Gospel for Asia Worker Murdered in Kashmir
Carrollton, TX—June 17, 2002— Risking his own safety to help fleeing refugees at the Pakistan/India border, a Gospel for Asia (GFA) missionary trainee in Kashmir was found murdered earlier this month. The Indian-born student was training for pioneer evangelism ministry at a GFA Bible school located five kilometers from the Pakistan border. GFA leaders in India believe that Muslim extremists are responsible for his death.
“We are grieved over the loss of this young man,†said K.P. Yohannan, founder and president of Gospel for Asia, a missions organization based near Dallas, Texas. “He gave it all, and our hearts are with his family.†Though senior ministry leaders had authorized all GFA workers to leave the area, the student and 46 others chose to stay behind to assist the refugees being displaced by border unrest. “Our workers are scattered along the border areas of Kashmir,†continued Yohannan, “showing the love of Christ to those who are fearing for their lives.â€
Since the war in Afghanistan began last year, dozens of terrorist groups are active near GFA’s Bible school in Kashmir. Recently several GFA workers narrowly escaped death when a bus they had just stepped off of exploded.
Gospel for Asia, established in 1979, is engaged in pioneer evangelism and church planting in the 10/40 Window. More than 13,000 national workers in eight nations—India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka—have established 17,500 church fellowships and mission stations in the last ten years. Gospel for Asia also operates 128 Bible schools on the Indian subcontinent, where nearly 7,000 young men and women are preparing for pioneer ministry.