There is much work to be done during this New Year, 2004, and we know that with the help of God we can do it! Fifteen years have passed since my first trip to India, it was exactly during the first week of January 1989. I will never forget the impact of reality that hit me when I first arrived; my first encounter with lepers, with the blind, with naked and starving adults and children filled with so much misery and sadness. The memory of that terrible first encounter still brings me to tears. I felt a burden that is still with me today; it was the call of God and there was no choice but to answer and say: Here I am Lord!

The year 2003 was bursting with many activities. At present we are supporting approximately 500 children, 50 missionaries and various families who have no other means of support. There is also a young lady who is about to graduate from University and we are covering her expenses. We are also helping other young ladies who are studying nursing. One of them has already graduated and is now working and providing for herself and her family. We also have a feeding program for lepers and for many other poor people who live on the streets of Calcutta. The needs are countless but THE GRACE OF GOD IS INFINITE AND GREAT.

Once again as in previous years, we were able to provide 2200 pairs of shoes, socks and candy to 2200 poor children. We would like to remind you that these shoes are made in Calcatta by poor shoemakers who come from the Jungle of Ranchi. This project not only provides shoes for these dear children but also provides work for 12 shoemakers for a period of four months. Again we say: THANK YOU to all of you who give us the opportunity to give assistance to these various needs.

God willing, apart from our usual activities during this New Year, we will also dedicate a new school building that is almost completed. In April, we will open the doors of a new school for children that once lived in a leprosarium. God willing during the same month, we will also endeavour to begin construction of a new orphanage and an old age home. These are two new urgent needs and I am certain that the Lord will help us to achieve the completion of these two projects for the assistance of dear needy souls! These two buildings will not only be built in a very poor part of India but also a very cold area, precisely in the mountains where people live without heat. We ask you to remember to pray for these two urgent needs!

If I were to list all the requests that are before us I wouldn’t know where to begin. Surely, we know that the sincere faithful prayer will benefit this mission; however, we also know that these prayers need to be accompanied with love offerings in order to be effective. We need people who will be willing to sponsor children in need of love, food and clothing. We need sponsors to help missionaries in remote parts of India. We need help in supplying Bibles as we did this past year. We need help to purchase bicycles for missionaries who go to preach the gospel in the jungles of India. It also goes without saying, that gifts are also needed for the many lepers, for the hungry and for the construction of new schools and orphanages. I simply ask you to: sincerely pray. Pray for a few days and I know that God will guide you in how you can help this ministry.

May God bless you as we work together to accomplish all that we can! The world groans in torment, but in the Name of Jesus, we can do something tangible for someone in need. Let us not remain indifferent!