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Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu and members of the Virginia Baptist Missions and Baptist Collegiate Ministry led by Rev Jeffrey S Buffkin, share a photograph at the Nagaland Civil Secretariat.[/caption]
Dimapur, May 24 (EMN): The chief minister of Nagaland, Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu, on Wednesday expressed appreciation to the Americans particularly American missionaries ‘for bringing’ Christianity to the Naga people.
The chief minister said that had the American missionaries not entered the land of the Naga people and spread the Gospel, the Naga people would not have been what they are now.
Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu was interacting with an eight-member delegation from the Virginia Baptist Missions and Baptist Collegiate Ministry led by Rev Jeffrey S Buffkin who called on the chief minister in his office chamber at the Nagaland Civil Secretariat.
The chief minister was of the opinion that Nagaland, although landlocked and surrounded by mighty countries of various other religions, none of the Naga people were converted to other religions. Instead, the Nagas preach and spread the Gospel to other peoples, he said.
That said, Dr. Liezietsu expressed regrets that due to the Naga political problem, Nagaland could not be developed as expected. However, he expressed confidence that once a permanent settlement comes, it is expected that ‘development will take place at a faster pace.’
Rev. Buffkin extended his appreciation to the Naga people. He said that the Naga people were second to none and that the state has been developing well in many fields. He was also encouraged to see that the Naga people were fighting and doing well against human trafficking.
