INDIA REPUBLIC DAY LEH AUSTRALIA DAY

January 26 hi India ramah chuan kan hriat theuh angin sorkar chawlh a ni a. Sorkar chawlh a nih chhan chu British sorkar laka inrelbawlna hrang, ram inenkawlna danpui a taka hman tan ni a nih vang a ni. Awpbeh te tan chuan he ni hi ni pawimawh tak a ni a. Zalenna dar vuak ni tak tak pawh a tih theih ang. Mizo te thinlungah erawh chuan ni pawimawh tak a ni lem lo.

England Lalnu Queen Elizabeth-i’n December 31, 1600 khan khawchhak lama sumdawnna lam buaipui tura din British East India Company chu Royal Charter sorkar thuchhuah hmangin sumdawn theihna tura phalna a pe a. India ram leh Qing dynasty rorelna China ram chinah la, silk, chi, thingpui leh opium te chu a sumdawnna bungrua lian ber a ni.

India ram puma British East India Company-in hmun a khuar tanna tak tak chu 23 June 1757-a Plassey indona (Battle of Plassey) atang khan a ni a. Hemi ni hi Kolkata atanga km 150 vela hla Baghirathi lui kama Palashi (Plassey) ah British East India Company sipai ten Bengal lal Niwab Siraj-ud-daulah sipai te indonaa an hneh ni a ni.

British East India Company-in kum za chhung India ram puma thuneihna a chelh hnuah May 10, 1857 khan an rorelna paihthlak tumin India mi Kumpinu sipaia tang thahnem tak an hel a. Ram pumah a alh chhuak lo nain nasa takin Kumpinu sorkar chu a nghawr nghing a. Mi tam takin nunna an chan nghe nghe. Hemi tum hian Jhansi lalnu huaisen Rani Laksmibai pawh Mizo lal Lalnu Ropuiliani angin a tlawm duh lova, India ram awptu Kumpinu sorkar chu a thih thlengin a do a ni. Sap ho hian “Sepoy Mutiny” te tiin han sawi thin mah se, history lam ziaktu India hnam rilru pu te chuan “India’s First War of Independence” tiin an ziak thin. 

Kumpinu sorkarin hnehna chang mah se, British sorkar chuan boruak thalo zel tur vengthawngin India ram chu sumdawng pawl British East India Company hnuaiah mai nilo sorkar hnuaia enkawl ni turin August 2, 1858 khan British Parliament ah Government of India Act, 1858 hmangin thu a ti tlu a. Zirlaibu atanga kan hriat angin India ram chu August 15, 1947-a independence puan hma zawng British sorkarin a awp a. January 26, 1950 khan mahnia ro in rel tak tak turin Dr.B.R.Ambedkar-a hova uluk taka an lo buatsaih rampum danpui (constitution) chu hman tan a ni ta a ni. August 15, 1947 leh January 26, 1950 inkar Constitution hman hma zawng khan India rama thuneitu sang ber chu a hmingin British lal a la ni a. Constitution hman tan a nih chiah khan India ram chu ram zalen tak tak, mahnia ro inrel – sovereign – a ni ta a ni.


British ho hi khawvel hmun hrang hrangah ram an awp hnem thin hle a. India rama ro an rel hunlai te pawh khan khawvel hmun hrang hrangah ram an awp nual. Ram ni tla seng lova roreltu tih tawngkam te pawh a piang hial a nih kha. Australia pawh hi USA ni ta British colony 13-ten zalenna an sual chhuah hnua British sorkarin ram a hloh ai ang deuhva a zawnchhuah leh a zu ta neih a ni a. A tawi zawngin sawi ta ila January 26, 1788 khan England atanga tirhchhuah lawng 11 commanding officer Captain Arthur Phillip-a’n tuna Sydney khua ni ta hmun pakhat Sydney Cove ah British Lalpa King George III-a hmingin British flag chu a pawtparh a. Chuta tang chuan Australia ram chu British sorkar tan a hauh nghal a ni.

