Binding Up the Broken Hearted

Throughout the week we have had the privilege to provide prayer and pastoral care to the remarkable missionaries and staff who serve at Iris. Yesterday, however, we switched things up and prayed for some of the kids. We had done a little of this last July, and it seemed to go well, but we weren't quite sure what to expect with the kids we were meeting with this time who ranged in age from 6 to 15.

All of the kids we prayed for have experienced trauma. Sadly, this was to be expected as I doubt there are any children at Iris who have not experienced some sort of trauma in their short lives. Abandonment, death of parents, serious injury or illness, abuse, rape...these and other traumas are all too common among the beautiful children at Iris. This visit we came prepared with some new trauma resources and prayed that God would guide us. 

What we never expected was the way God would intervene to bring healing to a precious 6-year-old girl. We were told that this girl had been acting out toward other girls in her house. Her behavior was quite troubling, and the staff suspected it was tied to some sort of abuse she had likely experienced when she was very young.

This girl was really too young to take an active role in some of the prayers and forgiveness exercises we like to use with adults and older children, so we opted to just pray over her for healing of the trauma. We asked our translator not to translate as we prayed and left it up to the Holy Spirit to work in her broken heart. I picked the tiny girl up and put her on my lap as we prayed. She seemed happy to be held, and we continued to pray in words she could not understand. A few minutes later, I noticed a change in her. It was like a switch flipped and all of the tension in her body suddenly began to be released. She leaned heavily against me and her breathing seemed to slow. A certain peace had come upon her. Bruce noticed this as well and nodded in acknowledgment that God seemed to be accomplishing something through the prayer. So we continued praying, and what happened next is really hard to put into words....

As I looked down at the the child's sweet little face I watched her eyes begin to moisten. Bruce said it was like watching her melt before our eyes. Then a tear fell from those welled up eyes and flowed down her cheek. That tear was followed by many others. I wrapped my arms tighter around her as the tears continued to come. I rocked her and just asked God to continue doing whatever amazing work he was doing in her heart. We gently spoke words of love and healing and affirmation over her as I held her tightly.

We had also been told that her mother had died before the girl was a year old, but that she'd had a close relationship with her father until he suddenly stopped visiting her three years ago, which had upset her deeply. With this in mind, I placed her in Bruce's arms hoping that she could receive some healing from her experience of having been abandoned by her father. What happened then was, honestly, one of the most moving things I've ever witnessed. Her tears continued to flow as Bruce wrapped his arms around her. Her heart was longing to know she was loved, and I watched as she turned her head and nuzzled into Bruce's chest like a child in the arms of a loving father. Throughout this, we continued to whisper words of love over her. For the longest time, we sat spellbound with love for this little girl who was pouring out her broken heart in our very arms. Both Bruce and I were in tears. 

I have no doubt that we witnessed a miracle today. It is not as if this child had not been held before. All of the children at Iris receive an abundance of love and hugs from the wonderful Iris staff and volunteers. But today was something more. She did not consciously know what we were praying for her, but her spirit did. Her spirit responded to the work of the Holy Spirit and allowed her, perhaps for the first time, to truly grieve and accept the love and comfort she so desperately needed.

Eventually, we led her out of the room to rejoin the Iris staff who know and love her. She grabbed both of our hands and walked between us down the short hallway. Even as she was being offered popcorn and a Disney movie, she clung to Bruce's leg and refused to let go. She wanted to hold on to the amazing love she had just experienced, a love that could only come from one source. Bruce and I are so humbled to have been invited into this little girl's very real encounter with the all-surpassing love of her Heavenly Father, and we are so thankful for the power of His love, which truly does "bind up the broken hearted." (Isaiah 61:1)

Some beautiful Iris kids dressed in their Sunday best for church.

Where's the Water?

What would you do with 139 kids and the possibility of no water for them to drink, to use for bathing, or to have for basic sanitation? That very real possibility has been front and center at Iris over the past couple of days after the government suddenly announced that Antananarivo was on the verge of completely running out of water due to a serious lack of rain. 

What we have heard is that there are five reservoirs that feed the city, and three are completely dry. The fourth is almost dry. The fifth is low but unaccessible due to the fact that one of the government officials apparently sold the water pump and used the proceeds for himself (at least that's the word on the street). This water shortage has actually been long in the making. There is some concern that the rapid deforestation of the highlands may have changed the climate enough that rain is not attracted to the region the way it used to be. We've heard that the government has been trying to seed the clouds, though the effect seems to be minimal. 

