India Connection / Koinonia Fellowship Ministries of India

A fellowship of believers

Our vision for India Connection.org is to continue to develop a permanent, self-supporting, indigenous, Christ-centered ministry – Koinonia Fellowship Ministries of India (KFMI). KFMI is a network of Christian fellowships spread across 16 northern Indian states. In the face of poverty and persecution, our pastors proclaim the Kingdom of God in villages, towns and cities. By the grace of God, people are hearing the Gospel and getting saved every day.

Pastor Joseph Hiwale provides spiritual leadership, teaching and encouragement to over 90 pastors from his headquarters in Pune, India. His son Ben Hiwale is a pastor at Koinonia Fellowship Church in East Rochester, NY. He and Senior Pastor Ray Viola came alongside Pastor Joseph 15 years ago to help with this ministry. Today, many churches in the U.S. actively support the work of KFMI in India.

IndiaConnection.org is a bridge that enables saints in America to equip and edify the church in India.  Our organization efficiently delivers and administers financial support directly to pastors in India. Unlike other worthy organizations in the missions field, India Connection offers the possibility of hands on involvement. We encourage our supporters to travel to India as part of organized missions trips and spiritual, medical and educational outreaches, offering individuals and church groups an opportunity for discipleship and spiritual growth.

A school of ministry

A few years ago, the Lord put on the heart of the KFMI leadership the urgent need to raise up the next generation of leaders; to train young men and women to take over pastoral duties so they can continue the Lord’s work in the future. In 2004 we founded the Koinonia School of Ministry in Pune and the first class of 7 young men was enrolled. Since that time we have graduated over 30 young people, all of whom are now actively serving the Lord in ministries across India.

By the grace of God, we are planning a major expansion of the KSOM campus this year. In the spring we will break ground on an 8,000 sq. foot building with classrooms, dorms, a sanctuary and kitchen. The additional space of this Pune Center facility will greatly increase the number of students we can support while giving us the capacity to expand our other ministries, including the medical clinic.

A medical clinic for the poor

In January of 2010 we opened a storefront medical facility to serve the poor in Pune. A long-time vision of Pastor Joseph, the clinic is staffed full-time by a medical doctor who ministers to both the physical and spiritual needs of the neighborhood. Dr. Namrata Hiwale sees dozens of patients every day, many of whom have never seen a doctor before.

Future vision: We are seeking donations of new and used medical equipment that will expand the range of treatments we can offer.

Supporting pastors

To visit one of our local pastors is to be on the front lines of the global war against Satan and see first-hand what the Lord is doing in and through His faithful servants. It is inspiring to watch en and women minister to the intense spiritual and physical needs of their flock, often in very difficult conditions. From dirt trails in the mountains to teeming city streets, our pastors walk mile after mile sharing the Gospel.  Having a few extra pennies to take a bus might seem like a little thing, but it really makes a difference in a place like India. With your support some of our pastors have even been able to buy a scooter.

Building village churches

We have many fellowships all over India that do not have a dedicated place to meet regularly and worship the Lord. Over the past year, we have built churches in Agra and Jagdalpur, where they stand as a witness among the heathen as a place where the Good News of hope and salvation is proclaimed.

An orphanage for at risk children

There are 20 million abandoned children living on the streets of India today, many of them girls who have been abandoned by their families. After many months of prayer and preparation, we will soon open a Girls Home in Pune.  The Lord has provided the startup costs, and over the next few months we will rent a building, furnish it with beds, a kitchen and a schoolroom, and hire full-time care-givers. By April, we will begin to take in our first girls, possibly including the daughters of Christians who were martyred for their faith.

We are seeking sponsors who will make a monthly donation to support this worthy cause. Make an eternal difference in the life of an orphaned girl by helping to provide food, clothing, shelter, medicine and everything else she needs for her well-being and education.

Get involved!

There are many ways for you to participate in the work the Lord is doing in India. You may not be able to travel, but your prayers and support are much needed. Do you have one of these skills or gifts?

Talking: Share the good news about the India ministry with your friends, and get saints at other churches praying, supporting and visiting India.

Teaching: Teach English as a Second Language or another subject at KSOM. With distance learning technology, you may not even have to leave home!

Carpentry, painting, construction: Come and serve by helping to build the new KSOM facility.

Plumbing, electrical, computer repair: Teach the KSOM students a practical skill that they can use to support themselves and their ministries.

Evangelism: Visit India for two to three weeks and participate in the ministry as an individual or a group.

Giving: Pay a student’s expenses, buy a scooter, or help build a church. Cure the sick, feed the hungry, and clothe the naked. Take care of the widows and orphans. Click the Donate button on the right.

Care-Givers: Go on a short trip to India with a team of medical and dental professionals.