Missionary John Gonsalves (India) - April 2026 Report

Personal Overview

• Name: John Gansalves

• Location: Odisha, India

• Family: Married to Deepika; daughter Hosanna (turning 4 on April 14, entering Nursery).

• Vocation: Preacher, disciple-maker, and church planter.

• Role: GAP-NAMS Coordinator for India.

• Focus Areas: Evangelism, pastoral training, slum children education, developing women's potentials, and community development.

Ministry Operations (GAP India)

Has conducted five active disciple-makers currently operating across India.

• 1. GAP-NAMS: The Core apprenticeship ministry framework.

• 2. Church Planting: ⛪ Expanded base church from 4 to 15–20 consistent attendees. Established a Sunday school for 10 children.

• 3. House Fellowships: 🏘️ Daily evening gatherings in slum sectors (Pragatinagar, Panchumahala, Sardapur) focused on personal evangelism and practical application of Christ's commands. 
  

• 4. Children’s Ministry: 📚 Operating two free education centers (Pragatinagar and Sitirasahi) for approximately 60 children, primarily rag pickers. Documented behavioural shifts include the cessation of stealing, begging, and substance abuse.
  
  Pragatinagar Children Educational Centre
  
  
  
  Sitirasahi Children Education Centre
  

• 5. Leadership Training: 📖 Instructed 50 pastors and leaders (as of March 2026) in evangelistic methodology (Matthew 28:19-20). Objective metric: Reach 200 individuals with the Gospel by April 2026.
  
  
  

• 6. Sports Ministry: ⚽ Utilizing football to counter youth digital addiction, managed by apprentice Eka. Incorporates moral and biblical instruction before and after physical activity.
  

• 7. Youth Training: 🌱 Concluded a two-day discipleship intensive yielding personal faith commitments from 15 youths.
  
  
  

• 8. Women’s Ministries: 👩 Executed an awareness program for 100 women, featuring sanitary kit distribution, assisted by Dr. Upasana and Brother Anil Patra.
  
  

• 9. Teaching Ministry: 🗣️ Served as the primary resource speaker for a 500-attendee annual church conference.
  
  
  

• 10. Social Service: 🤝

  • Environmental Management: Mobilizing slum residents for continuous area cleanliness.
    

  • Water Sanitation: Cleaned local wells with community assistance to secure a safe daily water supply.
    

  • Public Health: Instituted strict daily hygiene protocols (bathing, dental care, handwashing) for youth, observing steady compliance.
    

  • Charity: Directed operational aid to impoverished demographics and leprosy patients via donor funding.
    
    
    
    

Please help us praying about:

• 🙏 Demographic Reach: Spiritual conversion for residents in Pragatinagar, Panchumahala, Sardapur, Benagadia, and Sitirasahi.

• 🙏 Leadership Yield: Effective multiplication of disciples through the 50 recently trained leaders.

• 🙏 Educational Facilities: Sustained transformation and fruitfulness at the two children's centers.

• 🙏 Hardware Logistics: Procurement of an electronic tablet to optimize training efficiency.

• 🙏 Financial Logistics: Adequate funding for GAP operations.

• 🙏 Personnel Acquisition: Optimal selection for the new GAP apprentice vacancy.

• 🙏 Personal Efficacy: Continued growth and fruitfulness for family and ministry.

John Gansalves
India
April 2026

Sudanese Pastor Philemon Nassan Visits Pindamonhangaba, São Paulo

I was asked by sister Marilandi Vicente of the First Evangelical Baptist Church (PIEB) in Pindamonhangaba if I could act as a translator to a Sudanese pastor who was coming to São Paulo. I didn't know who the person was but I decided to help and I had the great pleasure of meeting Philemon Hassan, a man of God.

On Sunday (March 22, 2026) we went to the Second Baptist Church in Moreira César, where we were welcomed by Pastor Francisco Franciene Rodrigues dos Santos and his congregation, who kindly also offered some breakfast to us together with the congregation. Pastor Hassan shared his testimony and stories and the members were very moved.

Emerson translating for Pastor Hassan at PIEB Pinda

On the same day in the evening I accompanied and translated for Pastor Hassan at the First Evangelical Baptist Church in Pindamonhangaba. The local Pastor (Cleber Francisco) was not there, so the service was led by brother Diego Cortez. Again the testimony of Pastor Hassan moved people who decided to pray and help financially.

Pastor Hassan with Marilandi and Pedro Vicente

Below there is a summary of Pastor Philemon Hassan's life events:

Sudan faced a split of the country (2023), being the North Muslim and the South Christian.

Subject Profile: Philemon Hassan

• 👤 Name: Philemon Hassan (Kharata)
  
  

• 💼 Job: Baptist Pastor, hymnal composer

• 📍 Location: Uganda & Al Ezba Baptist Church, Khartoum North, Sudan

• 🤝 Network: Affiliated with SAT-7 and Candlelight Choir

Timeline of Events

• 🛑 2015 | Church Harassment: Government authorities arrested 12 women leaving Hassan's church. . They charged them with "indecent dress" offenses to target the congregation. (CSW Report)

• ⛓️ March 14–15, 2016 | Arrest:   Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) raided his home, confiscated his laptop, and detained him twice without formal charges. (Morning Star News)

• 📺 June 2019 | Public Grief: Hassan appeared on the SAT-7 television program Keep on Singing in Cairo. . He wept and prayed on air shortly after the military killed 100 peaceful protesters in Khartoum.  (SAT-7 Archives)

• 🙏 June 2020 | Broadcast: He recorded a follow-up message marking the one-year anniversary of the 2019 massacre, thanking international viewers for their support during the country's political transition. (SAT-7 Broadcast)

Pastor Philemon Hassan's televised message on Sudan

• ✈️ November 2021 | Diplomacy: He traveled to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He met with the J-Life network and Unite 4 Africa to plan regional leadership training. (Unite 4 Africa)

• ⚔️ May 2023 | Trapped by War: After the SAF-RSF war started, Hassan reported his church was surrounded by military buildings and his congregation was pinned down by crossfire . (SAT-7 Interview)

• 💣 December 20, 2024 | Church Bombed: The Sudanese Air Force (SAF) bombed Al Ezba Baptist Church and its nursery. The strike killed 11 people, including 8 children, and wounded the church caretaker . (Baptist Press)

  
  
  
  
  

• 🗣️ March 2025 | Public Plea: Hassan confirmed people in his district are dying from violence and a lack of food.  He issued a public plea for the armies to stop the war and protect Christian minorities. (Religion News Service)

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Pastor Hassan helping and teaching people who converted to Christ from Islamic background.

During Christmas Pastor Hassan organises a March For Jesus, parading throughout the city and preaching about Christ in crowded places of Sudan.