Biography

Read inspiring Christian Biography in Telugu & English. Discover life stories of pastors, missionaries, and believers who lived with faith, dedication, and courage.

Thomas Jones

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Thomas Jones – Biography

Birth: December 24, 1810
Death: September 16, 1849
Native Place: Berriew
Country: United Kingdom
Place of Service: North East India

Thomas Jones was a missionary from England, best known for his pioneering work among the Khasi tribes in Assam and Meghalaya, India. He was born in Berriew, Wales, in 1810. From a young age, Thomas helped his father with carpentry to support their family. Because of financial difficulties, he could not continue his formal education. However, he was deeply involved in church activities and began preaching at the age of 25.

Jones offered himself to the London Missionary Society (LMS) for missionary work, but his request was turned down because of his weak health. Despite this setback, he was confident in his calling from God. In 1840, he helped establish the Calvinistic Methodist Foreign Missionary Society (CMFMS) to send missionaries overseas.

As he prayed and planned for his future mission, God opened a door for him to serve in North East India. Together with his wife Anne, Thomas sailed to India and reached Calcutta in April 1841. From there, they began a long and difficult journey to the Khasi Hills. With no friends or support, they traveled mostly on foot and finally reached Cherrapunji, which is about 4,000 feet above sea level.

In the beginning, it was not easy for Jones to build relationships with the local people. But he used his carpentry and farming skills to connect with them and share the Gospel in a practical way.

Ministry in India

Thomas Jones dedicated himself to learning the Khasi language, which had no written form at the time. He created a writing system for it and translated the Gospel of Matthew into Khasi. He also compiled and published the first Khasi dictionary. Through his preaching and social work, he helped start a new era of spiritual, cultural, and educational growth in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills.

Jones faced many hardships during his ministry. Within four years of his arrival in India, he lost both his child and his wife. Despite the pain and the challenges of the tropical climate, he continued to preach tirelessly. Sadly, he fell ill with malaria and passed away at the young age of 39 in 1849.

Thomas Jones’s work left a lasting legacy. His contribution to the Khasi language and his service to the people of Meghalaya are still remembered with deep respect. The people of Meghalaya honor his arrival day, June 22, as “Rev. Thomas Jones Day”, which is observed as a state holiday. His life remains an inspiring example of faith, courage, and dedication to God’s mission.

Lucile Geneva Ford

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Lucile Geneva Ford – Biography

Birth: May 12, 1883
Death: May 25, 1973
Native Place: Nebraska
Country: United States of America
Place of Service: India

Lucile Geneva Ford was born in 1883 in a devoted Christian family in Nebraska. Her father, Fredrick Ford, served as a Sunday School superintendent in their local church. When Lucile was born, her mother, Mary Salina, dedicated her to God’s service. From a young age, Lucile dreamed of becoming a missionary in a foreign country.

While studying at Cotner College, Nebraska, she worked hard toward her goal. However, during her graduate studies, she suffered from serious health problems. Because of her weak health, she was advised not to go for foreign mission work. Instead, she served faithfully at a Christian hospital in St. Louis for some time.

Most people would have settled into a comfortable life after that, but Lucile was different. Once her health improved, she joined the College of Missions for further training to prepare herself for missionary service.

In 1915, Lucile received a call to serve in India through the United Christian Missionary Society. After arriving in India, she took charge of the Mahoba Girls’ Orphanage, which at that time cared for 95 girls. Under her leadership, the orphanage quickly grew, and within four years it became home to about 200 girls. Lucile was known for her compassion and care—she was like a loving mother to all the children. She made sure that every girl received both a proper education and spiritual guidance.

After several years, Lucile served for a short time in Harda and later moved to Kulpahar. There, she managed a charitable home for women and started a training center for girls. She firmly believed that women could earn respect in society only when they became independent and self-reliant.

During a severe plague epidemic, Lucile’s orphanage provided shelter to hundreds of people from all castes and backgrounds. She used that time to teach everyone that death does not show favoritism and that Jesus gave His life for all people equally, without caste or class.

Lucile retired in 1948 but continued to serve God faithfully. Even after returning to California, she remained active in ministry through her local church until she passed away in 1973. Lucile Ford’s life remains a strong example of dedication, love, and faith in service to God and humanity.

Kiernander

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Johann Zacharias Kiernander – Biography

Birth: 1710
Death: December 29, 1799
Country: Sweden
Place of Service: India

Johann Zacharias Kiernander was born in Sweden in 1710. He was one of the first Christian missionaries to begin work in Bengal, even before William Carey and Henry Martyn arrived. He studied theology at Halle University and later worked as a teacher of Latin.

In 1739, Kiernander felt God’s call to serve in India. He first arrived at Tharangambadi (Tranquebar) and served as a missionary in Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu. When the French captured Cuddalore in 1758, he had to leave the city and move to Calcutta.

Kiernander reached Calcutta in 1759 and began his ministry there. His love for teaching the Bible, his passion for sharing the Gospel, and his honest character drew many people to him. He held Sunday services in a rented room and preached both to English people and the local community in their own languages. Many non-Christians accepted the faith and were baptized through his work.

Kiernander’s marriage brought him financial stability, and he used his wealth to help poor Christians. He built several schools and founded the Old Mission Church in Calcutta, along with housing for missionaries.

He also established one of the first printing presses in Calcutta, which helped spread Christian teachings. Though he lost his wife to cholera, he continued his mission faithfully despite many challenges. Kiernander remained true to his calling until his death in 1799, completing his life’s purpose in service to God.

