Church leaders gather to form strategies, partnerships

Nepal (MNN) ― Leaders from India, Pakistan and Nepal met last week to talk strategy.

David Shibley

Gospel strategy, that is.

"We believe that something very important was begun through this summit, and we want to...continue it for the glory of God," says David Shibley of Global Advance.

A total of 30 church leaders from Pakistan, India and Nepal gathered in Kathmandu, Nepal for the Tri-Nations Summit -- possibly the first event of its kind. They met to pray together, reaffirm their commitment to spread the Good News in their nation and encourage one another in the face of persecution.

Though their backgrounds are different, each leader at the summit shared a common concern - how to share the Gospel in a nation hostile to Christianity.

"In each one of their contexts, [leaders] are continuing to proclaim the Gospel, and they are seeing people come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ," Shibley says.

"They committed to follow the leading of God's Spirit in forging new partnerships for the advance of the Gospel."

See all the commitments made at the Tri-Nations Summit here.

Global Advance is coming alongside church leaders with vital resources. Pray these materials would reach people who need them.

Along with pairing up to help the Gospel go further in South Asia, believers lived out Paul's charge in Romans 12:15 to 'weep with those who weep'. Muslim violence in Lahore, Pakistan occurred while Pakistani delegates were at the Tri-Nations Summit.

"It was a very moving sight to see Nepali pastors and pastors from India come and gather round those wonderful leaders from Pakistan and pray for them and weep with them," shares Shibley.

As the Summit concluded, delegates agreed to pray and fast on the third day of each month. They'll be praying for one another and for the three nations that were the focus of the Summit.

Ask God to protect the unity and partnerships formed between church leaders in Pakistan, India and Nepal. Pray church leaders would know "They're not forgotten, that they're not alone, and that the Body of Christ around the world is standing with them and praying for them."

Missionaries in crossfire of ethnic tension

(Photo courtesy of GFA)

South Asia (MNN) ― Heated ethnic tensions in an undisclosed country in South Asia have missionaries and Bible College students trapped.

Gospel for Asia (GFA) reported word from their missionaries in that country last Friday saying an ethnic war has been escalating for over three weeks now.

It started on May 28 after a young woman there was brutally raped and killed. The perpetrators belonged to an opposing ethnic group.

The community the young woman was from became enraged and struck back. They attacked a bus on June 2, killing 10 people.

As each ethnic group tries to retaliate, the violence has spread across local villages. GFA says mobs are roaming the area, burning homes, and attacking villagers. Many people can’t even leave their homes to buy food during the day for fear of their lives.

A GFA missionary in the country writes, “At this very moment, the groups are attacking homes and killing each other. Many local people are coming to our church building and staying together with great fear.”

A group of Bible College students with GFA are even prevented from going back to school in the area because of the violence.

Pray for the peace and protection of the Lord over the missionaries there. Pray that others would come to find the peace of Christ in this dangerous time.

The Seed Company steps in to bring Scriptures to hostile community

South Asia (MNN) ―Christians are tolerated at best amongst the Mal Paharia speakers of South Asia.

Less than one percent of the population of Mal Paharia speakers are Christians. Most other Mal Paharia follow another major religion, which is mixed with animism and ancestor worship. Christians experience subtle discrimination and ostracism because of their faith.

Why the hostility? For one thing, the Mal Paharia have yet to receive a translation of the New Testament in their heart language.

Enter The Seed Company. BSI translators have been working for about six years to complete the New Testament, but they still have several books to complete. The Seed Company has announced that it is now coming alongside this existing work as a partner to offer them the support they need to finish the other fifteen books of the New Testament and see it through to publication.

Beyond bringing the Good News to the Mal Paharaia speakers, this partnership will also provide a venue for developing a stronger partnership between BSI and The Seed Company. This will enhance Bible translation work throughout India and will help forge a greater unity between the two organizations, reports The Seed Company.

The Seed Company has asked for a few prayer items as they approach this project. Pray for guidance, protection and focus for translators. Pray also for the Lord to prepare the hearts of Mal Paharia speakers even now to be able to read for themselves the Good News of a Savior.

To learn more about The Seed Company and their work with the Mal Paharia, click here. 

Bhutan Christian calls persecution 'necessary'

by Caroline Anderson

SOUTH ASIA (BP) -- There's not a day that goes by that Kencho Kinle* isn't sharing the Gospel door to door.

Everyone in the city knows him; some even run when he approaches. His testimony is hard to forget because it is written in blood -- both in Jesus' blood and his family's.