Hun a kal zel a, 1901 khan Australia rama state hrang hrang te’n ram khat ni turin an inzawmkhawm a. Amaherawhchu, he ni January 26 hi state hrang hrangah ni pawimawha hman a nih dan a inang lo, 1994 chauh khan Australia ram pumah a ruala hman tan a ni a. “Australia Day” tia koh a ni a, sorkar chawlh a ni. Ram pumah lawmna buatsaih thin a ni a. Intihhlimna chi hrang hrang leh Australia rama hnam hrang hrang awmkhawmte culture pholanna hun atan te hman thin a ni. Tin, Australia khua leh tui ni tharte puala hun hman a ni thin bawk a. Citizenship ceremony program hlung taka hman thin a ni. Kumin Australia Day khan ram dang mi 16000 chuang  Australia khua leh tui nihna pek an ni a. A tam ber chu UK atanga lo kal niin, a dawttu chu India ram mi an ni.

Australia Day hi ram pumah an lawm nain mingo ho rawn luh hmaa lo cheng tawh Aborigine hnamte chuan he ni hi an hnam tana ni duhawmlovah an ngai a. Ramdang miin an zalenna leh mahnia ro an inrelna (sovereignty) an rawn tihchhiat niah te pawh an ngai bawk. Tin, a hming pawh “Australia Day” tia ko lovin “Invasion Day” te an ti hial a ni.

The Lushai expedition in Mizoram sketched by
Lieutenant BWG Cole in the Illustrated London News 1889

Australia rama indigenous hnam tan chuan sap hovin ram an zu neih kha anmahnia ro an inrelna tibuaitu leh titawptu a ni a. Chaklo zawk ni mah se, vawiin thleng hian a ram neitu hmasa an nihna hi an la auchhuahpui nasa hle a ni.

British hovin Assam ram an awp china Mizo Lalten an zu beih chhinchhiah hmasak ber chu 1826 a ni a. 1850 thleng khan Assam ram china British officer te khan Mizo Lal te run an tawk kum tin a, sap ho tan khan Mizo Lalte kha an hnawksak in an hlauhawm hle a ni. 1849 ah phei chuan Mizo pasaltha rual an che na hle a, British sorkarin Sylhet Light Infantry commander Col.Frederick Lister-a leh a hote chu Mizo Lalte han tudai turin an tir hial a ni. Hemi tum hian Mizo Lalten ral an beihnaa sal an man mi 400 lai Col.Lister-a leh a sipaite hian an chhanchhuak niin Sir Thomas Mackenzie-a lehkhabu “North-east frontier of Bengal” Bung XII-naa inziak dan angin ziakmi Bertram Sausmarez Carey leh Henry Newman Tuck-a te chuan an ziak a. 1862 vel thleng chu Mizo Lalte khan thawm an nei zui lutuk lo niin history chuan a chhinchhiah.

1870 chho bawr velah khan Mizo Lalte chu an che tan leh a. January 23, 1871 khan Cachar district khawthlang lama thingtlang khaw pakhat Ainerkhal chu Mizo pasaltha ten an bei a. Hemi ni vek hian Sailam Lal Bengkhuaia leh a hote chuan Alexandrapur thingpui huan an zu bei thut a. A hnu zel chu Mizo te chanchin khawvelin a hriat phahna a ni ta tih kan hre theuh awm e. A tawi zawngin sawi ta ila, Mary Winchester chhanchhuak tura British sorkarin Brigadier General Charles H.Brownlow leh a sipaite a rawn tirh hnu atang khan mahnia ro kan inrelna (sovereignty) chu a tawp ta a ni. Khami tum khan Mizo pasaltha engemaw zat an thi nghe nghe.

Mizote hian kan hnam history ennawn duhna kan nei lian ta telh telh niin a lang a. A bikin sap hovin kan ram an thenhran dan te. Thenkhatin, kan hnam Zonunmawi tichhetuah sap ho – missionary te pawh – an puh bawk a. Australia-a indigenous thenkhatte pawh hian chutiang chiah chuan mingo ho hi an hmu a. Ram zalen an ni bawk a, an sawiin an ziak nasa khawp mai. Australia Day nia tar ni ngeia lang poster pakhat ka hmuh chu heti hian a inziak a: “...227 YEARS STAY. SEND BACK THE FLEET.” A bul chiahah Australia ram zu fang hmasatu Captain Cook-a, a hnua Hawaii thliarkar indigenous hnam hovin an vawhlum lai lem a lo intar bawk a. “The Death Of Captain Cook Was Awesome. Kill Your Coloniser!” tih a inziak a.

