Ramnath Jonathan Maraj
Jonathan and Indira
Ramnath “Jonathan” Maraj passed away peacefully at his daughter’s home in Seattle on September 22nd, 2023, at 2:30 a.m. He leaves behind a global ministry that has touched the lives of countless people.
Jonathan was born on the island of Trinidad in 1930. He grew up in Arouca as part of a Brahmin family and was raised mostly by his grandparents. As a young man, he turned away from the Hindu faith to become a Christian missionary. He moved to Three Hills, Alberta, Canada where he attended Prairie Bible College. After graduating, he went to preach the Word in India. This trip took him to Darjeeling, where he then met his wife, Indira. Together they had two children, Anand and Karuna. Jonathan and Indira spent their lives spreading the Word of God in places such as India, Trinidad, Nepal, Malaysia, Norway, Singapore, the U.S.A., and many others.
Jonathan’s memorial will in held at Soldotna Bible Chapel on October 14th at 2 PM. There will be a live stream of the service available for people elsewhere.
He is survived by his wife, Indira, his daughter Karuna, and his three grandchildren: Larissa, Zachary, and Joshua.
Private funeral. Memorial service will be on October 14th at 2:00pm Alaska time.
Soldotna Bible Chapel
300 W Marydale Ave
Soldotna, AK 99669
United States
34 Responses to “Ramnath Jonathan Maraj”
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Vena you live in my heart. Am thankful to the Lord for your life. I know you are with the Lord in Glory and we will meet again.
Our sincere condolences to the family of our beloved friend ,pastor ,mentor. We will hold him in our hearts till we meet again. Much love for this dear man of God.
Thank you Jonathan, for your great love for Shaktoolik, Alaska.
It helped many of us here in so many ways. Especially in our walk with Jesus.
We have missed you so much in the past few years but understood that it couldn’t be helped.
What you encouraged and taught us to do lives on in us.
Our love and prayers for Indira continue during this difficult time. But also rejoice in that you now are in the Presence of the One you loved so much.
We can only imagine but it brings us joy to know this.
So, Until Then our hearts will go on singing.
And reading the Word you so emphatically encouraged us to do.
With Love,
Quyanaqpak Jonathan
Your work and words go on.
Indira, we are so thankful for the ministry you and Jonathon brought to us in Kennedy and surrounding areas. You both impacted our family by your devotion and living example to our Savor Jesus! You’re prayers always ‘availed much’
We pray for all of you as you deeply miss Jonathon’s presence here and rejoice with you as we know Jonathon is enjoying the presence of our Lord Jesus!!
On behalf of my family and The Great Commission Bible Church, it was an honor to have brother Jonathan and Sister Indira visit Trinidad before returning to India. My father Michael greatly misses brother Jonathan, whom he had a close friendship with. I am glad that both my father and I were able to walk with brother Jonathan, hear him preach the word of God at our church, and give him a tour of his birth-land one last time before he departed. Somehow brother Jonathan knew that this would be the last time we would see him. Enjoy your eternity with God in heaven brother, and God willing may we see you again when our hour draws near.
Jonathan Paju (uncle) was Instrumental in disciplining me during my early days as a Christian. Later he was instrumental in seeing me to go to Prairie Bible Institute in Canada and instilled in me a vision to facilitate a Bible Training Centre in Siliguri, which I have been involved since I left Operation Mobilisation in 1994.
He has taught at Living Word Centre many times. My most precious moments with him has been when we travelled and taught together in many Nepali fellowships. The lessons of humility and servanthood I have learnt from him are invaluable.
You will be greatly misssed, dear Paju🙏❤️💐
Joshua
Brother Jonathan Maraj and Sister Indira have been a blessing to our family. They are part of our family.
I have known Brother Jonathan since 1976, and he is one of those who helped me grow in the Lord in my early Christian walks, while I was a student I in Allahabad, India.
In 2001 they were instrumental in starting a Nepali migrant church in Malaysia. The first church they inaugurated was just with 3 people . They made several trips to Malaysia to help and nurture the Nepali church in Malaysia. Now there are more than 160 Nepalese churches in Malaysia. Praise be to God for the seeds they planted.
We will miss him physically, but would be waiting to meet him in heaven.
Thanks
Few preachers spoke directly to your heart like Jonathan. He was challenging yet loving. Heavens gain…our loss.
I deeply saddened by the death of our spiritual father Rev: Jonathan Maharaj.
I am deeply saddened by his death. I lost a spiritual father. His contribution to our personal life and Nepal ministry cannot be overstated. I alsways remember his last word; “Read your Bible & Obey to God.”