Black magic and meditation coexist in the mountainous kingdom of Bhutan, where Buddhism entails elements of shamanism.

Because the most powerful sorcerer in Bhutan cursed Kinle's family, he watched as his wife, three of his children, his sister and her children died.

Kinle says he almost lost his fourth child to the sorcerer's spell, but a Christian told him about the God who is more powerful than any curse.

Dorji Sangay*, Kinle's house church pastor, recounts, "Someone came to him and challenged him, 'If you put faith in Christ, your son will be saved, he shall not die.' So they put faith in Christ, and his son is still alive today." 

Twenty-three years later, Kinle, now in his late 60s, lives outside his home country, but he has shared the Gospel with everyone in Buddhist communities in the area. 

"I always make a point to share to the new people, so I have visited almost every single house," Kinle says, gesturing toward the apartments outside. He says he always tries to share with those who are sick and hopeless or have never heard the Gospel before. 

"Whether they listen or not, whether they respond or not, I believe that my job is to share the Gospel," Kinle says. 

Kinle has returned to his village in Bhutan many times to share with his extended family. None of Kinle's relatives has accepted his message yet, but he constantly prays that they will come to faith in Christ.

Kinle's uncle asked him why he would leave Buddhism to follow Jesus. Kinle pointed to his son and said, "Because He healed him."

Kinle and his entire church later prayed that his son would find a godly wife -- a serious challenge when so few in their circles follow Christ. The Lord answered their prayer this year. Kinle, his son and his daughter-in-law live in a small two-room apartment. 

"God's work is very exciting," Kinle's son, Tshering*, says. Tshering's income supports their family. Kinle was forced to resign his job when complaints about his faith reached his boss, but because of this, Kinle says, he has more time to share. 

"It is necessary to be persecuted, the work of God becomes greater," Kinle says. His wrinkles say more about his pain and joy than words ever could. 

Kinle is considering attending a six-month discipleship training this year. His only hesitation is being unable to share the Gospel all day, every day, sharing about the God that his wife and three children never had a chance to know. 
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*Names changed. Caroline Anderson writes for the International Mission Board. For more information about Bhutan, including a 30-day prayer guide, virtual prayer walk and videos, visitwww.go2southasia.org/explore/exploring-bhutan and www.tiki-toki.com/timeline/entry/6098/Bhutan-10-years-of-prayer

Missionary attacked while walking home from church

Mission Network News: "South Asia (MNN) ― As a result of their location and of the general offensiveness of the Gospel, missionaries and pastors in South Asia frequently come up against extreme opposition.

Thus, Gospel for Asia workers are often chided, harassed and beaten for their faith."

Read more...

Missionary Finally Released from Prison

CARROLLTON, Texas, August 29, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- Gospel for Asia-supported missionary Roshan Kuma was released from prison August 10 after a trial found him innocent of the charges brought against him. He served 17 long months after being falsely accused of working with the Maoists, an anti-government terrorist group.

 

Roshan, and his brother-in-law, M.T. Joshri, were arrested March 10, 2010.

 

In some parts of South Asia, the Maoists are a popular political party, but in the country where Roshan lives, they are most often insurgents who terrorize citizens. The country's prime minister calls them the "single biggest internal security challenge ever faced by our country."

 

Although Roshan was in prison, he refused to give up his calling to share the Gospel. He told his fellow prisoners about the love of Jesus and many chose to follow Christ. Roshan also started a prayer meeting in the jail.

 

"In spite of spending more than a year of suffering in prison, Pastor Roshan's vision for serving Jesus never dimmed. He still has an unquenchable thirst and passion for the ministry," said Dr. K.P. Yohannan, Gospel for Asia president and founder. "He continues to serve in the same area where there's a lot of Maoist activity, which causes many people to live in fear. Yet he has a successful and wonderful ministry in this small village."

 

When he was arrested, Roshan was pastor of a church with about 100 members. Some in Roshan's village believe the accusations against the missionary pastor originated with anti-Christian extremists unhappy with the growth of the church.

 

The believers in Roshan's village continually prayed for their pastor while he was in prison. In spite of their leader's arrest and imprisonment, the church grew and now has about 125 people attending worship each week.

 

Roshan's congregation is in the midst of constructing a new church building, which they plan to dedicate this fall.

 

"Please pray for Pastor Roshan, that God would continue to use him mightily for the Kingdom," K.P. asked. "Praise the Lord for using Pastor Roshan in prison, and for the inmates who chose to follow Jesus. Pray that they will stand firm in their faith--even while they are in prison."

