Menu
Articles with tag Child Sponsorship Program
Slum Conditions Threaten Boy’s Future
As Vance lived in a slum dependent on his father’s meager income for his next meal, poverty was always present. Unfortunately for Vance, his father spent most of his earnings on alcohol instead of on …
July 2022
A Struggling Girl Learns to Thrive
Perhaps Aliyah sighed as she stared at her homework. She wanted to do well, but her studies seemed nearly impossible. Who knew first grade could be so difficult? Aliyah’s parents were poor and uneducated. They …
April 2022
Boy’s Parents See Impact of VBS
Pelo listened to the story of a man who climbed a tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus. When Jesus called the man down, a life-changing event ensued. Would Pelo experience the same kind of …
April 2022
GFA Workers Help Children, Supply Food in Africa
God is amazingly opening doors for GFA World to expand ministry into Africa. Last year, leaders at a ministry base in Asia prayerfully sent the first missionaries to Africa. Not only have many groups of …
April 2022
From Playing in the Dirt to Walking College Halls
When GFA World sponsorship workers met Bolivar one day, he was playing along the dusty village streets with his friends. Dirt flew from his hands and curses from his mouth. Somehow, the staff members knew …
March 2022
Primia’s throat burned. Each time the young girl took a sip of water, her throat protested. Every bite of food took effort to swallow. Her parents thought it might be a side-effect of the weather, …
February 2022
GFA Workers Calm a Grandmother’s Fears
Seidy and her 7-year-old granddaughter, Viva, were all alone, with no support from family. Before the girl’s mother had died of tuberculosis, the three of them had struggled together. Now, Seidy was all Viva had …
December 2021
Young Girl Avoids Future As {% trans 'labor'|capfirst %}er
As one of six children, 8-year-old Gailya was familiar with poverty. Her father, Rainald, worked hard, providing for Gailya and her siblings as best he could. But his meagre earnings could not …
November 2021
Sisters Gain Relief from the Cold
At the tender age of 6, Sarena lost her mother to tuberculosis. Though her father was alive, she had essentially lost him to the bottle. An alcoholic, he wasted his earnings on drink and neglected …
November 2021
Today, teenage Rabee encourages other students to listen to their teachers and be obedient. He actively participates in games, sports and other events. He faithfully does his schoolwork. But Rabee didn’t always show the promise …
September 2021
As the daughter of a poor, alcoholic daily wage laborer in Asia, Venita was destined to obtain limited education and repeat the cycle of poverty. Yet here she stood, a college graduate contributing to society …
August 2021
Kadi, a small girl with big brown eyes, didn’t know she had abilities or talents—and there was little chance she would get to reach for exciting goals or aspirations, either. Her parents owned a small …
June 2021
More Than 6,700 Children Receive Food During Coronavirus Pandemic
Though lockdowns in Asia prevented GFA’s World’s Bridge of Hope centres from holding their normal activities last fall, Bridge of Hope and other GFA workers continued to impact children, their families and …
February 2021
Poverty, Earthquake Almost Steal Girl’s Education
In an instant, one catastrophe can completely redirect a life’s trajectory. For Abekwa, that happened the day her village quivered on its perch atop a vista of sharply angled green and brown slopes. The Himalayan …
February 2021
Hunger gnawed at Keetun’s stomach again. His father had spent most of his earnings on alcohol, leaving too little money for Keetun’s mother to feed her children three meals a day. This sparked frequent arguments …
January 2021
13-year-old Dropout Leaves Father’s Example Behind
On Yunay’s first day at the Bridge of Hope centre, he felt reluctant to be there with the other children. He dreaded the snickering that dogged him wherever he went. How could …
December 2020
Graduate Shares Her Bridge of Hope Experience
“Bridge of Hope taught me how to maintain a healthy life. The staff conducts health care programs like medical camps and awareness programs. They also provide hygienic things to …
November 2020
The Helping Hand for Her Future
Amita swept the floor, scrubbed the dishes and washed clothes, as she did most days. The girl’s faithful labour aided her mother, who struggled to provide for three children. But after her …
July 2020
Worried for Their Son’s Future