Aborigine ho te awm hle hle lai mingo hovin an zu tibuai te; keini tlangmi ho kan ram luah chinah sap hovin min rawn luhchilh a, kan zalenna leh mahnia ro kan inrelna min rawn tihtawp sak te hi ngaihtuahchian chuan tlawmna leh channa lian tak a ni a. Thinrimna tur pawh tam tak a awm ang. A hnua India rama rin luh kan ni ta ringawt te, kan unau thisen zawmpui te “ramdang mi” a an chhuak ta ringawt te hi thil fello tak chu a ni. British ho demin hun hmang dawn ila, kum tam kan thin a rim ang. India sorkar demin hun hmang dawn ila, silai chelek duhna khawp boruak a chhuak leh thei ang. He’ng hnam rahbeh leh awpbeha awm Aboriginal ho te leh keini Mizo te pawh hian sap ho vanga kan zalenna kan chan rual hian sap ho kaltlang bawkin malsawmna nasa tak kan dawng a ni tih kan hriat a pawimawh hle. Khawvel tukverha dak thei turin an rorelna rah thain rahbi min tuksak a. Remchanna (opportunity) nasa tak rawn inhawng ta hi hmasialna thain kan lo pawm a pawimawh hle a ni. Kan zalenna kan hloh, mahse kawngka zau tak hawnsak kan ni hlauh thung.

ALL NATIONS

This year at www.mobc.org.au, we have adopted a motto based on the gospel according to Matthew 28:19, “Go and make disciples of all nations.”

Last Sunday, our senior pastor Tim Burns talked about how God love extends to ALL nations and how followers of Jesus are called to go and teach God's grace and salvation to people of every nation.

According to Bible scholars, the original Greek word used for "nations" is "ethnē", a plural form of the "ethnos" from which the English word "ethnic" is derived.

New Testament scholars believe that Jesus was specifically talking about the many ethnic groups of people scattered across the globe. People with a distinct language and culture.

Roughly speaking, there are about 196 different countries in the world. According to the Australian government, in 2013-14, 163 017 people became Australian citizens by conferral from at least 190 different countries.

According to www.ethnologue.com, there are 7106 living languages today which invariably means that there are over 7000 different ethnic groups Jesus was talking about.

According to Joshua Project, "approximately 4.75 billion individuals residing in an estimated 8,463 distinct people groups" live in areas where the church has minimal or no presence.

"5,915 (62.5 %) of these people groups are considered unreached and have a population of 2.91 billion (61.3 %)" according tohttp://joshuaproject.net/resources/articles/10_40_window

Only 121 years ago, the people group/ethnic group I come from i.e. Mizo/Lushai, had never heard the name of Christ. They had no written language and had very little contact with the outside world. Two brave young men from London, FW Savidge and JH Lorraine took the words of Jesus in Matthew 28:19 to heart and went to the then Lushai Hills and did exactly what Jesus commanded His followers.

Today, I can boldly proclaim that I come from an evangelised Mizo ethnic nation as a result of the obedience of the two English blokes who obeyed the commandment of Jesus given 2000 years ago. We owe all to the gospel of Jesus.

But Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

2.91 billion people alone donot have the knowledge of the God of the Bible.

Let us pray, sincerely, that we as a body of Christ will stay the course and focus on this Great Commission. Remember, "God...wants ALL people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." (1 Tim 2:4)

ISAK LALCHHANDAMA IS NO MORE

Exactly at 6:10 p.m. yesterday (IST), my aunt Lianbuangi and her family said goodbye to their son - Isak Lalchhandama - who was diagnosed with stomach cancer last November.

Families and friends gathered around the lifeless body of the once healthy and sporty young man as the world stopped revolving for the family of Dawrpui Presbyterian Church elder Rokamlova, also former Speaker of the Mizoram Legislative Assembly.

At the funeral, his father gave an eulogy on behalf of the family. One of their great joys and perhaps the greatest joy is the fact that despite his troubled life, he met the Lord and experienced peace in his heart. 

