Gospel for Asia Helps Release Thousands from ‘Jaws of Hunger’
Hunger relief efforts led by two Texas-based organizations are helping thousands of families in Texas struggling with COVID-19 hardships.
Humanitarian agency Gospel for Asia (GFA World, www.gfa.org) — a faith-based organization headquartered in Wills Point, 50 miles east of Dallas –has rushed to help starving people on the other side of the world as the pandemic spreads.
But after the coronavirus hit hard in its own backyard, GFA World jumped into action to help its Texas neighbors, too.
The organization — partnering with Texas-based ministry Body of Life — is helping to feed hundreds of Texas families every month by distributing “Farmers to Families” fresh produce boxes.
Every month, more than a thousand Farmers to Families boxes — supplied by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) — are being handed out to Texans in need at GFA World’s Wills Point campus.
The organization’s Texas hunger response has caught the attention of local leaders.
Mayrani Velazquez, a member of Terrell City Council, described the COVID-19 food relief as a “blessing,” adding: “We’re all grateful for GFA World’s willingness to host these events.”
Help, Hope for the Hurting
“Our desire is to bring help for today and hope for tomorrow wherever we are,” said K.P. Yohannan, founder of GFA World that’s also feeding hundreds of thousands across Asia in the throes of the pandemic.
In Asia — the world’s most populated continent, home to six out of every 10 people on earth — many families face starvation as COVID-19 has shuttered factories and other businesses, leaving desperate parents with no income or safety net.
Thousands more would be in dire straits without grassroots food relief efforts, led by local churches. One aid recipient said: “I will never forget such an act of kindness in my life.”
Out of the Jaws of Hunger
The organization’s Bridge of Hope program and local church-run efforts in Asia continue to release thousands from the jaws of hunger — children like Samsundar, an orphan, and Sunita, whose mother hasn’t been able to work for months.
Aid packages — including rice, cooking oil, salt, and other essentials — have been a lifeline for nearly 200,000 people, including children.
In northeast India’s tea-growing region of Assam, GFA World workers are delivering aid in the midst of a “double disaster” — COVID-19 and devastating floods. They use homemade paddleboards to get around their rain-lashed communities, where some churches are under several feet of floodwater. In one area, church members also gave out face masks.
In India’s densely populated West Bengal region, people are calling the church-led relief effort a godsend. “It’s as if the Lord suddenly sent manna from above,” one parent said.
Texas-based Gospel for Asia (GFA World, www.gfa.org) is a leading faith-based mission agency, helping national workers bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across Asia, especially to those who have yet to hear about the love of God. For more information, visit our https://press.gfa.org/news.
(SOURCE: Gospel for Asia via Christian Newswire)
