Our Mission, Vision, and Purpose
Paul said, “Those who are of faith are the descendents of Abraham” (Gal. 3:7), but what does that entail? Jesus said that true children of Abraham will “do the works of Abraham” (John 8:39). We demonstrate our spiritual lineage by seeking to live out the promise which God made to him: “In you all the families [tribes, nations, races, cultures] of the earth will be blessed” (Gen 12:3).
Sadly, though, many Christians throughout history have instead thought their mission was to conquer rather than bless. But Jesus never called the church to dominate, shake, conquer or control the nations for him. We’re simply commanded to bless them!
Our calling is to bless the people within our reach by proclaiming and demonstrating the love of God. Often this can be as simple as hugging hurting people and reminding them that Christ is with them always. Or, it may be weeping with some Hindu or Muslim friends when they’ve lost loved ones.
But sometimes it calls for more active measures, and that’s why Iris India exists. We are reaching children in India who have been exploited and enslaved, or in some cases, simply forgotten and left behind by society.
At our Ramabai Memorial School, outcaste village children receive (for the first time in their family-lines) a real education in an atmosphere filled with Christ’s love. We’re able to grow all the vegetables and spices for their daily school lunches on the property. For many, this is their only solid meal of the day.
In a nearby state, we help rehabilitate child laborers, who spend 12+ hours a day crushing rocks into gravel, starting when they’re four years old. In their free time we teach them basic reading and writing, along with tailoring and other skills. Most importantly, they learn that because they’re made in God’s image, they have the right to freedom and dignity; that they can cast off their chains.
The parents of these children (themselves also rock-crushers) are more than happy to send them to our center. They are desperate for their families to break out of the miserable drudgery they’ve known for generations. They’re seeing with their own eyes that Jesus sets people free from slavery and degradation.
We also have several urban centers, which also provide job-skills, education and character development to slum-dwelling children, so they can experience life abundant instead of mere subsistence living.
And when it comes to training leaders in India, we emphasize servant-leadership, which comes back to the same first principles: serve God by serving the needy, and proclaim to everyone that “God is love” (1 John 4:16). And that it must be demonstrated not just in words, but in deeds.
Thank you for visiting this site. Our prayer is that the time you spend here will bring you closer to Jesus and fill you with the wonder of his love; and that you too will continue in the mission of blessing “all the families of the earth.”