Expanding Horizons: GFA World’s Missionary Efforts in Africa

SPEAKER 01 : 0:00

It’s Mike Treem with 670 KLTT, and we’re joined by Bishop Daniel Yohannan. Bishop Daniel is with GFA World. And Bishop, we’re going to talk all about the missionary campaign, what GFA World is doing to ready and then launch missionaries and how we can help. That’s awesome. Thank you so much for having me. Thanks for taking the time. This is an extra busy time probably for the ministry. I know you’ve been, I think you’ve been out in the field, have you not, very recently?

SPEAKER 02 : 0:32

Yeah, you know, I just got back from Rwanda, which is where our work has expanded. We primarily served in Asia for quite a number of years, but now, by God’s grace, we’re in Africa, Rwanda, Liberia, going into Uganda, and about 11 other countries that we’re looking to expand into. So it was incredible to see what God is doing, how entire Africa, communities are being transformed by Christ’s love, especially among the children, among water projects and literacy and education. I mean, just so many things God is using to help us to be able to communicate practically and tangibly God’s love to people.

SPEAKER 01 : 1:14

Bishop, when you were out there and you saw some of those missionaries at work, What did you see? Because that’s something that our listeners, especially as we near Christmas and our hearts are turned, I think, more to giving the end of the year. What did you observe? So we can kind of get an idea of that.

SPEAKER 02 : 1:33

Well, you know, I had the privilege of attending a gathering in a community called the Red Zero where we were ministering to, I think, over 700 families in that one area, thousands of children. In this one little gathering, you know, we got to meet with them. And, of course, you know, they like to sing and dance. And so they, you know, grabbed our hands and we all had to dance with them. But we were distributing school uniforms. And my observation was this. I was looking around and it didn’t dawn on me until I looked at the table of all the new school uniforms, these blue and brown uniforms that the kids that had gathered were wearing their old uniforms. And the old uniforms are so worn out and tattered. They play in them. They go to school in them. They live in them. And this is a huge blessing for them to be able to get these uniforms for the new school year. But right after that, I had the privilege of going to the house where our missionaries are staying. They’re actually staying in that community, in that village. Right. and so it’s not just you know they’re coming as outsiders in and kind of telling them about christ but they’re literally living in the same community serving the people and so i’ve seen this everywhere on the mission field that i’ve gone that the missionaries really understand that to reach their own people they have to live like them in the same communities whether it’s in the slums or in the villages or in the cities And what fills their heart is the same thing what we read in Scripture. When Christ saw the crowds, he was moved with compassion. He was moved to go out of his way to meet one lady, the Samaritan woman at the well, or go out of his way to find Zacchaeus to invite himself to his house. This is the heart of the national missionaries. They desperately want their own people to experience the love of Christ. But in the process of that, whether it’s literacy or it’s water or education. We’re seeing entire communities transformed by Christ’s love, spiritually and physically, seeing life change happen. And it’s all because of these national missionaries completely sold out to Christ, completely dedicated to the mission, and they desperately want their people to know Christ because they love Christ and they want their people to know Christ also.

SPEAKER 01 : 4:02

Bishop Daniel, as GFA World trains and gets somebody ready, they have to go through a process, don’t they? And then once that process is done, my understanding is basically at that point, they’re awaiting the funding to go because there is a cost. And talk to us a little bit about what that cost looks like, too, so we understand.

SPEAKER 02 : 4:24

You know, there’s thousands of national missionaries being trained each year, men and women who have a sense of God’s call upon their life. You know, one of the scripture verses that my father would often encourage all of our people on the mission field and all of us here, too, to memorize is Matthew’s Gospel, Chapter 10, that basically, if we choose to follow Christ, persecution will happen. It’s not a chance of if it’ll happen, it’s only when it’ll happen. And suffering and persecution is good for us. It refines us. It makes us stronger. It helps us to pray. It helps us to walk by faith. And so these national missionaries that are in training, it’s basically on-the-job training. On the weekends, they get to go out. They get to minister in the villages. They get to meet people’s needs. Very often, an entire Bible study or the beginnings of establishing a church is started before these young men and women are even graduated. And as the ministry continues, we see churches established and planted in these communities. And, you know, what they need is they need our prayer and our support so that they can go forth and share the gospel with people. And so as little as $45 a month, we can help support a national missionary. You know, this is like the cost of a small coffee and a half a donut a day that we can support a national missionary. I know some families, as a family, they decide to go one time less out to eat a month, and they just decide to have a simple meal at home, and they use those resources of not going out that one time a month to support a national missionary. I know other people that just decide every other day to make their coffee at home rather than buying their coffee from Starbucks or somewhere else. And that resource goes to supporting a national missionary. So very simple, simple life changes can mean the difference of people hearing about Christ. And what that does is it helps us to live our life in the light of eternity so others can rejoice with us in this Christmas season.

SPEAKER 01 : 6:34

Bishop, I feel like we have people listening to 670 KLTT. In some cases, that 45 a month is doable for them. In other cases, they might be able to do more and say, you know, I can do a couple hundred a month. I can give on a little bit larger basis. And we want to encourage that while knowing that even if it’s somebody who says, hey, I can do 20. That’s what I can do. 20 bucks a month. That’s part of it because you and another person that’s willing to help. The two of you, we’ve got a missionary sent. And that’s really, that’s our focus because we know that multiplies their work for the gospel instead of, you know, reaching one person for Jesus, so worth it, right? We both know that. We both experienced that. But when you can send a missionary out and you might affect a whole village, that’s pretty cool.

