MIZO CHRISTIAN GLOBAL NETWORK

Back to Archive Index NEWSLETTER: JUNE 2004

MCGN is a non-profit, non-denominational Christian organization promoting spiritual renewal and economic development of the people in Mizoram and the surrounding region by serving them as Jesus did. (Mt. 20:28)

"The harvest is truly plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." (Mt. 9:37-38)

Mizo Readers, please visit the new MIZO SECTION

8 Years of Mizo Christian Global Network (MCGN)

Before MCGN:
Liana and Ngeni Mualchin were involved privately in equipping the church in southern Mizoram by supporting pastors and Bible college students and sending evangelical literatures to church. At one point, a church organization shared their urgent need and the Mualchins responded by sending their life savings to buy a mechanical printing press. While Liana was studying Missiology at Simpson Graduate School in his private time, his classmates and teachers suggested that he form a structure through which like-minded people can work together on his burden for Mizoram. That structure is the Mizo Christian Global Network (MCGN) which was born 8 years ago.

HIGHLIGHTS

MCGN was started in June 1996 after much prayer and with enthusiastic support from a group of Mizo people in Maryland. Any organization can not grow without the commitment and perseverance of its leaders, as Wiliam Carey eloquently stated in his 1792 mission enquiry paper:

"This society must consist of persons whose hearts are in the work, men of serious religion, and possesing a spirit of perseverance; these must be a determination not to admit any person who is not of this description, or to retain him longer than he answers to it."

A few years back, lack of commitment and egoistic feeling of the leadership nearly ended the network. The current leadership has suffered harsh criticisms and false accusations. Only because of God's grace and faithfulness, MCGN survived! Now, we are fewer in number but stronger. We are blessed by the consistent support of Marian Hannah and Patricia Macy all these years. May God bless these faithful friends!

Initially, we tried to do many things. As we walked through the years, the Lord helped us focus and made our direction clearer. We have been taught through our mistakes and have learned to depend on Him alone. We thank the Lord for trusting us to work with Him in missions. Ministry is a life-long committment which fulfills and satisfies the soul. The highlights of MCGN are outlined below, both our failures and successes:

Mizoram Videos - We want to produce videos to show conditions in Mizoram. Liana took two collaborators, an American in 1997 and a Canadian in 1999 to Mizoram. Unfortunately, they did not produce videos as promised. We learned to be more discerning in dealing with others.
MCGN Website - Jeff Mead created our website free in 1999. It has connected Mizo people globally and many came to know MCGN. The original web design has been in use for 5 years now.
Mizoram Research - In 1999, Liana Mualchin led a research team from USA and Canada to study Mizoram. The team was well received and supported by Mizoram Government. An excellent start did not progress and eventually stalled due to lack of co-operation and selfishness of the leadership. The seed has been sown and a few are still active.
Swingsets - With the donation and vision of Dr. Mary Beth Haines, a research team member, for children and youth recreation, swingsets were purchased for a few schools in 1999. The communities were thankful. Our purpose was to motivate others to do the same for their communities. We want to promote self-help and less dependency on governmental funding.
Scholarship - We started the Juliet Florio Scholarships in 2000 to encourage worthy and needy students in southern Mizoram by the initial donation of Mark and Aleta Florio. We have awarded a few High School senior students and selection for the third year has been concluded.
Illustrated Handbook of Mizoram - We needed sketches on scenes and situations of Mizoram for use in Illustrated Handbook of Mizoram. In 2000, we sponsored a professional artist, Dilip Bhattacharya of Kolkata, to prepare sketches upon his request to visit USA. Due to lack of manpower, our work on the Handbook is on hold. The sketches are ready.
Mizo Leadership Training - In 2000-2001, we conducted Mizo Leadership Training in USA, co-sponsored by Pastor Bruce Moore of the Liberty Christian Center, Fairfield, California. We asked for 7-10 participants but only 5 were selected by MCGN-Mizoram leaders. The MCGN International Board discontinued the training program because the results did not meet our expectations.
Mission Trips to southern Mizoram - We did 3 mission trips to southern Mizoram - the first by Rev. Robert (Bob) Harrison, Liana & Ngeni Mualchin, and their daughter, Lisa in 2002; the second by Bob Harrison, Dr. Neill Foster and his wife, Marilynne in 2003, led by Dr.P.C. Biaksiama; and the third by Liana & Ngeni Mualchin in 2004. We pray for meaningful partnership with the churches there.
Mizo Electronic-Bible - In 2000, we thought of producing Mizo electronic-Bible by voluntary work from Mizo people. The thought translated into a project when we received an electronic copy of the Gospel John in Mizo from Robert Wood. Our original idea of using volunteers was changed into a non-voluntary project by MCGN-Mizoram leaders. We spent money and considerable time in the process. The project is challenging for MCGN run with zero-budget and all volunteers. We persisted and the work is almost complete for access at our website and for production on CD.
Publishing Book - In 2002, we published a copyright Mizo version of the missioanary story of Irene Webster-Smith “Sensei” translated by Mrs. Nongheli (Novi) and Mr. Kharmawia (Mawia). The book was well received by readers and selected among the best translation books of Mizoram in 2003. We plan to publish more books in the future.
Writing Articles - Liana and Ngeni Mualchin accepted invitations to write articles for various Mizo publications. They also wrote opinion articles on their concerns. In 2003, many of Liana's articles were compiled in a book by M. C. Awia and was also selected among the best books of Mizoram in 2003.
Jail Bible Distribution - We distributed Bibles to inmates in Mizoram jails from 2003. Our church and friends in USA supported this program. We want to extend the program in India, Myanmar (Burma), and Bangladesh
Mission Trip to Thailand and India - In January-February, 2004, Liana and Ngeni did a mission trip to Thailand and India. They could not enter Burma as planned because Liana's passport was lost and perpetual changes in Burma visa policy. The trip is significant because it was also supported by our church in USA, Church of the Foothills, Cameron Park, California.
Newsletter - We produced monthly newsletters for the past 5 years. We used English since most supporters are English speaking people. We will have a Mizo section from this month (June 2004). We welcome Mizos to contribute articles of less than half-page with correct names and addresses.
Creation Science - In 2003, we sent Dr. P. C. Biaksiama used Science textbooks for Christian Schools in USA, donated by Mrs. Ruth Willson. These are resources for Dr. Biaksiama and others in preparing new Science textbooks that include Creation, for Mizoram schools. In this connection, we also met personnaly the Dean of Insitutue for Creation Research in southern California for the visit to the institute by Dr. Biaksiama. The Dean interviewed Siama over the phone and the visiting program did not work at this time.
Financial and other help -
1. Washer and dryer for Thutak Nunpui Tu (TNT) orphanage home, Zuangtui, Aizawl.
2. Building for Christian High School in Myanmar (Burma).
3. Videos for Mizo missionaries in Nepal and MCGN-Mizoram.
4. Rebuilding a village in Myanmar that was burned down.
5. Supporting Peace conference in Myanmar through Dr. Laithuama.
6. Helping a girl from Myanmar who lost her leg from bomb explosion at the border, but we are sad that contacting her by a responsible person was problematic. We pray that the provides her needs.

