BIOGRAPHY OF V. NAGEL

Official Name:
Vollbrecht Nagel
Date of Birth :
Nov 3, 1867
Date of Demise :
May 21, 1921
Place of birth :
Stammheim, Germany

Hebrews 11:8 "By faith, ... he went out..".

V. Nagel was a German pioneer, who carried out his evangelical and humanitarian ministry in Kerala, a state in India and is fondly remembered as "Nagel Saipu" by the locals.

Nagel was born to godly parents in Germany, who were saddlers by profession. His education was limited to self-study, since he could attend school only briefly. One day at the age of 18, he happened to hear the gospel from a cobbler, and was born again, by accepting the Lord Jesus as his Savior.

Fuelled by inner passion, he went to the Switzerland Bible College. On returning after the completion of studies, he joined Basel Mission, Germany in 1886.

In 1893, he reached Kerala as an ordained Basel Missionary. He first ministered in Kannur. He then moved to Vaniyamkulam. While living in Vaniyamkulam, he gave up his membership with the Basel Mission, which meant he would be giving up all sources of funds from his homeland. He lived a life of Christian faith, the faith that believes in God, even when the future looks bleak.

While in Kerala, he mastered the native language, Malayalam and also penned numerous Malayalam hymns that still refreshes the soul of many a Christian believer today. He also found his family and friends in Kerala. He married Harriet Mitchell, who was an Anglo-Indian school teacher. They were blessed with 7 children. He also befriended Sathyarthy, a native, who accompanied him for all his ministries. He soon left Vaniyamkulam and relocated to Kunnamkulam.

As a missionary, he ministered to the jailed convicts at Paravoor and also took up the task of church planting. From Kunnamkulam, he later moved to Nellikunnu, Thrissur and established an orphanage for girls there. This symbol of care and Christian love still survives today to nurture hundreds of unfortunate lives and homes established as the Rehoboth Girls Home, Thrissur.


When he was 47, he planned to visit Germany, and hoped to return to Kerala after a while. But then, when he decided to do so, the First World War broke out and he had to abandon all hopes of returning to his family, his beloved brethren and his mission place. As the war progressed, he was forced to go to Switzerland. There paralysis struck him and he was bedridden. At the age of 54, this man of God, left his earthly abode and went on to be with his heavenly Master.

Personally, his songs have touched and inspired me. My personal favorites are "En needhiyum, vishudhiyum", "Yehovah ethra nalavan", "En Yeshu, En Sangeetham", "Njan Karthavinayi paadum", "Neethimaanmarin koodarangalil", "Yeshuve ninte roopam e ente kannukalku", "Yeshuvepole aakuvan" "Yeshu en swantham, hallelujah", and "Rakshaka nin aadukallin".

Biography of P.N. Treasure

In the suburbs of Thrissur, a small town in Kerala, is a safe haven abounding with love and care from a wonderful “Mother”, for hundreds of girls to whom was denied the opportunity to grow up with their own biological family. Here is an individual, dedicated to the laborious task of bringing up a huge family, and ensuring that the little girls, born of different parents live together in the harmony of sisterhood, and lack nothing as they grow up to be pillars of a family of their own.

Fondly addressed as “Mommy”, by her daughters, Ms Phyllis Naomi Treasure of New Zealand, has spent most of her life in the Indian soil, in ‘silent service’, rearing up one generation after another, happily seeing them off as each girl sets about to start building her very own home.

The instituition, “Rehoboth” which literally means “Spacious” is home and family to her. Rehoboth is solid, living proof of the tides of changes that were brought to individual lives, the society and the entire nation, through tireless, dedicated efforts of Christian missionaries.

As a young girl, she heard of the plight of millions of abandoned and orphaned girls and decided to move to India. She then bent herself on being equipped for a life in India and taught herself various skills. In the 2nd decade of her life, the beautiful, talented and vibrant Ms. Treasure, found herself amidst the girls of whom she had only heard so much.

The Rehaboth Orphanage, is situtated at Nellikunnu, a few minutes drive from the heart of Thrissur. I have been privileged to visit this “home, sweet home” many times during my visits to India and I have always returned refreshed and inspired by the sights of children running about and also the humbling scenes of day-old babies swaddled in clean white clothes, cuddled fondly in the arm of Ms. Treasure.

Except among the people in Kerala, she has not acquired fame nor will she. But crowns of glory await her on the "Other Shore"