Correspondence with GFA
This posting is being written in Sri Lanka and should be the beginning of your own investigation into the facts. The results of recent shameless Tsunami Orphan Fraud carried out by K.P. Yohannan and his GFA marketing team was:
- Kind hearted donors that wanted to give funds to help Tsunami affected children were deceived as to GFA's true level of involvement in Sri Lanka (enough to stage pictures and video for web and fundraising purposes).
- GFA used the Tsunami and the helpless condition of Sri Lankan refugees to create the illusion of their aid to Sri Lankan Orphans while they cashed in on a fundraising window, financially capitalizing on the tragedy and the blood of the innocent.
- Helpless and poor Sri Lankans affected by the December Tsunami were again taken advantage of by the deceptive marketing campaign of K.P. Yohannan and his GFA marketing team. His campaign, as you can ascertain for yourself, was (and currently still is) devoid of truth. If it based on a lie it is absent of truth. If it is absent of truth it is absent of Christ (John 14:6).
The following is the full correspondence that came out of GFA.
Our correspondence with GFA began January 12th after they issued a claim of being asked to take care of 10,000 orphans in Sri Lanka, using this claim as a petition for their donor base (primarily in the west) for funds. From this point on I will type out my interjections between the letters and correspondence in ALL CAPS.
O.K. THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL UNCENSORED LETTER THAT GFA SENT OUT TO SOME 152,000 SUBSCRIBERS AND THEIR SUPPORT BASE, VIA THE INTERNET. BECAUSE OF A DEAR FRIEND IN AMERICA THAT CARES ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IN SOUTH ASIA, I RECEIVE THEIR E-MAILS.
Gospel for Asia Update - New Tsunami Report Dear Fellow Christian, It saddens me to hear reports of people abusing these helpless But in the meantime, your gift to tsunami relief through GFA will make a difference-and save children's lives Click here to read the rest of K.P.'s update: *Donate to tsunami relief: ------------------------------------------------------------- ::: NEWS: Tsunami-What's next? - 1/12/05 Before the tsunami that hit Asian coastlines on December 26, Suresh At least his wife and children safely escaped-as well as the guests at his hotel. His family is staying with relatives. Meanwhile, surrounded by tsunami devastation and wondering how his family will survive in the future, Suresh voices the question that has echoed in his mind: "What hope is there for me?" It is people like Suresh that Gospel for Asia workers are reaching out to with not only physical relief, but the life-changing hope of Jesus. Workers are giving out supplies (Each relief packet includes literature telling the Good News) and ministering to traumatized victims around the clock. To them, it is worth it if one more person can be reached with the truth of a God who loves them-a God who can give them a fixed and steady hope in the midst of such suffering. *Donate to tsunami relief: ::: NEWS: GFA Photographer: Firsthand Observations of the Tsunami The destruction is beyond imagination. It's like an F5 tornado came We met GFA Pastor Illanko, who is running our relief efforts for the My heart goes out to these people. This is just one village of tens of thousands of other villages in Asia where the people are suffering. I can't imagine what it would be like to be in their situation. They are the blessed ones because many villages and people are not receiving any aid. The need is huge. Almost hard to grasp. Six million people in a dozen Asian nations, displaced from their homes. Yet even in the midst of this tragedy, God is working. And you can help make a difference-both for this life and eternity-in precious lives affected by the tsunami. Already more than 1,000 GFA native workers are there, ministering to tsunami survivors with physical relief and the wonderful news of salvation in Christ. (To see a list of specific ways they are reaching out, click here: http://www.gfa.org/gfa/tsunamilist .) And today we have the opportunity to come alongside them with our prayers and financial support so people will receive the message of hope, the love of Jesus. Learn more: http://www.gfa.org/tsunami *Donate to tsunami relief: _______________________ ::: About Gospel for Asia: http://www.gfa.org/aboutgfa ::: Sign-up Information ::: Removal Information Gospel for Asia |
O.K. I AM BACK. HERE IS WHAT WAS INTERESTING ABOUT THE GFA LETTER THAT THEY SENT OUT. GFA HAS MOST OF THEIR OPERATION IN INDIA. BECAUSE INDIA AS A NATION DECIDED TO HANDEL THE EFFECTS OF THE TSUNAMI INTERNALLY, WITHOUT WESTERN FUNDING, GFA'S BEST OPPORTUNITY TO TAP INTO THE FUNDING BOOM WAS TO GET DOWN TO SRI LANKA (THE PLACE THAT HAS RECEIVED A LOT OF PRESS COVERAGE). AND A CLASSIC "MISSIONARY FORMULA" IS TO USE IMAGES OF CRYING CHILDREN.
