Two pioneering Christians of Kakching felicitated
By TCN News,
Kakching (Manipur): Greater Kakching Churches Fellowship felicitated first two pioneering Christians of Kakching on the occasion of Advent Christmas Celebration at the Kakching Library and Information Centre Auditorium.
Over 500 Christian members from surrounding Kakching Sub-divisional area, shared the joy of upcoming Christmas at the event on December 14.
(Courtesy: panoramio.com)
Naorem Thambaljao, son of Naorem Mangoljao of Kakching Ningthou Leikai embraced Christianity in 1957, followed by Moirangthem Lairenjao Singh, son of Moirangthem Lolito Meitei of Kakching Khunyai Leikai in 1961.
Thambaljao, after embracing Christianity, became evangelist and worked mostly among the Kom tribes in Sagang area, while Lairenjao served 65 years in his birth place and founded the first Church at Kakching, which is known as United Pentecost Church, a release said here.
Following the foot step these two pioneers, today, there are nearly 1000 Christians at Kakching and nearly 10 different denominational churches. The churches in and around Kakching sub-divisional office has been bringing community transformation at various aspects of life.
Greater Kakching Churches Fellowship is a platform to have fellowship and share Christian love and share among the churches and community, said the release by Y Premkumar, secrtary, Greater Kakching Churches Fellowship (GKCF).
Early Christian Pioneers of Kakching
The story of two early pioneers of Christianity among the Kakchings as told by Rev Madhuchandra Moirangthem with inputs from Ksh Suresh is as follows:
Kakching is located at south-eastern part of Manipur, a sub divisional headquarter and major commercial hub under Thoubal district. It has about 28,000 population (2001 census), mostly belonging to Lois (Scheduled Caste) community.
Peace, harmony, tolerance of different faith and undisputed relationship within and with surrounding communities has been the social fabric and beauty of Kakching. The people of Kakching have embraced different religions and sects from the time immemorial. A few among them has also embraced Christianity in late 1950s and 60s.
Naorem Thambalngou Singh – The First Convert of Kakching
Naorem Thambalngou Singh, later known as Thambalthang, is believed to be the first Christian convert of Kakching, Thoubal district in the state. However, the exact year of his conversion is uncertain but it is believed to be around 1957, according oral sources collected from his nephew, Naorem Manikchand Meitei of Kakching Ningthou Leikai.
He is the second son of Shri Naorem Mangoljao of Kakching Ningthou Leikai. He had a friendship with a Kuki major during World War II and his name seems to have changed to Thambalthang, a combined name of Meitei and a Kuki tribe. He was first local rice bear vendor in Kakching. Traditionally, running local wine shop was supposed to be the profession of tribal. The public of Kakching opposed him to run the shop as rice bear vendor at Kakching and he pretended to be a tribal by producing a fake document, which is believed to be obtained from his Kuki friend.
He was poor and tried hard to earn livelihood and left home at young age in search of better source of earning and was found doing manual scavenging at Waikhong, 20 km away from his home town. He married to a Meitei woman from Waikhong and later divorced.
Then he moved to Tonsen a Kom village in southern Manipur and married a Kom woman from Sagang in Churachandpur district and bore one son and two daughters.
He embraced Christianity when he and his wife were living in Tonsen, then moved to Lukhumbi village under Sagang region and became a member of Lukhumbi Baptist Church. Later, he worked as evangelist until he moved and breathed last in around 2004 and buried at Yangthingphai.
Mostly, he emphasised his evangelistic work among the Kom communities in Sagang region. However, he never forgot his birth place and brought the Good News of Lord Jesus Christ to his family members and his childhood friends. Some of his friends also embraced Christianity.
Moirangthem Lairenjao Singh – second convert of Kakching
Evangelist Thambalngou’s work never went in vain. Lairenjao is his one of his first fruit of his faith at his birth place. Moirangthem Lairenjao Meitei is a son of Moiranthem Lolito Meitei of Kakching Khunyai Leikai. He had two sons and two daughters.
He heard the message of the gospel from Evangelist Thambalngou and embraced Christianity. He was baptised by an evangelist from Ukhrul in the month of December 1961.
His baptismal ceremony was carried out at Sekmai River near Kakching Bazar Bridge. It was first such event in the history of Kakching. The out lookers flocked to the event site.
Under his leadership, the United Pentecost Church was established, which is the first church at Kakching, presently situated near Library & Information Centre. He served the evangelist work for 65 years until he breathed last in February 2007.
He led many others to Christian faith and helped many young boys and girls from Kakching to study theology and nurses in Bible and Nursing colleges in different parts of India. He lived a simple life, never done anything for personal gain, except helping the youngsters, some of them are teaching in renowned schools at Kakching and many nurses are serving in government hospitals.
Evangelist Lairenjao’s faith was so strong that he had to go through many struggles in life both in the Church and at home. He alone attended the church for years, many Sundays and special occasions, singing from his old song book, and Bible, carried most of the time in his white coloured shoulder bag. Being a lone Christian in his family, he struggled to keep his faith un-compromised.
Evangelist Thambalngou was outstanding Christian outside of his birth place, ministering to the other tribe while Evangelist Lairenjao stayed within his community and served his fellow villagers.
The faith embraced by duo evangelists became a very unique. Today there are nearly 1000 Christians and around 10 different denominational churches at Kakching. The Church of Christ at Kakching is playing its role in bringing the transformation within the community.