Phusachodu receives ‘Act of Blessing’ from Angami Baptist Church Council

December 11, 2023 12 Views No Comment

DIMAPUR, DECEMBER 11 (MExN): A significant and poignant moment during the 75th Anniversary celebration of Phusacchodu Village was the conferring of blessing by the Angami Baptist Church Council in the backdrop of a historical incident where 5 Angami missionaries were chased away when they came to share the gospel in December of 1925.

Sieliezhü, Kruneizhü, Rüzhükhrie, Shürholhoulie and Kevizelie Sophie from the Angami Tribe proceeded to then Eastern Angami area and reached Phusachodu Village. The village was observing ‘Thürinye’ the harvest festival and the whole village was in a mood of festivities and merriment. They sought accommodation for the night and early next day as they set out to talk to people and share the gospel, most of them being in a festive mood refused to listen. Some youths in an intoxicated state jeered and insulted the visitors and told them to go away and not disturb the village. They forcefully proceeded to offer them wine and pretending to trip spilled their rice beer on the visitors.

It is said that one old wise man came forward to defend the missionaries and reprimanded the youth to refrain from humiliating the visitors and to allow them to speak and be on their way. But seeing that the people of the village were not willing to listen, the missionaries left the village and shook off the dust from their feet outside the village gate as they left.

It is said that as soon the Missionaries left, fire broke out in different locations of the village mysteriously without any apparent cause and engulfed the village. As the village burned the Missionaries having reached the opposite mountain range looked back on Phusachodu Village and saw that the village engulfed in fire and smoke and shed tears. Except for a few houses at the periphery, the village was razed to the ground. It is also reported that cholera epidemic broke out the same year and about a hundred odd people of all ages died and the village faced untold difficulties in the face of the calamities that befell them.

98 years after the fire and the rejection of the gospel, a team from the Angami Baptist Church Council was invited to the 75th Anniversary celebration of Phusachodumi Baptist Churchto pray and bless the village on behalf of those 5 missionaries.

The Executive Director of ABCC, Rev.Dr.Rachulie Vihienuo accompanied by the President ABCC, Rev Savito Nagi and 2 others attended the celebration on December 10 and offered an act of blessing. Remembering the fire which followed the rejection of the gospel he stated that the church has come a long way by God’s grace and God has accomplished and completed His work. He elucidated that today the fire that burns in Phusachodu Village is a fire that burns for Christ and spreads to places way beyond the village.

In a solemn ‘Act of Blessing’ a Bible was presented to the church by Rev Savito the President ABCC and Rev Vihienuo announced that Bible is given as a token of their prayer for unending blessings upon the village as promised in the word.

Rev Dr Z Keyho, General Secretary, Nagaland Baptist Church Council, stated that the growth of the church over 75 years is a testament of what God can do with willing faith. He commended the village on its decision to have ‘One Village, One Church, One Faith’ and encouraged to work for God’s kingdom with the same sense of oneness and collective commitment.

Rev Khrutsoyi Luruo, former Executive Secretary of CBCC spoke in the evening worship on the topic “Thus far the Lord has empowered us” and spoke about the power of the Word. He emphasized that the word of God gives life and sharing the word is the most important priority for the church and the believers.