BMCF Advance Christmas 2006

On December 3, 2006 Bombay Mizo Christian Fellowship (BMCF) celebrated Advance Christmas. With Christmas carols, special numbers, gift exchange and special snacks after the service, the young and the old alike enjoyed this evening special programme. BMCF Male Voice, comprising David, Maruata and James presented a special number - "God has revealed it". With Sharon (bassist) and Mercy playing guitars for her, Grace Miller sang a beautiful number "Jingle Bells Rock". They won applause from the crowd. Matluangtea, Mapuia and LR-a together sang a special number for the first time in BMCF. And Matluangtea's voice was melodious. ST-a and Hriatpuia's performace was excellent. ST-a's voice was beautiful as he sang his heart out celebrating the new born King, and Hriatpuia's guitar solo was awesome. And the snacks and the juice...and the presence of God in our midst...it was fun! God's grace.

Lead, Kindly Light!

How much we need the guiding hands of our heavenly Father in each step we take! This beautiful song written by Cardinal John Henry Newman more than 170 years back is my prayer even today.

Lead, Kindly Light

Lead, kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom,
Lead Thou me on!
The night is dark, and I am far from home—
Lead Thou me on!
Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene—one step enough for me.

I was not ever thus, nor prayed that Thou
Shouldst lead me on.
I loved to choose and see my path; but now,
Lead Thou me on!
I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears,
Pride ruled my will: remember not past years.

So long Thy power hath blessed me, sure it still
Will lead me on,
O'er moor and fen, o'er crag and torrent, till
The night is gone;
And with the morn those angel faces smile
Which I have loved long since, and lost awhile.

Weekend

Happy Weekend! Today I thought of scribbling something on the blog. However, I changed my mind. At home you have so many things to do especially when you are alone. All the pending personal activities during the weekdays are awaiting and are still sitting on your head :) . My sister Madiki called up from Aizawl in the morning. She said her daughter Angelina is now 5 kilos :)  Later on, just after I finished my lunch, another sis Awmawmi called up. We discussed about placements activities in TISS, especially in MSW and the present issues faced by the students. In between Pu Thuama called up and told me that he had sent a circular  to media at Aizawl. The circular was meant to be an advice to the Mizos in general and the young ladies in particular to watch out for possible cheats, especiallly when it comes to job offers relating to hotel industry. Late in the evening I went to Balaji Auto and left my car there for 'check up' to make sure that by tomorrow it should be in a healthy condition to take me to the Church which is around 35 KMs from home.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni!

Mahendra Singh Dhoni's Autograph
Originally uploaded by Maruata.

It was a pleasant surprise when I saw the famous Indian Wicket-keeper batsman, Mahendra Singh Dhoni coming out from Mumbai Domestic Airport yesterday afternoon. He is one of the greatest batsmen from the Indian soil. He was ranked world number 1 batsman in April 19, 2006 ranking of ICC for One Day Internationals (ODI). Presently, he is ranked 8th and is the only Indian batsman in the top 10. Among the bowlers Harbhajan Singh and Irfan Pathan are presently in the 9th and 10th position, respectively.

I was waiting for an official guest, Executive Director from the World Bank when Dhoni came out. I approached him and shook hand with him telling him that it was a pleasant surprise to meet him. He tried to take a look at the placard in my hand, the name written there was Mr.Dhanendra Kumar, World Bank. I told him the placard was meant for another guest whom I was waiting and I was there to take his autograph. He gave me a big grin and gave me his autograph (the one you see above). He came from Delhi to Mumbai to have a shooting for some advertisements. Our driver later told me that he's heading for Taj Lands End, Bandra in a Toyota Innova car no 5510 : ).

Delhi Mizo Worship Service

With friends @ Delhi Mizo Fellowship
Originally uploaded by Maruata.

Its more than four years now since I last attended this worshp service. I'm really happy I could find time to attend the service once again. Gods grace. Pu Thangmawizuala led the service and Rev.Vanlalbela discussed the theme of the worship. It was nice to see again Pu Chuanga, Pi Sangteii, Nu Mawiteii, U Ruata and U Rozami, Chhandama and his family, U Rema, Kuki and all my friends whom I had known for years. I'm also glad to meet some of my friends from Aizawl, who came from Aizawl for training, along with John Mapuia, like sawta, Zari and John L.T.Sanga. Mami (in the pic) is one of their colleagues.

