Compassion Services

Dear GFA Friend,
What a blessing it is to once again prepare to celebrate Christmas and to thank God for the great love He showed toward us. But have you ever imagined what it would have been like if He had not sent Jesus that first Christmas to be our Savior?

Although we do not deserve it, compassion is part of God's nature. That's why Jesus was deeply moved with compassion when He saw people's lost condition and physical suffering. Remember how He often stopped to touch individuals and meet physical as well as spiritual needs? Since we as Christians share His nature, we too are called to "put on a heart of compassion" as we represent Him and carry the Gospel to a lost and dying world.

That's why our GFA Compassion Services is such an integral part of bringing God's love and comfort to those who live in terrible poverty or are caught in disasters such as cyclones, earthquakes, droughts, tsunamis or severe monsoon floods.

We praise God that we have such a large network of churches, Bible colleges and mission stations in so many areas of the Indian Subcontinent. This enables us to immediately mobilize our believers, Bible college students, pastors and missionaries to assist our compassion ministry teams in responding to emergency relief operations.

Let me share with you what a difference our Compassion Services ministry made in one small fishing village in Andhra Pradesh, India:

When the village was hit by a small tsunami and subsequently by a cyclone, many lives were lost, people's houses and personal belongings were destroyed, and the fishing gear that provided their livelihood was washed away.

The local government could not provide sufficient help for the overwhelming number of victims, so our Compassion Services teams immediately distributed food, water, clothing and fishing nets to the suffering people.

Encountering Christ's love through this practical outreach, several young people expressed their desire to receive Jesus, and others started to attend the GFA Believers Church in their village. In fact, three people who had actually been practicing witchcraft came to Christ as a direct result of this compassionate outreach.

The natural disasters that descend every year on the Subcontinent often occur without any warning and hit villages totally unprepared to deal with the immense suffering that results. So the goal of GFA Compassion Services is to be equipped and ready to respond the very day such devastating events happen. Obviously, we cannot wait until the storm strikes before we gather the needed resources to respond.

So this year, as you celebrate Christmas with your family and friends, I ask you to also remember the poorest of the poor of South Asia who will face unexpected tragedy during the coming year-and help us prepare now so GFA Compassion Services will be ready to minister in the name of Jesus.

When the massive tsunami swept across South Asia, the devastating earthquake hit Kashmir and the floods inundated Bombay, GFA Compassion Services volunteers were among the first on the scene, bringing not only physical aid, but also a hope for the future found only in the Good News of Jesus Christ.

And our friends like you responded. As a result, churches have emerged and thousands whose hearts were filled with despair have found unexpected hope-and even joy-amid the tragedy.

This Christmas season, I invite you to help prepare GFA Compassion Services for the next emergency and opportunity to touch even more lives for eternity.

To make your gift of compassion, click here. Or call toll free, 1-800-WIN-ASIA. Your gift and continued prayers will help our brothers and sisters in Asia share the love of Christ and His gift of salvation-along with the physical help they render-whether it is in the wake of an earthquake or in the midst of an Asian slum.

May God fill your heart with His joy and peace this Christmas and always.

Your brother in Christ,

K.P. Yohannan
Founder and President