SPEAKER 02 : 7:34

Absolutely. All of us can pray. All of us can share with others about the opportunity. And all of us can give in some way. So whether someone gives $1 or $45, we all can pitch in to assist and help these national missionaries. When Christ commented on the widow’s mite, he said that she’s given more than anyone else because she gave out of her need, not her abundance. And so God truly does see the heart of the person who’s giving and Whether we pray through our struggles or we give through our lack of having a lot, God is always at work to use what we can give. But, you know, it reminds me of these two missionaries that went into this very remote village. These two ladies tried going door to door, sharing the gospel with people. And they just got rejected from every single home. No one wanted to hear anything that they had to say. And so they went back to the place they were staying and began to pray and say, God, would you please give us some ideas of what we can do to share Christ’s love with people? So they had an idea. They went back to the chief of the village and said, hey, we’ve got these nail clippers. And we noticed that everyone in the village said, Their fingernails and toenails are pretty dirty and talk to him a little bit more about hygiene and how it could help their health. And they said, would you give us permission to cut everyone’s fingernails and toenails? And so they went back to everyone’s house and began cutting the fingernails and toenails of everyone in the village. and afterwards the people in the village were asking them why why did you do this i mean no one does this you know we really appreciate it but this is you know pretty extreme like why would you do this and they said it’s because we love you and because christ loves you too and so many people in that community wanted to know more about the love of christ so many of them gave their hearts to the lord because of that simple act of kindness so our National missionaries will give gospel tracts, they will preach, they’ll go house to house, they’ll pray for people, and sometimes they even cut toenails and fingernails. One of our other national missionaries is going door to door, and he asks his family if there’s anything that he could do to pray for them. and they said you know we’ve got someone who’s sick in our in our family and he said i would be happy to pray and so they led him through the house in the back side of the house there was a sick water buffalo they said could you please pray for our sick water buffalo now they would milk the buffalo sell the milk and that would be money for food and so sick buffalo means no food and so our missionaries laid his hands on the stinky water buffalo and said lord if there’s ever a time to do something this is the time And he prayed and God healed that water buffalo. You know, everyone needs a water buffalo and God healed that water buffalo. And the whole family gave their hearts to Christ. The neighbors heard about it and they said, we want to know about this Jesus who healed this buffalo. So many people in the community. gave their lives to God, that a church was established in that village. What is exciting is we’re seeing entire communities uplifted spiritually and physically with water, with the missionaries going forth, with children, with education. Everywhere these missionaries are going, we’re seeing communities transformed by Christ’s love.

SPEAKER 01 : 10:52

By God’s grace. It’s so smart and resourceful. You can see how God’s working through these missionaries. And Bishop, I want to give people the phone number. Phone number and website. If website’s easier, 670KLTT.com. Just go right there and you’ll see the GFA World Missionary banner. You can’t miss it. Or you can call. If you do call, we have a dedicated phone number. It’s 855-571-9776. 855-571-9776. And if you go through the website or call this phone number, then GFA World knows, oh, you’re a KLTT listener. Okay. And that’s a very special thing for us because we want to know that we’re pulling our weight, that we’re making a difference, and that our listeners are with us. Bishop, we have time for just another key point here, and then we probably will have to close. So when you meet people, missionaries, that are ready to go, how are they like chomping at the bit, thinking, okay, I want to spread Christ’s love, but I need that support. I need that person or persons to back me. What’s the mindset and what would you tell our listeners about?

SPEAKER 02 : 12:09

You know, the mindset of our national missionaries, these young men and women who have committed their life to God to serve, they are not waiting whether they’re getting supported or not. Or if anyone’s praying for them, they are being sent out and they’re going out. to fulfill the Great Commission, knowing that God is with them. And this is the challenge that, I mean, I’ve heard my father actually say this at a graduation service. He said, go to the village that God is calling you to. Take a shovel and go to the outside of the village and dig a grave, and you stay there until God calls you home. This is the commitment that these national missionaries have, is to commit their life and give their life for something that’s greater. You know, these brothers and sisters, they know the language. They live like the people. They live at the level of people. They know the manners. They just need our prayer and our support so they can do even more than what God has already gifted them. And we can link our life with their life so we, too, can participate in fulfilling the Great Commission and seeing communities transformed by Christ’s love.

SPEAKER 01 : 13:15

Well, Bishop, will you close us with a prayer for those missionaries? Then I’ll give the contact information one more time, please. I’d be happy to.

SPEAKER 02 : 13:23

In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, we thank you for this privilege that we have to be able to talk and share about these national missionaries who are serving so faithfully in Africa and Asia. And thank you that you’ve given us the privilege to link our life with them through prayer and support. We pray for each of my friends who are listening on the radio, that their hearts would be encouraged and challenged so that they could live their life in the light of eternity, making a difference in the lives of millions across the world. We ask for your grace and your mercy, especially during this Christmas season, that many, many who never knew who Christ was will be able to celebrate Christmas with us in this year. We ask for your grace and mercy in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

SPEAKER 01 : 14:14

Amen. Amen. Bishop Daniel, thank you. I want to give that phone number again, 855-571-9776. 855-571-9776. Or easy way to do it, just go to 670KLTT.com. Do it through our website, please. That helps so much. And Bishop, we’re going to pray. that God uses KLTT mightily and our wonderful, wonderful listeners throughout this next couple of weeks. So thank you for taking the time with us.

SPEAKER 02 : 14:46

It’s my privilege. Thank you so much.