Adventures In Madagascar

Merina

Dear Charis Family,

Go to your Operation World under Madagascar and it will tell you that a huge percentage of the population is Christian. Compare that to the actual percentages on the ground and the figures look made up. Each of the four “recognized” churches may have done some beefing up when reporting their numbers, possibility to save face. Christianity was brought to Madagascar (early 1800’s) at about the same time the Merina king was “uniting” the nation. Christianity is partly associated with (by many of the conquered) white foreigners but is definitely considered a Merina religion. Because of this it is resisted in many parts of Madagascar and in some places it’s dangerous to be a Christian.

The capital of Madagascar,
Antananarivo (Tana)

Merina, who are Christians living outside of the highland plateau, are likely to be excluded from local cultural activities and chastised by people from the other 18 tribes. However, they are also envied because in the center of the Merina homeland is the capital of the country, Antananarivo. Tana (a kind of nickname) has all the best the country has to offer; it’s the bread basket of the country (actually rice is the staple so it’s the rice basket), their population receives the best health care, has the lowest mortality rates, has the best teachers and therefore has the highest rate of literacy in the country. The population of the highland is exposed to first-world enterprise and the most profitable Malagasy businesses are based in Tana. As for the coastal peoples, they will tell you straight out that the Merina are “Irô mahay plus-que olo hara.” The translation is: “They are more intelligent than other people.”; so to be born of a tribe outside the central highland plateau might be considered by some to be a birth defect, but at the very least it’s a handicap.

 

Antakaran Word of the Month

Last month we learned about the Malagasy greetings for Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Before that we talked about pre-conversation communication, part one, in Antakaran (either October or November newsletter). I think it would be best to pick up there. Remember your vowels are mostly like French and all constants are like English. *Special note: Malagasy is stressed on the 3rd syllable from the end or on the last syllable, there are some exceptions that we won’t get into.

The new words are:
Maresaka which is the verb ‘to discuss’ (stress the ‘e’, sounds like e in egg)
Karakôry which is also said Akôry meaning ‘How is’ or ‘How are’ (stress the ô)
Anaô which is the second person singular pronoun ‘you’ (stress the ‘nao’)
Tsara fo which means good only (‘t’ is sub vocalized, the ‘o’ says u as in the ABC’s)
Ke anao ke? is a phrase that means ‘and you’
Merci é which is northern Malagasy-‘ized’ French

Now that you have part two of the pre-conversation let’s put it all together.

A- Mbôlatsara, Madam’ a. (This a is pronounced like the a in father)
B- Mbôlatsara é, Rasoa. (é is pronounced ‘A’ as in ABC, Ra in front of a name gives respect to that adult)
A- Ino vaovao? (Remember ao says ô like when you sing the ABC’s)
B- Tsisy é vaovao. (The T is sub-vocalized, say é like A, ao=O); Ino maresaka?
A- Tsy. (‘tsy’ means not, and ‘tsisy’ means there is not.) Akôry anao?
B- Ah, Tsara fo; Ke anao ke?
A- Tsara fo, merci é.

Now when you come to Madagascar you’ll be very ‘mahay’ (knowledgeable). All the  Malagasy will say that you know how to speak Malagasy. After all, “Mora be ny teny Malagasy.” The Malagasy say that their language is very easy. But after 2 years of language training I can tell you that for some of us it’s ‘saratra be’, very difficult.

God’s Peace,
Deborah

Tidbits from EBONY

Street Children and Orphans

Elizabeth and Clients

 
Greetings friends!! I am writing you from the lovely city within the country of Ebony that I like to call Candybar! Candybar is the capital of a province in South Ebony and it is the place I would like to come back to for work and ministry within the year. Lord, may it be so!

This month I really need your prayers as there is a lot going on here and everything seems to be a bit of a one step forward three steps back routine. The electricity here has been sporadic at best, preventing me from making contact with those I am working with through the Charis Childbirth Education/Doula course. I am SO, SO excited to meet some of you all in less than a month!!!! I will be back in Chesapeake, VA at the beginning of March. I am looking forward to a break at home, but still I am enjoying the time here in Candybar.

You might remember that I was here in September checking things out and doing a women’s health survey as part of one of my modules. I made some great connections then and Father has really placed a burden on my heart for this place, so I’m looking at coming back here to work with another lady on starting a long-term women’s health project!! I am very excited about how the Lord is leading in this.

For this visit I have been hired by a Non-Government Organization to do some demographic research of one of the most needy and inaccessible districts in the region. And this district is sure living up to its reputation!!! Because of insurgent activity in the area, most of our staff here are terrified to even go visit and do survey work for the NGO. The more I learn about this place, however, and the more I witness how it is completely cut off from aid or the Light of Father, the more I want to go there!!! When I was explaining this research project to the lady I hope to work with in the future she exclaimed that this is just the district where she also wants to have our women’s health project! Wow! I think our Father is doing something. Would you please pray with me this month that He would open wide the doors to this unreached area, that He would send mercy to these people and that all the efforts of the enemy (physical and spiritual) would be frustrated and come to nothing? I think this is one of those situations where prayer is going to bring the power of change!

Some of my friends who are working in Candyland had an amazing experience this week when they opened up their home to street children and orphans from all over the area. They invited them in and washed off their hands and feet. Some of these children did not even know what it feels like to be clean! My friends realized that these precious ones are the future of this impoverished and war-torn country. It was such an honor to get to love on them for a little while!

Next time when I write,
I will be home sweet home.
 Love and grace to all of you -- Elizabeth C.