He has finished His race (2Tim.4:6-8) so I believe one day I will meet him
I pray for his soul to rest in peace. And that we may finish the unfinished work he left behind.
May God give strength to his family and relatives to bear this grief.
God Bless
Amrit lama
Nepal
I had the privilege of meeting Uncle Jonathan Maraj during the early days of my ministry as staff with UESI. His passion for the Bible and the people of God was incredible.
He would go out of the way and walk the extra mile to serve the people, which I cherish.
We as the UESI family cherish his sacrificial services in investing in the lives of many young students, staff, and older graduates.
We would be missing him in this world, but he has left a rich legacy for us to carry on with the same passion.
Jacob
We the whole family of UESI in India is saddened by this news. But we are glad that he is with his Lord. He served the Lord very sincerely and faithfully along with Bro. P C Verghese for more than 6 decades among college students in particular and the Church of India at large. I am one of the beneficiaries of his teaching in 1980s.
May the Lord of all comfort, comfort the family members
30th Sept 2023 at 7.37 pm
Brother Jonathan Loved the Word of God…made me to embrace..which I will never forget
Hallelujah
Jonathan Maharaj as I lovingly know him as Uncle Natie. My Uncle was very influential in my earley years in speaking to me about Jesus.Today I must happily say I am serving the same God he served Hallelujah. My Uncle served the Lord with a passion. I will always remember him telling me “Read, Read, Read your Bible” His last words to me on Tuesday 19th September 2023 was “Reena serve the Lord , Serve the Lord”. I will truly miss him but I am assured through the word of God that one day we will all see him and also our soon coming Saviour Jesus Christ.
Jonathan paju(uncle) has left Godly heritage in many a hearts. Mine is one of them. You will be deeply missed by all of us. But for a short while. See you soon.
I did not personally know Mr.Maraj he was the Brother of my Sister in Law,Camlar Mathura…she often told me lovingly of his good work administering the word of God…he travelled extensively to spread the word of God…he was a much loved Brother, and Uncle to his many nephews and nieces in Trinidad.They were so proud of him and cherished his many visits to Trinidad and time spent in his company.May he rest in peace always…and may his wife and children and granchildren find comfort that he is with his heavenly Father….May his words continue to inspire people.
R.I.P.Jonathan.
Indira, may Adonai bless and keep you. May Adonai look directly at you and show you His grace and peace and comfort you and your family. Such a great blessing to have known Jonathan and to know you. You both increased our faith and showed us how great our G-d is. Our remaining time on this earth will soon be a distant memory as we find ourselves in His eternal presence. We love you.
A dear friend and a brother. He and p.c.varghese stayed in my hostel room in 1973 and I was moved by his love and kindness and passion.,.we shared many precious thoughts together. I visited him and Indira in Darjeeling…well Jonathan you put much love into our hearts. Well done..have fun with jesus.will miss you…
Laji.
I deeply saddened by the death of our spiritual father Rev: Jonathan Maharaj.
Not me only many God’s children and churches also lost a spiritual father in this physical world. His contribution to our personal life and Nepali ministry cannot be overstated.
I trust in our Lord one day We will meet him at Glorious heaven!
May the Lord give strength to his family and relatives to bear this grief.
UTTAR KUMAR RAI
Living Hope Church
Kathmandu
Nepal
Indira, we send much love to you and to your family. Thank you for your love for Gods Word and for sharing Him with the world. Jonathan, your work on earth is done …well done!! Your race is finished. How we will miss seeing your presence but look forward to definitely seeing you again. A humble man that loved God with his whole ♥️ heart. We will read His word!!
Oh, how Jonathan will be missed! We loved his teachings, and always told us to “pickle ourselves in Gods Word.” We will keep you, Indira and family, in our prayers during this time of grief. Keep Jesus as your Strength!
“What happens when the messenger becomes the message?”
He becomes (Buwa)Jonathan Maraj. A man who led us purely by Christlike example. I don’t have many spiritual fathers. Apostle Paul said ” 1 Corinthians 4:15 For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers…Indeed he became my father in Christ.
Though sorrowful yet celebrating his legacy that has been left behind. We strong sons and daughter from Nepal will surely carry his work forward. Reaching many and teaching the unsearchable riches of Christ to thousands. Ephesians 3:8
We will miss you Buwa. Much love, prayers and hugs to Muwa and the bereaved ones.
