Monday, July 4, 2022
GFA.org
GFA World Digital Media Room | News, Stories, Press Releases & more
  • Home
  • In the News
  • Leader Bios
  • Press Releases
    • Press Kits
  • Media Library
    • Photo Library
    • Video Library
  • Contact Us
  • Home
  • In the News
  • Leader Bios
  • Press Releases
    • Press Kits
  • Media Library
    • Photo Library
    • Video Library
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
GFA World Digital Media Room | News, Stories, Press Releases & more
No Result
View All Result
Home Press Releases

Mission Group’s Special Report Spotlights Major Health Crisis that also Opens Door to Demonstrate the Love of Christ

GFA (Gospel for Asia) highlights need for more toilets to cut avoidable death toll, in first of challenging series looking at major social issues.

January 22, 2018
inPress Releases
0

GFA (Gospel for Asia) highlights need for more toilets to cut avoidable death toll, in first of challenging series looking at major social issues.

WILLS POINT, TX — Missionary organization GFA (Gospel for Asia, www.gfa.org) is calling attention to a usually ignored, delicate subject at the heart of much of its caring work—a lack of toilets.

In the first of a new series of major articles tackling big social issues, GFA has drawn back the curtain on the widespread health problems caused by lack of adequate sanitation—and the opportunity that provides for sharing about God’s love.

Around 2.3 billion people globally do not have access to good sanitation facilities, reports Karen Mains, while almost 900 million are forced into open defecation—a practice which is, she notes, “hardly a dinner-table topic or a mission committee agenda item.”

But such practices cannot be ignored, because they create all sorts of health problems—with about 1.5 million people around the world each year dying from polluted-water diseases. Nor are the dangers limited directly to sickness—women are often at risk of assault when they look for somewhere sheltered to relieve themselves.

Governments and organizations have responded to the need, with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation offering $40 million in prize money for innovative approaches to new toilet technologies.

Among the innovations are a solar-powered toilet that converts waste into charcoal, which can then be used as fertilizer; portable rickshaw toilets; and a bio-digester toilet designed to convert human waste into gases and compost.

In addition, Mains says, “hundreds of concerned social entrepreneurs, engineers with altruistic motivations, East Asian water initiatives, and countless faith-based organizations are tackling the seemingly intractable worldwide dilemma of toilets, sanitation systems and sullied water.”

Inadequate sanitation is a big concern in India in particular, where the current prime minister, Narendra Modi, campaigned for office with the slogan “Toilets Before Temples.”

For the past several years, GFA has also had a heightened focus on the issue throughout Asia. In 2016, the organization constructed more than 10,000 latrines with dual-tank sanitation systems.

In addition, GFA teams constructed almost 7,000 “Jesus Wells” providing communities with fresh drinking water, distributed almost 15,000 water filters to purify drinking water, and provided thousands with free healthcare and education about the importance of personal hygiene.

Such efforts have made a big impact. “This saved the lives of people from illness,” said one villager. The results have been spiritual as well as physical, with people experiencing God’s love through the GFA representatives.

“Christianity has everything to do with sanitation,” Mains writes. “We serve a God who is expecting us to help restore the world he created to its original design. That is a world, among many other things, without rampaging diseases.”

The special report, “Saving Lives at Risk From Open Defection: using outdoor toilets to improve sanitation,” has been published at GFA’s website (www.gfa.org/special-report/open-defecation-outdoor-toilets-improve-sanitation). Other topics to be addressed in the series include social justice, illiteracy, community development, and violence against women.

Commenting on Mains’ article, GFA founder Dr. K.P. Yohannan, said: “God is desperately concerned about the poor and suffering, and even more so the helpless and vulnerable… Now God has given us the opportunity to show the world what he looks like through our mercy and compassion, which can be shown through something as simple as noticing and seeing these people who are without a safe, working toilet” (www.kpyohannan.org/2018/01/04/sharing-gods-heart-poor-helpless/).

He added: “Helping those who are vulnerable and in need is not a burden or an obligation, but an opportunity to be like Christ by entering into their pain and then choosing to do something about it.”

From free healthcare to fresh water and sanitation projects—providing an outdoor toilet for a family costs just $160—much of GFA’s community-based work is centered in improving living conditions and inspiring people to live fuller lives as a result.

A family in front of a GFA-provided local sanitation facility. Around the world, there are 2.3 billion people who don't have access to a toilet. Open defecation produces life-threatening diseases, while a simple toilet like the ones GFA-supported affiliates build in Asia are saving many lives.

PHOTO CUTLINE: A family in front of a GFA-provided local sanitation facility. Around the world, there are 2.3 billion people who don’t have access to a toilet. Open defecation produces life-threatening diseases, while simple toilets like the ones GFA-supported affiliates build in Asia are saving many lives.

