Roofbreakers in Kolkata India in 2026

A team of 5 UK volunteers – Abigail, Anne, Vitoria, Martyn and Janet – were privileged to serve as Roofbreakers in Kolkata India in 2026. They travelled to Kolkata for 10 days, meeting some inspiring people, and sharing about the importance of Christian disability inclusion. This followed a Wheels for the World trip to the same area in March 2025. The UK team shares this reflection on their time in Kolkata.

Breaking down barriers

What a joy it was on our first day to be able to run a seminar for church leaders, and to hear overwhelming responses from those present who committed to going back to their church communities and making changes to ensure disabled people can access the Gospel and Christian life. We pray this seminar has changed hearts and minds and the message will have an ongoing impact on all the churches represented, and the individuals they will be in contact with.

The Roofbreaker team also spoke at a large workshop at a leprosy mission hospital with people from various different missions and organisations. Some had travelled 200km to be there. Leprosy is still a big problem in India, and following the workshop we met some of the patients in the hospital and heard about some of the amazing ministries in the area, including a children’s centre that we visited, providing education, meals and healthcare to children from the slums.

High and low, great and small

A group of people outdoors in a slum area of India, with UK volunteers speaking to local residents, including children. It’s difficult to sum up what we experienced throughout our time in Kolkata. We spoke into such different contexts: a large church service (and sung a worship song with sign language); but also a small house church serving people in the slum areas. Such a humbling experience to hear of the challenges they face, but a real inspiration to be able to worship with them (with just a tambourine for accompaniment) and to pray together.

We also met with members of a Deaf church, where we shared the Through the Roof story in sign language, and spent a very special time with members of the Deaf community who have come to faith. The pastor has begun a project to translate the whole of the Bible into Indian Sign Language. It is a project that will take 15 years, and he’s already done 2 years, so the Bible is already becoming more accessible for the Deaf community. In Kolkata alone, there are over 50,000 Deaf people, so this is a huge mission field, and a life-changing ministry.

Blind lady reads Bible in Bengali braille

A blind Indian lady reads from a braille Bible at the front of a hall, while another Indian lady holds a microphone for her Members of a blind ministry group welcomed us, and we worshipped and prayed together and spoke about the Through the Roof message. Their Bible reading was from John chapter 9 about the man who was born blind, when Jesus ruled out sin being the cause, and said it was to display the works of God. This was read to us by a blind lady reading from Bengali braille. What a powerful message as she was undoubtedly displaying the works of God herself through what she was reading!

Many ministries and Wheels recipients

During our time in Kolkata we were blessed to visit several of the recipients from last year’s Wheels for the World trip (including Kamula, pictured with her son Amos). A grey haired Indian lady in a wheelchair, wearing a pink and purple striped dress, with a younger man stood next to her, wearing a purple striped shirt. It was obvious how life-transforming the mobility equipment had been, both physically but also spiritually too, and the audio Bibles were constantly mentioned as being so important to people. More stories will follow!

We visited other ministries, including the Mother Teresa centre and a home for children with additional needs run by the Missionaries of Charity. Also, a slum ministry where a converted bus is used to provide children from the slums with education and a meal.

Transforming lives through Jesus with disabled people

All in all, a truly humbling trip, and we do pray that the message we shared with everyone will have a lasting impact and provide encouragement for those we met, and that ultimately it will make a real difference for the future.

Pray with us that lives will be transformed.

You may have heard that our journey home was disrupted due to the war in Iran, involving an extended stay in Dubai in March 2026. We are grateful to God for His provision and protection during this difficult time.

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