“Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” -John 14:21
“Moses was 120 years old when he died, yet his eyes were not dim, and his natural strength had not abated.” -Deuteronomy 34:7
I am a witness to the fulfillment of God’s Word in my Father-in-law’s life. I would like to share his life story in brief.
Rev. Yonathan Paljor was born on 23rd of January 1925, at Leh in the Himalayan region of Ladakh to Helen and Tashi Paljor. His mother Helen belonged to a second-generation Ladakhi Christian family, and his father, Tashi Paljor, was a Buddhist convert. Tashi Paljor was born in Kharu. At a young age, Tashi came across Moravian missionaries and accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour.
He was excommunicated by his family because of his faith in Jesus and lost his family inheritance. This left him with no place of his own. He was, therefore, given shelter by the missionaries and later was appointed as an evangelist. He served in the Moravian mission at Lahaul and Spiti region in present day Himachal Pradesh and later at Khalatse and Hanu in Ladakh region. Tashi Paljor went to be with the Lord on 4th April 1946.
Rev. Yonathan Paljor, the eldest son of Tashi Paljor, spent his early childhood with his family moving with them to Lahaul/Spiti region and Khalatse. Later to attend school he lived with his maternal grandfather Mr Jor Phunstog. He completed his middle school in Leh. As Leh had only a middle school his education came to a stop as his family could not afford sending him to Srinagar, Kashmir where higher education was available.
The Moravian mission wanted someone from the younger generation to become the pastor at Leh. They decided to sponsor Yonathan’s education in Srinagar, Kashmir. Thus began his further education at Srinagar in the then Hadow Memorial school, now known as Tyndale Biscoe School. He completed his matriculation in 1945. The mission did not approve of his carrying on with further education so he returned to Ladakh and was appointed as Assistant to the pastor of the Moravian Church. To improve his Tibetan he worked as an apprentice with Rev. Yoseb Gergan the translator of the Tibetan Bible.
A year later he was sent to United Theological College in Saharanpur. After completing his second year he arrived home to find that his marriage was arranged with Tsesal Deskit, daughter of Mr Shamuel of Shey. They were married on 5th September 1949 at the Moravian Church.
On completion of his seminary training Yonathan was appointed as Pastor to the parish of Leh, Ladakh where he and my grandfather Rev. ET Phunthsog were ordained by Bishop Peter from Germany.
Rev. Paljor served for twelve years in the Moravian church at Leh. Meanwhile in 1960 my grandfather Rev. ET Phunthsog who had relocated to Rajpur, Dehra Dun for the revision of the Bible in Tibetan, as well as a school for the Tibetan refugee children, invited Yonathan to come and help him in his work. On the way to Dehra Dun Yonathan stopped in Srinagar. He attended the church and interacted with the then Pastor of All Saints’ Anglican Church, Rev. DP Graton. Rev. Graton appraised him of the need of an Urdu speaking pastor. He invited Yonathan to join the Anglican church. Rev. Paljor prayed about it and felt called to serve there in the valley. He admitted his son Yoel, who was accompanying him at that time, in the Tyndale Biscoe school hostel and returned to Leh to inform the family of the development and began the shifting process to Srinagar.
In 1962 the whole family relocated to Srinagar. InitiallyYonathan was given the charge of Srinagar Christian Literature Depot. With this he used to sell Bibles, Gospel and other tracts. On Fridays, he would spread a sheet in front of a closed shop and display and sell Gospel tracts. He would go around the valley on his bicycle near and far. He was then again ordained in 1965 by the Bishop of Amritsar of the Anglican church.
In 1967 when the missionary pastor Rev. RMF Haige left for furlough the Paljor family shifted to the parsonage. It was in June 1967 the Six day Arab-Israel war took place and Israel was recognized as a nation. This infuriated the local majority and therefore they burned the church and the parsonage. This was devastating both for the church and the family. Thanks to Mr John Ray, the principal of the Mission school who provided a temporary house for the Paljor family in the school compound. In 1970 when Rev. RMF Hague left for good, Rev. Paljor was given charge of the All Saints’ Church, Srinagar.
