REV. LAHPAI ZAU TU
(By Lahpai Zau)
My grand father Lahpai Zau Tu was the Duwa or tribal chieftain of Pangmu Sinlum Kaba, a lovely hill station 26 miles from Bhamo town, Kachin State, Burma. It was the headquarter of the Assistant Resident, a Frontier Service Office, during British rule. My grand parents were among the first crop of Kachin converts, the fruit of the labor of Rev. William H. Roberts, an early American Baptist missionary to the Kachins. Heeding Rev. Roberts's admonition to "Go and save your own people!" my grand parents returned to their ancestral homeland in the Bhamo Hills, to spread the good news of the gospel. They began their mission literally empty-handed, for there was no assistance of any kind to be had. However, because they put their trust in God, their pioneering efforts were richly blessed. My grand father went on to establish a number of churches at Sinlum Kaba and its environs and the small modest school that my grand mother started, grew into a full-fledged government-funded primary school.
My grand mother was honored by the Commissioner of Sagaing in 1923 at the Durbar in Sinlum Kaba with a silver wrist-watch and certificate from the Governor of Burma for her services in the pioneer work of educating the Kachins of the Bhamo Hills. Grand father was invited by the Governor, Sir Harcourt Butler in 1936 as the senior-most Kachin chief from the Bhamo Hills, to attend the Durbar in Rangoon. Two other paramount chiefs from the Triangle Area, Duwa Ngalang La and Htingnan Gumja, were also included in the invitation. They came down to the Durbar in full chieftains' regalia, Sara M. Robin acting as their interpreter.