School didn’t interest Keahn. At only 8 years old, the boy was performing poorly in school, and he didn’t care to improve. He also didn’t listen to his parents. Instead, Keahn wandered with his friends, …
June 2020
The 11-Year-Old Woman of the House
Ishya gave one final stir to the supper she was preparing for her father and two younger siblings. A day full of chores neared its end, and the 11-year-old knew the next day would hold …
April 2020
Unlocking the Potential Within
“My son was neglected by his own schoolteachers,” says Adenah. “Nobody took initiative or paid attention to him.” People didn’t see hope for Rustam—until he joined Bridge of Hope. Rustam has special needs, and since …
February 2020
A life of uncertainty and poverty lay before Ridhushni, but she was too young to understand. All she knew at 4 years old was that she wanted to play with her friends. Ridhushni’s father barely …
January 2020
Tides rise and tides fall. Sometimes the sea gives, and sometimes it takes away. The sea provides many things needed to sustain life. Yet, when provoked by cyclones or earthquakes, the sea can also destroy …
December 2019
Some children view school as a chore, a daily routine that seems to drag on and on for years. Others see it as a stepping stone to something greater, a path into their future. And …
November 2019
A Mother’s Shame Turned to Joy
Once again, Naviya left her sister’s house with harsh words ringing in her ears, rolling around in her head on repeat. “You do not live a proper life.” “The gods and goddesses are mad at …
August 2019
Girl Finds Refuge amid Stormy Childhood
Keva gets good grades in school, which isn’t surprising for a hard-working student. But those grades can never show how much she has overcome to get an education—or even to survive. Keva’s family scraped by …
June 2019
Inspiring a Girl’s Dreams Through Love
How many children at age 14 desire to be a teacher so they can help other children in need? Sayona does. She wants to bless others as her teachers have blessed her. Sayona lives with …
May 2019
Parents’ Apprehension Turns to Joy
Only age 10, Rajarshi doesn’t take education for granted. He enjoys learning new things and growing in skills such as singing, reading and drawing. But Rajarshi may never have had these opportunities. In Rajarshi’s community, …
April 2019
Walking Together Through the Valley of Darkness
Selvan stood before the other Bridge of Hope children holding a heavy induction cooker beneath his bright face. His mother was going to love this high-efficiency cook top, a vast improvement over her current cooking …
January 2019
Aahlaad enjoys playing cricket, but it no longer trumps going to school. Until a few years ago, however, it seemed Aahlaad wouldn’t even make it through school. Like many children in his community, Aahlaad didn’t …
September 2018
Manisha’s family lived in a dangerous place filled with gangs and drug lords, but it was home—until her father disappeared into custody under suspicions of gang involvement. Her mother frantically sought his release, but tragically, …
August 2018
The Girl Who Didn’t Want to Learn
Sahima’s parents worked hard every day, struggling to make enough to feed their family. Her father drove a rickshaw, and her mother helped out at a local school. If it had only been Sahima and …
June 2018
Two of her children were gone. Missing. Where were they? What had happened? Where had they gone? It was her husband. He had taken them. Taken them and left again without telling her a word. …
June 2018
Little 8-year-old Nalesh stepped into a whole new world when he entered the GFA-supported Bridge of Hope centre for the first time. New opportunities and a hopeful future …
April 2018
The fields were on fire. Little Rupal watched the spectacle with weary eyes. She was hungry, and following her mother, Vanhi, around the fields all day was hard on her young, malnourished body. Rupal also …
February 2018
From Musical Child to Chemistry Major
Daniel is 20 years old now, a young man following his God-given dream. But he didn’t always have a mustache—he was once a little boy from a struggling family who didn’t have much hope for …
January 2018
‘She Always Has a Smile on Her Face’
Dyuti stood alert by the side of a busy road, a young mother hen with a small flock of younger children about her. Though only in 7th grade, Dyuti was their guide to the {% …
December 2017
Bridge of Hope or Carpet Factories
Dhanya wasn’t the only girl in her area who struggled in school. Most of the families around her worked in carpet factories, and they couldn’t afford to send their children to good schools, provide materials …