Since we arrived last week, the water and the electricity have been on and off (they just now cut off as I am typing these words), and yesterday we were told that the water was going to be cut for four days starting Thursday. Today, however, the government seemed to backtrack a bit and say that the water will last longer because they were able to find another source. It is unclear what this means and whether this is actually the truth. Time will tell.  

This water problem has, humanly speaking, left Iris in a rather precarious situation. A lack of water is simply not an option when they have so many kids in their care. Today they began to dig a well at their new property, which will take four days to complete (assuming water can be found). Then the water has to be allowed to settle for a couple of days before it can be used for drinking. The water will still not be clean – but will be much better than drinking from the rice paddies! 

Yet despite this potential crisis, what was their response today? They gathered all the kids together to pray! The kids prayed that God would bring rain to their land and provide water for them. They have already seen God provide for them over and over again in so many different ways. So why should this situation be any different? 

The Iris kids singing "Let It Rain" in Malagasy 

during their prayer gathering.

We in the West, in truth, have very little understanding of lack or need. Until we went out on mission, we didn't understand how much we really have. Because of our 'full storehouses', it is more difficult for us to be fully dependent upon God. It is not that we should desire poverty so that our faith and dependance might increase. Rather, we need to remember with thanksgiving and praise that to whom much is given, much is expected.     

Iris truly runs on prayer and faith. The obstacles and challenges they face daily are beyond human ability to overcome. But they, and we, have an overcoming God! He is the Lord, the Almighty, the King of Kings. No obstacle or challenge is too great for Him to overcome. In and through Him, all things are possible. 

So we ask you to join Iris, and us, in praying for God's abundant provision of water for Antananarivo and the surrounding region. Pray with the same faith as these beautiful Iris children that God will provide - because He always does!

Beauty from Ashes

How does one write about children who live in a garbage dump? It's not a Lemony Snicket story or some dark dystopian tale. This is real. These children are real. In 2017 we still live in a world where children live in garbage dumps...in Madagascar, in Cambodia, in the Philippines, in Guatemala. The list goes on and on.

Today, Bruce and I went with an Iris medical team to visit children living in Antananarivo's garbage dump. We had been wanting to experience this aspect of Iris' community outreach for some time, but I can honestly say I didn't know quite what to expect. Were these children simply abandoned? Did they have parents who were too sick/disabled/drunk/lazy to work? Truly, I had no idea.

The dump itself is situated on a sort of island in the midst of the city's rice paddies. And it's not just a dump, it's actually a village with a road running through the middle. There are small, crumbling homes and some shopfronts. The people who live there comb the dump for items that can be made into handiwork -- colorful mats, baskets, even shoes. As we walked down the street we saw many of the residents sitting in front of their homes sorting, cutting or weaving. They were literally creating beauty from ashes! These people were certainly not lazy. They were industrious and creative, but desperately poor.

During the day their children wander the dump in search of useful items. It was shocking to see them walking through heaps of burning rubbish in bare feet. Until recently, school had not been an option for any of these children. But the chief of the village is a compassionate man, so he offered two rooms of his small home to become classrooms. He could not pay for supplies or teachers, but our friends at Iris, knowing that the need for a school was great, have worked with a church in the US to sponsor this little school, which now has thirty students and two teachers. It was a joy to sit in the classroom with some of the smiling students who had their very own backpacks and notebooks.

We concluded the day by visiting the mother of one of the children involved in the Iris program. She had been suffering from severe abdominal pain for a week, and her husband was quite worried. With the Malagasy doctor who had accompanied us, we entered their tiny one room home and prayed for her. We don't know God's plan for her, but we know how much He loves her, and we know He has the power to heal. She wept as we prayed. We then took her husband to a pharmacy across from the US Embassy to get a prescription, which we hope will provide relief.

