Navin Doman Tirkey (Hettakota), Kesho and Bandhu from the village of Chitakuni, and Ghuran of Karanda village, came to meet missionaries in 1850. There were four missionaries from Gossner Mission School, Germany: Fredrich Batsch, Emile Schatz, August Brand and Theodre Janke serving since 1845 in Chota Nagpur region. The missionaries told them that Lord Jesus Christ was alive. They demanded that the missionaries show Lord Jesus Christ. Frustrated that the missionaries could not present the living Lord, they decided to leave. However, missionaries invited them to the church service under a tree, eat and pray, then leave. The invitation to eat was widespread practice of hospitality among the tribal community, but the tribals were not invited by outsiders as they were considered as outcastes. The four men observed that the missionaries were holy men, they behaved the same way in their worship as in their conversation. The missionaries talked with God as they talked with men, though the four men could not see God. Though they could not hear; they could watch the face of missionaries and understand that they were able to hear God. Missionaries explained that they could hear from Lord Jesus through the help of the Holy Spirit. Adivasis understood the spirit, and they could comprehend the Holy Spirit of Jesus. In eating with them, their hearts were touched, they experienced an internal transformation. On 9 June 1850 they were baptized.
1) Love: Compelled by the love of the Lord, these missionaries travelled to India and served the poor, marginalized and oppressed people. (II Corinthians 5:14-15)
2) Faithful service: Though for five years, they did not get any response, they faithfully continued the service, learning Hindi and also the languages of the tribes.
3) Hospitality: Even when the four men wanted to leave, they were treated with dignity and shown hospitality. Invitation for sharing a meal made a great impression on them.
4) Prayer: Missionaries’ prayer was a conversation with God, which was similar to their routine conversation with them.
5) God’s faithfulness: God rewarded the missionaries with fruits for their untiring labour.
Do I celebrate God’s marvelous works?