At the Christian Medical College Hospital, Vellore doctors told his mother that the cancer had spread and that he would not be able to receive chemotherapy treatment due to his health that had already gone down drastically. 

He was cared for by his family, relatives, friends and well-wishers for about 8 weeks after he was discharged from the hospital. And at exactly 1810 hours IST yesterday, the many sleepless nights of his already grieving family came to an end when the Lord called my cousin to be with Him. His mum watched him leave peacefully.

A translated version of Fanny Crosby's song "City of Gold" was sung at the funeral held in the family home today at noon. In Mizoram, funerals are conducted at home and are organised by the local community organisations free of charge. The grave is dug by volunteers of the local community organisation in the local community cemetery at no cost. There is also no charge for the burial plot. While the community organises the logistics, the church takes over the role of organising the funeral program. Pastor C.Zorammawia, the local pastor of Dawrpui Presbyterian Church led the funeral.

Isak Lalchhandama, or Machhandama as many know him, was born on Oct 1, 1977. "All the days ordained for [him]" (Psalm 139:16) came to an end on Feb 2, 2014. We will miss him dearly but we know we will meet him again in glory because of Jesus who once said to Martha of Bethany, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die."

I remember back in the early 90's when his father was the Speaker and they lived on top of MacDonald Hill where the Chief Minister resides today. We would go there and have great fun playing cricket, table tennis or Nintendo video games. Some childhood memories.

He can now rest in the arms of his Saviour who died for him.

Dear brother, 

"Go rest high on that mountain

Son, your work on earth is done.
Go to heaven a-shoutin'
Love for the Father and the Son."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwFiWCUkk4M

WHY DO WE GO TO CHURCH?

Me: "Hannah, why do we go to church?"

Hannah: "Because, it is Sunday?"

Me: "Abby, why do we go to church on Sunday?"

Abby: "To sing for Jesus and to worship"

This was our conversation on our way to church this morning.

Today, at www.mobc.org.au, folks gathered to "sing for Jesus" and to worship the One true God. It is a tradition of most Christians around the world to come together on Sunday and worship the Lord. Part of our worship includes singing songs that talk about the Christian faith and God Himself. One of the songs we sang was "Shout To The Lord" written by an Australian Christian singer Darlene Zschech https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uMeuhxftiQ.

In the song, Darlene wrote, "...Nothing compares to the promise I have in You." Christians believe that, in Jesus, there is promise of eternal life even after death. One of Jesus' disciples John wrote, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." Millions have found this to be true upon their own investigation.

In the afternoon, we went to visit relatives and had a great time in their swimming pool.

When the clock strikes 10:50 tomorrow, Abby will start her first day at OWPS www.oatleywest-p.schools.nsw.edu.au/!

REPUBLIC VENG JAC LEH DAN

"Republic Veng Joint Action Committee chuan Pu Sangliansiama te chhungkua that mangtu Laltlanchhuaha chu khaihlum ni ngei rawh se an ti. Laltlanchhuaha hi Republic veng khua leh tui nihna an hlip a, a thiin emaw a damin emaw Republic veng leilungah a lo let leh tawh tur a ni lo an ti" tiin Dingdi chanchinbu editor Pu Lalhmachhuana Tochhawng chuan Dingdi facebook group ah a ziak a. Republic Veng hruaituten Pu Siama te chhungkua chunga chhiatna rapthlak tak thleng chungchang an ngaihtuah khan an rilru tur chu kan hriatthiampui theuh awm e. Kan khawtlanga thil duhawmloh tak tak lo thleng ta te hi engtia hmachhawn tur nge tih uluk deuhva kan ngaihtuah a pawimawh hle, a bikin dan mit atanga kan thlir thiam a pawimawh zual awm e.

Mizote kan behna ram India dan hian Republic Veng JAC ten tualthattu hrem an duh dan ang capital punishment hi misual hremnan a phal a. India Penal Code (IPC) Section 302 ah hetiang hian ziaka dah a ni:

"Punishment for murder.—Whoever commits murder shall be punished with death, or 1[imprisonment for life], and shall also be liable to fine."

