In 2024, Seventh-day Adventist supporting ministry Maranatha Volunteers International hit the ground running on a variety of projects across India. Since January, crews have begun work on five church buildings, drilled 44 water wells, and continued work on the Binjipali Adventist School campus in Binjipali, Odisha State.

Maranatha’s country director for India, Vinish Wilson, said he is excited for what his team plans to accomplish in 2024. “This year in India, the goal is to construct 30 churches, dig 100 wells, and continue adding buildings to the Binjipali campus,” he said.

The church construction efforts of the ministry are currently centered at the far eastern side of India. Crews have begun work on three sites in the state of Mizoram and two in the Garo Hills region. These areas are some of the wettest on the planet, and local congregations are looking forward to worshiping in strong buildings that will protect them from the elements. In addition to work on new sites, a crew is adding a coat of paint to the final church building constructed in 2023.

Well-drilling is off to a strong start toward achieving this year’s goal of 100 wells. The 44 wells drilled in January are located in the southern coastal state of Andhra Pradesh. This semi-arid region suffers from economic stagnation that exacerbates its water insecurity. Communities in that area are thankful for Maranatha wells and the hope they bring.

Maranatha continues to transform the Binjipali school campus. Since starting the project in 2022, crews and volunteers have constructed classrooms, dorms, restrooms, a kitchen, and a cafeteria. Currently, crews are doing putty work on two boys’ bathrooms and a junior boys’ dorm, along with granite work on a recently constructed principal’s house. They’ve also begun building a boundary wall for the campus.

In India, the need for infrastructure is great, impacting a large portion of its population. “The demand for churches is substantial, as only 450,000 out of 1.1 million members have a place of worship,” Wilson said. “Additionally, 40 percent of the rural population in India lacks access to clean drinking water, making the need for wells urgent.”

Maranatha, a supporting ministry launched in 1969, has had a continuous presence in India since 1998, building places of worship and education throughout the country. In 2019, Maranatha started drilling water wells in areas in need of clean water. As of early 2024, Maranatha has constructed more than 2,400 structures in India.

The original version of this story was posted by Maranatha Volunteers International, which is an independent supporting ministry and is not operated by the corporate Seventh-day Adventist Church.