BINDU DEVI
The First Martyred Missionary of Manipur Evangelical Lutheran Church

On that fateful day the 2nd May 2024, her family members, along with her beloved husband, had brutally assaulted her physically at her home when just returning from the Mission Field. She succumbed to her injury on the next day, 3rd May 2024 at the Hospital at 5:00 am. On her death bed, she bade final goodbye to her husband, her two sons, and her daughter. She smiled joyously and expressed that she was to be with the Lord in heaven.

Mrs. Bindu Devi is the daughter of Mr. Santosh Kumar and Mrs. Rani Devi of Varanasi City, Uttar Pradesh, India. Her married life with her husband Mr. Vinod Kumar, had attained 25 years at the time of her death. They were blessed with three children as a heritage from the Lord. They are Mr. Kishan, Mr. Shorya Gupta, and Ms. Arpita. Mrs. Bindu Devi serves as a Missionary in Varanasi City supported by the Finnish Lutheran Overseas Mission along with the   Manipur Evangelical Lutheran Church. She is faithful, truthful, and dutiful with an unwavering faith in the Lord. She had completed two years and six months serving as a Missionary at the time of her death. On that fateful day the 2nd May 2024, her family members, along with her beloved husband, had brutally assaulted her physically at her home when just returning from the Mission Field. She succumbed to her injury on the next day, 3rd May 2024 at the Hospital at 5:00 am. On her death bed, she bade final goodbye to her husband, her two sons, and her daughter. She smiled joyously and expressed that she was to be with the Lord in heaven. Hallelujah!!!.

But, on her death bed, with great and exerted effort, mustering all her courage and strength, she made her last request to her husband and family members that her dead body be buried and not to be burned up into ashes. She soon died and after her dead body went for autopsy; her dead body had been burned up into ashes as the customary practice of the Hindus. She committed no crime except accepting Jesus Christ as her savior and Lord. Due to her strong faith in Jesus Christ, her life has been taken to be with the Lord forever and ever. She accepted Jesus Christ as her own personal Savior and Lord in the year 2010. May her life and death speak volumes to her family members and the Hindus as a whole.

Mrs. Bindu was a very sick person throughout her life. Strangely, not enough care and support was received by her family members for reasons best known to them. To add to this, she accepts Jesus Christ as her savior and Lord which is very much against the culture of an orthodox Hindu family. Even then, she keeps on clinging to the Lord, and her sicknesses too were gradually relieved from her steadily and have been gradually healed wholly. She was a happy and contented person in her heart of hearts. She knew full well that she had been healed physically and spiritually which made her brave at heart and decided to face all challenges, hindrances, and obstacles on her way and not to deterred by the threats from her family members. This seems to create more distancing between her and her family members. The changes that took place in her practical life could be seen and witnessed by her family members and her surroundings. It is the Lord’s doing. It is marvelous in our eyes. Praise the Lord. Amen.

May her soul rest in peace.

Rev. Kamminthang 
Director of Missions, MELC.