HERE IS THE LETTER THAT WE SENT TO THE GFA HEADQUARTERS OFFICE IN USA:
-----Original Message----- To whom it may concern at GFA: I just got your mass mail regarding Sri Lanka and the orphan situation here. I want you to know that those I checked with who are working directly with the orphan situation in Sri Lanka and they have confirmed my suspicions. I have had it confirmed by multiple sources that this letter from GFA is untrue. 1. The government is anti-christian. They are not giving 10,000 Buddhist orphans into the hands of a known Christian organization, particularly in the face of the anti-conversion controversy issues here. For your own sake and the credibility of GFA retract your story from your website and send a repentant appology to your e-mail database list within the next 24 hours. If you fail to make this right quickly I will personally take it upon myself to expose you and your ungodly activity to anyone who will listen. I refuse to allow a group (particularly those who would profess to follow Christ) to use this tragedy as an opportunity to make money off of the blood of poor Sri Lankans. God's judgement will not allow those who make money off of the pain and suffering of other to go unpunished. As a follower of Christ and a Minister of the Gospel I am ashamed of you. In Christ, xxxxxxxx |
O.K. I AM BACK. NOW HERE IS THE LETTER THAT THE PRESIDENT OF GFA SENT TO ME WITHIN 24 HOURS OF MY LETTER ADMITTING THAT THEY HAS CIRCULATED WRONG INFORMATION.
Tsunami Report Correction Dear Friend in Christ, Though it's just been barely a day since I sent you an email with a fresh update on Gospel for Asia's tsunami relief work in Sri Lanka, I felt an urgency to write you again to correct some of the information in my report. I initially told you that the government of Sri Lanka had asked Gospel for Asia to take on responsibility for 10,000 orphans located in some of the most devastated areas. However, after rechecking this information, I learned that it was not the national government, but rather local officials who had requested our assistance. This incorrect information was a misunderstanding on my part, and it was a mistake to report it. It was in no way my intention to misrepresent the Sri Lankan government, and for that I sincerely apologize. In addition, there has been some question as to the total number of children orphaned by the tsunami. The number I quoted to you was based on reports from officials on the local level who have been working with orphans in the refugee camps. Organizations have reported varying statistics from certain areas in the country. One local newspaper I picked up in Colombo reported that "tens of thousands" of children were left without parents, but so far there is no official statistic. The BBC reports that the government is currently working on a census. I am convinced that we cannot underestimate the need and the suffering of these people. My visits to these regions showed me so much of the pain and suffering these tsunami survivors are enduring. I traveled to many camps and saw the magnitude of the need. Often it was difficult to control my emotions as I witnessed the devastation, grief, death and destruction. But at the same time I was encouraged to see, over and over again, the love of Christ in action. Gospel for Asia has 250 churches in this island nation, many of them in or near the areas struck by the monster waves. Pastors, elders and church members have been working around the clock here ever since the tsunami struck, caring for the refugees and attending to their physical, emotional and spiritual needs. They are generously giving of themselves in so many ways: going without sleep, laying aside their own comforts, and donating their resources to minister the compassion of Jesus to these hurting souls. And as a result of their sacrificial love, places where now only pain and destruction exist will someday, I believe, become places where the Lord will be known, honored and glorified. May the Lord bless you. Your brother in Christ, K.P. Yohannan P.S. For more information, please visit: http://www.gfa.org/tsunami _______________________ ::: About Gospel for Asia: http://www.gfa.org/aboutgfa ::: Sign-up Information ::: Removal Information Gospel for Asia |
O.K. I'M BACK. SO THAT WAS THE COURSE OF THE CORRESPONDENCE. I AM SHIFTING TO LOWER CASE LETTERS NOW. Lets review the facts: Look them over for yourselves and then if you are convinced tell as many Christians you know so that this particular group and K.P. Yohannan's shameless orphan fraud team will not be able to carry out such a heinous exploitation of the poor and the suffering again, or kind hearted Christians in the west. Many innocent people have been taken advantage of around the world by the recent actions of Gospel For Asia and K.P. Yohannan.
