Adventures In Madagascar

Living in a ‘Developing Country’
 

Christians throughout the world have just celebrated the Birth of our wonderful Savior and the turn of a new year. In Madagascar Christmas is in the heart. Living in a ‘Developing Country’ has given our family a whole new perspective on the reason for the season.

There are no shopping malls, no lights and decorations in the tiny shops, no twinkling lights lining the main street, no Santa and his elves for the little ones to visit, no carolers walking the neighborhood singing Christmas carols, no snow, no Christmas plays or concerts to attend…Oh, and no presents under the tree (for the Malagasy) because there is no Christmas tree.

Christmas here is a time for families to come together, heal and re-build broken relationships, and of course eat (that’s part of a highly relational culture too).

 Family members come and bring expensive feast foods to share like: duck (drakidraky), chicken (akoho), crab (drakatra), lobster (langostra, from the French), godro-godro (a very sweet pasty cake made in a pot over an open fire), mofo-baolina (a deep-fried sweet-rice cake in the shape of a ball) and of course all are served with a generous portion of rice (vary maro). All this to celebrate Jesus’ birth without the trappings of commercialism found in so many first-world countries. (Sounds a little like the first Christmas…doesn’t it?)
 

Antakaran Word of the Month:

Some of these Malagasy words are a little tricky to pronounce. I’m afraid official Malagasy words are all I can call on at this time because there are very few Christians outside of the official language speakers. The Antakaran don’t have dialect words for Christian holidays; there aren’t any Antakaran Christians…yet, that’s why we’re here. Our prayer is that the new Antakaran believers will develop their own Christian phrases/greetings without the influence of French, English or other foreign language. Well here goes. Don’t try this too fast the first time through, you might hurt yourself.

Tratry ny Nôely sambitra sy Tratry ny taoñon-baovao. (Did you forget you French vowel sounds?)

The first phrase is wishing the other person a Happy Christmas Gathering; recognize the Nôel from French class? Oh by the way, “Actual word order may vary!” :~) Sy means ‘and’. The second phrase states the fact: Gathering of the New Year. So they are said together just like in English. (Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.) Now I bet you’re wondering “and how do I respond to that?” Well again, like you would in English.

Samby tratry ny ho avy! Literally it means: Same gathering to come, or the same to you.

God's Peace,
Deborah

Tidbits from EBONY

Leaving this post

Dear Charis brothers and sisters,

For the past year I have been living on the Arabian Peninsula in the country of the United Arab Emirates. (If you want to see some great shots of this country, watch the movie Syriana! I just found out it was filmed here and has some great insights into life and politics here—even though it is completely fictional.)

This pictures depicts life in the UAE. This is a Western Business woman exchanging business cards with a local, Arab man and his wife. The beach and the two cultures merging together are a great picture of how life is every time I walk out my front door.

This is a picture taken from the car as we drove to Oman recently. I have to go to Oman every two months so that I can get a new visa to live in UAE. It's basically a trip into "No Man's Land," but these are the only mountains I've seen in a year.

I started my Charis training from here. Susan and Kristin have graciously guided me through the coursework and encouraged me in my calling as I’ve moved toward finishing the course work and volunteering myself as a doula to women who come here to have their babies.

I’m leaving this post, however, at the end of February. After leaving here I will be working on full time appointment to Ebony.

This is a picture of my home. It's done in traditional Arabian style. The mats are used as "couches" and then are used to sleep on at night. I got a bed a couple of months ago, so I use that for now, but this style is very similar to how my house will be in Ebony--except for the clean, white walls and window blinds! :-)

Since I’m leaving this country soon I thought I would share some pictures with you and some glimpses into what life has been like here.

This country has a lot of fun things to offer—from desert safaris to ski slopes in malls. But, the signs of Cousinism and its pervasive influence are everywhere. The “call to prayer” rings loud and clear throughout every neighborhood five times daily. The Friday sermons can be heard as they are blasted from the speakers of the mosque. These noises are a constant reminder that I’m in a land that is completely outside my own worldview and that I live among people who spend their days and their lives striving to earn their way to God’s favor. A people who view my own faith as not only different, but offensive.

Cousinism is not only a belief system or a religion. It is a way of life and a worldview. Everything is seen and evaluated through the filter of Cousin mandates and values. I’m sure many of you are aware that women here are no exception. Lust, infertility, deviance and many other problems are always considered the fault of the woman.

In the area of Ebony where I want to work many women are kept even from attending school. They are not allowed any form of education, so I am counting on the Lord to give me creative ideas to bring childbirth education to them! I asked a co-worker about the logic of not educating women. He explained it by comparing women to sheep. They are not of value-less, but neither are they individualized creatures to be given any autonomy. Women, like sheep, are only good for certain things in this culture. They must be protected from harm and must be kept from getting into mischief. Sheep are prone to mischief, after all. To NOT protect the women is to lose face for the family. Yet, some of the ways they “protect” are so cowardly, especially when it is costing the lives of women and children to not learn about childbirth, nutrition, hygiene, etc.... This helped me understand that a family approach, rather than an institutionalized approach might be a better way to educate an Ebony community.

This Christmas season I was finishing up my chronological Bible reading for the year and found myself meditating on some passages in 2 Peter and in Hebrews. 2 Peter 1:16-21 says:

For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, "This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased"--and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

The last part of this passage could very well be spoken by a Cousin describing the Book they put their faith in. They believe this book is a book of Power, the ultimate revelation of God to man. It is not open to interpretation, only obedience.

This is similar to what we believe about the Bible, but we have something more. We have the Living Word revealed in the Bible. We have Emmanuel, God with us. He is the exact representation, the fullness of God in bodily form. Yet, Cousins do not believe it is possible that God would have so much mercy that He would come to save us in this way.

Hebrews 1:1-3 says:

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

I personally believe that the founder of Cousinism indeed had a powerful spiritual encounter. He is even recorded as speculating that a demon appeared to him and gave him the words he recorded. It was his wife who insisted it was not a demon, but God. On the one hand, I believe the words of the Cousin Book have no power—they are just words and they don’t represent Truth. But, sometimes I believe they have a hypnotic, psychological and even spiritual effect over the power of those who believe them.

When women of Ebony give birth, she and her family rely entirely upon recitation of the Cousin Book to bring relaxation, comfort and rhythm to the birth event. They beg for God’s mercy, but rely on their Book to bring power into the room, offering a smooth delivery.

Please pray with me for women of this Cousin culture. I don’t believe they need to become like ME in order to attain God’s vision for their lives. But, I DO believe there are many things that God wants to transform and redeem regarding how they view themselves, are viewed by others and how they approach God. Please pray that God’s Kingdom would come right into the rooms of birthing women in Ebony bringing Hope, Truth and Transformation.

Elizabeth Carmichael