To schedule an interview with a GFA representative, please contact Press Relations @ 972-300-3379 or [email protected]


About Gospel for Asia

GFA (Gospel for Asia, www.gfa.org) has – for more than 30 years ‒ provided humanitarian assistance and spiritual hope to millions across Asia, especially among those who have yet to hear the Good News. Last year, this included more than 75,000 sponsored children, free medical services for more than 180,000 people, 6,000 wells drilled, 11,000 water filters installed, Christmas presents for more than 400,000 needy families, and spiritual teaching available in 110 languages in 14 nations through radio ministry.

Tags: Toilets
ShareTweet
Previous Post

Gospel for Asia Reaffirms Commitment to Help Eradicate Poverty

Next Post

What Leprosy Couldn’t Steal

Related Posts

Set Apart 2022 – a weeklong retreat by GFA World, aims to help those ages 18-30 discover that "following Jesus is the greatest adventure."
Press Releases

GFA World Invites Young Generation to Join ‘Greatest Adventure’

June 7, 2022
'Stressed' generation will 'experience Christ' at Set Apart 2022, say Francis Chan, K.P. Yohannan, George Verwer
Press Releases

Event Invites Gen Z, Millennials to ‘Give Up Gadgets, Rediscover God’

May 4, 2022
Mosquito-borne malaria is responsible for more than 400,000 deaths worldwide annually, says GFA World report Malaria, It's Time to Buzz Off!
Press Releases

‘Time for Malaria to Buzz Off’ Says New GFA World Report

April 20, 2022
On St. Patrick’s Day, GFA World (Stoney Creek, Ontario) staff members, had the opportunity to empathize with those who live in the slums
Press Releases

GFA World Serves Stoney Creek Community by Cleaning up Garbage

April 20, 2022
Engaging the Vanishing Generation: GFA World Set Apart 2022 event, June 20-26, aims to help young adults bring faith in God back into focus
Press Releases

GFA World Aims to Help ‘Vanishing Generation’ Rediscover God

March 21, 2022
Growing scarcity, shortage of the most precious resource, water, could lead to dire consequences worldwide -- a new GFA World report reveals.
Press Releases

Earth On Brink of ‘Dire’ Water Shortage, GFA World Warns

March 8, 2022
Next Post
It had destroyed her marriage and ate away her limbs. But worse than the disease itself, Leora endured the stigma associated with being branded by leprosy.

What Leprosy Couldn’t Steal

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent News

Every year, GFA World VBS (Vacation Bible School) has a profound impact on countless children of all ages across the world.
Field Reports

VBS Brings Inspiration, Direction

June 22, 2022
Discussing how through GFA World gift distribution, a water filter was able to meet a family's needs and ignite a father's faith.
Field Reports

Water Filter Meets Family’s Needs, Ignites Father’s Faith

June 20, 2022
Discussing Moira, her dream to be a teacher hindered by distance and exhaustion, relieved through GFA World gift distribution of a bicycle.
Field Reports

Bicycle Helps Young Girl Follow Her Dreams

June 17, 2022
Prewet, who grew up in an impoverished home, is helped by GFA World child sponsorship program to save his eyesight.
Field Reports

Child Sponsorship Program Helps Save Student’s Eyesight

June 16, 2022

Press Contact

  • Name: Press Relations
  • Phone: 972-300-3379
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Website: https://www.gfa.org

Social Connect

Contact Us

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-972-300-7777
Website: https://www.gfa.org

Connect on Social

Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube

News Categories

  • Article
  • Featured Stories
  • Field Reports
  • GFA World Magazine
  • In the News
  • Leader Bios
  • Press Releases

News Archive

No Result
View All Result

Recent News

Every year, GFA World VBS (Vacation Bible School) has a profound impact on countless children of all ages across the world.

VBS Brings Inspiration, Direction

June 22, 2022
Discussing how through GFA World gift distribution, a water filter was able to meet a family's needs and ignite a father's faith.

Water Filter Meets Family’s Needs, Ignites Father’s Faith

June 20, 2022
Discussing Moira, her dream to be a teacher hindered by distance and exhaustion, relieved through GFA World gift distribution of a bicycle.

Bicycle Helps Young Girl Follow Her Dreams

June 17, 2022
  • Home
  • In the News
  • Leader Bios
  • Press Releases
  • Media Library
  • Contact Us

© 2020 Gospel for Asia - Transforming Communities through God's Love
GFA Digital Media Room - News, Stores, Press Releases and more

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • In the News
  • Leader Bios
  • Press Releases
    • Press Kits
  • Media Library
    • Photo Library
    • Video Library
  • Contact Us

© 2020 Gospel for Asia - Transforming Communities through God's Love
GFA Digital Media Room - News, Stores, Press Releases and more

Go to mobile version