A Gift of Love

We have finally arrived in Toliara.  It is not easy to get to this part of Madagascar, and we are thankful to have arrived safely.  When we arrived at Bishop Todd and Rev. Patsy McGregor's home outside the city, it seemed as though no time had passed.  We were greeted by the same friendly faces and treated to a familiar Malagasy meal of rice and loka.  Avery immediately inflated one of the soccer balls we brought and began to kick it around with a friend he had made last year.

Tonight, as we sat down to eat, I was reminded that during our last visit we would each share our "God moment" of the day as we gathered for dinner.  It was a wonderful way to reflect on how we could see God working during our trip.

My "God moment" today occurred before we even reached Toliara.  Early this morning we boarded a flight in Antananarivo that would make one stop along the eastern coast before heading to Toliara.  As we walked out onto the tarmac, I noticed a group of French travelers waiting to board.  Many in this group were wheelchair-bound, and there were several others who appeared to be assisting them.  After allowing us to board first, the men and women who were assisting them took turns carrying these disabled passengers onto the plane.  They were a happy bunch, clearly excited to get to wherever they were going.

When we arrived at our first stop, we stayed on board as the French travelers disembarked.  After they had left, Bruce turned to me and said, "What an interesting group, and what a blessing for them to be able to travel like this."  I was thinking the same thing, but I wondered what they could be doing in such a remote area of the world.  Traveling in Madagascar is not easy, and it would be especially difficult for someone with a significant disability.  If they simply wanted to visit a lovely beach, the French Riviera certainly would have been a lot easier.  Yet, whatever the purpose of their travel was, I couldn't help but be moved by the compassionate dedication of the people who were assisting them.  They were sharing with these lovely people a wonderful, Christ-like gift of love.  Their joy was contagious, and I can only pray that their time in Madagascar is full of abundant blessings.

--SSM