Christian Mission Service

Christian Mission Service (CMS) is the English name of the Christlicher Missionsdienst (CMD), a non-denominational protestant child-care charitable organisation.

History
The CMD was founded in Germany in 1957 by Emil Richter after he became aware of the plight of orphan children in India through a visiting Indian pastor. Initially funds were sent directly to people caring for orphan children in India. The first Children's Home was set up in Gunadala in Andhra Pradesh in 1963. Its work then mainly focused on Kanyakumari District of Tamilnadu.

Areas of Operation
Its work started and is still mainly based in Southern India. It currently cares for around 10,000 orphan and destitute children and young people in Children's Homes, Day Care Centres, and Training Centres in India, the Philippines, Indonesia and Bangladesh. Individual children are sponsored by a fostership scheme, with foster parents mainly situated in Germany and Switzerland. For the safeguard of its donors, CMD is a holder of a 'Spendenprüfzertifikat' issued by the 'Deutschen Evangelischen Allianz'. This is a donor quality assurance certificate which is periodically reviewed.

CMD also partakes in other child-related charitable activities in Kenya and Israel.

Recently, CMS has also been involved in disaster relief and home rebuilding especially after the 2004 Tsunami.

Organisation
The Indian operations are administered from a Central Office in Silverdale, Coonoor. The country operations are further split into six geographic areas, with Area Managers responsible for the Children's Homes in these areas.

Current Management

 * President: Dr. Reinhold Wagner
 * Vice President: Heinz Steinhäußer
 * Treasurer: Willi Föll
 * Office Manager: Markus Romeis
 * Missions Director: Dr. Horst Kowski