so there's this train station...

so there's this train station...

over the past few years the elders have sensed that God was preparing to expand our global relationships. not meaning He would replace our connections in Monclova, but that He would add another place for us to join Him outside of the United States. this was something the elders prayed about and discussed from time to time, but with so many people groups, locations, and options, it was difficult to know where to start. so the elders decided to just be patient and wait for the Lord to be clear about what was next.

during the summer of 2010, God decided it was time to get things rolling. through some previously established friendships, He connected the elders with His Voice Global, a ministry that has done incredible kingdom work with orphans and orphanages in Sudan and was looking to expand and begin a new work in India. a casual conversation led to a more serious conversation. and that led to a lot of prayer, which led to some skype time, and even more prayer. then on October 3rd, the elders officially announced that the ring community church would begin a new partnership with a church in Kolkata, India.

our partnership will center around a ministry called Hope of Life, which is a rescue home for boys in Kolkata. a year ago, the boys who now live in this home were homeless and lived at the Howrah train station. it is estimated that there are 200 kids living around this station, a life that involves gangs, sexual abuse, drugs, and doing whatever you have to do to survive. most of these children are either runaways from abusive homes or they were neglected and abandoned. because He loves these little ones very much, God started sending a faithful man named Nabin and his wife, Matilda, to the train station a few times each week. they would walk through the railway platforms and share the love of Christ with each kid they saw. it became clear to them that God was not only sending them to the station to share the gospel, but to offer a way out from that way of life. they began praying, and eventually felt led to open Hope of Life.

currently there are seven boys living in the home, ranging in age from 8 to 18. Hope of Life provides them with a place to live, solid meals, an education, structure, discipline, and most importantly a chance to be discipled in the ways of Jesus. they come from various religious backgrounds, but Nabin and Matilda say that their top priority is to raise them to be followers of Jesus. Nabin’s church provides direct oversight and accountability to their ministry, and the church members help care for the boys in various ways. our partnership with them is still in the formative stages, but will basically be our church joining with their church to help oversee and support Hope of Life in every way possible. God has begun a tremendous work in Kolkata, and we are humbled and honored to be allowed to join in. what a beautiful picture of the gospel, and what a gracious and loving God we serve.