Jeremy

"Hiyah!!"
Originally uploaded by Maruata.

My friend Jeremy is just three years old. Zizi's nephew. A computer savvy...the first person to greet me when I reached their place and the first thing he said was " I was waiting for you to play Spiderman games with"..During my stay there he used to wait for me in the morning until I got up and then he will choose his games....spiderman, contra, super mario etc...I'd never had fun like that in my life with a kid.....miss you buddy!

On Sunday, Jeremy (Vice President of the House), Zizi, Mary and Mami dropped me till the airport. I'm really grateful to them all.

Delhi with friends

G-4
Originally uploaded by Maruata.

Met old friends at Delhi. Some friends who are now at State Civil Service were on training at IIPA. Sangzuali is an old classmate since class 5. John Mapuia and I used to be together at Shillong during 1993-95 and and at Delhi later on when I was in the University. Zizi and I took them out on saturday evening. It was a kind of mall hopping and its fun; we covered part of north eastern Delhi, and later on we went to Khan Market to purchase car accessories for Mapuia .

Preparing for Delhi Trip

This evening I will be leaving for New Delhi to attend some official work. It will be my second trip to Delhi this year. This time I'm planning to stay back for Sunday Worship at Mizo Fellowship Service, Free Church, Green Park. The last time I attended the Service was on July 28, 2002. More than four years had passed since then. In my last trip, I didn't had time to visit JNU so this time I'm also planning to visit the Campus and if possible some friends who are still studying there. I'll be coming back to Mumbai on Sunday evening.

David's Birthday

David's Birth Day
Originally uploaded by Maruata.

On Sunday, after the Church service, we went to David's place. We were Zautea Saiawi and his wife Babie, Kawlnii, Upa C.Samuela, David Sinate and his wife Sarah, their 3 kids -Joshua, Samuel & Daniel-, Puii and Ruth (not in the picture) and me. Zautea mentioned that the next day i.e. September 25 was David's birthday. Hearing that, we planned to have a birthday-eve celebration. Zautea bought a cake and Pi Sarah (David's wife) prepared dinner for all of us. After cake cutting and photo sessions, Pu Samuela (extreme left) prayed for David. We had a nice time there.

Melody came over..

Melody & Maruata
Originally uploaded by Maruata.

My childhood next -door neighbour. Its more than 10 year since I last saw her. And things had changed a lot. Though I was pretty busy in the offiice and had to stay back late, I'm glad we could find time to talk about our childhood days. She's presently working with one Christian NGO. She came over to my house on Sept 21st. She now on her way to the Netherland to pursue her studies.

At Dait Chi

At Dait Chi
Originally uploaded by Maruata.

L->R: Dr.Joy Pachuau, Maruata, Mary, Jeremy, Maria, Dr.Machhana, Apuii, Zizi (Samuel), Thari

With old JNU Friends@New Delhi

Dait Chi Restaurant South Ex-2
Originally uploaded by Maruata.

September 1, 2006: I met my old JNU friends at New Delhi after four years. It was a kind of reunion. We could find time to have a talk over lunch before I returned to Mumbai. We were - Joy, Maria, Samuel (Zizi), Apuii & Tharpuii. Zizi's sister Mary and his son Jeremy and Apuii's husband Machhana joined us too. Maria is now teaching at LSR College and Tharpuii teaches at Dayal Singh College. Both these colleges are under Delhi University. Zizi passed out from IIM-Kozhikode and is now working at one private firm and Joy L.Pachuau is Asst.Proffesor at JNU. Apuii is now in State Civil Service and her husband, Machhana is a doctor.

Monsoon sets in in Mumbai!

Its been raining for 4 days now in Mumbai. Water logging, local trains service problem, etc. hit the headlines once again. Lets hope that last year's nightmare do not get repeated this year.

Some Christian Articles in response to The Da Vinci Code

(i) Christian Analysis of Da Vinci Code by Darrell L. Bock
(ii) A Christian Response to the DaVinci Code
(iii) Da Vinci Code by Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry (CARM)
(iv) THE DA VINCI OPPORTUNITY by Rev. Dr. Mark D.Roberts,Senior Pastor, Irvine Presbyterian Church, Irvine, California
(v) The Da Vinci Code:Tool For Evangelism? by Paul L. Maier
(vi) Articles on Da Vinci from christianitytoday.com
(vii) A Christian Response to "The DaVinci Code":What’s the Problem? by Dr. Albert Mohler
(viii) Deciphering 'The Da Vinci Code' by Dr. Albert Mohler

Psalm 46

1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
Selah

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.

