The Oriental Theological College (OTC), Yangli held a special dedication program for its newly upgraded Tribal Boys Hostel on Friday, 8 November at the college Chapel. The building was completed with support from the Department of Tribal Affairs.
The program was led by Mushirhülu Rume and began with an opening prayer and scripture reading by Pastor Longdise from Holongba Baptist Lithro. This was followed by a welcome address from T Kirithong Sangtam, Chairman of the OTC Board of Directors, who expressed gratitude to everyone who contributed to making the new hostel a reality. He emphasized the importance of providing students with safe and comfortable housing to help them focus on their studies.
Lemtsase, a member of the Board of Directors, then spoke about the history and cost of the hostel building. He explained that the hostel was built at a total cost of 46 lakhs, with a length of 89 feet and a width of 24 feet. This new facility will provide a comfortable space for tribal boys who travel from distant places to study at OTC.
Students from the B.Th. final year performed a dedicatory song. Later, Rev. Imti ES from USBLA delivered a dedicatory sermon, offering encouraging words about how the hostel will serve students for many years. He reminded everyone of the importance of support from the community, family, and friends in making such projects possible. Rev. Imti then led a dedicatory prayer to bless the new building and those who will live there.
T Kirithong Sangtam, Chairman of the OTC Board of Directors, shared about the college’s future plans. He announced that OTC hopes to begin construction of a girls’ hostel soon, providing female students with a safe place to stay on campus.
Additionally, by 2025, the college plans to introduce a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) program, offering students the opportunity to study at a higher level. He also shared that a digital library is in the works and is expected to open in 2025. The digital library will provide students with access to online learning resources, making it easier for them to find study materials.
The program concluded with a closing prayer from Dr Longri, Pastor of LTBL.