 

Gospel for Asia is an evangelical mission organization based in Carrollton involved in sharing the love of Jesus across South Asia.

Two Mission Church Buildings Destroyed

Gospel for AsiaFor Immediate Release
SOUTH ASIA (ANS) -- One Gospel for Asia-supported missionary suffered an attack on his church building, and another missionary saw his church building destroyed this summer.

Church Vandalized

Dozens of churches, like the one shown here, have been destroyed by extremists in Orissa, India. The latest incident occurred during the first week of August.

The first incident occurred on June 25. When pastor Chandan Dutta showed up to lead worship the next day, he noticed that all the windows in the church were destroyed. The door was also damaged where the vandals attempted to break in.

Chandan reported the incident to the local police, but they have yet to identify the culprits.

 This was not the first challenge to Chandan's ministry. In 2009 he was confronted by an angry mob of 200 people who took him to a nearby religious temple, accused him of forcing people to convert to Christianity and demanded he answer numerous questions about his activities. The incident happened after Chandan passed out some Gospel tracts. During the lengthy illegal trial at the temple, Chandan shared the Gospel, explaining the love of Jesus as outlined in Psalm 23 and the book of John.

 His accusers let him go that day, but warned him not to preach the Gospel or hand out any more tracts. In spite of their harsh treatment, many people continue turning to Christ as a result of Chandan's ministry.

 He is asking for prayer that his opponents won't interfere with the ministry, but instead, will fully comprehend God's love for them. He is also asking for prayer that he will be able to relocate his parsonage next to the church so that he can better guard the building.
Another Church Destroyed in Orissa

Another church in Orissa, India has been destroyed. This time, it was in an area about 200 miles northeast of Kandhamal, where much of the violence against Christians raged in 2008.

The destruction of the church was believed to be directed by a local anti-Christian leader with strong ties to the traditional faith of the area. His anti-Christian rebel group was angry that people from different castes were meeting together for worship. The church building was constructed on land donated by a Dalit ("Untouchable")  man, which also angered the anti-Christian group. This particular group holds fast to the tradition of segregation based on caste, although that system was outlawed more than 60 years ago.

 The leaders of GFA's ministry in Orissa ask for prayer for the believers who lost their church to remain unified and devoted to the Lord. They are also asking for wisdom and provision to rebuild the church building.

 Orissa is a difficult state for missionaries. In 2008, this same anti-Christian rebel group went on a rampage after their leader was murdered. They killed hundreds of Christians and burned down thousands of churches, homes and businesses owned by believers.

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See how GFA-supported missionaries are helping rebuild Orissa.

http://www.gfa.org/persecution/rebuild-orissa/

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Gospel for Asia is an evangelical mission organization based in Carrollton, Texas, involved in sharing the love of Jesus across South Asia.

Man Has Beef with God

The people of Kanohraj* village wanted to kill Daruka for sharing God's love until a dead cow changed their minds.

The Gospel for Asia-supported missionary often encountered hostility from the villagers when he went out to share Christ, but he remained steadfast in prayer and fasting to see the village reached.

His faithfulness paid off when he met Santosh Singh, who owned a farm with many cows. Daruka shared the Gospel with him and gave him a tract called "Heart of Man." Santosh soaked in the message of salvation in Christ, and from then on he invited Daruka to visit his home every Tuesday to pray for him and his family.

As Santosh learned more about Jesus and listened to the Word of God, the Lord opened his heart to receive Him. But when a tragic incident happened to Santosh's livestock, he began to question his newfound faith.

One by one, an unexplained disease took the lives of the cows in his herd. When the last one died, a discouraged Santosh made up his mind to turn back to his traditional religion. But when Pastor Daruka heard about the situation, he knew God Almighty could change the circumstances. So he prayed for Santosh's dead cow.

Miraculously, the Lord brought the animal back to life! Seeing this miracle, Santosh's faith quickly deepened, and he decided to put his full trust in the Lord. His entire family came to know of God's saving grace as well.

Once the people of Kanohraj found out about the miracle of the resurrected cow, they no longer sought to kill Daruka. Instead Daruka's church began to grow, and his ministry continues to flourish under God's care.

*name of village has been changed for security purposes.

• Learn how a cow can help provide for a needy family.
• Read how God answered a single mother's prayer for a cow.