October 2017
Where Dreams are Made Possible
A young, untidy girl walked through the doors of an unassuming building, while other children, many much neater and cleaner than she was, filed past her. Dhruvi hadn’t been attending the centre …
August 2017
Hitting the Bottle and His Wife (No More)
Her father had come home late that night. Drunk. Again. As he beat her mother, tears streamed down Deena’s cheeks. Her stomach rumbled faintly, having hardly been filled the whole day. Deena didn’t know what …
June 2017
Ritesh greedily eyed his friend’s belongings. He waited until his friend wasn’t looking, and then stealthily reached out his hand to snatch and hide the desired item. He thought he’d get away with it, as …
April 2017
Life in Gulal’s village is a challenge for almost everyone who lives there. It is not uncommon for daily labourers, working in the hot summer months, to fall victim to sunstroke. People …
February 2017
‘I Don’t Want to See My Children Hungry’
As the eldest in her family, this young girl not only acts as the family babysitter, but she also washes dishes to make a little money, just like Pahal and Annisa did before enrolling in …
January 2017
Orphaned Dishwasher Goes to School
Like Amshu (not pictured), many children would have nothing without the help of Bridge of Hope. A group of children played in the mud, their parents nowhere in sight. But these children should’ve been in …
January 2017
The Love of Bridge of Hope Staff
It is because of your great concern [that] today our daughter is in good condition. —Rasika’s parents Rasika’s health was very poor when she joined Bridge of Hope in 2004, but through the nourishing meals …
December 2016
The following testimony is given by a 2014 Bridge of Hope graduate named Advik. My mother was so worried about my schooling and was praying to God for my good schooling. God answered her prayers, …
October 2016
Agonizing Hardships and a Vibrant Future
Bridge of Hope gives tens of thousands of children a new chance at life, empowering them to reach their full potential and become responsible members of society. Mamta’s husband abandoned their family while she was …
September 2016
Like these men, Narottam carried heavy loads of firewood. Now a bicycle helps him support his family without overstraining his body. Beads of sweat formed on Narottam’s forehead as he walked the long road to …
September 2016
Every day, Priti, her older sisters and her mother, Chunni, had suffered the daily abuse of her father’s drunken rages. As Priti listened to her mother cry through the nights, it slowly dawned on her …
August 2016
As the Gospel for Asia-supported Bridge of Hope administrative staff walked through the area, they saw many crude shanties lining dirty streets where hungry children roamed. They talked to poor mothers and sick fathers, people …
June 2016
Children Become More Than Scavengers
Many students, like Adya, are rescued from difficult situations when they are enrolled in Bridge of Hope. Adya’s mother managed to send her to school from time to time, but Adya’s younger sister, Lalana, and …
April 2016
AIDS, Strength and Eternal Hope
Mishti’s father was dead. She still couldn’t get over that one, solitary fact. Grief had washed over her at the dreadful news. Life, she felt, was over. But hope was just around the corner. Mishti …
February 2016
Orphaned Girl Finds Reasons to Smile
When Mada was only 6 months old, her mother left the family for another man, never to be seen or heard from again. Mada’s father became deeply depressed by his wife’s sudden departure and tried …
January 2016
A Time to Mourn, a Time to Dance
People sat transfixed together in front of the young man whose feet danced so brilliantly in time with the music of the guitar-like sitar. Only a few years earlier, Natraj could not have dreamed he …
September 2015
Isa’s heart was heavy. She had no peace or joy in her life. Her family’s poverty had always been a hard-hitting source of pain, even as a young child. Isa knew little else but the …
August 2015
Priyala, 7, lay bedridden, unable to open her eyes. Her motionless body looked dead. But her father, Ganesh, couldn’t—wouldn’t—help her. When he should have been there for his daughter the most, Ganesh kept leaving home …
June 2015
Praying Granddaughter Refuses to Give Up Hope
Dakshina watched her family in utter disbelief. Her grandfather lay in bed, paralyzed and in pain. Her parents, Daaruk and Priyam, spent all of their earnings to treat his condition; they even gave a pig, …
