Like me it is most unlikely that you have ever heard of a person by the name of F. F. Pearson. Lal had previously told me that Christianity had arrived in the Lamka area through a group of missionaries who came to the North East of India as a result of the Welsh Revival early in the 20th  Century. The outcome of their visit has been the spread of Christianity right across the area and its influence can be seen everywhere. Notably - the Nehemiah Prayer Mountain, Grace Bible College, The Mission Compound and many churches in and around Lamka.

   The gospel 'arrived' in South Manipur - AD 1910

Mr Pearson may not know that his name lives on - however, a small village just outside Lamka bears his name - PEARSONMUN village. This is the very place where the HOPE FOUNDATION PROJECT is being built. So in God's economy, nearly 100 years on the Christian witness continues and by His grace will continue to bear much fruit.

In February 2010 Suan sent me some more information on the subject of how Christianity came to the South Manipur region - it makes very interesting reading -

HOW GOSPEL REACHED MANIPUR SOUTH DISTRICT

1. ARTHINGTON ABORIGINES MISSION

Robert Arthington, a wealthy Christian, who lived in Leeds, England, was brought up by a devout but eccentric Christians in Leeds. His father was rich but a drunkard,  while his mother had an abiding interest in the Victorian Missionary movements. After the death of his parents he inherited £200,000 which he carefully invested to produce a fortune of nearly million pounds. 

Robert Arthington was greatly impressed by the life of David Livingstone. In the mean time he had heard of the death of Winchester, who was brutally killed by the Mizo’s and subsequent kidnapping of his little daughter Mary Winchester and ‘became greatly burdened to send the Gospel to the fierce headhunting tribes of Northeast India. So, he established the Arthington Aborigines Mission for this purpose in 1889.

2.WELSH REVIVAL & KESWICK CONVENTIONS

The welsh revival and the Keswick conventions on England had a logical impact upon the life of several missionaries who went out from England in the beginning of twentieth century including those who came to North East India. Welsh Revival which began in 1904 and the Keswick Conventions were two different movements which had few equals in the history of the Church in England. Among the many whose lives were incredibly changed as a result of this great movement was another Robert, known as Watkin R. Roberts. The restless young Watkin Roberts was eventually caught by the fire from God as he listened to a brief report of one Dr. Fraser who pleaded that hundreds of tribes in Assam and the North East India were in utter darkness without the gospel of Christ.

3. WATKIN R.ROBERTS IN MIZORAM

Watkin R. Roberts decided to travel with Dr. and Mrs. Frasers as he was deeply impressed by Fraser. But he was never on the staff of the Welsh Presbyterian Mission. He was paid by Dr. Fraser and stayed with them. Dr. Peter Fraser took charge of the medical clinic at Aizawl and Mr. Roberts acted as dispenser and private helper for Fraser. During those days, Watkin R. Roberts received a gift of five pounds once from Miss Emily Davies of North Wales. He ordered "one hundred copies of the Gospel St. John in the Duhlian language" which is also known as the Lushai language and sent far and wide to the Headmen of many different villages hidden away in the jungle forest.

4. SURVEY WORK FOR SOUTHERN MANIPUR FIELD

One day, while Watkin R. Roberts and Dala was in the medical clinic, a stranger dressing in black cloth, who seemed to be from a village outside the territory of Lushai Hills came for medicine. After having some conversation with him, they had found out that the man was from Manipur, northern side of Lushai Hills. The man also told that no gospel work was undertaken by anybody and no missionary ever come to their village. This caught the attention of Mr. Roberts and so, he sent a copy of the gospel of John to the Chief of Senvon Village in Manipur south, now called Churachandpur district. Three months passed and then one day a party arrived in Aizawl with a message from Kamkholun, Chief of Senvon village in far away Manipur Hills. He dispatched this message to Watkin Roberts, as the purpose of the gift was not clear to his mind, on a blank page torn out of the gospel: "Come yourself, grandfather, and tell us your God." This was written by Thangneirum, the interpreter of the village, in the name of the Chief Kamkholun. When they received that letter Roberts and R. Dala considered how to send somebody to study and survey the land.

