Category Archives: Poverty

June 2, 2015 · 7:54 am

Tuesday’s Prayers for Prisoners (6/2/2015)

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Each Tuesday, I pray and fast for the nations of Asia, where 4.4 billion people live. 

Why Asia?

1. 85.4% of world’s unevangelized people live in Asia. (Unevangelized means they may have heard the gospel but have no understanding on how to respond.)

2. The world’s three largest non-Christian religions – Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhists – are based in Asia.

3. Of the 37 countries of the world that are less than 10% Christian, 32 are in Asia. Of the 14 countries, that are less than 2% Christian, 12 are in Asia.

4. 85-90% of unreached people live in Asia. (Unreached means that they have never heard the name of Jesus.) (Operation World: The Definitive Prayer Guide to Every Nation)

Who am I kidding? Who are you kidding?

There are 4.4 billion people in Asia and 98% of them do not know Jesus. What can we possibly hope to accomplish by praying and fasting for so many people, right?

And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake. (Revelation 8:3-5)

So, our prayers may not be dramatically changing every person’s life in Asia today, but our prayers are being added to the prayers of the saints in the golden censer. And one day soon, fire from the altar will be added to the censer and the contents will be thrown upon Asia. Then, Asia will have its eyes opened to the glory of Jesus and lives will be changed by the millions and millions.

Our prayers count!

Today, I prayed:

Lord, show all the people of Asia Your glory. (Based on Exodus 33:18)

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for prisoners, according to Hebrews 13:3.

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May 9, 2015 · 9:19 am

Honoring Ruth

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My mom, Ruth Nevenhoven, died almost a year ago at ninety years of age. She was a graduate of the “old school” of motherhood right up to her last breath, in that her life revolved around her two children, five grandchildren, and her great-grandchildren. Family always came first in Mom’s life.

“Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth. (Ephesians 6:2-3)

Okay, how can I honor my mother now?

I could place a bouquet of Mom’s favorite flowers on her grave for Mothers Day. This is a traditional way of honoring mothers here in America, letting everyone know how much I appreciated what she meant to me.

Yet, Carol and I decided not to follow the traditional paths for honoring Mom.

Instead, we chose to sponsor a Bridge of Hope child who was born on Mom’s birthday, January 9‎th. The little girl’s name is Stuti and she lives in Rajasthan, India. Like most Bridge of Hope children, her parents are poor and members of one of the “untouchable” castes.

It’s my belief that Mom walks around heaven, showing everyone pictures of her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and a little girl named Stuti. I can almost hear her say, “Stuti is the smartest, prettiest, best, little girl in all of South Asia. I love her and thinks she’s the cat’s meow.”

If this is something that you might consider for honoring your mother, you can check it out at Gospel For Asia’s Bridge of Hope, by clicking here.

Click on to see MyGFA site.

Click on to see MyGFA site.

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May 5, 2015 · 11:52 am

Tuesday’s Prayers for Prisoners (5/5/2015)

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Each Tuesday, I pray and fast for the nations of Asia, where 4.4 billion people live. 

Why Asia?

1. 85.4% of world’s unevangelized people live in Asia. (Unevangelized means they may have heard the gospel but have no understanding on how to respond.)

2. The world’s three largest non-Christian religions – Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhists – are based in Asia.

3. Of the 37 countries of the world that are less than 10% Christian, 32 are in Asia. Of the 14 countries, that are less than 2% Christian, 12 are in Asia.

4. 85-90% of unreached people live in Asia. (Unreached means that they have never heard the name of Jesus.) (Operation World: The Definitive Prayer Guide to Every Nation)

The death toll in Nepal from the 7.8 earthquake is now over 7,500. The suffering continues.

Today, I prayed:

Lord, I cry out for mercy for the people of Nepal who are still suffering from the effects of the 7.8 earthquake. I pray that You remove any obstacles that may be holding up food, water, and medical supplies from reaching the people who are in desperate need of help right now.

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for prisoners, according to Hebrews 13:3.

Click on to see MyGFA site.

Click on to see MyGFA site.

