By Fr Felix Anthony –
Tezu: Amidst the grim stories surrounding the Church, God has his unique and mysterious ways of restoring shattered hopes. Here is one such story from the interior villages of Arunachal Pradesh.
Saul, one of staunch persecutor of the early the Church, went on to become Paul, a strong defender of the Church and Christ. Meet the modern-day Saul who became Paul among the tribal people in Miao Diocese in east Aruanchal Pradesh.
Miss Jeremai Krong, a Bio-Technician with an MBA degree and with eight years of corporate job experience in a renowned multinational business organization, never missed a chance to denounce Christ and Christians. Today she is a totally different person. She quit her secured job, became Jeremiah Krong and returned to her native place and is proclaiming Christ among her own people in the top of the mountains, literally.
While on her preaching mission on 16 April to the Sacred Heart Parish Church in Neotan of Miao Diocese, she gave her own testimony to the joyful tears of the people. “I was a stony hearted person who could not stand the name of Jesus”, she told the people. “It was her prolonged emptiness that resulted in multiple health issues and anxiety led to the Lord. But after finding the Lord, all my anxiety, emptiness and sickness have gone and I have never been happier.”
She now spends most of her day visiting families in her neighbourhood and explaining to them how Jesus Christ cured sickness that no one else could. When she is not visiting families, the villagers bring the sick to her own home for prayer. Many have experienced physical healing.
Explaining why she quit her job and returned to her village in Lohit district, she says while praying she realised that there are many who have not yet known Christ in her own family. “I am the only Catholic in my family and in my whole village. I want to share the joy of finding Christ to my people, starting with my family”, she says.
“Receiving Jesus Christ for the first time in Holy Communion was the best day of my life”, she says. The number of sick visiting her family for prayer is only increasing. “This is slowly leading my parents and my other siblings to believe in Christ. They do not stop me from praying any more”, she says with hope.
Listening to her testimony during the Holy Week led many to tears in the animation programme she led on 16 April. “Her story challenges our faith to do more for the Lord”, said Miss Nemsi Mossang, a private school teacher from the village.
The story of Miss Jeremiah Krong, a Mishmi tribal girl, is indeed a strong message from the Lord that He is alive, the Church is alive.