Their Changed Lives Landed Him in Jail; Their Testimonies Freed Him

Gospel for Asia
For Immediate Release

GFA-supported missionary Murli Ghulam is shown with his wife and children. He was arrested while conducting a prayer meeting. The testimonies of those who came to know the Lord through him helped him get released from jail.

SOUTH ASIA (ANS) -- Gospel for Asia-supported missionary Murli Ghulam was released from prison, but he is restricted from traveling outside his own village. Additional details about Murli's ministry and the events leading to his release are also being reported.

Murli was arrested on July 2 as he was leading a prayer meeting in a believer's home and charged with bribing and forcing people to convert to Christianity. The charge was brought by anti-Christian extremists in his village. Murli lives in an area with strict laws that make it difficult to share the love of Jesus with people from the area's traditional religions. These statutes, which are often used as a basis of arresting Christian pastors, are known as "freedom of religion laws" and outline what steps must be taken to change one's faith. In some places where there are "freedom of religion laws," individuals are legally obligated to submit paperwork to the government before they are allowed to publicly follow Christ.

As a result of Murli's ministry, dozens of people have embraced the love of Christ. When this happens, it generally stirs up the anger of the local followers of the traditional faiths, who often complain about the missionary's activities to the police. This appears to be what happened to Murli.

Changes Lives Show Christ's Power
After his release, Murlie told a GFA correspondent about several dramatic answers to prayer that have occurred as part of his ministry, which may have brought the wrath of anti-Christian extremists down on him.

Sheenu Manim's Story

Sheenu Manim used to wander around her village asking every young man she met "Will you marry me?" Sheenu had a mental illness, and no one knew how to help her. In January, 2010, some people from her village brought Sheenu to Murli and asked him to pray for her. He prayed for the healing power of Jesus Christ to fall on the 25-year-old's life, and God answered his prayer. From that day on, Sheenu was in her right mind and began proclaiming the love of Christ in her village and telling everyone about His healing in her life. A group of anti-Christian extremists asked her who prayed for her healing, and she gladly told them about Murli and gave them his phone number.

Panjit Lukkise's Story

Panjit Lukkise was the target of a witchdoctor's vengeful wrath. The witchdoctor summoned evil spirits to attack Panjit with the goal of ending his life. It seemed to be working; Panji's health started to fail. The 40-year-old man went from doctor to doctor, spending all of his family's money seeking a cure. He was incredibly weak and could barely keep any food down. His health continued to go downhill. But then the family heard about Murli and carried Panjit to the missionary's doorstep. Murli cried out to God on Panjit's behalf, and this suffering man experienced full healing. He ran back to his village and shared the wonders Christ had performed in his life. Because of Panjit's testimony, 80 people chose to follow Jesus in that one village.

Sunil Andamimad's Story

Sunil Andamimad had a painful ulcer in his stomach. The ulcer perforated his stomach, and he was hospitalized and in great pain. When the doctors failed to provide any relief, Sunil begged his family to get him out of the hospital and to someone who could really help him.

"Please take me to Pastor Murli; he can heal me!" Sunil pleaded.

When Murli heard Sunil's request, he prayed and Sunil got a little better. Then Murli asked his church members to pray and fast for seven days for Sunil. At the end of that week Sunil was healed.

Jagon and Mushi Gopal's Story

Jagon and Mushi Gopal were living a nightmare. They lived in an area that was prolific with idol and spirit worship. By actively participating in these practices, the couple opened themselves to the dangers, and soon, they were personally attacked by an evil spirit. This torment continued for 10 years. Murli heard about their condition and traveled 24 miles to the couple's home just to pray for them. At the name of Jesus, the evil spirit fled and their lives have changed dramatically. Both husband and wife chose to follow Christ, and a church was started in their home. The church is growing and adding many new members each week.

Fear And Anger Over New Faith

Several local anti-Christian extremist groups were horrified at the changes they were seeing in their villages as many people abandoned their traditional religions and chose to worship Christ. They filed a police complaint charging Murli forcing people to convert to Christianity.

Murli was arrested the day after the charges were filed against him. His accusers urged the police to deny bail for Murli and keep him in jail. But Murli did not worry about the pressure.

"My Lord, whom I serve, will make a way for me to come out from jail," he said.

When they heard their pastor had been arrested, believers from several villages rushed to the jail and began telling the police their testimonies.

"Jesus has healed me."
"Jesus has blessed me."
"We ourselves willingly come to worship Him."

