A Woman's Voice in India

Thienkim Singson

Thienkim “Kim” Singson is superintendent of the North East Indian District, which is based in Churachandpur, Manipur, India. She succeeded her husband, T. S. Singson, who passed away in April 2001. Kim is the first female district superintendent for the Church of the Nazarene in all of the Eurasia Region. She has three children: Jenny, Samuel, and Daniel. Jenny is the district president for Nazarene Missions International (NMI) and also works extensively with Nazarene Compassionate Ministries and Child Development Centers. Samuel is a school teacher in Churachandpur, and Daniel is finishing higher secondary school.

Where were you born?
In a small village called Kamkeilon, in Churachandpur. This was the first village in Manipur to accept Christianity.

Describe your family life.
My home was a strong Christian home, and my parents sent us to a Christian school. I am the oldest of 15 children, and was the first to accept Christ as my personal Savior, when I was 9-years old. Although my parents were Christians, my grandparents were not. After my birth, I became very ill and many thought I might die. My grandparents said, “If there is a living God, let him heal our granddaughter and we will believe and worship Him.” When God healed me miraculously, both grandparents accepted Jesus.

What would we be surprised to learn about you?
I have never been to the U.S. and it’s always been my heart’s desire to travel there. I have many new friends and prayer partners in California, so I would like to start there.

Who has been the greatest influence in your adult life?
My husband, T. S., was a man filled with the Holy Spirit; he was full of love and understanding, humble but brave. He had a great sense of humor—it was always fun to be around him. Often, he would say, “We are the most fortunate and happiest couple.” Of course I still miss him, but from his influence, I know God has given me such eternal joy that I am always rejoicing in the Lord.

If you were not a district superintendent, what would you like to be?
An evangelist.

What are some of the challenges of being district superintendent in India?
It is highly unusual in our culture that a woman would lead a church district. At first, many despised and suppressed me, saying, “It is shameful that a woman should lead the district” and they would try to discourage people from attending services. But the hardships and struggles did not shake my faith in the Lord.

When I travel to different places in India, for leadership training and pastoral seminars, I often feel lonely because I am the only female leader. However, I also count it a privilege to be a forerunner for women in leadership in the Indian church. In Manipur, many churches are now crying out for women leaders because more women live holy lives and are generally more committed to their work.

Tell us about Churachandpur.
Churachandpur is a “little cosmopolitan town.” It is considered the “second capital” of Manipur (Imphal is considered the official capital city) with different tribes and cultural communities living together in unity and harmony. Many different languages are spoken in Churachandpur, but we all communicate adequately. Some people call our city, “the land of Pentecost.” Our city was the birthplace of many current leaders in both Manipur and in all of India. The climate is moderate.

What is your greatest fear?
I sometimes fear that I will fail my family, my church, my people, but mostly my Master, the One who has appointed me to fulfill all of these responsibilities.

What are your personal strengths?
People say I have strong will power, and lots of perseverance. I tend to be practical, sensitive, sacrificing, and decisive. I try to live my life by faith, and be an example to our people.

What advice have you given your three children?
Seek and know the will of God, then live according to it.

Where do you see your district in five years?
I see our district in Phase III—not only fully self-supporting, but also able to be a support to others. I also see the District Ministry Center building completed and the various ministry components in full swing.

With what Bible character do you most relate?
Probably Joseph, the 11th son of Jacob. Like him, I have been obedient, probably my parents’ favorite in some ways, and a teacher’s pet. We both have trusted God fully in all situations.

Is the social life in Churachandpur strong?
If you could be here for a while you would see how people in our community truly love each other. In spite of the poverty here, the people are so generous and they love to give to the church and to the needy. In our culture, we love to dance in a way that you would call “folk dancing.” Large groups of people dance together to very lively music, and all of the family members participate, including the very small children and very old adults.

Describe the food there.
We love rice. It is served at every meal. Since we eat with our fingers, the sticky white rice allows us to pick up any food we want to eat. We take two meals a day, and both consist of rice and vegetables, and sometimes include chicken and meat. Agriculture is the main source of income, so we always have lots of vegetables in our meals. Some consider our food very spicy, but we consider it very tasty.

—Compiled by John D. Wilcox, lead pastor Santa Cruz, California, First Church of the Nazarene.

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