Daystar Donates $210,000 to Huldah Buntain’s Ministry in India

CALCUTTA, India - Nov. 25, 2014 - PRLog -- Daystar Television Network has donated $210,000 toward Huldah Buntain’s ministry – Calcutta Mercy Ministries – specifically for the development of the Hope House and ongoing operating costs of Mercy Hospital in Calcutta, India. This donation comes on the heels of a matching donation challenge issued by Daystar’s founder Marcus Lamb on the network’s flagship program, Marcus and Joni. Huldah and her daughter, Bonnie Buntain-Long, were guests on the program for a special celebration of Huldah’s 90^th birthday and 60 years of faithful ministry in India.

“We are so grateful for our partners, who stepped up to our $100,000 matching donation challenge for Huldah Buntain and the Hope House in India,” says Marcus Lamb, President & CEO of Daystar Television Network. “The response was overwhelming. Praise God for what this will mean to the people in India.”

Huldah Buntain, along with her late husband, Mark, travelled to India for what was meant to be a short, one year evangelistic mission in 1954. That year quickly turned into 60, with Huldah carrying on the ministry after Mark’s passing in 1989.

Mercy Hospital was first built in 1977, and has since grown into a 173-bed hospital with 30 specialty units and 19 satellite community clinics, serving more than 100,000 patients a year. Many of the patients receive care free of charge.

“I wish I could take you and show you the hundreds that come every day for help,” says Huldah. “Poor people off the street, mothers with their children wanting help and medical care. I walk the corridors of the hospital and I think “what would these dear people do if it wasn’t for the mission hospital?” What an arm of evangelism."

Besides meeting the medical needs of the people, Huldah has also worked to provide food, shelter and education to the poor. The Buntains began a food program in the 1950’s which has grown to feed 25,000 adults and children every day through various food stations and schools across Calcutta.

Their work done in the red-light district of Calcutta has also been remarkable. The lives of women and children living in dire conditions have been transformed through education and schooling, many going on to become pastors, nurses or doctors at Mercy Hospital.

Recently, work began to build the Hope House, a home for girls born into Calcutta’s red-light district. Providing a safe, productive and fun environment for girls, the Hope House grants a life-changing opportunity to those who would otherwise have been lost to the red-light district. Also part of the Hope House is a nursing college for women, providing education and a future for those involved in the program. Construction is expected to be completed in 2015.

The reach of Huldah Buntain’s ministry is phenomenal – now across 11 states, with 32,000 people in schools throughout India – but the need it still great. Daystar is honored to partner with Calcutta Mercy Ministries, with donations benefiting the Mercy Hospital and future, ongoing projects such as the Hope House.

“Thank you Daystar partners for listening and for being a part of this ministry, for so many years and again today,” says Bonnie Buntain-Long. “I have nothing but gratitude and I know that God keeps the best records and He will bless you. What you sow you will always reap. Thank you again Daystar.”

To learn more about Daystar Television Network, and their ministry endeavors around the world, visit http://www.daystar.com.

Daystar Television Network is an award winning, faith-based network dedicated to spreading the Gospel 24 hours a day, seven days a week – all around the globe, through all media formats possible. Reaching over 104 million households in the United States and over 2 billion people worldwide, Daystar is the fastest growing faith-based television network in the world.