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Some 1,280 Zomi people, natives of Chin State in northwest Myanmar, met in Tulsa last week to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the first Christian missionary to their people. "It was a very emotional day for all of us," said Chin Do Kham, who chaired the event. "We were thanking God, and thanking the missionaries, and thanking Americans for sending missionaries to us." The Cope Centennial Jubilee Celebration USA, held at Tulsa Marriott Southern Hills, drew people from around the United States. It honored the Rev. Joseph H. Cope, who arrived among the Zomi people on Nov. 1, 1910. Cope learned the Zomi language, developed a written form of it using English letters, and translated the New Testament and Psalms into Zomi. He died and was buried there in 1938. "He didn't just bring us the Gospel, he brought us civilization," Kham said. The Zomis in Myanmar are now 95 percent Christian, a minority group in a nation that is 87 percent Buddhist. Among the special guests at the Tulsa celebration were the Rev. Ernest Flores, pastor of Second Baptist Church in Germantown, Pa., which sent Cope to Myanmar 100 years ago; the Rev. Khup Khen Pau, who pastors a church Cope founded there; and Robert Cope and Christine Cope Dudley, grandchildren of the missionary. Kham said when he arrived in Tulsa in 1990 to attend Oral Roberts University, he was the only Zomi in Tulsa, and one of only a dozen or so in the United States.
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Zomi in Tulsa, and one of only a dozen or so in the United States.

Zomi people honor missionary | Tulsa World

Now, Tulsa has 900 Zomi people, and has become the de facto capital of the Zomis in the United States. He is president of Zomi Community USA, an organization founded to help Zomi people retain their identity, language and culture while integrating into American society. He said 4,500 Zomis live in the U.S., most of them religious or political refugees. He plans to attend the upcoming Cope centennial celebration in Myanmar, expected to draw 40,000 to 50,000 people.

Original Print Headline: Zomi people celebrate first Christian missionary

Bill Sherman 581-8398 bill.sherman@tulsaworld.com

By BILL SHERMAN World Religion Writer Copyright 2012 World Publishing Co. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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nucleardad (2 years ago) You don't see Cubans celebrating Castro bringing Atheism to Cuba.

gadfly (2 years ago) What clearer illustration can there be of "arrogance" than "missionaries." When one has a compulsion to force "Jesus" on to someone else -- and firmly believes that he or she has a divine mandate to do so -- that's "arrogance." And, such "arrogance" most often has tragic consequences. I'm sorry, I wrote "most often" when I should probably have written "always." nucleardad (2 years ago) Gadfly, Describe the tragidy that the Zomi people are celebrating here. Just what did the Rev Cope singlehandidly "force" on these poeple? "He didn't just bring us the Gospel, he brought us civilization," What are you so angry and bitter about? Taang Sianpu (2 years ago) I'm one of the beneficiaries for the sacrificial dedication of Rev. Cope and his associates. If there were now missionaries, who knows we still might be running in the jungle but now I'm happy with what I believe and Gain. To me, it is like "Zomi by birth and Christian by choice" because no one forces me to believe in something nor do they have the authority to do so. There is no risk in believing Jesus at all. Its a risk-free religion and I wish every one should try this out as well. Love is about sacrifice and giving rather than receiving. They have sacrificed their lives. Who in this modern day would sacrifice his life for someone's sake? Loving people you do not know or expect something in turn is a true love and he eventually made it. It cost a life. Rev. Cope of the American missionary is a living legacy living with in our hearts as well as in our history that will never fade away. The Zomi people with a very small number of about 5 Millions in the world... will treasure him and his works forever in our history. Happy celebration! Taang Sianpu (2 years ago) The written language of the Zomi people is so simple that everyone with a basic English could also learn and speak in 7 days "they say." Let's do some practice here: 1. Dammmaw= How are you 2. Lungdam= Thank you 3. Lungdam mahmah= Thank you very much 4. Lungdam lua= Thank you so very much 5. Ci mawkmawk etc. are the written & spoken language of the people. It can't be more thoughtful than this if we were to create a totally new language for another uncivilized world which we've never been.

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Zomi people honor missionary | Tulsa World

The historic celebration message is about "the essence of Love, Peace and Care for the world." Thank you "Tulsa World" for covering this issue. Please do publish more local as well as global news about the Zomi people in the future. I begin to realize the true meaning of "Tulsa World" now, covering the World from your locality. LUNGDAM MAHMAH TULSA WORLD! GARFIELD (2 years ago) Thank you,Taang Sianpu, for explaining some of the tenets of the Zomi people. I had not heard of them when I studied, and was not aware of them here in Tulsa. Best wishes to them. It sounds like a loving and kind form of belief. We certainly coud use that nowadays here in Tulsa. NotJulia (2 years ago) Amazing what Rev. Cope did translating the Bible into their language and bringing the word of God to them that has flourished ever since. rockfan (2 years ago) Taang Sianpu Lungdam! While I am not a beleiver, you state your case very eloquently,and are to be congratulated for that. I have never heard of the Zomi People. I am glad that you have something that makes you and yours happy. I have heard of no instances of forced Christian conversions taking place in sometime(perhaps not since the 19th century) We can debate the incentives missionaries may use to induce conversions,but that is a far cry from forcing it. If people make the choice, then that is fine. It's your life and does'nt belong to the rest of us. rockfan (2 years ago) P.S. Taang I took a closer look at your avatar. Is that a mama bird and her chick?and what kind of birds are those?they look sort of like Toucans.
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