Mean while, two young boys from Manipur also arrived at Aizawl seeking a place in the hostel for education. The names of those two young boys were Thangkai, from Maite village, and Lungpau, from Boltang village. They were given hospitality by Watkin Roberts, who provided water and soap to wash themselves and offered them a cup of tea. He also inquired of them whether they would go along with him to Manipur and show the way to Senvon village. He promised to support for their education when they returned. The two young boys and five native Christians were volunteered to go with Roberts, and together with some heathen coolies to carry their luggage. They set out for Senvon after much prayer in searching the will of God and decided to answer the call. By the end of January 1910, on Sunday evening, before they left Aizawl, Rev. D. E. Jones led the farewell meeting and offered prayer for the safe journey of the party and for God’s blessing on the undertaking.

Roberts and his party arrived at Senvon on 5th February, 1910. As they reached the village, an enthusiastic welcome awaited them.  Presents such as eggs, fowls, bananas, etc were brought and offered as a token of welcome to their village. But not all were so friendly. Many were frightened at the approach of a white man and ran away into the jungle.

5. BACK TO AIZAWL

After witnessing in Senvon they returned to Aizawl by taking another route. As a result of this gospel witness, before the end of the year 1910, two young men, Kaithang and Thangneirum, accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. Roberts and his party, however, did not stay long at Senvon. They returned to Aizawl with profound rejoicing to the Lord. Lungpau and Thangkai accompanied them made a decision for Christ there. They discarded their necklace made of the feathers of chicken as a sign of their acceptance of God. They were the first fruits in Southern Manipur.

6. BEGINNING OF MISSIONARY WORK IN SOUTHERN MANIPUR – 1910

When the party reached Aizawl, they were given a good reception in which Roberts narrated the details of their journey. They related the wonderful hospitality given to them by the chief and his people, and their openness to the gospel, including the request made by the chief for establishing a school in his Village. However, there was a great difficulty for the British and American to enter into the tiny state of Manipur for doing gospel works. The main difficulty, probably, was the fact that most of these tribes were outside of the British territory, and the officers in charge of the frontiers would not take upon themselves the responsibility of allowing British or American subjects to enter these little known and unadministered areas.

The best option for Roberts was to find a suitable native worker who could go and carry the gospel in Manipur. Fortunately during those days there were fifty students in the hostel who were supported by Dr. Fraser. Soon after the report, Roberts made a moving challenge to the gathered students. He inquired who would volunteer to go to Senvon to evangelize and open the school. Three Lushai Christian students, namely Savawma, Thangchhingpui and Vanzika, volunteered themselves to go and do the work of God in Senvon. They carried their luggage by bawmrang- a basket made of bamboo. Between Vanbawng and Senvon the steady rain had made a big river so swollen that they were unable to cross. One day while they were in this Village, a Meitei (Manipuri) who was doing business came to this village. Thus with the help of his canoe the missionaries could cross the river. When they reached the other side of the Tuivai River, they were so happy that they sang this song in Lushai and praised the Lord, Aw Pathian Nangman chanchintha min pe, Lawmthu kan hril che a ni; Hallelujah, Amen. (English) Oh God you hath given us the Gospel, We offered our thanks to thee; Hallelujah, Amen.

They also prayed to God with thanks giving and asked for his continuous guidance. They met some fishermen with their nets who were from Senvon Village, which was fortunate for them for the village paths were difficult to trace out for strangers. The path between Tuivai and Senvon was fully covered by jungle, yet with the guidance of these fishermen they arrived safely at Senvon Village on May 7, 1910.

May 7, 1910 the day when the three native missionaries from Lushai Hills arrived at Senvon, "had been observed from time immemorial" as a missionary day in this district, this was confirmed and declared officially by the Leaders Conference of the North East India General Mission in 1960 that "the 7th May of every year is declared as Missionary Day- to be observed everywhere within the Church".