Gospel for Asia: News and Features Digest – Reaching the Most Unreached – Wednesday, 8 January 2013

Gospel for Asia: News and Features Digest – Reaching the Most Unreached – Wednesday, 8 January 2013
After more than a year of false accusations from religious radicals, a medical exam proves Gospel for Asia pastor Baasim innocent of the most recent charge against him: raping a 24-year-old woman. His court case began this week.
Pastor Accused of Rape, Proved Innocent by Medical Exam
After more than a year of false accusations from religious radicals, a medical exam proves Gospel for Asia pastor Baasim innocent of the most recent charge against him: raping a 24-year-old woman.
The new information is scheduled to be presented in court this week, though receiving a verdict may take much longer given the common delays in the court system. Until then, Pastor Baasim will remain in prison, where he has been since his arrest in late December 2013.
GFA pastors and leaders who visited Pastor Baasim in prison say he is very weak physically. He has minor injuries from being beaten by the extremist group that brought false charges against him throughout the previous year. The group is believed to be behind the latest allegations as well.
Pastor Baasim began facing opposition to his ministry in September 2012, when approximately 80 people were gathering for worship services in a rented house.
"If you continue your pastoral work here in this district, we will file a case against you for forcible conversion," the group told Pastor Baasim.
As the ministry grew to its current size of 400 believers, the extremists kept to their word, filing multiple reports against the pastor, threatening him, trying to beat him and burning his effigy in public.
Over the last year, local police have cleared the pastor of all charges and sometimes provided security services to the ministry, as local believers testified that they were not coerced into following Christ.
It is believed that the extremist group persuaded a local woman to accuse the pastor of rape in order to stop the ministry once and for all. Initially, the alleged victim refused medical testing to verify her claim, which aroused suspicion among critics of the case.
The first phase of Pastor Baasim’s hearing began January 8.
Please pray for:
Investigators to quickly and soundly uncover the truth.
Pastor Baasim’s accusers to know the Lord and retract their previous statements against our brother.
Comfort, strength and faith for Pastor Baasim and his congregation.
The Lord to be glorified in this dark situation.
Join the Prayer Team
We trust that you will be challenged to pray and assist our brothers and sisters in Asia who face persecution on a daily basis. You will receive emergency prayer needs from Asia and monthly requests. Let's knit our hearts and prayer together for these faithful men and women.
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Field Story - Their Impossible Dream: A Toilet
A family's toilet
Their Impossible Dream: A Toilet
Family with Outdoor ToiletOnce again, the government commercial played on the radio, asking the impossible. The listeners had heard all about the importance of toilets, and they knew how one would help their village. But they were poor laborers, and buying one was out of the question. The villagers didn’t even have enough money to bribe an official into helping them get one.
Across the region, villagers dealt with the same problems. Women were often molested on their way to the restroom because they had to walk long distances to find private places,. The elderly grew weary from the treks, and monsoon seasons flooded the area, leaving no place at all to go.
“I get up early in the morning to go to the lavatory. …,” said Edhitha. “The place where I go is an open area, and people keep passing by. Sometimes, I have to wait until the people go away.”
Government officials often speak out against using open spaces as restrooms, broadcasting television and radio programs that warn of the spread of disease. Yet for many villagers, the reason for using open spaces is not ignorance or preference, but a lack of other options.
An Unaffordable Civility
“I grew up being a girl who would shy away from going in an open area, but there was no other choice,” Ladhi said.
Most laborers in remote villages earn scarcely enough to live on. The $128 to $160 USD required to build a toilet is more than they will ever be able to save.
“I have been trying to build a toilet, but due to the lack of finances, I could not make one,” said Haashim.
Seeing the need in Edhitha, Ladhi and Haashim’s district, Gospel for Asia missionaries constructed 20 standalone toilets in six villages.
Now, for the first time, these villagers have a sanitary, private place to relieve themselves. The outdoor toilets are also near their homes, so the elderly and sick can easily access them any time of the day, and women no longer have to worry about predators.
More Than a Lavatory
“I am thankful to the church for being concerned for the poor and needy people. … Being poor, we were not able to build a toilet for our girls,” Ladhi said, “but now we all are happy that we can use it at any time. We, as a family, are grateful to the church for this facility.”
Because the toilets are given through the church, they are a constant reminder of God’s love. With fellowships located a short distance from each one, finding out more about that love is as easy as using the restroom.
Learn about the people Gospel for Asia helps with gifts like outdoor toilets, pull carts and animals.
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5 Minutes with K.P. - Keep Looking at What Jesus is Doing
Keep Looking at What Jesus is Doing
John the Baptist sat in Herod's prison. Knowing that his life hung by a very thin thread, he sent two of his disciples to Jesus to ask, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?" (Luke 7:20). What had happened to the mighty, fearless preacher who called his whole nation to repentance and accused the Pharisees of being a brood of vipers?
John was born to elderly parents—an incredible miracle. Growing up, he must have heard them say countless times, "You are the one the prophet Isaiah wrote about, the one who will come in the spirit of Elijah to prepare the way of the Lord." John had absolutely no doubt about his identity, and he knew how to answer those who asked if he was the Messiah. "I am not the Christ," he confessed. "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness. . . . It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me" (John 1:20, 23, 27).
Shortly afterward, John publicly declared Jesus to be the Son of God and Israel's Messiah, proclaiming, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29). This declaration testifies of the deep knowledge, revelation, conviction and understanding John had about God's purpose.
How did Jesus respond to John's confusion?
In prison, however, he wondered whether or not he had made a fatal mistake. John the Baptist—of whom Jesus testified that he was the greatest man born on earth—went through the worst confusion and doubt anyone can entertain: He questioned whether he'd failed his mission and misled his nation by declaring the wrong person to be the Messiah.