"Who said that Pastor Murli is changing our religion? No! He never forced me to change my religion. He just prayed and shared the Good News, which I never knew before."

They also threatened to stage a peaceful protest outside the jail until their pastor was released.

When the police heard the testimonies of these believers, they granted Murli bail, and he was released within the hour.

Murli is back teaching God's principles to an average crowd of 250 people on Sundays. Since they don't have a church building, Murli leads Sunday worship in his home.

Murli asks that you continue to pray for him, that God would protect him and his family from danger and opposition. Also pray for God's guidance and abundant grace on the pastor.

He also asks for prayer that those who brought the charges against him would embrace the love of Christ.

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• Read the original story of how Murli and another GFA-supported missionary were arrested on the same day.
• Read about other Gospel for Asia-supported missionaries who are being persecuted for the sake of the Gospel.

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Gospel for Asia is an evangelical mission organization based in Carrollton, Texas, involved in sharing the love of Jesus across South Asia.

Water Withheld From Believers

Gospel for Asia
For Immediate Release

Believers in South Asia often face the dilemma of being denied access to wells in their villages, so they are forced to walk long distances to fetch water from other places.

SOUTH ASIA (ANS) -- Bandhu Pillai and his family are scorned in their community. They are the only believers in their extended family, and now they are facing intense opposition from the other residents of the village.

Several days ago, the villagers started forbidding Bandhu's family from using the common well, so the family is forced to walk to another village to draw water. Even worse, the villagers are threatening to kick the family out of their village. This is a serious problem for these new Asian believers as their society is rooted in family and tradition. 

Leaving their village in shame would mean they might never see their family again. They would also lose their home and any inheritance associated with their land or business in the village they've lived in since birth.

Bandhu's pastor, Gospel for Asia-supported missionary Satya Naidu, requests prayers for the family. Please pray God will help them to hold firmly to their faith during this difficult time, and that He will change the hearts of the villagers who are oppressing the family.

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• Read about another community where people have prevented believers from drawing water.
• Learn about Jesus Wells, which provide clean water to all people, regardless of religion or caste.

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Gospel for Asia is an evangelical mission organization based in Carrollton, Texas, involved in sharing the love of Jesus across South Asia.

Two Missionaries Arrested

Gospel for Asia
For Immediate Release

GFA-supported missionary Murli Ghulam and his family are shown here. Murli spent a day in jail after being accused of forcing people to convert to Christianity.

INDIA (ANS) -- Two Gospel for Asia-supported missionaries in India were arrested over the weekend. One was released later that same day, but the other remains behind bars.

Pastor Accused of Being Member of Rebel Group

Rahul Akkunj was arrested on July 2 and is charged with being a member of a well-known rebel group. Rahul is not part of the group. Rather, he is the pastor of a church in the village where he was arrested. The allegations came after a fasting and prayer meeting Rahul led at his church. Several villagers who heard about the event were distressed, saying that if Rahul's church continues to grow at the rate it has been, their traditional religion will be wiped out.

Rahul's district leader went to the jail on Monday and tried to post bail on his behalf, but he was refused. The local authorities told the leader the charges against Rahul were serious and he would be forced to remain in the jail until there is a court hearing.

Pastor Rahul and the people who love him are asking for prayer that the Lord will speak into the heart of the judge to rule in favor of the missionary, and that the charges against him will be dropped.

Missionary Charged with Forced Conversion

Just a few miles away, GFA-supported missionary Murli Ghulam was arrested on Saturday. He was charged with forcing people to convert to Christianity after he led a prayer meeting for 25 people at the home of a local believer.

A local anti-Christian extremist group brought police to the home. They broke up the service and arrested the missionary on the spot.

In the state where Murli and Rahul serve, there are strict laws that outline the process by which an individual is allowed to change their faith. The rules, which are officially known as "freedom of religion laws," were enacted to prevent conversion by force, fraud or allurement. The laws are said to protect those who practice traditional religions from being forced to convert to a Western faith by a pastor or missionary. In many cases, especially those involving Christianity, extremists accuse the pastor of forcing people to change their faith, even when they testify that they chose to follow Christ by their own will. In some areas, the new believers are forced to register their intention to switch faiths with the local government. There are a myriad of penalties and fines for anyone who does not follow all the rules outlined in this legislation.

Murli was questioned by local authorities about the charges leveled against him. He clearly explained that he was not forcing anyone to change their faith. He was released on Sunday.

