What We Do
Our ministries reflect our calling to care for orphans and widows in their distress while sharing the gospel and the love of Christ throughout India.
Everything we do is pursued with the overriding goal of spreading the love and word of Christ in India, saving souls, and transforming lives through God.
We operate with low overhead costs. Nobody in our US-based organization gets paid a salary, so more of your donation goes directly to India, to where it can be used for the highest possible impact.
Children's Home
We help orphans and children from unfortunate circumstances.
Some of our children in our children’s home are true orphans. Others come from broken homes, from abuse and neglect. As these kids come into our care, we are saving them from malnourishment, life on the streets (and the bad influences they find there), abuse at home, and other bad circumstances. We provide them with safety, love, mentorship, a healthy life, and an emphasis on school. Above all, we show God’s love and teach these children of His grace and salvation.
School
We support a private, accredited English-medium school on our campus.
In 2024, Sanctuary Ministries established a government-accredited school on our children’s home campus in Andhra Pradesh, India. The school has quickly grown from an elementary-only program into a full on-campus school serving more than 105 children through both elementary and secondary education.
By providing consistent instruction in English within a safe and stable environment, the school gives children in our care the opportunity to learn, grow, and prepare for their futures. Ongoing support helps sustain teachers, supplies, and daily operations as the school continues to expand.
Spreading the Gospel in India
We help support local preachers and evangelists in their efforts to show Christ’s love and spread the gospel.
Ministers in India are deeply devoted to their calling. Many work long hours in the fields or at other labor to provide for their families, while also shepherding their congregations, teaching God’s Word, and caring for widows and hungry children in their villages.
International Sanctuary Ministries works alongside more than 125 preachers and ministry leaders across cities and rural communities in southeast India, supporting them as we are able. We also help a number of evangelists serve full time in sharing the gospel, discipling new believers, and baptizing those who come to faith in Christ. Through these partnerships, lives are being changed and local churches are growing stronger. These local ministers are often the same trusted leaders who help identify widows in need, care for vulnerable children, and strengthen the communities where our other ministries serve.
These local ministers are often the same trusted leaders who help identify widows in need, care for vulnerable children, and strengthen the communities where our other ministries serve.
Widows Ministry
We help Christian widows in their time of need.
Being a widow in India is different from in the Western world. If a widow loses her husband, she is seen as unlucky and cursed. She is seen as the reason her husband died. Widows often are found begging on the streets, but many people in India cross the street on the other side to avoid coming in contact with such a person. In addition, many women whose husband has left them also face an extreme struggle. If a woman can find a job, they are paid half of what a man would make. If they have children, these women sometimes find it impossible to care for themselves and their kids.
Our ministry is focused on helping Christian women who struggle in these circumstances. By helping widows remain stable within their communities, we strengthen families, protect vulnerable children, and demonstrate the love and compassion of Christ in tangible ways.
Slum Ministry for Children and Families
We feed and educate children living in extreme poverty.
In nearby slum communities, many children do not attend school. Instead, they spend their mornings searching through trash or working to help their families survive. Through our Hope Village outreach and other feeding efforts, we provide education, care, and regular meals for children living in extreme poverty.
Local teachers work with these children to give them learning opportunities they would not otherwise receive, while meals are provided as support allows. Our goal is to expand this program so children can be fed consistently and similar outreach can begin in additional communities.
Christians Living with Leprosy
We help Christians living in a leprosy colony in India.
People affected by leprosy in India are often treated as permanent outcasts. Even today, many live in isolated leper colonies, separated from society and rejected by their communities. Though medical treatment now exists, the social stigma remains strong, leaving many without steady work, support, or acceptance.
Sanctuary Ministries supports a group of Christians living in one such colony in Andhra Pradesh. We help provide food assistance, basic medical support, and encouragement through a local church fellowship created specifically for these believers — a place where they are welcomed, known, and able to worship together. Through this ministry, we seek to meet practical needs while reminding these brothers and sisters that they are not forgotten.
Water Well Ministry
We provide clean water to villages in need.
In many rural areas of India, families must walk long distances each day to collect water, often from unsafe sources. For some low-caste communities, access to nearby wells is restricted, forcing families to take much longer routes simply to avoid areas where they are not welcome.
Sanctuary Ministries drills water wells in poor villages, often near local church buildings, providing clean water that is freely available to everyone. These wells remove daily barriers, improve health, and open doors for relationships as believers serve their neighbors and share the love of Christ. One well can transform life for an entire village.
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