Rev. Paljor’s priority was always evangelism. He would visit local people and share the good news. He would even spend countless nights with them during which they would hear about the Gospel truths and clear their doubts. In 1979 All Saints’ Church was again attacked by the local people and ransacked. Once again the parsonage and the church were completely burned down. Despite having suffered loss for the second time due to the fire incidents Rev. Yonathan Paljor and his wife did not lose heart and continued serving in Kashmir.
Rev. Paljor conducted the morning assembly once a week in the Tyndale Biscoe and Mallinson Girls School. His sharing of Bible stories and Parables of Jesus is still remembered by the students to this day. Rev. Paljor not only covered Srinagar but he would regularly visit John Bishop Memorial Hospital Anantnag, where he conducted service in Cantonment Army Chapel in Srinagar and Pattan. He has been very daring during militancy and political strife in the valley of Kashmir. When unrest in the valley led to the doctor’s family, which had managed JBM Hospital, fleeing in the night, Rev. Paljor took it upon himself to manage the hospital until a suitable replacement could be found. The Mission hospital was saved from being taken over by the militants.
I owe it to my Father-in-law for introducing me to the CFO and CFO family in India and worldwide. I gather that in 1987 & 1988 Jim and Barbara Thomas and team visited India and some camps were chartered, and Kashmir camp was one of them. I attended the CFO Regional camp held in Goa, India in 1996 when Colin Ray was the President and attended the CFOI Youth camp held in Big Bear, California the same year.
In his lifetime Rev Paljor traveled extensively around India and abroad:
- Attended the Haggai Institute, Singapore in 1973
- International Conference for Itinerant Evangelist in Amsterdam in 1983
- raveled to Britain and Germany meeting Moravian missions 1985
- In 1989 attended the Billy Graham’s Evangelistic Association Lausanne II conference in Manila, Philippines
- Invited to the Vineyard Church in Michigan – USA 1995
- Airport Vineyard – Toronto, Canada during Revival outpouring
- Billy Graham Evangelistic Conference in Amsterdam 2000
- Attended the International Camp Farthest Out in Kenya, Africa 2005
- Along with his wife Deskit they traveled to UK, USA, Holy Land – Israel, Palestine, Thailand in 2002
- Traveled to Lahore, Pakistan to meet relatives settled there
- Tour to Egypt with his son Dr Yoel
Being an evangelist at heart Rev. Paljor was actively involved with various evangelistic organizations, particularly; The National Missionary Society of India – NMSI, based in Chennai, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Open Doors, Haggai Institute, Tibetan Christian Fellowship & CFO International.
Rev. Paljor retired in 2001 from the post of Priest in charge of the All Saints’ Church – Diocese of Amritsar. Being free of all official responsibilities he continued evangelism in Udhampur in association with a local pastor Karim Masih. Pastor Karim Masih was a dedicated disciple of Jesus. They worked together and saw many come to the Lord in Udhampur district. This brought much satisfaction into Rev. Paljor’s life, much like his work in the valley. Today this fellowship has grown from a house church of twelve members to that of two thousand members by God’s grace and His blessings.
By the grace of God, Rev Yonathan Paljor celebrated his 100th birthday on the 23rd January 2025. It was a joyous occasion for the All Saint’s Church parishioners and the family.
On 16th September 2025 Yonathan Paljor’s Master and King whom he had faithfully served called him to his eternal rest. We are grateful to God for the exemplary life of Rev Yonathan Paljor who lived for the glory of God and for the extension of His kingdom in Kashmir.
My Father-in-law lived a life trusting God and was never a ‘worrier’. Even though hard times befell the family, Yonathan would always say, “The Lord is our provider- trust in Him; have we ever lacked anything?” I am a witness to God’s faithfulness in his life and the blessings our Heavenly Father bestows on His beloved. Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Compiled by
Grace Paljor
Kashmir Camp
India
