Chp 105. Pics: KTP Bial Conference

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For the sake of my dear non-Mizo visitors, let me explain the concept of “Bial KTP Conference” again.

KTP stands for “Kristian Thalai Pawl” which literally means “Christian Youth Group”. Every Presbyterian Kohhran (Church) has a KTP. A Bial (circle) consists of a couple of Kohhrans headed by a designated Pastor. Hence a KTP Conference is an occasion (3 days) when all the KTP members of different Kohhrans belonging to the same Bial interact with each other by going to the same Church, having discussions, fellowship programs etc.

As mentioned in my previous post, Chaltlang Bial consists of Chaltlang Branch (1954), Laipuitlang Branch (1986), Lily Veng Branch (1988) and Chaltlang South Branch (2002). It was indeed a great experience for me, considering the fact that this was my first KTP Conference since I’m never in Mizoram during this particular time of the year.

Some of the photos I took are displayed below.


Girls will be girls. I spent most of the morning waiting for them to get ready.


L-R : Mawizuala, Terema, Thangvunga, Pianpuia, Mary, Madina, Mahlimi & Me.


Ushers of Lily Veng Branch (the host branch for this year).

[ Variety Program – Saturday Afternoon ]










L-R: Marly, Mawizuala, Hriatpuia, Engkimi, Maruata & Hriatpuia.


Laipuitlang Branch dancers!




L-R: Rintluangi, Marly, Ma-i, Mami.


Chaltlang South Branch Quartet Band.


The DOXOLOGY gospel rock band, Chaltlang Branch.


Item numbers from renowned gospel artists.


Gospel rock band SARABANDE from Laipuitlang Branch.


Our (Chaltlang South Branch) very own gospel band – The ALTARS.


Laipuitlang Branch KTP members performing a worship dance.




On our way home -> “The ALTARS” unplugged.

[ Sunday 28.01.07 ]


Sunday Afternoon Church Service, again at Lily Veng (the host Branch).




A close friend of my close friend -> Lal Hmai, Chaltlang Branch.


Laipuitlang Branch Choir.


Chaltlang South Branch Choir. The conductor is Madina.




Blessing the offerings given during the service.


Narzhoc, a regular misual.commer.


Dancing in His praise.


Sunday night service: Bial Choir in action (the best from all Branches)


A view of Lily Veng Church from the balcony.


After Church -> fellowship program. Note the time. And it just started!








Chaltlang Branch members performing a devotional worship dance.




Various gospel artists from different Branches.


On our way home, around mid-night. Streets are completely deserted.


Dawrkawn.


My cousin posing, and me in front of “Almost Unreal’s” house .

One of my friends said that “Bial Inkhawmpui” is also a perfect time for single guys and girls to keep a lookout for a probable partner! No wonder whenever I was introduced to a girl, the first thing the people who introduced us always mention was, “nula fel a ni” (She’s a good girl). Lolz.

One thing I have noticed is that, many people regard anyone who regularly participate in KTP activities to be “good”. Evangelist Zairemmawia gave a very good sermon on this topic too. We need to change our mind-set regarding this notion. Ofcourse taking part in such activities is a noble deed when it comes to devotion, but there are a few individuals who do nothing in life, don’t help out with the house chores, waste their time the whole day, and when it is time for the KTP service, they are the first ones to reach the Church! All they care about is their public image. Being a good Christian is not just about the Church service alone! That’s just the icing. Duty to family and parents are also a part of duty to God.

Ah oh, I met a couple of KTP members from different Branches who came up to me and asked me if I am Sandman! Lolz. I just grinned and cautiously asked them why first Anyway, I did get quite a number of handshakes that night, from people I’ve never met before who read my articles online. Here’s to all of you out there -> lots of love and prayers. Hoping to meet you all again on next year’s KTP Bial Conference. God bless.

Chp 104. Sunday School Topic

Date: January 28, 2007.
Sunday: 4th Sunday of the Year.
MSSU Lesson Topic: The Israelites in Egypt.
Reading: Genesis 15:12-16; 45:1-8

^{GE 15:12} As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. ¹³ Then the LORD said to him, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. ¹⁴ But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. ¹⁵ You, however, will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a good old age. ¹⁶ In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure."

^{GE 45:1} Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, "Have everyone leave my presence!" So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. ² And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh's household heard about it.

^{GE 45:3} Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph! Is my father still living?" But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.

^{GE 45:4} Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come close to me." When they had done so, he said, "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! ⁵ And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. ⁶ For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will not be plowing and reaping. ⁷ But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

^{GE 45:8} "So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.

This is the word of the Lord. Amen.

So, as I have said earlier, I will be conducting my own Sunday School service here on my blog, amateur as I am, translating the lessons prescribed for the Mizoram Sunday School Union (MSSU) by the Mizoram Synod Authority into English.

But “myself” wrote a good comment on my previous post, where she said Sunday School lessons are “boring boring boring”. I wouldn’t exactly use that word “boring” , but yeah, in a way, Sunday School lessons are not exactly like the usual Church sermons.

I look at some of the notes I made so far for this week’s Sunday School lesson: Abram became Abraham, Sarai became Sarah, Egypt and Mesopotamia not only did business with each other but also shared the same religion, farming thrived, Canaan lie in between these two Kingdoms, the 12th King of Egypt was Amenhemet-I who was not interested in building Pyramids, etc etc.