Amaherawhchu, he tualthattute hremna dan hi hman mai mai loh tur tiin Supreme Court chuan 2008 khan a rel a. Tualthahna thleng zen zen lo (“rarest of rare”) ah capital punishment hmang hian tualthatte hrem theih an nih thu a sawi a ni.

Chu'ng "rarest of rare" case thenkhat te chu han tarlang ta ila:

1) Low-caste mi emaw religious minority mite thah an nih a, khawtlang thinrimna lian tak a chhuah in.

2) Inneihna man (dowry) thuhlaa a hmeichhia thah a nihin.

3) Mi pakhat mai nilo thah an nihin. Entirnan, chhungkaw khata mi te a thah an nihin.

4) Nupui dang neih duh vanga mahni nupui thahin.

5) Naupang (child) thah a nihin.

6) Hmeichhe tanpuitu neilo, mahni invenghim zo lo ("helpless woman”) thah a nihin.

7) Kum lama upa emaw rualbanlo thah an nihin.

8) Inhmelhriat thain a mihriat that tak chu a thahin.

9) Mipui rawngbawlnaa inhmang mipuiin an ngainat politics thil avanga thah a nihin.

He’ng bakah hian India ram laka indona puangtute hi capital punishment hmanga hrem theih an ni a. Mumbai-a Taj Hotel beitute zinga mi Pakistan terrorist Ajmal Kasab kha India ram dotu/beitua puh niin 2012 khan khaihlum a ni.

Chulo lehah chuan, evidence diklo pek avanga thiamlohna neilo thiamloh chantira tihhlum a nihin evidence diklo petu chu khaihlum theih a ni bawk.

Pi Zokhumi thattu pawh hi Supreme Court in capital punishment hmanga hrem theih a tih zingah a tel ngeiin a lang.

Pu Siama te chhungkaw thattu phei chu IPC Sec 302 hmanga hrem a nihlohna chhan tur hi a ukil ten an sawithiam a ngai khawp ang.

Roreltu hriathlawh Pu KL Liana pawhin January 10 khan he tualthahna chungchangah heti hian a facebook status a ziak a:

“...Nizanah Republic lamah Zoram khawvel thil thlenga rapthlak ber pawl thawm kan han hre zui leh nghal a, thinlung hi a ngui nghuai mai zawng a nih hi. Hetiang ema mi nunrawng leh mi nunna engahmah ngai lotute hi chung lam leh danin an phu tawk hremna a la pe ngei ang, kei chuan khatianga chhung khat thah mang pawh pawi ti lotute kha chu dan anga khaihlum an phu hian ka hria, Kristian ram intia thil thlengah chuan a van rapthlakin a van zahthlak ve aw.”

A tukah heti hian a ziak leh bawk:

“Republic Veng thil thlengah mitthite Zoram mipuiin kan khawngaih a, kan lainat a, kan tuarpui a, hrehawm kan ti, rapthlak kan ti em em a, khatiang thil kha thleng leh tawh lo se kan duh. Chutihrual chuan a thattu kha kan dem a, ka hre sual a nih loh chuan a pa phei chuan keiman ka sat hlum nghal dawn tiin a fapa kha sah hlum a tum a, mahse an dangbet ni awm tak a ni, a nu leh pa, chhungte tan pawh a hrehawmin a zahthlak ngei ang tih pawh hriatthiampui an ngai ve tho mai. Danin tualthattu chungah ro a la rel ngei ang, kan Police fel tak tak leh thiam takte hian finfiahna tha tak nen case an siamsak ang a, keini mipuite chu kan police-te chungah rinna nghat ila, a tibahlah tur zawngin tumah i khawsa lo hram ang u aw”

Tualthattute hremna dan lam chu a chiang turah lo dah ta ila, Pu Parzuala te rilru tur pawh kan dawn thiam awm e. Republic Veng JAC te thinrimin thuchhuah an siam hnuhnung lam erawh hi chu dan mit atanga thlirin ngaihtuah nawn leh ngai thil niin a lang. India ram danpui Constitution Article 19-na hian India ram khua leh tuite dikna chanvo heti hian a sawi a:

1. All citizens shall have the right
(d) to move freely throughout the territory of India;
(e) to reside and settle in any part of the territory of India; and
5. Nothing in sub clauses (d) and (e) of the said clause shall affect the operation of any existing law in so far as it imposes, or prevent the State from making any law imposing, reasonable restrictions on the exercise of any of the rights conferred by the said sub clauses either in the interests of the general public or for the protection of the interests of any Scheduled Tribe.