 

 

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May 1, 2015 · 8:17 am

Even Though The Headlines Are Gone, Nepal Still Suffers

“God, is there any suffering beyond this point?” said a man who lost eight members of his family.

Gospel For Asia has already sent 250 missionaries and helpers to serve the poor and needy in Nepal. This is in addition to the 450 missionaries, churches, and twenty Bridge of Hope Schools in Nepal that are already there.

Information from the field:

  • 1.4 million people effected by earthquake are in need of immediate food and clean water.
  • Death toll has surpassed 5,000, and it’s estimated to reach 10,000.
  • An estimated 8 million people have been effected by the earthquake.

Please pray for:

  • Comfort, strength and courage for all those suffering from the earthquake.
  • God would give wisdom to the officials involved.
  • God would give clear guidance to the Christian workers and leaders on the field.

If you are considering giving a donation to help the suffering people in Nepal, click here.

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April 20, 2015 · 1:41 pm

You Should Have Been A Boy

The narrator in the above video begins by saying:

“Ruth is not a boy and her parents hated her for it. Like every other girl is South Asia, she won’t carry on her family name. She won’t be able to provide enough income for her parents. She could cost them enough marriage dowry to sink them into debt. But Ruth’s circumstances were even worse than most girls. Before Ruth was born, her parents already had three daughters. They were so desperate for a son, they sold one of their fields and gave the money to a priest, asking him to pray to his gods. So they could have a baby boy.”

The video goes on to tell how Ruth’s life was forever changed because a couple of women told her that God loved her.

If you listen to the video and are interested in supporting a woman missionary, you can do that by clicking here.

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April 4, 2015 · 8:46 am

My Faith for MyGFA Campaign

Click on to see MyGFA site.

Click on to see MyGFA site.

I have to admit that when the Lord gave me the idea to start a MyGFA campaign to support one hundred unsponsored Bridge of Hope Children, He dropped an enormous blob of faith on me. The blob of faith was so big that I thought, “This will be so easy. Just a piece of cake for God and me to handle.”

Now, one of the things about God’s enormous blobs of faith is that their effects only last until God has us where He wants us to be. Then, our blobs of faith evaporate and we are forced to operate out of our inner faith.

Yikes, right? What do we do then?

This is how I handle it:

I remind the Lord everyday that this was His idea, not mine. And because it’s His idea, it’s His responsibility to bring the money in. It’s His reputation that’s on the line because, Lord knows, my reputation stinks. If He doesn’t move on behalf of these one hundred unsponsored kids, I will fail. So, Lord, my trust is in You. What do You want me to do next?

Corrie ten Boom said, “It’s not that I have great faith, but rather, it’s that I have a little faith in a great God.”

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March 21, 2015 · 8:37 am

Got Clean Water?

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World Water day is tomorrow: March 22nd.

So, did you know that millions in South Asia are without clean water?

• 3.4 million people die each year from water-related diseases.

• Diarrhea is the second leading cause of death among children under five years of age in the world. The total number of deaths from diarrhea are more than malaria, AIDS, and measles combined.

Gospel For Asia offers water solutions for villages in South Asia with their BioSand Filters and their Jesus Wells. The filters offer families a simple answer for only $30. The Jesus Wells provide water for a whole community, regardless of religious backgrounds for the low cost of $1,400.

If you are interested in helping, click here. Or you can make a smaller donation to “How Big is Our God”  MyGFA campaign by clicking here.

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March 17, 2015 · 11:33 am

Tuesday’s Prayers for Prisoners (3/17/2015)

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Each Tuesday, I pray and fast for the nations of Asia, where 4.4 billion people live. 

Why Asia?

1. 85.4% of world’s unevangelized people live in Asia. (Unevangelized means they may have heard the gospel but have no understanding on how to respond.)

2. The world’s three largest non-Christian religions – Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhists – are based in Asia.

3. Of the 37 countries of the world that are less than 10% Christian, 32 are in Asia. Of the 14 countries, that are less than 2% Christian, 12 are in Asia.

4. 85-90% of unreached people live in Asia. (Unreached means that they have never heard the name of Jesus.) (Operation World: The Definitive Prayer Guide to Every Nation)

My prayer emphasis was on the leaders of India and North Korea.