FACT: On January 12th K.P. Yohannan and Gospel For Asia sent out an e-mail to over 150,000 Christians (predominantly in the west) with the following statement:
"Dear Fellow Christian, |
FACT: The same day I sent an e-mail to their head office in America questioning their fraudulent claim. I gave them 24 hours to make a correction while informing those they had sent the initial misinformation too about the wrong information they had sent out. I approached them first to give them a chance to make things right.
They responded to me inside of 24 hours, admitted that their information was inaccurate, saying that they were going to make corrections and comply with my request. What they said was good in word and appeared to have the semblance of truthful action.
In actuality GFA and K.P. Yohannan did the following:
They perpetuated a bold lie that they had taken charge of 10,000 orphans in Sri Lanka. They have continued to perpetuate this lie since January 12th, 2005.
HERE IS WHERE IT GETS BAD:
On January 26th GFA sent out a donor solicitation that contained the following except:
"Gospel for Asia is committed to be there for these children as long as God gives us this privilege. Already, we are responsible for some 10,000 boys and girls who have no one else to turn to. And we are taking this privilege seriously-providing water, food, clothing, shelter, medical care, and the nurturing and counseling these traumatized children require. But even more important, we are letting them know that their heavenly Father will never abandon them, and that through His people, His love will surround them all the days of their lives." |
FACT (again): THERE ARE NOT EVEN 10,000 ORPHANS IN ALL OF SRI LANKA. If you don't believe that they are lying again I say see for yourself. Go to the official Sri Lankan Government website (Center for National Operations) put up by those in charge of relief effort.
Then scroll down and click on the "Childcare" link
Then click on the link that says "Unaccompanied and separated children in Sri Lanka as of (Date)."
According to the official statistics compiled by the National Child Protection Authority, the Department of Probation and Child Service, Save the Children in Sri Lanka , ILO and UNICEF as of the 12th of January, 2005, in Sri Lanka the current Child and Orphan situation is as follows: The number of unaccompanied children are 38; the number of separated children are 858, the number of children that lost one parent are 3202.
There are not 10,000 orphans total in Sri Lanka. Most true orphans are being taken care of by extended family at this point.
For all groups that love money more than God and the truth, the Sri Lankan Tsunami was the biggest fundraisers of all times. Many corrupt organizations could not help but belly up to the trough to feed off of the graphic imagery shown in the west and particularly the generous hearts of Christians. The leadership of Gospel for Asia in their fraud is counting on the following:
- Local Christian leaders in Sri Lanka to not say anything. The current persecution issues with the Buddhist would be inflamed if they did creating additional hardship. Local Christians of integrity would be lumped together with the GFA fraud and the local opposition would have further (legitimate) grounds to come against all Christian groups.
- That those within their own organization will not come out against this lie because GFA is their financial source. (Those who are part of the system have lost their ability to be part of the solution.)
- The apathy of Christians once they find out about this fraud.
By now GFA has cashed in on the Tsunami at the expense of kind hearted western Christians, on the suffering of poor Sri Lankans. They did stage a slick production on their website to help perpetuate the lie about their dramatic level of involvement in Sri Lanka. I don't doubt that that somewhere in Sri Lanka they gave away some clothes and food. That they staged a video shoot in a Sri Lankan refugee camp with a poor Sri Lankan girl that had no idea that she was being exploited.
You decide for yourselves.
Those effected by this tragedy in Sri Lanka can do very little to call GFA to account for their actions. We are doing what we can to make the truth known. If you believe for yourself that what you have seen is true, we ask that you do what you can to let other Christians know about this criminal fraud, particularly those who in innocence have supported GFA believing that they were actually Christian (Note: "Christian" actually means "Christ-Like". Christ would NEVER have done such a thing.)
Validate for yourself that K.P. Yohannan and his marketing team are shameless profiteers, deceitful workers that used this Tsunami and the suffering of innocents as an opportunity to lie and deceive for the purpose of getting money into their hands to further their own personal agenda; an agenda void of truth.
We stand with Christ and the Truth. We invite you to join us and let the truth be known to anyone with an ear to hear it. The innocent people of Sri Lanka have little recourse against a group like GFA and K.P. Yohannan. But what we can do is tell everyone. Let their shameless exploitation of Sri Lanka's tragedy and Sri Lanka's children be known and brought into the light for all who are on the side of the truth and on the side of Christ to see.
