146th ABDK Soba at Mangsang
TURA: The largest religious programme of the Garo Baptist Church, the annual A’chik Baptist Dalgipa Krima (ABDK) soba, which brings together lakhs of the faithful in Christ from across the state and beyond, has begun in Mangsang village of Rongjeng in East Garo Hills on Wednesday.
The five-day church event marks its 146th year of the annual religious gathering of the Garo Baptist Church in Garo Hills.
The soba or religious gathering will give an opportunity for the sea of devotees to participate in a vast range of church programmes and culminate in the largest participation during Sunday morning service, its concluding day.
Delegates from different Krimas from across Garo Hills and even Assam and Khasi Hills have arrived for the programme. This also gives an opportunity for church leaders to discuss matters relating to the church, its practices, particularly the Doctrine, among other religious issues.
It will also give an opportunity for thousands of young boys and girls, many of whom will soon be appearing various school and college examinations, to get closer to God through His teachings.
The first soba of the church took place over a hundred years ago, in 1875, at the Mission Station of the Baptist Church in Goalpara (Assam).
It was held on the premises of British administrator David Scott, which had been purchased by American missionary Dr Miles Bronson in 1875, eight years after the establishment of the first church in Garo Hills at Rajasimla.
Dr Miles Bronson is a historical figure who converted the first Garos- Omed Momin and Ramke Momin to Christianity.
Both, Omed and Ramke became pioneers of the Christian faith and would go on to spread the gospel across the Garo Hills region.
At the first soba, as many as eight churches from across the Garo-dominated areas of erstwhile Assam including Amjonga, Damra, Derek, Kongkal, Chotcholja and Resubelpara came to participate.
Tura has hosted the ABDK soba twice in its history, first in 1967 at the Mission Compound and last year.