5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.

6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

7 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah

8 Come and see the works of the LORD,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.

9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear,
he burns the shields with fire.

10 "Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."

11 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah

Verses 1-11 (NIV)

Missionaries in Mizoram - Some Reflections

Happy New Year to everyone!

Today, I read from the Chennai Mizo website that the pioneering work done by JH Lorrain on translation of English Language to Mizo Language is already online. You may click this link to check it out Lorrain, J. Herbert (James Herbert) Dictionary of the Lushai language . As I read this, it took me back to 1994 when the Gospel centenary was celebrated at Mizoram. I was part of the Centenary Choir and it was a wonderful experience. Many foreigners who came to Mizoram as missionary also came all the way from their country to take part in the celebration.

In fact, JH Lorrain was one of the two British Baptist missionaries, who ventured into the hills of Mizoram in 1894. One of the missionaries was William Frederick Savidge. To quote an article written by Rev. Richard Howell,

"The first missionary to visit Mizoram was William Williams, a Welsh missionary to Khasi, in 1891. J.H. Lorrain and F.W. Savidge came to Mizoram on 11th January 1894. During their four year stay, they reduced the Mizo language to written form, taught a number of Mizo to read and write and translated the Gospels of Luke and John and the Book of Acts into Mizo language. They also prepared a Mizo grammar, a dictionary, a number of small books and a catechism. Before they left in 1897, D. E. Jones of the Calvinistic Methodist Church came to Mizoram, who was soon joined by Edwin Rawlands. The Church they planted, namely the Presbyterian Synod of Mizoram, became the biggest denominational Church in Mizoram.

"In 1903, the Baptist Missionary Society, after an agreement was made with the Calvinistic Methodist, sent the former Arthington missionaries, J.H. Lorrain and F.W. Savidge to Southern Mizoram. The church they planted became the second largest denomination in Mizoram. R.A. Lorrain, started work among the Lakher (Mara) sometime after 1910, as missionaries of the Lakher Pioneer Mission, an independent mission agency. These three foreign missions worked in the beautiful mountainous land of Mizoram".

Regarding the Gospel centenary celebration in Mizoram, in 1994, Harold Kurtz (Executive Director of the Presbyterian Frontier Fellowship,Portland, Oregon) had written,

"A couple of years ago I was asked to share in the one hundredth anniversary of the arrival of the first missionaries to the Mizo people in northeast India. They are oriental people and when the missionaries arrived they were still head-hunters. The British journals give ample evidence of this and the people themselves readily spoke of their bloodthirsty, violent past as they now celebrate the transformation of their lives and society by the presence of Jesus. The state of Mizoram may house the highest percentage of Christians in the world. Certainly I came away feeling I had been to the most Christian society I had ever experienced--I felt I had been to a Christian Shangrila.

"What I found especially fascinating was the stories they told and the historical records which documented the rapid spread of the Gospel which was life and culture transforming and so all inclusive in the society. The Welsh missionaries had been deeply touched by two Welsh revival movements and carried that movement of the Spirit with its somewhat wild enthusiasm, back with them to Mizo land. That revival spirit caught fire among the Mizo and allowed the Gospel to run free within the culture, out of control of the missionaries and the Western worship patterns up and down the valleys and over the hills. The Gospel spread so fast it was impossible to keep things in order and the Gospel literally got out of control".

Some of the resources relating to Missionary works in Mizoram are below [not an exhaustive list]:

1. Brian Stanley,The Legacy of Robert Arthington

2. Rev. Richard Howell, The South Asian Scene- With Special Reference To India

3. BMS World Mission

4. Zari Malsawma, The Mizos of Northeast India: Proclaiming the Gospel to their neighbors near and far

5. Gwen Rees Roberts, MEMORIES OF MIZORAM - RECOLLECTIONS AND REFLECTIONS, Bwrdd y Genhadaeth (2001). [To quote a review by one website "A fascinating account of the missionary work of Gwen Rees Roberts in Mizoram, 1944-68, comprising reminiscences of happy and hard times spent in India, and of various people she worked with during a lively period in the history of the missionary movement. 2 black-and-white drawings and 1 map."]

6. Harold Kurtz, Must the Faith Get Out of Control? The Word In The Mother Tongue and Life In The Mother Culture