Manipur's tallest woman in the news for a fellowship campaign
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 19 2013: Oinam Ibeyaima, a Meitei Christian convert stands 6.3 feet, enough to earn the tallest Manipuri woman title.

She is in the news today, not because of her extraordinary height for a Manipuri woman, but for a fellowship campaign that she has taken up along with her Pastor husband in the Vaishnavite-dominated valley districts of the State.

The couple's mission has now resulted in the setting up of a local Church at Salungpham area in Thoubal district and some others are in the pipeline.

During an official function held at Gandhi Memorial hall in Imphal city in 2004, Ibeyaima (39) was declared the tallest woman in Manipur.

Amid some discriminations faced by the Meitei converts in the valley areas - the Metitei Christian converts' population of the State has now crossed over 30,000 .

Oinam Ibeyaima along with her husband

Notably the vice president of the All Manipur Christian Organization (AMCO), an apex body of all Christian organizations of the state is a Meitei Christian convert.

AMCO president Rev Prim Vaiphei said majority of non-Christians have now allowed burials in some parts of the valley areas and this welcome development reflects the respect for other religions including Christianity.

Ibeyaima of Wangoo Sandangkhong village completed her Christian missionary training in 1996 and married Maibam Tiken, now a Pastor, of Phouden Keirenphabi village in Thoubal district in 2004 .

"We have been organizing a series of ministerial campaigns under Believers' Church almost once a week at several villages in Thoubal and Bishnipur districts since we got married.

We, nevertheless faced persecution from non- Christian locals earlier," the tallest woman recalled.

"To disapprove our conversion to Christianity, we were ostracized by my family for six years after our marriage but now the family members have reconciled to our beliefs," said Tiken , who completed his three-year-course in Theology in 2000 at Believers' Church Imphal Diocese.

"Because of our continuous campaign, we have been able to set up a local Church at Salungpham and some more Churches are also coming up in both Thoubal and Bishnupur districts for which we have identified the sites," Tiken (44) added.

AMCO leaders belonging to Meitei community said that the activation of a charitable trust, Meitei Christian converts of the State, who faced persecution and discrimination from non-Christian locals in the valley areas, has given a platform to defend their religious rights.