SHOWING JESUS WITH WORKS
Missionaires in Madagascar
It would seem that it was going to be a common month like any other, but God was pleased to give us a different month, full of reasons to be grateful and remember it forever.
We are in the final stretch of this mission here in northern Madagascar. It has been said, that the last few months are emotionally difficult, but we long to live it with intentionality, being aware of the present we are living, with the people around us who are our priority.
Jean and I thought about making this month and the following ones memorable, recording with the camera of our eyes every smile of the children, every difficult situation of an adult, every sigh of hope among the new disciples. Living every challenge that this society has to the fullest, feeling the scarcity of water, electricity, and food, among other things.
Let me tell you how this month of May went for us and live this mission in Madagascar with us:
CHILDREN, THE BEST OF OUR MINISTRY
It has been an extraordinary month spending every Sunday with the kids. Every time we see their progress, their dedication, their growth, as Scripture says, in stature and wisdom.
It has not been easy for Jean and me to know that soon we will not have them with us, that the time to see them only in photos will approach, but they will always be in our memories.
Well, while I dry my tears of emotion, I tell you that thanks to your offerings and the love that you have for this great ministry of God, we were able to deliver some school supplies for the older children, and for the little ones we gave them a box of colored pencils. You can't imagine how happy they were about these gifts! You have no idea the smile you put on these little ones' faces.
HOPE FOR PEOPLE IN THE RURAL AREA
Our disciples are doing very well. It is not easy to change the character and lifestyle from one day to the next, we understand that. We have seen that they are doing their best to leave the "old life" behind.
In our meetings, we have had days when not everyone attends, many times their concerns and lack of things, take priority and, therefore, they do not attend the Bible studies. They are struggles that we all have and that is why, little by little we are emphasizing in our Bible lessons about this topic where the Bible reminds us that apart from me [Christ], you cannot do anything. John 15:5
MOTHER'S DAY IN MADAGASCAR
Mother's Day here is celebrated on the last Sunday in May. We have some friends who are not our disciples, but they have been part of the friendship that we have established here. That is why we took advantage of this celebration to give them a small detail as a sign of appreciation to them. A nice sublimated jar with their names on it, and full of chocolates.
One of them is the lady who has a distributor of several products. She always welcomed us with a smile and a friendly greeting. Another of them is a woman who, together with her husband, owns a bakery cafeteria. She makes bread and other homemade desserts, and her husband is a Chinese guy who serves the customers who eat there.
Another of our good friends is the lady at the restaurant who was always attentive to making sure we were "served well" hahaha. Finally, the lady who rents us our house whom I call "an angel" because the first months we arrived in this town I got terribly sick (I hope you remember that). She, along with Jean, took me to the hospital one day when I was feeling very ill.
FINISHING OUR MINISTRY WITH BAPTISM
Leaving our place will not be easy at all, but we have to close this wonderful period that we have had here with the Betsimisaraka people of northern Madagascar and move to the capital for a while to do all the return paperwork.
Thinking out loud about this topic with our disciple Polo, we invited him and his family to have lunch with us. While we were encouraging him about the Christian's walk on earth, his wife was also listening. God filled us with courage and boldness to speak to both of them quoting certain portions of the Bible.
While we enjoyed that lunch together with laughter and nostalgia, we asked Maman'i Kristiana (Polo's wife) if she understood what we were telling her. She nodded, a little shy in her words but aware of what she was answering.
Three days after that lunch, Jean and I went out to get some fresh air and have some time to talk in front of the ocean. In this society, they have the habit of staring at the sea. I say this because every day we see people contemplating the sea, feeling the breeze without saying anything, they go alone or with others but they do not talk to each other, they just contemplate the sea. We have done that several times too and it is really relaxing.
Well, that day, Polo found us there and told us that his wife confessed her desire to be baptized. We were so happy because God continued working until the end of our work here. Wow! We immediately planned the baptism. Here are some photos from that day.
FINAL WORDS
There are no words to describe the gratitude we feel towards God and towards you who hold the rope from the other side of the world. Thank you for holding that rope very hard, thank you for your faithfulness to God in praying and offering for this ministry at all times.
Jean and I want to encourage you to continue being a part of this ministry that God has given us: who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18). It is true that our time in Madagascar is coming to an end but the obedience of Go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19) must be carried throughout the world. To God be all glory and honor forever and ever!
PRAY FOR
- The new disciple who got baptized these days, Polo's wife.
- For the other disciples who have been touched by the Gospel in both rural and urban areas.
- For the friends we have made, the ladies and other friends, so they want to know more about the God whom Jean and I serve.
- For financial support to continue with the return process and procedures that we have to carry out in the capital of Madagascar, stay, local tickets, food, etc.
