Tag Archives: Poverty

September 13, 2013 · 9:54 am

God Does Nothing But…

“God does nothing but in answer to prayer.” (John Wesley)

When Americans hear about needy children, we think about doing one thing: giving money. Then, our minds run through all the options. Can we afford to do so? What financial obligations do we have right now? Are there other priorities for our money right now? What if I don’t give? Will I feel guilty? And so forth. And so forth.

Relax. Take it easy today.

You see, I understand that not all Christians can or will sponsor a child for $35 a month through Gospel For Asia’s Bridge of Hope program. There are many other avenues to help build the Kingdom of God and it’s up to each person to decide for himself.

Yet, we can all pray, right?

So, take a moment and agree with me on the following simple prayer:

“Lord, I ask You to provide 50,000 new sponsors for Bridge of Hope children this year. Amen.”

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September 6, 2013 · 11:06 am

I Want This Girl On My Prayer Team. What About You?

Obviously, the photographer helped set up the above photo and probably said something like, “Put your hands together and pray.”

The two Dalit children on the left side of the photo obeyed the directions, but still kept their dark eyes on the photographer. Their curiosity was too big a hurdle to overcome, and to be honest, I would have done the same at their ages.

The Dalit girl in blue seemed to care little about the activity around her and took the opportunity to pray. Maybe she’s praying for her parents. Or her grandparents. Or her brothers and sisters. Or her neighbors. Or whatever.

Do you think God listens to her prayers?

After all, God has a lot of problems to handle right now, with Israel and Syria most likely topping the list. And the girl is just another Dalit child who is dirt poor, an untouchable in India’s caste system, and the least of the least in the world’s largest democracy.

Yet, when she prays, I believe all of heaven is poised to move on her behalf.

Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 18:10)

This photo reminds me of the six children Carol and I sponsor in Gospel For Asia’s Bridge of Hope program. Every letter we receive from our kids tells how much they enjoy praying for us.

So, when you think of Larry Who, think about Team Larry Who and our six kids praying for us.

If you want, you can start building your own team today by going here. Your team can be as large as you want…that’s up to you.

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August 30, 2013 · 8:25 am

When It Comes To Kids, I’m Easy Pickings

It had been a long financial wilderness for my painting company with no letup in sight. Yes, I had plenty of ladders, brushes, rollers, truck, supplies, and a sprayer, but there was no money for advertising or needed insurances to tackle commercial jobs.

What should I do?

I came up with the idea to give my equipment away to a friend who hoped to start his own painting business. Rick was a hard worker and maybe he could make something happen where I could not. Plus, it seemed biblical to give and not ask anything in return.

Yet, as I readied myself to tell Rick about my plans, the Lord spoke to my heart. “I did not give the burden to Rick. I gave it to you.”

You see, the painting company was started to help feed starving kids in foreign lands, but somehow, in the midst of the agonizing financial trials, I loss sight of the reasons for the company. And if I turned my back on the painting company and all of its problems, I’d be walking away from the burden the Lord placed on my heart.

I made up my mind that day to struggle onward, no matter what it cost me.

So, when I ask you to consider helping the children in Gospel For Asia’s Bridge of Hope program, I am not handing you my burden. It’s mine. I paid a price for it by eating out of dumpsters and sleeping in cars because of no money. I paid a price for it in prayer and fasting. The burden for these children is mine and it’s too precious to give away.

But if the Holy Spirit touches your heart for these children, consider it a privilege to help them. This is how I now view my burden for these beautiful children.

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August 16, 2013 · 10:40 am

What Can One Child Do?

Here’s the story of one family that was changed because of their son’s involvement in a Gospel For Asia’s Bridge of Hope center. The boy’s father, Rajiv, relates what happened:

After attending the Bridge of Hope center, my son used to come home and say, “This is what my sir said, and this is what our teacher taught us.” Regarding our way of living, regarding our health and hygiene, he would come and tell us. It was kind of exciting! So, when my son says something to me, for example, about hygiene, I am changing.

Some of the things he says about prayer and about Jesus really touch me. Slowly by slowly, I am changing according to what he says to us.

The Bridge of Hope really brought a kind of revival in me spiritually. Basically, I’m an illiterate person. I do not know how to read and write. Many times my son would come and say words he learned at the Bridge of Hope center. “This is what the Word of God says.” So many times when we would do wrong things, the Word of God would speak to us. And because it was the Word of God speaking, we changed a lot.

We have prayer every day in our home for 15 to 20 minutes. My son reads the Bible, and we sing some songs. Now Jesus is the main focus of our life. We cannot leave Jesus and go anywhere, because Jesus is with us and He guides us every day. This kind of spiritual awareness, through my son, I got through Bridge of Hope.

(No Longer A Slumdog by K. P. Yohannan, GFA Publishing, © 2011, page 110-111)

So far, Gospel For Asia has over 65,000 children in their Bridge of Hope ministry. Each child is a bridge to his family, to his neighbors, and to his community, bringing hope to the millions of lost people in India and Asia.

And it all begins with a person, like you or me, sponsoring one child, for $35 per month.

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August 9, 2013 · 11:49 am

“It’s About The Economics, Stupid!”

Yes, we should give to the poor out of our love and compassion, following Jesus’ example. But also, there is a economics reason for giving to the poor.

If you help the poor, you are lending to the LORD— and he will repay you. (Proverbs 19:17 NLT)

Rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord… Ephesians 6:7-8)

If you check any prospectus for investment purposes, there will be fine print, disclosing the possibilities of your losing money. Why? Because bad things can happen to even the best of companies, organizations, municipalities, and nations. No investment on earth can ever be guaranteed 100% safe.

But giving to the poor is a heaven-backed investment, guaranteed by God and His word, which He honors above all His name. Plus, the extra benefits of giving to the poor are better than Medicare or any insurance policy:

Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor! The LORD rescues them when they are in trouble. The LORD protects them and keeps them alive. He gives them prosperity in the land and rescues them from their enemies. The LORD nurses them when they are sick and restores them to health. (Psalm 41:1-3)

So, if giving to the poor is an economics’ issue with you, you just might want to check out the facts before shaking your head.

And while you’re at it, consider Gospel For Asia’s Bridge of Hope Program, where 100% of your investment helps children in India.

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August 2, 2013 · 8:00 am

Pastor Rad

I was praying about some problems here in America three days ago. As I prayed, I was overwhelmed by the size of the problems and the difficulties in changing our attitudes. The problems loomed larger and larger in my mind and began dragging me down into a pit of despair. I wondered, “Will these problems ever change?”

Then, I felt the Lord speak to my heart, “Larry, I’m big enough to handle these problems. Just trust Me.”

Then the following morning, I was praying about some family issues. The problems seemed too big to handle and may take years to resolve, if ever.

Once again, I felt the Lord speak to my heart, “Larry, I’m big enough to handle these problems. Just trust Me.”

This is a four-part series about Pastor Rad and his beliefs that God is big enough to advance the gospel in India and change the nation.

If you’re interested in learning more about Gospel For Asia, click here.

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July 26, 2013 · 12:27 pm

Desperately Searching for Survival

“You’ve got to do something!” the parents of the village begged. They lived in deep poverty, rejected by society and ignored by the government. Their only source of water was a hole in the ground a half mile away containing polluted, bacteria-infected water. Because of waterborne illnesses, 18 of their beloved children died in one year’s time. The villages total population was only 300 people.

Praise the Lord for Pastor Hoob who shared Christ’s love with them in practical ways. Along with a Jesus Well that supplied life-giving water for the village, a Bridge of Hope center was also opened in the area. Now the children are learning and growing in Jesus and excelling academically at the same time.

The Bridge of Hope centers provide school supplies, a daily meal, medical checkups and more. With your help, we can reach many more villages like this one with the hope found in Christ. And this is only the beginning!

God is using Jesus Wells and Gospel for Asia’s Bridge of Hope to turn these dire situations around for good.

Give hope to child in Asia today. Sponsor a child.

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July 19, 2013 · 1:28 pm

Larry the Lizard Slayer

wildherps.com

I had no intention of causing the little lizard problems, but it’s hard to convince him now because he’s dead.

It all began with me looking out the window and seeing a six-inch fence lizard resting on the patio. I opened the door and watched him scamper toward the BBQ grill. I followed him with my finger poised on the camera button of my i-Phone. He dove into a hole in the butane tank which proved to be his downfall.

Although his head and front legs fit through the hole, his larger back legs could not. He was stuck. I tried helping, but his fear proved too great. I walked away and prayed, asking the Lord to free him.

The next day, I checked again. He was still stuck.

On my walk around the neighborhood, I decided the lizard was in desperate straits and needed help now. I prayed and asked the Lord to relax the lizard, maybe even put him into a deep sleep.

I softly crept up behind the lizard. I reached down and gave him a quick jerk, hoping to surprise him and free him at the same time.

Let’s just say, it did not work out quite like I planned. He died in my hand.

I felt terrible and asked forgiveness of the Lord for killing the lizard. An empty feeling hung on me for hours like a funeral shroud. If only I wouldn’t have bothered the lizard, he’d still be alive.

Now think about it, okay?

There are probably 500, 000 of these fence lizards in my neighborhood alone, ranging in size from itsy-bitsy to six inches, measuring from head to tail. Cars, lawn mowers, cats, birds, snakes, and dogs remove thousands of them every week from my area. So, what’s the big deal, right?

He lived in my yard, under my care. I let him die for no good reason at all.

Do you know what made me feel better?

I received a letter in the mail from a child we sponsor in India. Her words warmed my heart, knowing she thinks I’m someone special, but in reality, I’m not. She’s the special one who God laid on our hearts to love and help.

If you’re interested in knowing how to sponsor a child in Gospel For Asia’s Bridge of Hope program, click here.

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July 12, 2013 · 1:06 pm

What Would You Do If You Saw This Scene?

(Click to enlarge)

The young girl is a member of the 300 million people-group in India known as the “Untouchables” or Dalits. This people-group is considered subhuman, impure from birth, and worthy of nothing but contempt. Anything a Dalit touches is then considered impure and contaminated, and must be thrown away.

Dalits work at the most degrading and menial jobs in India. They clean out the open-air toilets, latrines, and sewer lines with their bare hands. They work back-breaking twelve-hour days as laborers on farms or carry firewood from the forests. All for only pennies per hour in wages. Crimes against Dalits, such as rape or kidnapping as slaves, are seldom reported because the police turn a blind eye when they hear the whole story.

The Dalits are the least of the least and the poorest of the poor.

So, you can understand why it’s acceptable for the young girl to dig through garbage. She is, after all, already contaminated and who knows? Maybe she’ll eke out a few pennies to help feed her family that day.

Let’s say you were walking down the street and happened on the scene shown in the photo. What would you do?

If you don’t have a good answer, check out Gospel For Asia’s Bridge of Hope Ministry.

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July 6, 2013 · 10:50 am