CURRENT PLANS

Establishing Christian Foundation Institute is alive in spirit. The idea is well liked by several Mizos and friends in USA. We need more Mizos with tangible contributions to start the project.

Sending Mizo missionaries to unreached people groups in Myanmar (Burma) and Bangladesh is favored by frieands in USA as a partnership ministry. We are waiting for God's timing.

Operating a Community Radio Station receives strong support from friends in USA. The station will broadcast educational, cultural, and Gospel materials in all dialects of the people in Mizoram and unreached peoples in Bangladesh and Burma. We need a reliable organization acceptable to the licensing authority to be responsible for the station.

OPPORTUNITIES LACKING SUPPORT

Before MCGN was started, we visited Mizoram in 1992 for promoting hydro-electricity. In 1993 Liana Mualchin contacted Ron Sommer, an official with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Delhi. Ron can help fund a moderate-sized hydro-electricity project for Mizoram. The Mizoram Government did not follow his instructions and the door closed.

We envisioned publishing quality newspapers, magazines, and books for public education. Unexpedly, we received a proposal from David Thangliana who claimed to be trustworthy to do publishing. In 1999, we contributed $20,000 to purchase a new 2-color offset printer, a large-sized at his insistence even though we preferred a smaller-sized printer. Within a short period, we lost all as David Thangliana failed to do as he promised. Because of this experience, it is becoming very difficult for us to trust and have the confidence to work with others.

In 1996-1997, when Liana was a Visiting Professor in Japan, he presented samples of ginger and passion-fruit juice from Mizoram to Santori Corporation of Japan through a friend, Ms.Nakanishi. Santori tested the samples and wanted to purchase a quantity as samples before ordering a much larger commercial quantity. Nobody in Mizoram sent the samples as informed.
Santori was also interested to collaborate with Mizoram to plant and produce Konia-ku, a Japanese traditional health food. Liana brought Konya-ku plant to Mizoram and it was demonstrated to grow successfully there. Again, nobody responded to the offer.

In 1998, a new stainless-steel penstock for hydro-power was donated by a California businessman through the World Vision. We met the donor and he agreed to give it to Mizoram. The donor needed technical specifications of a dam but no response from Mizoram leaders. The door was closed.

For publishing a monthly magazine, we gave Rs. 45,000 to MCGN-Mizoram leaders in November 1999 but nothing came out of this.

Our American and Japanese contacts said to Liana, “The Mizo people are not ready.” We hope that we will be prepared and ready to respond to such offer.

---IDEAS, ADVICE, AND COMMENTS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME---

MCGN International HQ: USA: Lalliana Mualchin (Email: mualchin@hotmail.com)

Original Webmaster: Jeff Mead (Email: jeffmead@innercite.com)

News Compiler: Ngeni Mualchin (Email: mualchin@hotmail.com)

Editor: Patricia Macy (Email: mailto:pamacy@netzero.net)