December 2014 Newsletter
Peace On Earth, Hope For All
From our heart to yours,
wishing you a most blessed Christmas
and happy New Year.
GIVE A GIFT OF HOPE THIS CHRISTMAS
Feed the Hungry
Educate a Child
Medically Assist a Family
www.calcuttamercy.org/donate
CHRISTMAS GREETINGS FROM CALCUTTA
MINISTRY NEWS: In January, we celebrated the 50th Golden Anniversary of our first school that commenced in January 1964 with 230 students. How grateful we are now that we have 32,000 students in over 100 schools. We also celebrated the construction of the new Buntain Theological College, fundraised by Brother Sam Johnson of Priority One Ministries. June 4th, I stood with pastors and hospital staff at my husband Mark’s grave. It was hard to believe that it has been 25 years since he left us so suddenly, but I am grateful that his vision for Calcutta and the 11 states where we have fast growing ministries under national leadership has become a reality.
FAMILY NEWS: I am grateful for BONNIE AND JIM for their involvement in our hospital and compassionate ministries. I am happy my younger daughter, MAUREEN, came with Bonnie for the Golden Anniversary school celebrations last January. My grandsons have been a blessing to the ministry. MARK is working alongside Bonnie with her Calcutta projects. DANIEL & MICHAELA have their own media business in California and have blessed us with their talents. Michaela is finishing her doctoral studies at Fuller Theological Seminary. PAUL is in his second year as a resident doctor in the large Boston City Hospital, and his wife KATELYN is proceeding with her doctorate in Public Health at Boston University. They share a real burden for medical ministries in Calcutta.
WITH GRATEFUL THANKS for your faithful monthly donations and for the kindness of pastors and churches where I was privileged to speak this year. I am also grateful to PASTOR IVAN AND SHEILA SATYAVARATA for their wonderful leadership in Calcutta, to SANJAY PRASAD and his wife RUHI for their efficient hospital leadership, to our CM President RANDY VALIMONT and wonderful staff for their continued hard work and support, and to Taryn Saxton and Nancy Gibson who facilitate my work, travel, and speaking engagements.
This year on October 6th marked 60 years since we landed in Calcutta for what we thought was one year of evangelistic ministry, but God had different plans for our lives.
On behalf of Jim, Bonnie, myself, and all of our family, we wish you and your families a wonderful Christmas and blessed New Year.
LOVE AND APPRECIATION,
Huldah Buntain
Founder, Calcutta Mercy
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO OUR CALCUTTA MERCY FAMILY!
I don’t know about you, but I am counting down the days to Christmas. Besides the festive parties, warm fires, and lots of quality family time, we get to remember and celebrate the day the Lord come down to earth, to bring us back to God. What a wonder. What a gift. Joy to the world, indeed!
This year has been a great blessing for the ministry in Calcutta as we’ve seen our ministries fully funded and transforming many hearts and lives. At our hospital and clinics, we treated 40,000 more patients, free-of-charge. Many of these were children with debilitating cleft palates who are now able to breathe easy and smile big; children with dangerous heart deformities who can now anticipate many more years of life instead of just months; and children with thalassemia and leukemia who have confidently returned to school, with the assurance of monthly blood transfusions.
Meanwhile, our feeding program continues to feed thousands a day, and our schools are expanding further into 11 states of India, most notably our Mercy Schools that educate young impoverished children in highly-illiterate village communities.
Suffice it to say, God continues to be faithful to the work he began here 60 years ago. Because of Him and the hearts He moves to give and serve, it is like Christmas all-year-round in Calcutta. Thank you for the part you’ve played this year in the ministry. We remember you with joy this season and pray you have a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year.
For the Children,
Randy Valimont
President, Calcutta Mercy