Good News Ministries

Click here for a video update from Good News Ministries

“Being light in the darkness and bringing hope to the hopeless in Ongole, India”

Ministry update December 2025:

This past year, GNM built a church for a neighboring community, providing a gathering space for 70 worshippers. We drilled a borewell to supply fresh water to 42 families in the untouchable community. GNM also delivered emergency relief after October’s cyclone Montha hit our area, assisting flood victims among the untouchables. During our 17 Christmas events, we provided gifts of food and clothing and shared the gospel with about 400 residents from nearby communities.

Outlook for 2026

Next year, we plan to build a new home for our blind children on a property GNM already owns. Once construction of the new home is complete, we will be consolidating two rented facilities currently housing 32 children combined. Estimated construction costs are $75,000. Please consider supporting this project with a generous donation.

We are deeply grateful for your ongoing support, enabling us to minister to over 800 people every year!

Our Story!

Good News Minsitries began unofficially in 1998 with official Indian Government recognition in 2004 as an NGO. They were founded by Samrat and Kamala Kodavatikanti along with Samrat’s parents, Joseph and Rachel Kodavatikanti. It was born out of a gathering in Ongole called the Church of the Lord. Really, the history of the organization can be traced back to the 1860’s when a missionary from New York, John Clough, travelled to Ongole and met a street magician named, Polliya Kodavatikanti and told him he should stop what he was doing and turn his life over to the Lord. Polliya told him to go away and mind his own business. John Clough said the gospel was his business. After some time, Polliya converted to Christianity and changed the direction of his family. After 4 generations, they are still making a difference in Ongole serving hose Indian society casts aside: orphans, street children, blind children, widows, elderly, lepers, untouchables and those in prison. We also provide support and training to a network of 120 village churches.

Organizational services:

GNM continuously provides essential needs for 70 orphans in our orphanage, and offers education, free schooling, transportation, and lunch to 97 local children. Our blind children's home serves 32 children under Kamala Kodavatikanti's leadership. We run 25 after-school centers for 600 children, provide a home to 20 widows, and bring encouragement and the gospel message into 15 prisons. We bring hope into our city’s two untouchable communities, supplying food and discipleship to 42 families. We continue to oversee a church network of 120 pastors with training and support. GNM operates with 27 staff, mainly volunteers, including six paid staff.

Impact story:

Lakshmi comes from a very poor family in Ongole. When she was very young, she lost her father to HIV Aids. Her mother was quite sick and no longer able to care for her. One of the pastors from "Church of the Lord" (GNM's attached church) invited Lakshmi and her sister to live in GNM's orphanage. Her older sister, Sawra, had previously died from an asthma attack. Inspite of all the loss Lakshmi suffered in her young life, she graduated from the GNM school with honors and went on to nursing school. She now works as a nurse in a hospital in a large city. She still returns to the orphanage for the holidays to reconnect with her roots.