Shakurah neared the school on the outskirts of her village. Fatigued from her long walk, she slipped into the classroom, late again. She may have avoided her teacher’s glare, but she would not be able to avoid punishment. <a href="https://gospelforasia.net/what-is-the-cycle-of-poverty/how-can-education-break-the-cycle-of-poverty/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong class="heading-3">Poverty Taints Teen’s Heart</strong></a> Sixteen-year old Shakurah grew up in a Christian home with godly parents, but life wasn’t easy. Her father struggled to find regular work, and her mother had a heart condition that required continual—and costly—medical treatments. Shakurah hated being poor. She longed for nice clothes and a better house. Unfulfilled desires for material goods blinded Shakurah to God’s goodness. Instead of seeing His many gifts in her life, she only saw what she didn’t have. Shakurah escaped feelings of inadequacy by pursuing pleasure with her friends. She rebelled against her parents, who modeled contentment and trust in the Lord and brought them grief. Discontentment followed Shakurah every morning as she walked miles to school and every afternoon when she walked miles back home. Occasionally she secured a bus ticket, but it was an infrequent luxury. She tried hard to make it to school on time, but it was difficult without transportation. <a class="btn btn-default" href="https://gospelforasia-reports.org/2020/10/selling-gourds-finding-life-purpose/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">READ THE REST OF THE REPORT ON GFA-REPORTS.ORG</a> <hr /> Learn more how to <a href="https://www.gfa.org/ministries/bicycles/?motiv=WB85-PG11&cm_mmc=Patheos-_-OC-_-GFAPatheosBlog-_-Var" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">demonstrate God’s love through the gift of Bicycles — to Missionaries, school children, farmers and daily laborers. Through these gifts, people experience Christ’s love</a>. Learn more about the <a href="https://www.gfa.org/sponsor/search/?motiv=WB85-PG11&cm_mmc=Patheos-_-OC-_-GFAPatheosBlog-_-Var" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">GFA-supported national workers who carry a burning desire for people to know the love of God</a>. Through their prayers, dedication and sacrificial love, thousands of men and women have found new life in Christ. <div> Learn more about Gospel for Asia: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/gospelforasia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/GospelForAsia" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/gospelforasia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/gospel-for-asia" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">LinkedIn</a> | <a href="https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Gospel_For_Asia_(GFA)" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">SourceWatch</a> | <a href="https://www.christianpost.com/news/francis-chan-defends-gospel-for-asia-after-legal-settlement-no-money-was-misappropriated.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Integrity</a> | <a href="https://www.gfa.org/lawsuit-update/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Lawsuit Update</a> | <a href="https://www.patheos.com/blogs/gospelforasia/2019/03/5-gfa-distinctives-gospel-for-asia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">5 Distinctives</a> | <a href="https://missionsbox.org/news/k-p-yohannan-reveals-6-remarkable-facts-about-gospel-for-asia-in-new-video/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">6 Remarkable Facts</a> | <a href="https://missionsbox.org/news/milestones-gospel-for-asia-gfa-40-years/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">10 Milestones</a> | <a href="https://gfanews.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Media Room</a> | <a href="https://www.gfa.org/special-report/solutions-extreme-poverty-line-poor-impoverished" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Fighting Global Poverty</a> | <a href="https://www.gfa.org/about/endorsements/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Endorsements</a> | <a href="https://www.gfa.org/40-years/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">40th Anniversary</a> | <a href="https://www.gfa.org/lawsuit-response/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Lawsuit Response</a> | </div> Notable News about Gospel for Asia: <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/faith-values/coronavirus-asia-lent-christians-pray-fast" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">FoxNews</a>, <a href="https://www.christianpost.com/news/francis-chan-defends-gospel-for-asia-after-legal-settlement-no-money-was-misappropriated.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ChristianPost</a>, <a href="https://nypost.com/2020/02/26/gospel-for-asia-calls-on-christians-to-pray-and-fast-for-end-of-coronavirus-during-lent/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">NYPost</a>, <a href="https://missionsbox.org/news/gospel-for-asia-and-other-ngos-prep-for-potential-coronavirus-pandemic/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">MissionsBox</a> <hr /> <div class="sources"> <a href="https://gfanews.org/?s=Poverty" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Read more news on Poverty on the GFA: Digital Media Room</a>. </div>