India khua leh tui te hi, misual dan bawhchhia nasa leh pawi la khawih miah lo thliar hrang lovin, India ram chhung khawi lai pawha kan zinkual leh in leh lo din thei tura dikna chanvo nei kan nih thu a ni ber mai.

Republic Veng JAC ten Pu Siama thattua puh hi an veng "khua leh tui nihna an hlip" tih an puang a. "Thiin emaw a damin emaw Republic veng leilungah a lo let leh tawh tur a ni lo" an ti bawk a. An rilru kan hriatthiampui lain zawhna awm ta chu:

1) Republic Veng JAC hian India ram khua leh tui nilai hi an veng chhung "khua leh tui" nihna hlip turin thuneihna an nei em? Kum 50 lungin tang ta se, putar chaklo tak niin a venghluiah let tumin ruahmanna siam ta se “lo let leh tawh tur a ni lo” tia thuchhuah hi dan hmaah a tling (valid) angem? Dan rorelna nge kan duh tak tak zawk an sawi thin 'mob rule'?

2) Court in Pu Siamate chhungkaw thattu hi thiamloh chantirin IPC Sec 302 hmangin hrem ta se, a chhungten a ruang zalhnan Republic Veng thlanmual beisei thei lo tura thuchhuah siam hi danin a phal em?

He’ng zawhna te hi Republic Veng JAC te leh mipuite rilru dawnpui loh lam nilovin kan khawtlangah hian remna leh muanna nena kan khawsak zel theihnan leh dan kan dah pawimawh a tulzia kan hriatnawn theihnan kan inzawt ni ta se, khawtlang hruaitu te pawhin dan pela che te kan huat ang bawkin dan pela chet hi a diklo a ni tih an pawm a, dan chhunga khawsak tlan kan zir theihnan a tihhmuhtu an nih zawk a pawimawh hle a ni.

HAPPY REPUBLIC DAY, HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY

227 years ago today, the flag of Great Britain was raised by Governor Arthur Phillip at Port Jackson, New South Wales, effectively claiming the land for the British Crown. Today, January 26th is observed as Australia Day and it is a public holiday.

I don't know if you know the other side of the story but many of the natives of what is now Australia regard January 26 as a day when they were invaded by the British. Some even call it "Invasion Day".

We all know that January 26 is also a significant day for India. 66 years ago today, the Indian nation established itself as a new country by signing the world's longest constitution with 117,369 words. India was ruled by the British for two centuries and had grown weary of their dominion by the middle of the 20th century. India won its independence through peaceful means under the guidance of Mahatma Gandhi on 15th August 1947. On 26th January 1950, it declared itself a sovereign republic.

I come from a culture that's foreign to the dominant culture of both Australia and India. In India, I am a minority. My people account for about 1% or less. In Australia, I can almost count with my fingers people I knew from India.

When I think about how some indigenous Australians resent the idea of celebrating what they view as a dark day for their nation, I wonder if they pause to think of the good that has come through the British "invaders". My people - the Mizo people - were sovereign prior to 1872. The British came, subdued the chiefs and incorporated us into the then British-India. We lost our sovereignty but we gained access to the outside world which, in my opinion, opened more avenues for the pursuit of happiness. The most important of all was the sacrifice of non-government people from the UK with a zeal to share true happiness found in Jesus.

Nationalists often highlight the negative impact of the British government's ventures in India. And I believe indigenous Australians wrestle with the popular narrative in Australia too. There's no denying that natives of both countries suffered loss as a result of the British entering their lands but equally undeniable is the fact that through the "invaders" we are able to celebrate and enjoy life at a level some countries will not achieve in a hundred years. Yes, I mean a hundred years!

Today, India is considered a thriving democracy participating in the activities of the international community largely because the founding fathers believed in the values of western liberal democratic system. If you don't believe me, just check out our neighbour - Pakistan. Today, the world saw the warm embrace of the world's oldest and largest democracies when US President Obama and Indian PM Modi shared the stage in New Delhi.