April 2015
Boy Gets Caught in the Act, Gains Freedom
February 2015
Two Orphans With Same Disease and Same Hope
January 2015
She Would Have Been Looking After Cows
Salena didn't envision anything great for her future. Life after high school had meant hard work in a hazardous factory for her two older brothers, and Salena had no reason to believe her life would …
October 2014
Parents Listen to Son, Miracle Follows
When this news reached Win Shein, the coordinator of the GFA Bridge of; Hope; centre where Thet studies, Win borrowed money so he could take Thet to the hospital. After one week at the hospital, Thet’s condition …
September 2014
Girl’s Chronic Illness Overshadowed by New Dreams
Neighbours whispered that Triveni’s health problems were happening because her family had done something wrong... Triveni’s family did not know what to do. Due to a wound on her leg, their daughter frequently fell down …
August 2014
Hole in Girl’s Heart No Match for Dedicated Staff
Anavi broke down in tears when she heard the news: Her daughter Tvisha had a hole in her heart and needed surgery. As a widow who struggled to provide for four children, Anavi knew she …
June 2014
Student Finds Bright Future, Mother Finds Healing
He always hoped his son could get a good education and lead a better life than he did. Mahaj is a daily wage labourer who barely makes enough to provide for his wife, Faria, and …
May 2014
Teen with Two Children Moves Back Home
Most 11-year-old girls are preoccupied with things like school, sleepovers and maybe the occasional daydreams about life as an adult. But for Vallari, being 11 meant turning her attention to her family— the one she …
February 2014
Bridge of Hope Helps Mother Escape Darkness
Ketha is growing up in a slum where rampant addictions and a lack of education chain down most youths. But in the middle of the awful squalor stands a Bridge of Hope center. Eight-year-old Ketha …
January 2014
Untouchable? Not to Bridge of Hope
Nobody wanted to be around Raza—not on the street or when he was at school. Because of the low caste of Raza’s family, the boy was considered “untouchable.” His family was not even allowed to …
September 2013
Gayana remembered clearly the feelings of depression that almost crushed her spirit. She often used to wonder why she had to be born into her family—a family in which her father would get drunk every …
August 2013
Bridge of Hope Student Forced to Marry at Age 12
Rashmi, 12, had already lost both her parents, yet her uncle wanted to take away one of the few things she had left. His greed cared nothing about her dignity. When Rashmi was only 4, …
August 2013
Each time he entered the jungle, Hashmat didn’t know if it would be his last trip there. Then one day his fears became reality when a tiger pounced on him. Like many men before him, …
June 2013
“Ramila is abnormal,” Malini, Ramila’s mother, told the staff. “She could be attacked by an evil spirit at any time.” It’s not uncommon for children to have nightmares when they are young. It is, however, …
June 2013
An excellent student with a healthy appetite for knowledge, Nabha participates in all of the centre’s activities and has developed a love for memorizing Scripture. South Asian villages come in many shapes and sizes. Some …
April 2013
A Difficult Choice Brings Hope to a Child
In the slums of South Asia, families face heart-wrenching choices every day. For Ekisha’s parents, the decision was whether or not to keep their daughter in school. A life of daily labour had taken its …
April 2013
Abandoned Orphan, Daughter of God
Bahula’s stomach growled with the angry pain of being completely empty. It had been days since she had eaten, but that didn't matter to her aunt and uncle. They still expected the little girl to …
February 2013
Loving and Leading in the Slums
When Akshay Sharma moved away from home 14 years ago, he couldn’t imagine the impact he’d make on his new city. A Bridge of Hope project director, Akshay has a unique life story, but he …
January 2013
A Higher Education Seemed Impossible for Him
Twelve-year-old Pachai didn’t speak or dress properly, and he suffered from poor health—most likely due to malnutrition. As a laborer, Pachai’s father, Jacob, earned less than $2 a day, and he spent some of this …
December 2012
Gaura has grown up her entire life in a village that is aggressively hostile to Christianity. Her father works as a farmer and her mother is a housewife, but they do not earn much of …
August 2012