So what were my conclusions from the day? Poverty like this is hard to witness. Human beings, loved by their Heavenly Father, should not have to live in such conditions. And yet there is hope. Before  Jesus went to the cross, He said, "Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the work I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." (John 14:12)  If we are to do what Jesus did, then we are to bring his love to those who are suffering, to those without hope. And thankfully He empowered us to do so by sending the Holy Spirit. We are to be His hands, His feet, His heart. And in His love is great power -- power to heal, power to restore, power to achieve the impossible. So hope is never lost, but we must accept our calling to be messengers of hope..."to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair." (Isaiah 61:3) This is our hope!

-Shay & Bruce

Safely Back in Madagascar Again!

The view from our plane window as we flew 

 over Madagascar towards Antananarivo.

We arrived safe and sound in Madagascar yesterday (Wednesday) after a brief one-night stay in Johannesburg, South Africa. Tuesday evening was spent with a lovely South African family that we met last year when Abigail was on her exchange program. South Africans are such a warm and friendly people - we just love spending time with them. Thank you Ceri and Paul for your wonderful hospitality! 

When we arrived in Antananarivo yesterday, we were struck by how 'normal' it all felt. As we think back to our first visit and how overwhelmed we were by everything, it is amazing how far we have come. This now being our fifth visit, we are starting to feel like a part of us belongs in this place. The sights, the smells (not always pleasant), the people, the Malagasy way of life, are becoming increasingly familiar to us. We don't need much time to adjust anymore - we can jump right in, which is what we did. We spent the afternoon and evening reconnecting with our friends Caroline and Melanie at the Iris Ministries base. (Caroline is the base founder and director and Melanie is her intrepid assistant.) What a blessing it is to be with them again.

As we were sitting in Caroline's house, we saw again how beautiful this ministry is - and how their work never ends. Three Malagasy women dropped by to see Caroline. One of the women had a newborn who had a cleft lip. Because of the cleft lip, the baby could not breast feed and was badly malnourished. The mother was obviously fearful and desperate. As we watched Caroline and Melanie tenderly examine the baby, with its tiny arms and legs, Jesus' love was palpable. While we know that these moments are everyday occurrences for them, we were deeply moved. These Iris women truly love the little children - and give everything to care for them. Without hesitation, the mother and baby were invited to stay in one of the Iris houses and were promised care. How beautiful!

Melanie and Caroline examine the 

baby with the cleft lip. The baby's name

translated into English means 'to be loved'.

So, why are we here for this go-around? We believe that our primary call for this trip is to once again offer prayer ministry and pastoral support to the amazing Iris team, as well as to pray for any of the children they bring to us. Additionally, we have been invited to come and pray for the leaders and students at the local YWAM base, which we had the blessing of doing a couple of trips ago as well. In fact, one of the students we prayed for during that visit will be meeting with us this weekend. We also plan to visit the children in the garbage dumps when the Iris team goes on Fridays and help out with the Sunday worship services.   

Sadly, during this trip we will not be heading back down to the south. But given that Bishop Todd and Patsy McGregor are in the States, the timing would not have worked out for us to go. But we'll definitely be back down south on a future trip. We miss our friends there!

Since we have improved wifi at the guesthouse that is serving as our home for the next two weeks, we should be able to post more regularly than last trip. So be sure to check back for the latest posts. 

Blessings!

Bruce and Shay     

Church in the Bush

Somewhere along the way Christians began to associate 'church' with the buildings they meet in. Perhaps this began when the buildings Christians met in began to not only be functional but beautiful. Efforts had to then be undertaken to keep these spaces beautiful - which meant people invested themselves in their church buildings. Or perhaps this shift began when the great cathedrals began to be built. Their towering spires inspiring awe - more awe possibly than was directed towards the one (God) for which they had been built. But whatever the reason, we lost the biblical understanding that the church is actually the body of Christ - a body that transcends buildings, locations and even time.

This truth was every apparent to me when we pulled up to a little church in a very small and desperately poor roadside village called Bitsefy. I have passed this village many times as I have traveled to other towns to minister. I always wondered how it was possible to live in those very primitive stick huts, and what they must think as the traffic passes them by on the way to Toliara.  I also often wondered if anyone had ever come to share the Gospel with them. What a surprise and joy it was, therefore, when our car pulled up at this little village a couple of mornings ago to minister at a newly planted Anglican Church. There was a newly constructed small stick and grass building with a wooden cross perched atop it, and the people were eagerly waiting for our arrival. After we arrived, they quickly packed themselves into this tiny building and began to sing with incredible joy. I thought about the people and then about the building and was reminded again that what I shared with the people here was not the building (though I loved it actually), but a unity in Christ and a family bond in the Spirit.

