freedom you enjoy from being literate and how you can help to liberate these women too.

Literacy is not a luxury, it is a right and a responsibility. If our world is to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century we must harness the energy and creativity of all our citizens – President Bill Clinton on International Literacy Day, September 8th 1994

Sources: Gospel for Asia, International Literacy Day, UNESCO

Correction

Posted by notestowomen on March 14, 2015

The rod and reproof give wisdom, But a child left to himself brings shame to his mother – Proverbs 29:15

Sometimes talking to your child doesn’t work. Time out doesn’t work. I have been told that some children learn the hard way. It’s embarrassing for mothers when they take the children out to the mall or grocery store and they are forced to give the child whatever he or she wants just to keep the child from making a fuss.

The Bible is not opposed to spanking or whatever necessary discipline it takes to keep the child in line. It is for the child’s benefit that they do not get their own way. It must always be clear that the parent is in charge and the child has to obey. Ellen G. White had the right idea. “Any child that is permitted to have his own way will dishonour God and bring his father and mother to shame….By neglecting their duty and indulging their children in wrong, parents close to them the gates of the city of God.”

The Bible cannot emphasize enough the importance of discipline in a child’s life. Discipline is an act of love. “He who spares his rod hates his son,
But he who loves him disciplines him promptly” (Proverbs 13:24). Children need and want discipline because they need to know that boundaries exist and that they need to stay within them. These are your child’s formative years so you need to correct him or her while there is still time and hope (see Proverbs 19:18)

Sometimes the best thing a parent could say to a child, is, “No.” Children need to know that there are rules that they need to abide by. Their responsibilities are to follow instructions, obey their parents, teachers and anyone in authority as long as these instructions are never contrary to God’s Word. Wisdom comes from following instructions. Once children do what is required of them, all will be well with them. They will bring honour to God and their parents.

God’s Word is Sure

Posted by notestowomen on February 24, 2011

For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry (Habbabuk 2:3).

We can trust God’s word. No matter how long it may take, in His good time, it will come to pass. God promised Abraham and Sarah that they would have a son. It took it years and years. It took so long that Sarah decided to speed things up. She made her own plans for a child by involving her maid Hagar. Of course, things did not work out. Hagar ended up leaving and Sarah was back to square one. God again told Abraham that he would have a son but this time, He made it clear that the child would be with Sarah. And at the appointed time, God’s word came to pass and Sarah was gave birth to a son. God’s vision for Sarah tarried but it came at the right time. Sarah had a child in her old age, proving that nothing is impossible with God.

Joseph had to wait more than two years for his dreams to come to pass. During that time, he was sold to into slavery; was falsely accused of attempted rape and sent to prison. He spent two years in jail before his life changed for the better.

Simeon waited a long time to see God’s Savior and it was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. One day, he received word from the Holy Spirit that the Child was in the temple. Simeon held Him in his arms and said, “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel” (Luke 2:29-32).

Jesus promised that He would return one day. He said, “In My Father’s house are many mansions;if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:2, 3). We know that we can trust Him. If He says He will come back, we can be absolutely sure that He will. We don’t know when He will come. Only the Father knows but we know that just as He sent His Son here at the appointed time to save us, He will send Him at the appointed time to take us home. In His Word, He promised, “For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry (Hebrews 10:37).