India is the second most populated nation in the world with 1.2 billion people and is the largest democracy in the world. North Korea has 24.9 million people and is a single-party Socialist republic. Both nations have corrupt governments where bribes and influence peddling are common practices.

India is ranked 85th on the Transparency Index out of 175 nations as  compared to its neighbors  Bhutan (30th), Bangladesh (145th), Myanmar (156th), China (100th), Nepal (126th), Pakistan (126th) and Sri Lanka (85th).

North Korea is tied with Somalia at 174th.

Just for your own information: USA is ranked 17th, tied with Ireland, Hong Kong, and Barbados.

Today, I prayed:

Lord, I pray for the political leaders and those in high government positions in India and North Korea to be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth so that the people in these two nations may lead peaceful and quiet lives. (Based on 1 Timothy 2:1-4)

Join with me on Tusdays to fast and pray for prisoners, according to Hebrews 13:3.

Click on to see MyGFA site.

Click on to see MyGFA site.

 

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March 14, 2015 · 9:40 am

Yes, We Had An Outhouse…So What?

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I grew up on a farm in Northern Illinois. Our old house had a manual pump with a handle for pumping water from a cistern, two kerosene gas stoves, and an outside toilet. Yes, we had an outhouse…so what?

Our drinking water had to be carried in a pail from an outside well house. The water was pumped up from a deep underground well. The depth of the well caused the water to always be cold and refreshing.

As you can imagine, the day I came home from school to see our new fan-dangled bathroom with a toilet and running hot and cold water was a glorious day for us. We had finally joined the Twentieth Century…in 1960.

All of this seems extremely primitive to me now.

But to 750 million people in the world, they would be happy to have what we had before the new fan-dangled bathroom arrived at our farm. You see, these people do not have access to fresh water at all. And half of these live in South Asia, mainly India.

Mothers give their children dirty water to drink which results in one child dying every minute from a water-related disease. Open defecation and lack of sanitation only worsen the crisis.

To combat this water crisis in nations throughout South Asia, Gospel for Asia digs Jesus Wells and provides BioSand Water Filters to families and communities thirsty for clean, fresh water. GFA also provides safe, reliable sanitation by building outdoor toilets, preventing an epidemic of water-related diseases. Through the provision of clean water, many communities are becoming more open to hearing about the God who loves them and provides for their needs. Learn more about Gospel for Asia’s clean water ministry by clicking here.

Click on to see MyGFA site.

Click on to see MyGFA site.

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March 10, 2015 · 9:41 am

Tuesday’s Prayers for Prisoners (3/10/2015)

display-thumbnail-gospel-for_asia-RT09-03703

 

Each Tuesday, I pray and fast for the nations of Asia, where 4.4 billion people live. 

Why Asia?

1. 85.4% of world’s unevangelized people live in Asia. (Unevangelized means they may have heard the gospel but have no understanding on how to respond.)

2. The world’s three largest non-Christian religions – Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhists – are based in Asia.

3. Of the 37 countries of the world that are less than 10% Christian, 32 are in Asia. Of the 14 countries, that are less than 2% Christian, 12 are in Asia.

4. 85-90% of unreached people live in Asia. (Unreached means that they have never heard the name of Jesus.) (Operation World: The Definitive Prayer Guide to Every Nation)

Today, I prayed for children in India and Bangladesh:

Almost 500 million, or 40% of India’s population, live under the poverty line and guess what? 40% of India’s children are underweight and malnourished. 50% of Bangladesh’s population, or 80 million people, live under the poverty line and their children suffer a similar fate as do those in India.

Sadly, children aren’t allowed to choose their parents ahead of time, because if this were possible, who would pick a couple in India or Bangladesh as their parents? No one.

So, I prayed today:

Lord, You said that we would have the poor with us always and we could help them anytime we wanted to do so, so I ask that You help us want to help the poor children in India and Bangladesh and be our brothers’ guardian. (Based on Mark 14:7 and Genesis 4:9.)

Join with me on Tusdays to fast and pray for prisoners, according to Hebrews 13:3.

Click on to see MyGFA site.

Click on to see MyGFA site.

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