BRIEF REPORTS OF THE
ZOU PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH SYNOD MISSION WORKS AND ITS BACKGROUND
 

Backgound:
The Zou’s like their other kindred tribes professed animism and ancestor worship. The first known Evangelist to the Zou people was a Mizo tribesman named Hrangsuaka. In 1922, he visited the unreached Zou tribe villages from his station at Hlangbung. For easier evangelism, Mr. Hrangsuaka sought the permission of Mr. Tonghao, chief of Singngat village to stay in his village. The chief obliged and he settled at Singngat in 1924. In 1935 Hrangsuaka went to Khienglam, a Zou village and work amongst the Zou people till 1937. Till that time there was no known baptized person among the Zou tribe. In 1946 another Paite Missionary teacher, Mr. Pumzaneng opened a Lower Primary School at Munpi, a Zou village near Singngat. Thus the Gospel of Christ began to spread among Zou villages by the first half of the 20th Century.

The Jou Christian Association was the first Church Organisation for the Zou tribe after they were converted to Christianity. It was founded on 10th February, 1953 at Daizang village. The idea of the formation of the Jou/Zou Christian Association was believed to have originated from Mr. Ngulzakhup (the first Ordained Elder of the Zou tribe under NEIGM). In 1957 the JCA was changed into the Manipur Christian Conference (MCC) which lasted hardly for a couple of years. Again in 1959 the MCC was changed into Manipur Gam Presbytery (MGP). In the history of its development, the Church had come across a series of splits/schism. The schism within the Zou Church began in 1976 with the translation of the vernacular Bible which contains the Apocryphal. Thus, the Church witnessed a series of splits into Zomi Christian Church (ZCC) and the Main Line Church, MGP. Further, the ZCC had witnessed yet another split in 2002. Finally, the mainline Church was granted a provisional Synod in 2004 and became a full fledged Synod in 2006 as Zou Presbyterian Church Synod.
As mentioned earlear, JCA was established at Daizang Village on 10th February, 1953. The first conference of JCA was held at Tuaitengphai Village on 15th February, 1954. There was still a lot of controversy with regard to the establishment of the JCA; the ZCC firmly holds that 20th February, 1954 as the right date. However, the former given date is the generally accepted one. The JCA was recognized by the Evangelical Assembly Church. At this second conference, Pastor Luaia and Evangelist Hrangkap
were assigned to look after JCA and ordained Mr. Ngulzakhup to be the first Elder in the same year.

The Manipur Gam Presbytery (MGP) and The Manipur Eastern Presbytery (MEP) were under Manipur Synod for a long time. Thus after being with the Manipur Presbyterian Church Synod for more than three Decades the MGP and MEP formed the Zomi Christian Literature Society (ZCLC) on 13th August 1974, with an aim to improve the Hymn book and Bible together. Later they formed an Advisory Board/Committee with the expectation to gain a Synod. Again in August 2001, the MEP Standing Committee agreed to propose to the MGP to form a Joint Committee that they may be able to gain a Synod. The MGP accepted the proposal and on 6th September, 2001 a Joint Presbyterian Committee was formed, and submitted a proposal to form the Synod to the Presbyterian Church of India Assembly with the recommendation made by the Manipur Presbyterian Church Synod. On the 7th May, 2004 the PCI General Assembly approved and thus granted a Provisional Synod.

The Zou Presbyterian Church functions under the Provisional Status for two years. It acquired its full Fledge Synod on the 10th September, 2006. Rev. C. Rosiama, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of India inaugurated the new Synod. Thus the Zou Presbyterian Church Synod became one of the constituent units of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of India. The Synod has its Headquarter at Zomi Colony, Churachandpur, Manipur. The administrative setup of the Synod is a full centralized type of administration.

1. Mangjing Mission Field and School
This field is situated about 30 kms. from Churachandpur. With the Financial Assistance of the Presbyterian Church of India with a whooping amount of Rs. 50,000, Mangjing Mission School was established in 1996 among the Indigenous People (Meitei). The Zou Presbyterian Church set up a Mission School there with the intention of imparting education and evangelising the people and a small Church building was constructed. Elder Rajen Meitei was ordained as Church Elder to look after the Church in 2021. The Zou Presbyterian Church Synod employed 6 Teachers and 1 Evangelist on a contractual basis. The Headmaster salary was granted by the PCI General Assembly. Due to the Kuki-Meitei ethnic war in the state in 2023, the School and Church building were destroyed by a mob and the Mission Field was temporarily shifted to Paspati Mission Field.

2. Paspati Mission Field
Paspati was a Nepali Village located in the District of Senapati, near National Highway No. 39 in Manipur. The Paspati Mission Field was established with a hut-like Church in 2002. There, one Local man by name, Bhim Prashad Ghatani was employed as an Evangelist since its inauguration. Evangelist Bhim Prashad Ghatani started to work persistently among the Local Community and as a consequence
he made a handful of converts after a few years. The number of believers began to grow from strength to strength and Elder Rajman Sanchuri became the first ordained elder of the Paspati Presbyterian Church in 2021. Thus by 2024 membership of the Paspati Presbyterian Church grew to 84 members with the
newly converts. The Zou Presbyterian Church Synod constructed a small Church building. Evangelist Bhim Prasad Ghatani was granted Certificate of Licensure as Pastor.

3. Charhazare Mission Field
Charhazare Mission Field was established in 2015 among the Nepalese People in Kanglatombi Area in Manipur. Evangelist Bhim Prasad Ghatani was entrusted with the task of evangelising in Charhazare apart from his Station Paspati. After his ordination as Church Elder in 2021, Elder Rajman was entrusted the work of evangelising in Charhazare Mission Field with generous support from well wishers from the Synod.

4. Assam Mission Field, Jengbey & Thangmo
Jengbey Mission Field was established in 2019 among Karbi Anglong People, and also the Mission School was established in 2021 in partnership with the Karbi Anglong Presbyterian Church Synod. The Zou Synod employed 5 evangelists-cum-teachers at Jengbey. The Synod also constructed a school and staff quarter.

Thangmo Mission School was launched in the year 2024 and now 2 native workers are actively working there.

5. Tripura Mission Field
In Tripura the Synod has two Mission Centres. Hamsapara and Ashram Bari in North Tripura.
1. Hamsapara Mission Field was established in 2022 at Hamsapara Urichirra Damchirra North Tripura. In this Mission Centre the Synod opened Mission School in 2025. The Synod employed 7 Evangelists and 3 Teachers. The Synod also constructed a school building in this year (2025).

2. Ashram Bari Mission Field North Tripura
In 2021 the Zou Presbyterian Church Synod established Ashram Bari Mission Field with the financial support from Presbyterian Church of India, Lailam veng. At present, there were 3 Evangelists (two from the local populace) and about five Christian Households in the village. Mission Quarter was constructed with the support of the sponsor Church, Presbyterian Church of India, Lailam veng (ZPCS).

6. Others 
The Zou Presbyterian Church Synod has also partnership with FMPB, IEM, NIM and GFI.
1. Friends Missionary Prayer Band (FMPB) : The Synod supported 6 missionaries.
2. Indian Evangelical Mission (IEM) : The Synod supported 2 missionaries.
3. North East Interim Mission (NIM) : The Synod supported 1 missionary.
4. Gospel for India (GFI) : The Synod supported 1 missionary.
5. The Zou Presbyterian Church Synod also employs 3 evangelists with one evangelist in each Presbytery within the Synod.