Joy of Work 
Joy of Work
Here are some special ways you can give to reach out to entire families in South Asia. Through blessing them with the vocational tools you see on these pages, you also give them a chance to hear about the redemptive love of Jesus—the greatest love they could ever discover.
Many poor regions of Asia have no source of pure drinking water. Using concrete and sand, these bio water filters remove impurities, providing water for drinking and cooking that is 98 percent pure. For $30, help provide pure water in an Asian village—and a chance for them to hear of the living water Jesus offers.
On those blustery winter nights during the winter season, who doesn’t like to curl up under a warm, soft blanket? That’s not possible for many impoverished families in Asia. Many live in homes that lack sufficient heat and protection against the harsh winter elements. Your gift of $5 for a blanket will provide much-needed warmth and comfort.
On a nice day, you may enjoy taking your fishing boat out on the lake. For millions of families in Asia, fishing at sea is their primary source of livelihood. As a result of the Asian tsunami, thousands lost their boats and nets-and with them their means of supporting their families. Your gift of a boat for $2,500 will equip a family to provide for its daily needs-and demonstrate that Jesus loves them.
In areas where there is no electricity—such as low-caste or Dalit villages—good lighting at night is unobtainable for many. An LED solar light system, running on solar power with a seven-year battery, would be a special blessing for people in such places. For $105, you can provide an LED solar light system, a gift that will not only light up a home but also can point people to Jesus, the Light of the World.
For the poor of Asia, sewing is not just a hobby; it is an opportunity to earn a livelihood for their family. In places where electricity is available, a motorized sewing machine allows the work to be completed much faster. You can give a gift of a motorized sewing machine for $115 that not only clothes the family, but will put food on their table as well.
Remember your grandmother’s sewing machine? You may have seen one like many people in Asia still use today—operated by a foot treadle. For the poor of Asia, sewing is not just a hobby; it is an opportunity to earn a livelihood for their family. You can give a gift of a sewing machine for $85 that not only will put clothes on the backs of a mother’s children, but will put food on her family’s table as well.
In India, planting season is vital for a poor, rural family. For $75 you can provide a set of tools for a family to grow their own nutritious crops and maintain their home throughout the year. A tool kit includes an axe, shovel, saw, plow, sickle and crowbar.
In places like Sri Lanka and South India, where the 2004 tsunami displaced so many lives, and in teeming cities like Delhi and Bombay, the ability to make a decent living often involves vocational training that is beyond the reach of the poor. As a further witness to the Gospel, GFA is teaming up with local churches to offer training in such practical fields as welding, sewing or other basic trades.