by Nem Hniang
Mrs Nem Hniang is presently the women’s secretary of Chin Synod, PCM and is a single mother with one son. She has never given up her women’s ministry even though she is a widow. She is a creditable PCM woman among many people who criticise her for being a widow and she never stops raising her voice for the rights of women in PCM.
I was born in Falam township, Chin
State. My parents are Mr. Hrang Vung and Mrs. Tling Men. My mother was a government corporation office staff. Our family moved to Taungphila Ward - Kalay township, Sagaing Division in 1976.
Road to Education I successfully completed my B.A (History) study in the year 2000, and a Bachelor of Religious Education (BRE) from Tahan Theological College (TTC) in 2007. My marriage life has been blessed by God through giving me a son, who is now doing his matriculation. My mother passed away when I was in ninth grade. Two years later saw the demise of my father and my two brothers. I struggled with life with my young son; life was depressing and very difficult. At that time, it was very difficult just to imagine what the future could hold for me. While my head was bowed down to earth with very little hope for the future, I was advised to take the BRE night study course at TTC. Since I joined the BRE course, life became more positive and my spirit was revived; I could spend valuable, enjoyable time among church members and friends. Matthew 11:28, which says “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest”, became true in my life since then.
Ministry I have been serving as the Women’s Secretary of Chin Synod, PCM from 2007 until now. Initially, when my application for this ministry was accepted, I felt a little regretful because I looked at myself and saw very little in myself. With a heavy heart, I prayed unceasingly before I started the ministry. What I realised 35
later on was that thinking lowly of myself only brings shame on myself. I should have known better - that God is always with me.
Vision The person I looked up to in ministry was the late Pastor Man Za Cing from Leipi Baptist Church, Kalay Township. We used to serve together at Kalay Council of Churches Women Fellowship (KCCWF) as office bearers. She was the President then. One day we held a meeting at her house because she was sick. Her sickness did not stop her from calling for the meeting. “It must be very painful and difficult?” I asked because we found out that she was already in a very serious condition. She answered me, “I was sick already by the time I was elected as president. My thinking was it is better to serve with sickness than simply staying at home sick and doing nothing”. Her answer really touched me; she was one of the best role models to look up to.
Thoughts on ministry I really enjoy serving the Lord and labouring for His Kingdom as well as for my country and people. The good thing about not having a husband is that I can serve in ministry freely without any restriction from others. It feels good that I can participate in many organisations without any extra burden from household matters. I really enjoy being part of many ministries through my utmost commitment. Bullying and strong words are no stranger to a widow like myself. Sometimes such experiences can be very difficult to bear. But now, there is nothing to be worried about because it is God whom I serve. And in serving God, there are only blessings to be received. Now I just try INSiGHT | June 2020
to accomplish whatever ministry has been given to me, doing my level best. In chapter 4 of the gospel according to John, we read that Jesus asks a Samaritan woman for water to drink. God knows what we have, we only have to give what we have, and God will give us the water of life.
Workplace I really love my work place because I am surrounded by supportive co-workers who are very committed and good Christians. I feel very fortunate to work in a workplace that is full of church leaders who are trustworthy and reliable. A long time ago, I used to work at a car transportation office. Since that was a business place, money was everything. At times, in order to get the highest profit, we had to communicate with people using small lies and dishonesty. What I learnt from my current workplace is, Christians should be very careful in choosing the type of job we apply for; money should not be the major factor in our decision. One thing that makes me sad is that there is gender prejudice in the workplace. Men and women should work and think together in good harmony. It makes me very sad when I see women sometimes sharing poor opinions of fellow female workers. For example, calling and shouting at a woman, “you are so silly and stupid” could cause that person to develop an inferiority complex. Therefore, appreciating each other for what we accomplish is very necessary and important. Otherwise, we will not be able to improve ourselves. This is the same for church leadership; if we really want to promote the role of women, we don’t necessarily need men to vote for us. We women can vote for ourselves and materialise our
