Abraham T Mathai

Born as the youngest son of Varghese Mathai and Mariama Varghese in Methanam near Chalapally on 28th of August 1944, Abraham T Matthai was the youngest of five children. He travelled to Kottayam in 1951 to attend Billy Graham’s crusade and submitted his life to Christ on that very day. He involved himself with gospel works from his school age and engaged himself even more fervently in spreading the gospel after graduating from S.B College Changanassery. He married Susamma in 1969 and was baptized that very year. After his baptism, he submitted to the Lord and stepped into full-time ministry. The initiation of his ministry was funded by selling his 16 rupee wedding clothes for 14 rupees. He travelled to over 12000 villages in Tamil Nadu with the gospel and established many churches. Dr. K.C John, Late Pr. M Poulose and Late Alappuzha Georgekutty worked together in the initial stages of his ministry. He favored open air meetings and film ministry and it brought him great joy to partake in them. His ministry life spanned from the era of manual film projectors to the era LED projectors. Moved by an article he read about female infanticide in Usilampatti, Tamil Nadu; he went there and led them to reformation. Thus earning him the name ‘Usilampatti Babychayan’. His ministry in Usilampatti saved hundreds of children from the claws of death. He reached many African and Asian nations including Uganda, Liberia, Kenya, Ghana, Ethiopia, Congo, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Indonesia, Malaysia, Combodia, Philippines and Thailand with the gospel. He travelled to these countries various times for gospel work and he funded these works by selling off his own properties. He lived by example and his ministry was fit to be followed. Just as he desired, he moved on to his eternal home whilst in his beloved Susamma’s arms on 8th December 2019 at the age of 75.