Our Reporter
Dimapur, Dec. 17 (EMN): A documentary film on the life of Rev. Imotemjen Aier titled “On the Lord’s work in East India” was released by the NBCC general secretary, Rev. Dr. Zelhou Keyho at Covenant Baptist Church in Dimapur on December 17.
The film was funded by American Baptist International Ministries and produced by Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) with Highland Dawn Media Nagaland.
Speaking on the occasion, managing producer of Highland Dawn Media Wabang Moa, who also chaired the programme, mentioned that the Reverend worked with the Ao Baptist Arogo Mungdang (ABAM) after which he went to work with the Council of Baptist Churches North East India (CBCNEI) as associate general secretary then as general secretary. Subsequently, he was invited by the American Baptist Foreign Mission (ABFM) to work in the USA.
“The mission to work with ABFM as their missionary from the North East to USA was one of the first of its kind. After working there for three years, Aier was sent back as ABFM missionary to East India including Orissa, Bengal and Bihar in the 90s wherein he brought about many changes not only in the church, education but also in the technical education and in the social life of the people,” Moa said.
Moa added that Rev. Aier later worked as power of attorney for the international ministries under American ministries and retired at the age of 87 years in the year 2018. He informed that the documentary film would shared to all Christian channels and local channels both national and international as well as online after further editing.
The NBCC secretary said that churches in Nagaland have been connected to Baptist International Ministries (BIM) earlier known as American International Foreign Mission from the beginning until now. He added that 150 years history of Christianity would be celebrated next year. Keyho clarified that the story of Christianity in Nagaland was not about the Naga history but about the history of Almighty God.
Recollecting the beginning of Christianity, Keyho said ‘we all have a beginning and that beginning in the church history started with lots of sacrifices, dedication and commitment.’ He recounted that the beginning of the church, unlike any other, went through a difficult time and the first Christian faced many prosecutions and went through untold misery and suffering yet they stood strong.
Expressing his delight with the presence of Rev. Imotemjen Aier, who he termed as dedicated, committed and selfless worker standing strong through all challenges, Keyho said that he became not only a leader in the state and Northeast but also worked at the national and international levels.
“Sometimes we celebrate life after death, but for him it is more appropriate to celebrate life when we are active,” Keyho remarked.
On behalf of 678442 Baptist individuals and 1654 Baptist churches in the state, Keyho congratulated the Reverend and his wife for the ‘life well lived’ and for extending their missions to reach out to the people at their best possible ways.
The invocation prayer was pronounced by the Nagaland Missions Movement (NMM) director Rev. Dr Andrew Semp.