Dimapur, June 19 (EMN): State chief minister, Neiphiu Rio, has mourned the demise of I Masa Ao, a well known servant of God and father of former MLA Takatiba Ao, who passed away on June 18 at Changtongya in Mokokchung district.
In a condolence message, Rio stated that Masa Ao had made significant contributions towards spreading the Gospel of Christ in Nagaland through his many missionary works. He added that after a divine encounter with Christ in his dream one night, Masa accepted Christ as his personal saviour and got baptized on June 27, 1954, and since then dedicated his whole life for the glory of God.
Rio stated that Masa was one of the founding members of the Nagaland Lay Evangelical Fellowship (NLEF) in the 1970s. Later in the 1980s, he served as the first missionary-at-large from Changtongya Town Baptist Church and over the decades, he voluntarily served as missionary in numerous capacities.
Rio lamented that in his passing, Nagas have lost a noble soul who was particularly known for his good works with the youth. He has conveyed condolences to all members and relatives of the bereaved family. He prayed that Almighty God would give them strength and solace to bear the loss. He has further prayed for the departed soul to rest in eternal peace.