Hehe… Republishing the SS lessons here might not be a good idea after all. It's more about history rather than thoughts and maxims. What was the name of Joseph’s father, who attacked the Canaanites, how long is the river Jordan etc..

So with this, my dream of becoming a Sunday school teacher just went up in smoke . Plus, I need to spend a lot of time going through the notes in detail, which I cannot afford to do currently. Our “KTP¹ Bial² Inkhawmpui³” is going on right now. It’s a great time to interact with other youths of adjoining Kohhrans whom we don’t usually see everyday. I will post the snaps of this grand function by tomorrow.

¹KTP – Kristian Thalai Pawl (Christian Youth Group)
²Bial – I have already explained what a “Kohhran” is in one of my earlier posts. It basically means a Church. Each locality is one Kohhran, except for those localities that are too big, which are divided into 2 or 3 (depending on the size) Kohhrans. A Bial (circle) consist of a couple of Kohhrans that are under one Pastorate. Hence an official Pastor heads a Bial, and alternatively spend a different day with each Kohhran. Our Chaltlang Pastor Bial consists of Chaltlang South, Chaltlang Vengpui, Laipuitlang and Chaltlang Lily Veng Kohhrans.
³Inkhawmpuii – Grand Church Service.

Hence “KTP Bial Inkhawmpui” basically means “The Grand Church service of the Christian Youth Group of different Kohhrans belonging to one particular Bial”. Phew!

God bless.

Chp 103. A new commitment

Last night there was a conversation in my head.

Left brain: Do you remember the good old days when there used to be more than 200 visits a day to this blog?
Right brain: Ofcourse I do. Those good old days…
Left brain: And do you also remember how some of the posts used to get more than 50 comments at one go?
Right brain: Indeed I do. Sigh* now the number of daily visits don’t even reach 50, and it would be an occasion worth celebrating if the number of comments even reach double digits now!

(At this point, my left brain gave a dramatic pause )

Left brain: I know… but… do you remember how empty it sometimes used to feel during those days?
Right brain: hmmm… empty, I’m not so sure, but yeah, sometimes something definitely felt incomplete... There were ofcourse times when it felt like Heaven, but they were all short-lived…
Left brain: Exactly, bro. So do you think it’s worth it?
Right brain: Yup indeed! Definitely. Let’s continue churning out thoughts and saws for our inexperienced little master…

I smiled.

One of the biggest thoughts in my head these days is, how do I increase traffic to my blog while writing only about Christ? I asked my good friend Xeres_79 (a Christian) for his honest opinion about me and my new blog topics. He’s one friend I know who will not beat around the bush and white-lie for the sake of being polite. He told me plainly that my topics are not what most people (read: Christians) would spend their time on, and that no one is going to read my posts and suddenly go “aaah” and change themselves for the better. Because, as he explained, most Christians “are a lazy lot”, and when they don’t even go to Church to listen to the sermons (Note: “Go to Church to listen to the sermon” is one word), they are definitely not going to read any articles on the net related to Christianity.

Touché.

Well, I’m definitely not a good Christian writer. But amateur as I am, I write what I feel like nevertheless because it fills me with a strange sensation of obedience when I play a small role in spreading the message of Christ.

When people experience Christ’s abundant love and mercy, they change; Not necessarily a complete change in their attitude/behavior/peculiarities etc but there is definitely a change to some degree.

Among us Christians too, there is a small section of people who criticize singers who had a “born again” experience for singing only Gospel songs on TV when they used to sing love songs and other non-Gospel songs before, and even absurdly mock them because they think these Gospel singers regard all other forms of songs as a sin.

My two cents on this: I’m sure Gospel singers sing Gospel songs not because they regard non-Gospel songs as a “sin” but because it’s what makes them happy. There is nothing wrong in singing non-Gospel related songs; it’s just that they are more satisfied and content singing songs that praise the Almighty Lord’s name.

That is why today I had a brainstorm: Every Sunday from now onwards, I am going to do my part of blogging about that particular Sunday’s “Sunday School” lesson, as prescribed by the Mizoram Synod Authority for the MSSU (Mizoram Sunday School Union). In a way, this will not only help me polish my writing skills on Christianity, but will also be an opportunity for many of our Mizo brothers and sisters living outside Mizoram due to studies or work to catch up with what’s happening at Home.

Hence come this Sunday, I really hope some of you will spare just a few minutes of your precious time to go through the Sunday School lesson… In case some of you may not know, the main subject/topic for this year is “Israel-te chanchin” (About Israel and the people). There are altogether 46 lessons (zirlai) this year, where the topic (thupui) span right from Genesis and Exodus all the way to the Holy Gospels.

The topic for this coming Sunday is Lesson no.3: “During their time in Egypt” and the readings are Gen. 15:12-16; 45:1-8. More on that will be discussed on Sunday . So I really am hoping to find you all on Sunday here. Until then, continue keeping the faith, and God bless.

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By the way, here is my heartfelt wishes and congratulations on the Holy Matrimonial of my two friends John (S/o Dr.Larimawia, MacDonald Hill, Aizawl) and Marina (D/o Chalthanzuala, Saron Veng, Aizawl) who tied the knot in His Holy name today. Unfortunately I couldn’t make it for the wedding due to an important prior commitment.

John (aka Tribalsuperstar) blogs at roastedpork.blogspot.com and Marina (aka Diddley) blogs at diddley.blogspot.com. Two blog friends of mine have now become one. I find that really cute. May you both live happily ever after John and Marina. Wishes and prayers.