❤️
As my father’s first brother uncle Johnathan has always been a great influence in our walk with the Lord. His words were always”Read your Bible”. Always had a loving and kind word to say to us. Uncle, your last prayer has been answered. You said you couldn’t wait to be with your sweet Jesus. We are sad but you will always be in our heart. God’s peace and love be with you Aunty
And The family. Lovingly Vick Sherry and family.
I am so thankful for the life and ministry of Jonathan. He and Indira often stayed with my parents in northern Minnesota when Jonathan held meetings there. Jonathan had the biggest impact, humanly speaking, in God’s call to missions in my own life. Blessings of peace to Indira and the family.
Dear Indira, we send you our love and blessing as you and Jonathan have loved and blessed us. I always think of Jonathan, hear his voice encouraging me, when this verse from Hosea 6 appears in my daily journal: “Oh, that we might know the LORD! Let us press on to know Him. He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring.” May your heart be comforted and encouraged with precious memories and the deep assurance of God’s love and faithfulness. We love you. Lois and Mark
I’m Minnie Nelson’s great niece and I met you both at the Mohall Nursing Home when you brought her a bouquet of peonies! Albert and Minnie talked and thought of you two a lot and so enjoyed your visits back to ND. Thank you for doing that! So sorry to hear of your loss Indira but we can rejoice in knowing that some Glorious Day we will be reunited with our loved ones! May God continue to give you strength comfort and a peace that only He can give! Hugs and prayers, Chris
How Jonathan touched our hearts alongside you, Indira … many visits together at Aunt Marguerite Lofthus Retreat in Julian— and your many visits to parents home in Escondido. We cherish the “Star of India” you gave to us to hang to faithfully pray for India. We loved to sit with Jonathan and hear his heartfelt messages and oh how he could pray!
What a celebration he is having!
“In heaven there are many things I’m longing so to see, its beauty surely will my soul enthrall,
But when I’m ushered to the rhelms of blessed eternity, I want to see my Saviour first of all”♥️
May God bless you and comfort you and yours with His loving arms encircling you♥️
For over 30 years the Lord has blessed us beyond measure with your friendship, fellowship, and partnership in the gospel, of which we are not ashamed… Thank you for your years of encouragement and love. Two things stand out in your ministry to us: (1) exhorting us all to be “kitchen Christians,” and (2) “loving in truth and truthing in love.” You will be missed; rest in peace my friend. Our time apart will be but for a moment. Indira, know that you remain in our prayers and the shelter you began long ago in India will continue to have our support as long as the Lord gives us breath.
Pastor Greg & Kim Schram
Loveland, CO
(1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)
Indira, our prayer is for comfort and peace for you and Jonathan’s loved ones….May these Words of God bring hope at this time of loss. He truly was an amazing Bible teacher…. still wish we would have recorded his teaching, but he said, “Perish the thought.”
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. NKJV
Whenever I get distracted from knowing how good God the Father is, how kind and loving, I remember you and it gives me great comfort to know what a father actually is. Thank you for talking about the Lord and teaching us His law by your words and life, when we sat down with you or stood or walked with you and every chance you got. Thank you for introducing the goodness and fatherhood of God to us. Thank you for writing Jesus in your own unique way in every space you could. Thank you for rewarding us for memorising bible verses and books of the bible. Thank you for taking time to answer our big and small questions. We love and miss you. Until we meet again Daddy.
This is one of Jonathan’s,brothers in law.from Darjeeling , India.
I had the privilege of knowing.him for a very long time .
For me he is very much alive and deep inside I feel that we.will meet in Siliguri this winter and looking forward to meeting our SPIRITUAL FATHER and.beloved and gentle ( BHENA )BROTHER-IN- LAW .
He is with Lord Jesus having a beautiful re-union but Bhena we are missing you too much .
Lord willing we will meet soon.
With lots and lots of love .
We love you and miss you. You are inspiration and role model for us. You and Maa have impacted our life that is still our big turning point for our Christian walk. We thanks God for your love for God and wisdom He has poured upon you. We love you but Jesus loves you more. John and Pujah (Chora Chori, New Zealand)
We love you and miss you Pa. You are inspiration and role model for us. You and Maa have impacted our life that is still our big turning point for our Christian walk. We thanks God for your love for God and wisdom He has poured upon you. We love you but Jesus loves you more. John and Pujah (Chora Chori, New Zealand)
Jonathan was a very inspirational man. He made his sermons so interesting. I really enjoyed the time at Tom and Beejay’s camp when he was there. My thoughts and prayers are with you all.
Love you Aji and Aja. Your photos are beautiful. You live on in our hearts until we meet again. On our anniversary you opened your eyes in Heaven.