Mizoram Churches sponsored over 2,000 missionaries in 2011

July 17, 2012: Churches of various denominations in the North Eastern Indian state of Mizoram sponsored over 2,000 missionaries in India and abroad last year. The Statistical Abstract of Mizoram 2011, published by Directorate of Economics and Statistics, states that 2,382 missionaries are sponsored by at least eight different Church bodies in the state.

“Despite being one of the most backward state in India, the Churches without fail raise funds for the ministry of the Lord, said Zosangliana Colney, leader of Mizoram Presbyterian Church.

The Presbyterian Church of Mizoram sponsored 990 missionaries, of whom 472 are women and 518 are men. Baptist Church of Mizoram (BCM) sponsored 577 missionaries followed by United Pentecostal Church- North East India (125) and United Pentecostal Church- Mizoram (83).

The Salvation Army sponsored 281, Seventh Day Adventist 57, Evangelical Church of Maraland 247 and Lairam Isua Krista Baptist Kohhran (Jesus Christ Baptist Church of Lairam) 22.

Besides tithes and offerings, Christians in Mizoram still follow the practice of setting aside a handful of rice before every meal. The rice is then collected each week and sold or even sent to homes of missionaries. The tradition supposedly began in the year 1914.

Mizoram, one of the Seven Sister States in Northeast India, shares land borders with Tripura, Assam, Manipur, Bangladesh and the Chin state of Burma. Thanks to English missionaries, the state ranks second in India with a literacy rate of 88.49 percent.