Iris Grace Rajakumari Paul

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Iris Grace Rajakumari Paul

Birth: 1945
Native Place: Tamil Nadu
Country: India
Place of Vision: Orissa, India

Iris Grace Rajakumari Paul is a devoted Indian missionary known for her lifelong service among the Bondo tribes in Orissa (Odisha) through an organization called the Reaching Hand Society.

She was born in Tamil Nadu into a wealthy Christian family. Though she was strong-willed and often rebellious as a child, the deep faith and devotion of her parents had a great influence on her. Eventually, she surrendered her life to Jesus Christ.

Education and Calling

During her college years, Iris actively took part in the ministry of the Union of Evangelical Students of India (UESI). She later studied medicine in Tamil Nadu and graduated with a Gold Medal for academic excellence.

Inspired by the missionary Albert Schweitzer and his work in Africa, Iris also dreamed of serving God there. However, God had a different plan — to send her as a missionary to the tribal regions of her own country.

Missionary Work in Orissa

In 1972, Iris married Dr. R. A. C. Paul, a young missionary serving among the Bondo tribes of Orissa. At that time, the Bondo people were an isolated tribal group — poor, uneducated, and struggling with high death rates.

After their marriage, Iris moved with her husband to Malkangiri, Orissa, where she opened a medical clinic to help the tribal people. Together, they traveled to remote villages, conducted medical camps, and shared the good news of Jesus Christ. Over time, many Bondo people accepted Christ and experienced transformation in their lives.

Faith Through Trials

The early years of Iris’s ministry were filled with hardships — poor health, accidents, loneliness, and emotional struggles. But she and her husband continued to serve the Lord faithfully without giving up.

In 1986, her husband, Dr. R. A. C. Paul, passed away at a young age. Despite this painful loss, Iris chose to remain in Orissa and continued the mission work alone. She cared for orphans, helped young women escape abuse and exploitation, and became a mother figure to many.

Legacy and Ongoing Work

To continue her vision, Iris founded the Reaching Hand Society, an organization that works for the spiritual and social development of the tribal people. The mission provides education, healthcare, and opportunities for a better life while sharing the love of Christ.

Today, Iris continues her work with her son, Remo Paul, and his wife, Dr. Susan Remo Paul, tirelessly transforming lives — both physically and spiritually — among the tribal communities of Orissa.

Hudson Taylor

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Hudson Taylor Biography

Full Name: James Hudson Taylor
Birthplace: Barnsley, England
Parents: James Taylor and Amelia Taylor
Wife: Mary Dyer
Date of Birth: May 21, 1832
Date of Death: December 22, 1905
Salvation Experience: At the age of 14
Service Achievement: Founded the China Inland Mission and preached the gospel throughout China.

Personal Testimony

James Hudson Taylor was born on May 21, 1832, in Barnsley, England. His parents, James and Amelia Taylor, were devoted Christians who dedicated him to God’s service even before his birth, believing the words of the Lord: “The first fruits belong to Me.”

From childhood, Hudson was weak and often sick, so he stayed home instead of going to school. His father taught him to read, and by the age of four, he had already learned the Hebrew alphabet. His parents raised him in faith and prayer, and as a small boy, Hudson often said, “When I grow up, I want to be a missionary to China.”

One day, he read a book written by a man named Peter Parley, which described the great spiritual need in China. That book deeply touched his heart and strengthened his desire to go there. However, at the age of 14, while attending school, Hudson drifted away from his spiritual life.

During this time, his parents continued to pray earnestly for him. One day, Hudson picked up a small gospel tract titled “It Is Finished.” While reading it, he realized Christ’s love and sacrifice, repented of his sins, and accepted Jesus as his personal Savior.

Calling and Preparation

At the age of 17, Hudson prayed and asked God, “Lord, what do You want me to do with my life?” God clearly spoke to his heart, saying, “Go to China.” From that moment, Hudson began to prepare himself to serve as a missionary there.

He studied the Chinese language, often reading the Gospel of Luke in Chinese for hours each day. He trained himself to live a simple, disciplined life — avoiding comfort and learning to do every task himself. To prepare for missionary work, he also studied medicine at college.

Even while studying, Hudson gave one-third of his income to God, walked eight miles daily to college, and ate only a small piece of bread in the morning and evening. His hardships and humble lifestyle brought him closer to God.

Missionary Work in China

In 1853, at the age of 22, Hudson sailed to China, a journey that took more than five months by ship. Though he faced many difficulties — poor health, lack of food and shelter, and language barriers — he never stopped preaching the gospel.

To reach the Chinese people effectively, he learned their language, customs, and dress, becoming one of them in appearance and life. He later married Mary Dyer, a fellow missionary who worked as a teacher in China.

Because of the harsh conditions and illnesses, Hudson’s health suffered, and after seven years, he returned to England for recovery. Yet, even while in England, his heart remained with China. He hung a map of China on his wall and prayed daily for the nation and its people.

Hudson prayed that God would send 24 missionaries to China, and to fulfill this vision, he founded the China Inland Mission (now known as OMF International). He prayed earnestly for 11 provinces and 380 million people in China.

After months of prayer, God answered — and Hudson sailed again to China with 16 missionaries. Over time, God blessed his mission greatly. Within 20 years, more than 225 missionaries had gone to China through the China Inland Mission.

Trials and Legacy

Hudson faced many personal losses during his ministry. His beloved wife and three children died due to sickness and difficult conditions in China. Later, Hudson himself suffered a spinal injury and was bedridden for months. Even then, he continued to pray for China every day.

Despite all suffering, he served faithfully for many years, leading countless souls to Christ. On December 22, 1905, in China, Hudson Taylor completed his earthly journey and entered the presence of the Lord.

Famous Quote

“God used me to show how mighty He is and how weak I am. Through His grace alone, His great works were done.”