Murli's supporters are asking for prayer that God would encourage him and help him as shares the love of God with the villagers. They also ask for prayer for wisdom and strength for the believers in this village, where Murli serves as the pastor of a local church. They are asking for prayer that they would be able to defend their faith in whatever circumstances come their way and that they would continue worshiping Jesus in spirit and in truth.

Murli and the believers in this village also asked for prayer for the salvation of those who opposed the ministry and brought the charges against the pastor.

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·         Believers in South Asia face almost constant persecution. Read about a village where the believers are denied water.

·         Viplav received healing as a result of the fervent prayer of a Gospel for Asia-supported missionary.

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Gospel for Asia is an evangelical mission organization based in Carrollton, Texas, involved in sharing the love of Jesus across South Asia.

Servants No Greater than Their Master

Gospel for Asia
For Immediate Release

While new believers receive love and spiritual nourishment at their churches, family members often try to prevent them from worshiping with other Christians.

Like these men, believers in Pastor Sulekh's congregation faced jail time because of false accusations by anti-Christian extremists.

SOUTH ASIA (ANS) -- Jesus told his disciples, "'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you" (John 15:20, NKJV).

Throughout South Asia, many of Jesus' followers-especially those who have recently committed their lives to Him-face persecution from their communities. Within the past year, the following Christians have experienced threats and abuse because they claim the name of Jesus:

Man's New Infectious Faith Provokes Village Unrest
Kantimoy once devoutly followed the religion traditional to his people group. He, his wife and their three children got up early every day to worship their deity. Kantimoy was even in charge of maintaining the property of the temple in his village.

But the gods and goddesses he worshiped couldn't heal his three children. His 10-year-old son, Jugnu, suffered from seizures, his 8-year-old daughter had a hole in her heart and youngest daughter experienced night terrors that disrupted his entire household, robbing them of sleep.

One day, a Gospel for Asia-supported pastor told Kantimoy about Jesus. This pastor continued visiting him and praying for his family. Jugnu stopped having seizures, and Kantimoy started to have faith in Jesus. Finally, Kantimoy gave his heart to the Lord. He stopped working at the temple and even opened his home for a prayer group. Three neighboring families ended up joining!

But the other villagers-including his relatives and family members-turned against Kantimoy. They started opposing his congregation and are causing problems for his pastor.

Justice Denied for Christian Villagers

In a part of South Asia where believers have experienced unimaginable hostility and violence in recent years, believers in one village still face opposition. In September, some villagers attacked the believers, beating one individual. When a group of Christians protested against this violence, police jailed 10 of them. Although they were released on bail, hostility in the village continues.

Gospel for Asia-supported pastor Sulekh Kapoor reported in January that the villagers were cooperating with an anti-Christian extremist group to prevent the believers from going to the market.

In light of this situation, Pastor Sulekh has requested prayer for protection and safety for the Christian families in this village.

Choosing Christ's Family or Earthly Family

Kanan Tamang, 20, recently chose to give his life to Jesus. He worships with a growing congregation led by GFA-supported missionary Rehmat Chatterjee. However, his parents have threatened to disown him if he continues to follow Christ. The other villagers are also opposing Kanan's decision, saying that if he makes his decision to follow Jesus final, they will chase him from the village.

Pastor Rehmat requests prayers on behalf of Kanan that God will give him courage to remain faithful. Also pray that Kanan's witness will draw his family to Christ, and Pastor Rehmat will point many people to Jesus as he continues abiding in the Holy Spirit

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Counting the Cost at a Young Age

Recently on May 10, two adolescent boys decided to give their lives to Jesus. Sixteen-year-old Bodhan Tambe gave his life to Jesus after his friend and schoolmate Yash, a Christian in a GFA-supported congregation, shared the Good News with him.

When Bodhan's parents found out, they angrily threatened to kick their son out of the house if he went to church. However, he is still trying to attend worship services.

The other young man, Kiranmay Mehta, faces a similar dilemma. When his parents learned that he chose to follow Christ, they started abusing him and prevented him from going to church.

Please pray that Bodhan and Kiranmay will stand strong in their new faith and be able to worship with other believers. Also, please pray that their families will receive salvation.

Please intercede for God to work mightily in each of these situations, strengthening the believers and transforming the hearts of those who are against Him and His followers. 

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• Find out more about how persecution affects believers and missionaries in South Asia.
• A few years ago, Christians faced some of the most horrific persecution seen in modern times.

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Gospel for Asia is an evangelical mission organization based in Carrollton, Texas, involved in sharing the love of Jesus across South Asia.