Gospel for Asia is a ministry with many different outreaches in Asia, where they take the Good News of Jesus, bringing  hope and life to many who have never heard of him, and who are  trapped in a hopeless life because of poverty, superstition, and at times slavery.

Up to 25 percent of the people  in South Asia’s largest cities live in slums, where they live in poverty with no way to better themselves. Sometimes they’ve come there hoping to find a better life, but end up trapped in poor-paying jobs, no job, or even in bonded labor, which is really a type of slavery.

Sometimes we might look at the overwhelming facts of the millions who live in such conditions and think, “What could I do that would help out at all?” I am reminded of a trip I made to New Orleans five years ago with a group from my church. We were going to work on some homes that had been damaged by Hurricane Katrina.  My first impression as we walked through the neighborhood and saw the extent of the devastation, was “What good is my little bit of work going to do here?” Later on the answer came in the story of the poor woman who gave the mite to the temple treasury, and Jesus said she gave more than all the rich people who actually put a lot more money than she did. She gave what she felt God wanted her to give, and that little bit ended up being something very important. Our individual little bit of help won’t deliver the millions from the slums, but it will help some, and to God that is important, because he cares about individuals.

One of Gospel for Asia’s outreaches is its Slum Ministry, where missionaries go into the slums to help in various ways, such as free medical clinics, literacy classes, tutoring for children, and planting churches where people can learn about Jesus Christ. More information can be found here: http://www.gfa.org/cs/slum-ministry/.