K Paul Thomas

K. Paul Thomas was born December 24, 1936 as the son of Mr. K.K. Thomas (Former secretary of KEM Fund) and Mariamma. His father came to the Lord through the ministry of the late Lonappan Upadeshi. His was from an Orthodox Jacobite family. Their enthusiasm concerning the Word of God and eagerness in the Lord's ministry gave much spiritual insight to Paul Thomas. Not only that but his parents were also very strict in training the children in the lord's way. This led him to have an attitude to serve the lord through the abilities God has given to him.

When he was 12 he had the privilege to hear A.L Goold, a foreign missionary. And was convinced of his sin and accepted Christ as his personal saviour and Lord. Thereafter he was baptized and was in fellowship with the local assembly. After completing the studies he went to Gulf in 1964 for taking up a job. He was in Saudi Arabia for more than 24 years. Along with the job he also served the Lord through YMEF and in his local church. He was an active member in the ministries of the church.

In 1984 his wife Valsa passed away and that gave him much pain, but the Lord was faithful to him that He gave him Marykutty as the partner for him. Even now she is helping him in the lord's work. Paul thomas boldly says that the great encouragement in the Lord's work is his wife Marykutty. (Many of the younger believers say she has been a singular encouragement because she knows who needs what kind of push).

For last almost two decades he served as the secretary of KEM Fund. He actively collected money from believers from India and outside especially from Malayalees working abroad, and distributes to evangelists in India and Nepal. In 1992 he was attacked by a serious physical ailment. Even now he moves around with the sickness and serves the Lord. Though he was weak and burdened with the sickness he says that he is able to do the ministry because the Lord continually strengthens him. Now he does not like to hear that he is sick and weak, he always says to the believers that in the Lord "I am healthy and don't introduce me as sick person".

KEM Fund is a major supporting source for the evangelists in India. And Mr. Paul Thomas takes much pain and burden to serve the servants of the Lord. He labors day and night for the same.

It is reported that many people prefer to call this man at 1 AM because that is the time when he is free, and available uninterrupted on telephone. Thomas has a special identity in the Indian Brethren Assembly community. It is because of his faithful service for two decades or more in Kerala Evangelistic missionary Fund (KEM) and also because of his fatherly affection for all those who serve the Lord in India.

Every faithful Christian servant is attacked by some in the community, and Paul Thomas also gets his share both from evangelist and common believers. He willingly accepts all of that as an instruction sent by the Lord. That came as a lesson to many of us who studied his life for writing this essay. May the Lord bring more of his type among our midst.