Chungtia | January 9 : For those who believe, perhaps there can be ‘miracles’. Ninety two year old Rev P Chuchang who was in the Lord’s service for the past more than 50 years and now retiring in his native village, it was a gift from the God, as one officer in Mokokchung who he had baptized way back in 1977 turned up in his village and offered to pay a pension of ` 1000 every month for an unlimited period.
But it was not only the generosity of the officer that impressed the villagers; Chungtia Baptist Church leaders commented that an officer from Lirmen village (located near Assam border) extending help to a reverend of another village (Rev P Chuchang of Chungtia village) will go a long way in building up good relationships between the two villages and also the Mariani Baptist Church where Er Temsu Wathi is working as a Secretary.
Engineer Temsu Wathi (the District Informatics Officer of Mokokchung) and his family, as a token of gratitude to God, promised to give a pension of ` 1000 to the Reverend from January 2011. Er Temsu Wathi, while reminiscing the time he first encountered the Reverend and the moment he was baptized, told the Chungtia Baptist Church congregation, that he spent his younger days at Mariani (Assam) at the tea estates. There were no Sunday schools, and it was only his mother (a nurse at the tea estate) who taught him about the God’s words. It was in the year 1977, a revival was held at Murmuria Tea Estate from July 7 – 10. Temsu Wathi was a part of the revival and was one among the eleven believers baptized by Rev Chuchang who was the revival director.
While young Temsu Wathi continued his studies and became an IT Engineer, the Reverend continued on with his pastoral ministry, working in different villages until he decided to retire in the year 2001.
“…This is not a big amount, but I hope that this will help in the cooperation between Chungtia Baptist Church and the Mariani Baptist Church, because we have always looked upon the Chungtia Baptist Church as a fatherly figure to us,” said Er Temsu Wathi in his speech.
An overwhelmed Rev P Chuchang, during a small prayer meeting after the Sunday devotional service, disclosed that some people asked him not to retire from his pastoral ministry; otherwise his source of income will be severed. However, he responded that he believes that the Lord will take care of him. Rev P Chuchang is now 92, but he can hear and speak nicely and walk properly without a walking stick.
Now, the Chungtia Baptist Church is giving him an allowance of ` 1000, the Kohima Chungtia Fellowship ` 500 and two individuals `500 each. Now with Er Temsu Wathi sponsoring ` 1000 every month, a gratified Reverend Chuchang said that he will be getting ` 3,500; he praised God for his blessings.
He narrated that when he first joined the ministry in the year 1944, he used to earn ` 7 per month!
“I have gone through different times, there were times when I did not have money to even feed my children, and sometimes there were plenty. God has been merciful to me. But the greatest work of God can be the deep feeling of love in your heart and extending help to me,” said Rev Chuchang, “I have nothing to give you back, but simply my sincere prayers to God to bless you (Er Wathi) and your family.”
Members from the Mariani Baptist Church also accompanied Er Temsu Wathi and his family to Chungtia today. It may be noted here that Er Temsu Wathi is the president of the Assam Valley Baptist Mission; the coordinator of the Border Peace Coordination Committee Assam-Nagaland (BPCC (A-N). he was also an active All Assam Students’ Union leader during his younger days.
But it was not only the generosity of the officer that impressed the villagers; Chungtia Baptist Church leaders commented that an officer from Lirmen village (located near Assam border) extending help to a reverend of another village (Rev P Chuchang of Chungtia village) will go a long way in building up good relationships between the two villages and also the Mariani Baptist Church where Er Temsu Wathi is working as a Secretary.
Engineer Temsu Wathi (the District Informatics Officer of Mokokchung) and his family, as a token of gratitude to God, promised to give a pension of ` 1000 to the Reverend from January 2011. Er Temsu Wathi, while reminiscing the time he first encountered the Reverend and the moment he was baptized, told the Chungtia Baptist Church congregation, that he spent his younger days at Mariani (Assam) at the tea estates. There were no Sunday schools, and it was only his mother (a nurse at the tea estate) who taught him about the God’s words. It was in the year 1977, a revival was held at Murmuria Tea Estate from July 7 – 10. Temsu Wathi was a part of the revival and was one among the eleven believers baptized by Rev Chuchang who was the revival director.
While young Temsu Wathi continued his studies and became an IT Engineer, the Reverend continued on with his pastoral ministry, working in different villages until he decided to retire in the year 2001.
“…This is not a big amount, but I hope that this will help in the cooperation between Chungtia Baptist Church and the Mariani Baptist Church, because we have always looked upon the Chungtia Baptist Church as a fatherly figure to us,” said Er Temsu Wathi in his speech.
An overwhelmed Rev P Chuchang, during a small prayer meeting after the Sunday devotional service, disclosed that some people asked him not to retire from his pastoral ministry; otherwise his source of income will be severed. However, he responded that he believes that the Lord will take care of him. Rev P Chuchang is now 92, but he can hear and speak nicely and walk properly without a walking stick.
Now, the Chungtia Baptist Church is giving him an allowance of ` 1000, the Kohima Chungtia Fellowship ` 500 and two individuals `500 each. Now with Er Temsu Wathi sponsoring ` 1000 every month, a gratified Reverend Chuchang said that he will be getting ` 3,500; he praised God for his blessings.
He narrated that when he first joined the ministry in the year 1944, he used to earn ` 7 per month!
“I have gone through different times, there were times when I did not have money to even feed my children, and sometimes there were plenty. God has been merciful to me. But the greatest work of God can be the deep feeling of love in your heart and extending help to me,” said Rev Chuchang, “I have nothing to give you back, but simply my sincere prayers to God to bless you (Er Wathi) and your family.”
Members from the Mariani Baptist Church also accompanied Er Temsu Wathi and his family to Chungtia today. It may be noted here that Er Temsu Wathi is the president of the Assam Valley Baptist Mission; the coordinator of the Border Peace Coordination Committee Assam-Nagaland (BPCC (A-N). he was also an active All Assam Students’ Union leader during his younger days.
