Church of Abundant Life Partners with Faith Christian Church in Chennai, India
So the people asked him, saying, "What shall we do then?" He answered and said to them, "He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none: and he who has food, let him do likewise."
Luke 3:10-11
Church of Abundant Life (COAL) has partnered with Faith Christian Church (FCC) in Nerkundram, Chennai, India as they work to help the poor and the homeless in their community. Many of the kids at FCC are orphaned or abandoned. Some are homeless and living on the pavement, while others live in small tents on the open ground. Poverty is a way of life for them. The children are surrounded by disease, drugs, alcohol and prostitution.
Faith Christian Church has committed to helping these children and so have we here at Church of Abundant Life. Gia Routhier, Team Leader at Church of Abundant Life, started this ministry several years ago. She states, "The Lord has pierced my heart for the people of India. It's a privilege for me to serve the poorest of the poor who live on the streets of Chennai. One day, my hope is to live amongst them. Until then, I serve from afar”.
We currently have two programs to help meet the needs of many of these children. The first is "Bottles for India" where we raise money from recycling bottles and cans, and through donations directly to the ministry. The second is “God’s Precious Sparrows” whereby a family commits to supporting one street child from Faith Christian Church on a regular basis by praying for the child every day and putting together monthly care packages that are sent to FCC for distribution to their sponsored child.
Through these programs Church of Abundant Life contributes to Faith Christian Church as they provide free medical clinics, hot meals, food, clothing and clean water for these underprivileged children and their families. This partnership also helps to support FCC in meeting the spiritual needs of these children and their families through Sunday Worship, Sunday School and Vacation Bible School.
To get involved email: click here
To view Cause Page: click here
Watch the Video at: click here
To DONATE to Bottles for India/God's Precious Sparrows:
Bottles for India
“...let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth” 1 John 3:18
“Bottles for India” was started in November of 2004 when the Lord first touched Gia’s heart for India. She began to realize that if she saved all her redeemable cans and bottles and used the money to support the children in Chennai she could help to change lives. Well, many lives have been touched and changed since then!
All money raised through this program is sent directly to Faith Christian Church to help meet the needs of the most vulnerable children and their families. We continue to raise money by recycling bottles and cans along with donations made directly to this ministry. What began as a simple way to raise some additional money for the impoverished children of India has grown considerably since its inception, with thousands of cans and bottles being recycled each month. Our most recent bottle drive on March 6, 2010, resulted in 8,474 bottles which totaled $423.80. Glory to God . . . He is so faithful to the Sparrows!
Here’s How It Works
Collecting redeemable cans and bottles is something we all can do . . . it’s easy, here’s how:
• Make a faith promise to collect as many redeemable cans and bottles as you can every month . . . ask your family members, friends, co-workers, and neighbors to do the same.
• Drop off empty cans and bottles at: Church of Abundant Life, 1881 Washington Street, Braintree, MA 02184, 781-848-7788.
• If you are unable to drop them off, we will gladly pick them up.
• All the money collected from the cans and bottles goes directly to Faith Christian Church to minister to the children and their families.
• By saving our cans and bottles we can:
put food on the table
give clean water to drink
give clothes and shoes to those who have none
provide basic health care through medical clinics
bring hope to those who feel hopeless!
Every nickel helps . . . nickels make dollars and dollars go a long way in India!
To get involved, email bottlesforindia@aol.com
God's Precious Sparrows
"whatever you did for one of the least of these ..., you did for me.”
Matthew 25:40
"God's Precious Sparrows" is a program that helps to directly connect us with the children in Chennai. The way it works is that a family commits to supporting one street child from Faith Christian Church on a regular basis by praying for the child every day and putting together monthly care packages that are sent to FCC for distribution. In so doing, we un-officially "adopt" the child and provide ongoing prayer and tangible support to give them hope for a better life and share Jesus' love with them.
