Adventures In Madagascar

Well, God's timing is perfect-- so it must not be time to visit the mountain village of our friend that Kristin wrote about last month. David left here in the morning that Saturday and traveled to a village on the main road about 85kl south. At the Relax Hotely (yes it's spelled hotely) he turned left to head east for 18 kl, or so, up the mountain to the village of Maventibao. David took the motorcycle because gas is very expensive here (approx. 2 $ per liter) and also he can get the bike into the bush better most of the time. Not this time! He said he turned left at the Relax Hotely and got about 5kl "dropping the bike" several times. At one point the bike fell to one side or the other 10 times within 2 meters. The rocks are slick river rocks, without the river (it's dry this time of year), there are thousands of them about the size of a basketball, round on top and slippery from the water and truck tires that run over them. No other way around, and no bridge or logs, just more of the same dry river bed running north to south. Finally he turned around and headed back to the main road. He arrived in Ambilobe at about 6 pm exhausted and a little bloody from the scrapes and scratches.

A Hotely in Madagascar

When David comes back from Morafeno on Tuesday, maybe we can call Ben and ask about arranging a ride with him when he's in Diego. Otherwise the trip will need to wait -- or it will be all done the Malagasy way.

How's that, you say? Let me 'splain or maybe sum-up. The person going will get up at about 5 am and skip breakfast, walk to the taxi-brousse pick-up place. Ask around to the several people standing/squatting/sitting near-by, find the money person, pay, wait......the driver at some point decides he won't wait anymore. That could be anywhere from before you've arrived to sometime in the afternoon. If you make it you get to sit so close together that one sits back, one sits on the edge, one sits back, one of the edge. (*side note* a taxi-brousse is a bush taxi, it's a small Toyota pick-up truck with a cover over the bed (that's for the people), on top of the truck is the everything else. Chicken-in-a-basket, Pig-in-a-basket, fruit, rice, half of a zebu wrapped in a cloth, etc.) Now the truck is about 2 inches off the ground and the maniacal driver takes off at light speed on a road that in the states we'd call a path. Now you go bumps-a-daisy down this "road" until the driver stops occasionally for another passenger. (*side note* in Madagascar the saying goes, "There's always room for one more.") As far as bathroom/squat on the side of the road breaks, you better hope the driver has a weak bladder or he won't stop. Sometimes it works to say to the driver, "People are not chickens" or maybe everyone will just laugh at you and the driver won't stop. The good news is you're only going 85kl. Hurray! You've just taken a cyber bush taxi ride.

We'll keep you posted as to whether we make it to Maventibao. That's it for 'Adventures in Madagascar'. For all of us on the front lines, I'd like to say "Thank You" for your prayers-- and join us soon.

The Antakaran word of the month:
 Ino vaovao? and Tsisy vaovao.

Remember last month I introduced the word Mbôlatsara? This month we will cover some responses to that word. Don't forget: vowels sounds are French and consonants, English. After person A says Mbôlatsara, and person B says the same, then it's time to ask about the news they have heard. Person A says: Ino vaovao? ('ao' is pronounced ô by the Antakarana) literally it means: What news? That means personal news like a new baby, a marriage or an illness. (The Malagasy are very relational, so there must be a pre-conversation before communication really starts.) So Person B says: Tsisy vaovao; Not news (drop the y). This means that the conversation must continue so that eventually both A and B tell each other what is really new in their lives. So an Antakaran pre-conversation Part One looks like this:

A-Mbôlatsara, Madam' a. (This a is pronounced like the a in father)
B- Mbôlatsar é, Rasoa. (é is pron' ced '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-Tsy é vaovao. (The T is sub-vocalized, say é like A, ao=O)

Of course there are many variations of the same pre-conversation, but I won't get into those...they are way too numerous. This is only Part One of the pre-conversation, next month we'll learn a little more. Before you know it you'll be speaking Malagasy......and no one will understand a word you're saying. ;~)

God's Peace, Deborah

Tidbits from EBONY

Greetings Charis Sisters and brothers! For the purposes of this newsletter, my name is “Elizabeth Carmichael.” I live in the Middle East right now, but have been living and working in Central Asia for over six years and I plan to work there long term in the future.

I live among “Cousin” people—think Isaac and Ishmael. Cousinism is the second fastest growing religion in the world and its followers make up almost one third of the entire world population—nearly 2 billion people. As God began burdening my heart for His glory, I began to also have a burden for those people and places where He is NOT glorified...yet. God is moving in the Cousin world and I am so excited to continue to be a part of it and for the Charis network to join in these great things He is doing!! I am a single woman, which is not always easy in the Cousin world. Sometimes it seems very, very hard to gain access to women and children who are kept behind walls and veils all the time. I believe God has led me to a wide open door through Charis. I have seen many examples of how He uses single midwives and birth attendants among Cousin people. I am excited that He has placed this call on my life as well.

I am a Charis “newbie.” I’ve just started working through the first several modules and have already been able to do some research related to module 6. I traveled to the area where I will serve in the future, Lord willing, and gathered information on childbirth practices there. The stories I heard were tragic. The country of “Ebony” where God has called me to serve in Central Asia is among the poorest countries in the world. A couple of years ago a famous, world-wide magazine dubbed it the worst possible place to live on earth. There have been over 25 years of continuous war all over this country. Therefore, a whole generation has been raised in nothing but a “front lines” environment. The country currently holds the record for highest ever recorded maternal mortality rate, infant mortality rate and child mortality rate.

I believe there are many ways God speaks to His people, namely through His Word. But, when I first heard God’s call to go to Ebony, what I heard was His voice in my spirit. This call has been confirmed through His Word and many other ways over the years, but that first time when I KNEW He was sending me, this is how I heard it, “I’m sending you to Ebony.” Ebony is a code word for this Central Asian country, but I believe God used that specific terminology because it means something significant. It means, to us, “The Darkest Place.” Our company’s leadership once called Ebony “the armpit of Central Asia.” It has also been described as “a black hole.” Not exactly the kind of place you want to build a summer home!

CT Studd once said, “Some wish to live within the sound of church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell.” That kind of sums up my philosophy. I can’t say it’s easy to be away from home and some of the comforts there, but God is slowly growing my awareness of the need for ministry in dark places and the Light He wants to shine there through His people!

"The Darkest Place"