The reason for his confusion was that he expected Jesus to use His power to rescue him and set up His kingdom.

Amazingly, Jesus didn't condemn him. Neither did He say to John's disciples, "You mean John sent you to ask Me these questions? It shows that he has lost it completely. I never thought he would fall by the wayside like anyone else." Instead, Jesus responded with understanding and compassion. First, He healed many who were sick, blind and lame, and He delivered those afflicted with evil spirits.

Then He told John's disciples, "Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me" (Luke 7:22-23).
What Jesus was saying to John was this: "John, it's all right. You are expecting Me to snap my fingers and get you out of prison and vindicate you. You are a righteous and wonderful individual, but that's not what I am going to do.
"When you serve Me, you will go through times of deep struggles. But if you keep looking at what I, the Lord, am doing, you will see that you have a part in all of it.
"John, don't forget that these blind people now see, the crippled walk and millions who were lost and bound for hell are turning to the Father. John, it's worth it."
How do we deal with others when they go through struggles?
When I was younger, I remember how aggressive, proud and absolutely certain I was about everything. I used to be so critical and judgmental toward other brothers and sisters who were going through difficult times full of doubt and confusion. Some of them wanted to quit the ministry. Instead of showing compassion for them, I would come up with Bible verses to preach at them.
Sometimes I did the same thing to my wife. One day, when I came home, her eyes were all red, and I asked her what was wrong. But before she could answer, I told her five Scripture references.
"Can you please stop preaching at me?" she asked. "I know all these Bible verses myself. The whole day I struggled with the kids and things at home. All I want is for you to understand what I am going through."
Let us learn from Jesus!
The next time we see our brother or sister discouraged and confused, let us not say with our mouth, "I will pray for you," while in our heart we are saying, "You creep, don't you know better?"
Instead, let us encourage them to keep looking at what Jesus is doing and see the difference that their lives are making for the kingdom of God.
And one more thing: When Jesus talked to the crowds about John, He never mentioned John's doubt and confusion. Instead, He made the most amazing statements about John's life and ministry.
Can we do the same with our brothers and sisters? Let us be willing to forget their problems and times of discouragement and see only the amazing things God has done in and through their lives. And then let us believe that He will do even greater things through them in the future.
K.P. Yohannan
Dr. K.P. Yohannan
Founder & President of Gospel for Asia
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