(1934-1966)
Dorairaji died because of the testimony of Jesus Christ in the year 1966. He went as a missionary to Rajasthan, the only desert state in the Northern part of India. He was the first martyr from among the Brethren Assemblies of India – Editor
By means of his faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead – Heb. 11:4
Dorairaji died because of the testimony of Jesus Christ in the year 1966. He went as a missionary to Rajasthan, the only desert state in the Northern part of India. He was the first martyr from among the Brethren Assemblies of India – Editor
By means of his faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead – Heb. 11:4
I was thrilled when our brethren asked me to write a short biography of the late Brother Dorairaj. I would like to add some details of how the ministry in Rajasthan started. The first team of workers left the campus of Hindustan Bible Institute, Madras in 1960. They had decided to walk through the roads to Rajasthan because they had had the experience of walking from Madras to Kerala during their studies. It was their thought that if even one of them could reach the destination, their mission would be achieved. But the Lord did not permit the brethren to walk. He made provisions for their journey. I was told that their send-off was a heart-breaking event; everyone who gathered to see them off contributed materially for the trip. Some of them even took off their gold ornaments and gave it to the missionaries. I remember the words of Dr. Paul V Gupta, the Director of the Hindustan Bible Institute, “You boys, (this was the way he addressed the students), you go and work for the Lord. Let your wives wash the utensils of the Banias and feed you”. However, the Lord never allowed our wives to wash the utensils of the Banias. Our God is great and faithful.
Meanwhile there were some brothers, namely, K Peter, Kunju, I George and the late O George who were praying that the Lord would send some Christian workers to Kota, Rajasthan. They had a prayer group there. Soon after the team started the work, Satan became active in opposing them. There were difficult days; however, the Lord intervened and prospered the ministry. Later the team decided to split; different members went to different places and started evangelizing there. Thus, Assembly work started in Rajasthan.
Early Life
Dorairaj was born in a poor non-Christian family in 1934, in a small village called Aiyapuram in Sivagiri Taluk, Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu. He had three brothers and three sisters. His parents were religious. They were devotees of several gods and goddesses. He was the first one in the family to come to the Lord. He had his primary education in the local elementary school up to the fifth standard. Then he went to high school in Puliangudi, where he had his education up to the eighth standard. Then he had to discontinue his studies due to some communal disturbances and financial difficulty in the family. He lost his parents but the believers in Vadamalapuram took care of him.During his break in his studies, he used to attend church meetings and obtained the experience of salvation. He took a job as a postman in the nearby village for his livelihood.
As he had a desire to study the word of God, he joined the Madurai Bible School. Later with much difficulty he went to Madras and got admission in the Hindustan Bible Institute, where he successfully completed his theological studies. He felt the call of God to serve Him full-time. Accordingly, he served the Lord along with the saints in Triplicane, Madras.
Work in Rajasthan
As he was in the ministry, he had a vision to go to North India with the graduates of H. B. I. So, he went to Rajasthan with the late Dr. M A Thomas, Philip Abraham, K C John and the late Paul S Kant, who were his class-mates. His first stop in Rajasthan was Kota. He stayed there for some time and went to Jaipur and stayed with K C John. He helped K S George to start the work in Bikaner. Dorairaj personally travelled with Late bro. K S George to Bikaner. Both of them laboured together in that place for some time. Locals were not willing to rent their premises when came to know that they are Christians. They endured various kinds of hardship in that place. Before leaving that place, he advised K S George to hold on to the ministry at Bikaner at any cost. My beloved wife Valsamma is the first fruit of Bikaner Assembly. Now Boaz Philip along with his wife and children are serving the Lord in Bikaner.Later Dorairaj chose Alwar as his mission field. Alwar is one of the districts of Rajasthan. It is situated between Delhi and Jaipur. Dorairaj was a man of prayer and devotion. He lived a very simple life. He spent much of his time in prayer and study. He was very pious and loving, a humble sincere brother whom everyone loved.
Though he worked in Alwar for about three years, he could not find any fruit. He could only establish some contacts. However, he was serving the Lord courageously. In July 1966, there was no news from him for quite some time. So, brother K C John from Jaipur came in search of him. Bro. K C John could not find him at Alwar, so informed the matter to Bro. M A Thomas and me. This news reached me as I was waiting for him to join the newly started work at Udaipur. Dorairaj promised me to help the work at Udaipur. As soon as I got the news, I joined with the search team of Bro. K C John and M A Thomas. But our efforts were all futile. Though we tried in various ways we could not find any information about Dorairaj. The only plausible explanation for his mysterious disappearance is that he was killed by anti-Christian elements. Although he has been removed from our sight, he rests with the Lord. He was a hero of faith.
Dorairaj Is Dead Yet He Speaks
It pleased the Lord to remove His servant from the field. There is a great reward waiting for His loyal servant, a martyr's crown. God may bury His workmen, but He will carry on His work. The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.Recently I saw some of the letters written by the brethren in Triplicane assembly to Dorairaj. They were not happy at his coming to North India. However, it was God's plan for him that he should lay down his life for the sake of the Lord.
In the year 1965, Dorairaj, Philip Abraham, Paul S Kant, K S George, Emmanuel Raj and myself joined for a course at Delhi Bible Bhavan. It was a course designed to learn Hindi language and was arranged by late brother Robert Duff who spent much of his time in Delhi. He was a missionary from Ireland. Earlier this course was conducted in Landor in Missouri. We had the privilege of joining this course and complete it in six months. It is helpful for the ministry in North India.
During the nights, we would often see him in tears for the souls of Alwar. Though he could not see results in his lifetime, the Lord has seen and honoured his tears. The Lord has been pleased to establish an assembly testimony in the place where Dorairaj shed his blood. What brother Mathew Zachariah says is true: Alwar is a fertile soil, for it is soaked with the blood of the Lord's servant Dorairaj.
All of us believers in Rajasthan were praying that the Lord would send someone to continue the work that Dorairaj was doing. The Spirit of the Lord spoke to me through Joshua 1:2,6. “You are praying for someone else; why can't you go?” I took it as a challenge and informed the brethren about my decision. As it is said, “God has a sharpened tool at His disposal”. The Lord enabled me to come and continue the work that brother Dorairaj started, like in 1 Corinthians 3:6.
God has permitted my family and I to pass through various trials and troubles in the past years; yet he helped us establish an assembly testimony. As time passed the Lord helped us to establish a Bible school – NORTH INDIA BIBLE INSTITUTE, with the help and cooperation of the saints, to train young men for His ministry. Over 140 young men are working for the Lord after their study here in Alwar. We appreciate the valuable prayers of the saints, that God may strengthen us as a family to continue the ministry.
-T J Joseph
This article originally appeared in the Harvest Times magazine's March 2016 issue.