Australia is one of the most successful nations in the world with a high standard of living at par with most developed countries. Perhaps, that is why 16000 foreigners chose to become Australian citizens today. The majority of them are from the UK. Guess who came next? Of course, Indians. So...there you go! Former US President Ronald Reagan said America was the "shining city upon a hill". Australia would be the shining city down under.

Life in this world is always about my right being trampled upon by someone else. But if you look at the bigger picture, especially in Australia and in India, why would you not appreciate and embrace a system that allows you to reach your potential? For the cricket-loving Indian, the oppressor's sport has become his most beloved gift. My history professor Hasan Yusuf of St.Edmund's College, Shillong often said to us, "If President Clinton was asked to govern India, he would not do it!". True, not even the leader of the US would be able to run our country. Yet, for the last 66 years, despite the tragedies that have visited India, we have managed to govern ourself with great success. One can only give credit to the daring and hopeful spirit of the people of India whose desire to secure their future have propelled the country way forward.

Happy Republic Day. Happy Australia day!

MAKING DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS

Today, the 11th January 2015, marks the 121st anniversary of the arrival of Rev.James Herbert Lorrain and Rev.Frederick William Savidge in Mizoram to devote their life as missionaries to the unreached Mizo people a.ka. Lushais.

Three years before the arrival of the two pioneer missionaries to these head-hunting Mizo people, a Welsh missionary by the name of Rev.William Williams had the privilege of becoming the first missionary to set foot in the Lushai hills. According to Carol MacNeill, BMS missionary in Zaire, due to unsettled conditions, Rev.Williams was only able to remain in Mizoram for about a month.

Lorrain and Savidge first entered Mizoram as missionaries of the Arthington Aborigines Mission but later joined the Baptist Missionary Society (BMS) and devoted all their effort to disiple the people of Mizoram who were living in darkness. The BMS mission in Mizoram was concentrated in the south while the northern hills were taken up by missionaries of the Welsh Presbyterian Mission. Prior to the advent of the missionaries, the Mizo people had no alphabet, hence no written language. Today, virtually the entire Mizo peoples have been evangelised and Mizoram boasts a high percentage of literacy – 91.33%

The Mizo people were nomadic warring tribes headed by sovereign village chiefs. They inhabited what the British government termed the Lushai Hills. The British-India government’s expansion toward the east often resulted in clashes with the Lushai tribes on whose hunting grounds the foreigners encroached. On the 27th January 1871, a history-changing event took place in Alexandrapur that would forever change the destiny of the Mizo people.

A Scottish tea garden manager by the name of James Winchester was killed in a raid by the men of Sailam village chief Bengkhuaia and Mr.Winchester’s five-year old daughter Mary Winchester was taken captive into the unknown hills.

According to Carol MacNeill, “[Mary] had settled down to a happy Lushai childhood! She had been given into the care of a kindly village couple whom she came to love and it was not long before she was speaking the language, learning to weave...Little Mary Winchester had no idea of the extent to which public interest within Britain had been aroused by her capture, nor that three army units had been mobilised to rescue her. When at last the army reached her, early in 1872, sadly destroying villages and killing many people on the way, it was the great difficulty that they persuaded her to leave her ‘granny’ and accept her ‘freedom’ ...

The military expedition to rescue Mary Winchester began to open up the Lushai hills to the outside world. With the eventual imposition of British rule in 1893, came the peaceful conditions which enabled Christian missionaries to work in the Lushai hills. Many years later in a letter to pastor Vanchhunga, the grandson of her ‘dear granny’, Mary wrote, “My father’s blood was the price paid for you Lushai Christians.”

An interesting account of the incident and aftermath written by Mary Winchester in her old age can be read here.http://www.mizostory.org/mizostory/Mizo_Story_1.html

At Mortdale-Oatley Baptist Church www.mobc.org.au, we have adopted the Great Commission given by Jesus found in the Gospel according to Matthew 29:19, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations..." as this year's motto recognising that we Christians need to shine the light of God's Word beyond our mono-cultural boundaries.

May we, like those men and women of faith and courage, take Matthew 28:19 to heart and be part of the great privilege of making "disciples of all nations"!