COM (Christian Outreach Ministry), Karnataka India

 The name Peter has long been synonymous with the disciple who walked on water.  Pastor Peter Jamkhandi in Hubli, does the name proud.  Working tirelessly in a country steeped in Hindu traditions, and millions of deities, COM trains missionaries to reach rural people in 300,000 villages across the nation.

COM Orphanage in Hubli

The organization also builds, funds and staffs over 50 orphanages serving 8,000 children. Economic stress, AIDS and poor health quality has created hundreds of thousands of orphans in a nation with over 1 billion people.  Recognizing children are the future of the nation, COM gives a safe haven for children who have lost their parents providing them with a loving environment and Christian training in their formative years.  They are dedicated to seeing their children receive college and vocational education to make them a productive part of society.  Many of their former residents have returned to work as teachers and house parents in the orphanages.

Thirteen million Indian children are orphans, many living on the streets and in slum areas foraging for food and barely surviving from day to day.  Two million of those lost one or both parents to the AIDs epidemic. According to the latest published statistics, India now has the largest number of AIDs orphans than any country in the world, surpassing even Africa.  While statistics and numbers can overwhelm us into inaction, there are many like Pastor Peter, who strive to help as many as they possibly can, increasing their outreach and building new orphanages, year after year to give hope and life to the desperate and destitute. 

Sunshine After Rain Ministries partners with Pastor Peter Jamkhandi and the efforts of COM to bring the Good News to rural village communities in Karnataka through pastor training, orphanage outreach and village ministry evangelism. In November of 2006 coordinating with Gateway Outreach, over 5,000 people were seen, many hearing the Gospel for the first time. We returned in April of 2007 with the Orphanage Director of East West Ministries International, heading up a missionary training seminar, outreach to the local orphanage and a Children’s Festival in Gokak.  Although our time in April was cut short by an attack of Hindu extremists, clear evidence of the good work and activity going on in the region, we were still able to reach over 800 children and adults across the region.  (Full account of the event can be read on our ministry “Field Journal” Archive April 2007)