We spent a couple of hours in that tiny church building with its dirt floors and stick walls and watched the Holy Spirit do what he loves to do. As usual, we prayed for people and God healed them and delivered them from demonic spirits. We watched a woman begin to dance like a mocking serpent (that is the best way to describe it), and then be delivered from that demonic spirit and restored to her right mind. Praise be to God!  Another woman had fallen to the ground and lost her ability to communicate or even move much at some point after we had arrived. Yet after praying over her in the name of Jesus, she too was restored to her right mind. She stood up and began to speak normally. All the while, the church members sang on and on with great joy, led by a man with a rough, homemade guitar. God was truly being glorified that morning in that little, rough, and 'ugly' church building. All in all, it was another extraordinary Madagascar experience.

My prayer is, and continues to be, that we Christians will always remember who we are as the body of Christ -- that we will look past our buildings and our walls and to the world around us. There is nothing wrong with having a church building of course, but in the end God doesn't care about our buildings, but our hearts. And, of course, he cares deeply about whether we are fulfilling the call and command he gave us to love one another as He first loved us. I sure hope we can visit those beautiful believers in Bitsefy again. (We'll actually be driving by them again tomorrow. Sadly we cannot stop.) I saw Jesus in them and pray that they will know that they are forever wrapped in His loving arms.

-Bruce

Heading South...

We arrived in Toliara on Friday after an incredible week with Iris Madagascar.  Words really cannot express how touched we were to be able to minister to the Iris team, some of the Iris children and even some other members of the community.  The work done by the Iris team in Antananarivo can only be described as sacrifical love.  They work in very difficult circumstances (often 24/7) to share the love of Jesus with 133 orphaned or abandoned children, many of whom have special needs and/or have experienced unspeakable trauma.  Truly, it is almost impossible to wrap your head around the way that some of the women and children here have been abused.  That is what makes the work of Iris in this country so vital. The Iris Children's Centre is not an orphanage. It is a family.  These children are loved, and it is beautiful. We feel so blessed to have been welcomed into this very special family.

Since our arrival in Toliara, both Bruce and Abigail have been sick.  We are thankful that Bruce now seems to be on the mend as he is longing to get out and minister.  Abigail has also improved, although she is now covered in painful bug bites.  No fun!  We are all hoping to be well tomorrow as we have been invited to pray with a local witch doctor who is open to receiving blessings for his family and home.  We have also been blessed to have connected with two other newly arrived short term missionaries (Wendy and Lydia) who are staying here at the Bishop's Gathering Place with us.  Wendy is a recently retired nurse from Connecticut who will be spending the next couple months working on public health issues.  Lydia is from London and happens to be studying at the same theological college that Bruce and I attended.  Abigail and I had a wonderful time yesterday giving these two ladies an orientation tour of Toliara.

Please keep us in your prayers as the last few days have felt like a bit of a battle.

-- Shay

The brand new St. Patrick's Cathedral in the Diocese of Toliara.

Our adventures at Iris Madagascar

Today is already our fourth day in Madagascar. For the past three days we have been busy ministering at the Iris Ministries base praying for the staff and kids. Iris Madagascar is such an amazing ministry! It was planted in Antananarivo by Caroline Thomas and does absolutely astounding work rescuing and caring for orphaned and abandoned children. They currently have 133 kids at the center, many rescued from near death circumstances but now wearing infectious and bubbly smiles on their faces! The depth of the trauma many of these kids have already experienced in their short lives is almost too hard to describe, we have witnessed with our own eyes the fruit of the transforming power of the Father's love and grace in the faces of these children. We spent our first day just hanging out and playing with the kids and also reconnecting with Caroline and the Iris staff. The past two days have been spent praying for both staff and kids. We have seen God do amazing things as he has been pouring out his healing love! Our hearts are so burdened to bless the Iris missionaries and support them spiritually and pastorally. We will be praying for people all day again tomorrow. Early on Friday we fly down to Toliara. In the days ahead we'll post more about our specific experiences and share our reflections and thoughts about what we have seen and heard. In the meantime, here are some pictures from our time at Iris: