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:

Madagascar -- The Adventure Continues...

Our flight to Madagascar on Saturday was different from our three previous journeys to this remote island nation. Having taken a morning flight from Paris, much of the flight took place in the daylight hours allowing us to see parts of North Africa we had only previously flown over in darkness.  As we flew, I looked down upon the barren Sahara and the breathtaking Nile.  I thought about the history of this incredible land -- the glories of ancient Egypt and some of the more recent struggles of its modern counterpart.  As we continued our flight toward Khartoum, I couldn't help but think of the ravages of war in Sudan -- only yesterday I read that South Sudan is again engaged in a civil war.  As we flew over Kenya, I thought of the slaughter of innocent people by Al-Shabaab.  But it isn't just Africa.  I'm reading the news back home about racial strife and escalating violence.  Just a day ago we were in Great Britain, which is currently reeling from its recent Brexit vote and wondering what the future holds. We live in a messy, broken world, and sometimes it seems there's not a thing we can do about it.

Our flight arrived late in the evening in Antananarivo.  As we disembarked and walked across the Tarmac, I realized it was all so familiar that I wasn't even stopping to take it in.  I just walked on toward passport control without a second thought, confident that I knew what lay ahead.  But we don't know what the future has in store -- not really.  Not in Madagascar or anywhere else.  We will spend the next couple weeks ministering to broken people in Madagascar just as we minister to broken people in upstate New York. In some sense, the human condition is the same wherever you go.  This is not to say we have the same challenges or struggles.  Some of us will never have to live in a place with no clean water and no medical care or endure the horrors of slavery, but we all know what it is like to suffer loss, to experience grief, to be human.  Life takes a toll on all of us.  And we all need the touch of a healer.  We may not know the future, but God does.  He doesn't guarantee us an easy life, but He does promise to never leave us.  As we begin our ministry time in Madagascar, I am thankful that we have a God who is constant amid the chaos of life.  He is with us in our struggles, and I can be confident that He will be with us as we minister to those He brings to us for prayer and healing back in New York, here in Madagascar or anywhere else He chooses to send us.  His love is so much greater than we can even imagine, and it is through that love that we can bring healing to a broken world.

-- Shay

God's Grand Adventure

Our time in Madagascar this year was different from our previous trips.  Due to a number of factors, not the least of which was the ongoing Air Madagascar strike, we were compelled to essentially discard our plans and let God guide us day by day.

I suppose our natural tendency when heading into foreign territory is to try to control our environment.  We want to know what each day will entail, what hazards lie ahead, where we will lay our head at night.  We feel safer minimizing the unknowns.

On previous trips to Madagascar, we'd been able to minimize the unknowns to a certain extent.  We knew what days would involve travel, where we would stay, where we would eat, which days we could rest.  This trip was nothing like that.  And we were blessed beyond measure!

Visiting Madagascar is always an adventure, but the adventure takes on new dimensions when the Creator of the Universe becomes your guide.  This is not to say that we did not rely on God during our previous trips.  However, this time we were forced to depend on Him in a new way.  Once we relinquished control, we discovered new freedom, new joys and God-appointed encounters.

Many of our favorite moments of the trip occurred in this way -- connecting with leaders and students at the YWAM base in Antananarivo, marveling at the beauty of central Madagascar for the first time, ministering in the south of Madagascar without the assistance of non-Malagasy interpreters, hearing (and recording) three little girls in a pousse-pousse (Malagasy taxi) singing a beautiful song that turned out to have been written by our host, Rev. Patsy McGregor.

We were stretched.  We were challenged.  And in a strange way, it seemed easier to take the unexpected turns in stride, knowing they were part of God's plan.  While we always hope to be a blessing to those we encounter on our trips, perhaps it is the way we are changed by these encounters that is the real blessing.  I only hope that I can apply these lessons to my everyday life back here in New York.  After all, we don't have to be in a place like Madagascar to have a grand adventure with God!

-Shay

Setting the Captives Free!

[This update was actually written three days ago, but I could not post until today due to poor internet connection.]

Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. (Matthew 4:2)

My last few days in Toliara were largely spent teaching, preaching and praying for the sick -- which is what I love to do!  On Thursday I joined Rev. Noeli at a small local church in the Toliara area to preach and pray. I was able to pray for quite a few people there, and many said they received healing. We prayed for quite a while, and the church, which had no electricity, was dark before we were finished. Praying for someone you can't see is quite a challenge! 

An amazing thing happened to an eldlerly man for whom we prayed. He was blind in one eye and had extremely poor vision in the other. He said he could only see my face as a blur. I quietly prayed one of those 'help me Jesus' prayers, and then prayed for his eyes to be healed. After praying, he no longer saw a blur, but was able to see the actual features of my face. I was thrilled! So we prayed again. After praying again, the man was not only able to see the features of my face, but he was able to see them in clear detail. He said - 'Ah, you have a long nose!' I thought this observation was quite amusing, but praise be to God! 

As an aside, I must confess that sometimes I struggle when praying for the Malagasy. The first issue is that I can't speak their language, so it is sometimes difficult to know exactly what their prayer need might be. Often they just point to their head or stomach or some other part of their body. There have been so many times when I have just had to say to God - "You know what the condition is, so I trust that you will heal whatever it may be." But there is also the obvious fact that at least some of what they are suffering from is linked to their continual state of malnourishment and dehydration. Most are not able to go to a doctor or buy medicine, so they are desperate for God's healing touch. Thankfully, God is always ready to heal! But my heart is increasingly burdened with a desire to find a way to provide them also, somehow, with at least some basic medical care. My dream would be to have teams of prayer ministers working side by side with health workers, so we could bless people in the fullest possible way. So...are there any doctors or nurses out there who might be willing to come to Madagascar with us? 

On Friday, I had an opportunity to teach 20 or so people who were preparing to be confirmed. I tought on the Holy Spirit and healing - but also about who God has called them and equipped them to be as part of the body of Christ. It has been my experience in the USA and abroad that far too few Christians truly understand who God has created them to be. This stems from a lack of understanding of who they are as God's beloved children - truly loved by the Father, and who they are as heirs and co-heirs of the Father's kingdom. Part of this lack of understanding comes from a lack of Scriptural knowledge, but it also comes from a failure on the part of the church to teach about these truths. We often teach people to be 'good Christians' (ie. 'religious) but not how to be sons and daughters of the Father. To be  completely honest, I am still in the process of leaning this for myself.

On Saturday, Avery and I had quite an adventure. We joined Rev. Noeli and drove 4 long hours into the bush to teach and pray at a 3 year-old church plant in Betioky. We left at 6am and drove on what could only loosely be called a road. At one point we drove into a valley that our driver said was very dangerous at night because of robbers. We then passsed through the 'robber's' town. I have never really worried about our safety here, and I didn't then either, but it did make me think about the risk that is inherently involved with mission trips such as this. Things can definitely go wrong, but so far God has protected us - and we are incredibly grateful. 

Since we had to return before sunset, we could only spend about 4 hours in Betioky. The church in Betioky has no building yet, so we gathered outside under the sun (and a few flapping tarps). After about an hour of singing plus my teaching, we spent the remaining three hours praying for as many people as we could. As it turned out, we prayed for many who were struggling with serious demonic oppression. It is quite hard to describe what this was like but, suffice it to say, we saw many people powerfully set free! How marvelous it is that God is Lord over all things in heaven and on earth -- and that there is such incredible power in the Name of Jesus. Our ministry in Betioky was quite exhausting but well worth the time effort it took to get there. Someday I hope we can return. 

On a final note, we are currently driving back up to Antananarivo so we can catch our flight on Tuesday. As I look around at this beautiful country, I am realizing how much I am falling in love with this place. It is starting to feel 'normal' to be here. The poverty is grinding, the needs are staggering, but there is so much opportunity to share the love of Jesus. We are excited to see how God will use us here in the years ahead. 

Avery and some of the beautiful children from Betioky.

Bruce with Rev. Noeli (to my right) and the Betioky church leaders.

We prayed for this little girl who was suffering from a badly bloated stomach. She may have had a tumor or it may have simply been a situation of malnutrition. I was moved to tears as I prayed for her, and I am continuing to pray that God will heal her and set her free!

This woman fell to the ground as we began to pray for her. It was clear that she was oppressed by demons. We prayed for her to be delivered and God quickly set her free. A few minutes after this photo was taken, she was standing and in her right mind.

One of the many bridges we crossed on the way to and from Betioky. Because it is the dry season, most of the bridges crossed dry ground. 

Some of the beautiful baobabs we saw on the way to Betioky (there are many in the south of Madagascar).

The Little Things

    The balcony of Bishop Todd and Patsy's house is one of my favorite places to enjoy the fresh air and the smell of the salty sea. As the sun goes down each night, the sky turns a mix of blue, orange, and yellow. It is simply beautiful. Today as we were standing out there, one of my favorite animals, a butterfly, floated by the vividly purple flowers growing on the balcony. It's methodically beating wings were so steady despite the cool breeze blowing. Seeing it reminded me of the little things. It is so important to take time to enjoy what's around you. Doing this is an easy way to find God. I would say that I am the person in my family who takes a little more time to adjust to change. The first time we came to Madagascar, I was astounded by the extreme poverty of the people here. I learned to focus on each day and the little things in it. Sometimes it was the smile of a little girl's face or a colorful flower on the side of the road. I could see God through those things and it reminded me that he is always there. 

    We are now in our last few days in Madagascar, but we intend to make the most of them. Tomorrow my Dad and Avery are heading out at 5:00 in the morning to a small village four hours aways. My dad is going to teach on healing and then they are going to pray for people. I pray that they will be able to bless those around them and that God's light will shine through them. Also, the Air Madagascar strike has finally ended, but we can't get a guarantee that our flight will actually take off on Monday. We will probably have to make our way back by car, and drive back up North on Sunday morning. I really enjoyed the beatiful scenery as we drove down South, and I am looking forward to experiencing it again! 

-Abbie

God Heals In Sakaraha!

On Tuesday, we headed back to the Anglican church in the town of Sakaraha to lead what turned out to be a full day of teaching on healing and praying for the sick. In the morning, I taught for an hour and a half on the person and power of the Holy Spirit. At the end of the teaching we invited everyone to come up so Shay and I could lay hands on them and pray for a baptism and/or greater release of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit fell heavily upon people, and it was amazing to watch them receive 'more'. Many tears were shed. One woman fell to the ground and it quickly became clear that she was oppressed by evil spirits. We calmly commanded them to leave in the name of Jesus and she quickly grew calm and was completly set free - and was filled with the Holy Spirit. Praise Jesus! (It is actually quite common to encounter people who are oppressed by evil spirits due to people's involvement with the local witch doctors and shamanistic religion.) 

After a terrific lunch provided by the local church, we held a healing service. Shay taught on the account of the woman at the well in John 4, and then we invited people up for prayer. We had two prayer teams - Shay prayed with Avery and Olivia (Rev. Hery's wife) and I prayed with Abigail and Rev. Hery. God moved powerfully during this time of healing and we saw many people healed. One older man with arthritic and stiff arms received healing and regained nearly full range of motion. I was particularly moved by a woman who came to recieve prayer who had been unable to have a child for many years. She felt deep inadequacy and shame, but as we prayed God poured out his love upon her. Another young woman came up to seek prayer for a sharp pain in her stomach. She had been in pain for many months and it was causing her much fear and worry. I sensed in my spirit that she needed to forgive someone who had hurt her. She agreed, and said that someone had, indeed, hurt her -- and that she had not forgiven them. So we led her through prayers of forgiveness. She chose to forgive the person who harmed her, asked God to forgive her for holding unforgiveness in her heart, and forgave herself for holding on to the unforgiveness. Once she forgave and was forgiven, she was completely healed of her physical pain!  It continually astounds me how harmful unforgiveness is - and how incredibly powerful and healing it is when we choose to forgive. If we hold on to unforgiveness, it can become a root of bitterness that can 'metastasize' in our lives and cause us much pain. Forgiveness is a choice - but it is always the right one. Just as we have been forgiven by God, so we are called to forgive others. Forgiveness equals freedom!

At the end of our afternoon of prayer ministry, we heard testimonies from several people. A woman got up to testify that God had healed her completely from pain in her head and hands. Everyone was was amazed at the healing, but also because the woman was normally very shy and would never have spoken in front of people. There was much rejoicing! 

How incredible it is that ours is a God who is willing to stretch out his hand to heal us. And what a blessing it is to be used by God to bring His healing to people's lives. God, I pray that your church will be filled with more and more of your Holy Spirit so that we can powerfully proclaim the Kingdom and share your healing love with our deeply hurting and broken world. 

Shay and I praying for a man to be filled with more of the Holy Spirit.

Shay teaching on the account of the woman at the well (John 4:1-26).

This is the elderly man who regained nearly full range of motion in his arms.

Here is the shy woman who was healed completely of pain in her head and hands. 

Photos from Isalo National Park

Here we are at the entrance to the trail to the Blue and Black Pools.

Along the trail.

A little snake handling.

We saw lots of lemurs. Here's a sifaka.

And here are some ringtails.

A Madagascar Pachypodium plant.

Swimming at the (freezing cold) Black Pool. 

This pic is not actually from the hike. It was taken at our hotel in Isalo.

ONE -- A poem by Shay

A single tree stands on the plain

Alone
Shaped by the wind
Isolated
But not forlorn
It feels the rhythm of the earth
Belonging to creation
One

A Sakaraha Sunday

On Sunday morning, Avery and I (Bruce) travelled with Simon, Sue and Jackie to the southern Madagascar village of Sakaraha to visit the local Anglican Church. Shay stayed at the hotel with Abigail who was not feeling well. This was actually the third time Avery and I had visited the Church in Sakaraha. Originally there was supposed to have been confirmations during the morning service, but due to Bishop Todd's ill health, they had to be postponed. 

When we arrived, we were warmly welcomed by Rev. Hery and his congregation -- a welcome that included many handshakes. I was blessed to serve on the altar with Rev. Hery, and had the joy of being able to lay hands on all the children in the congregation and bless them. Oh how I enjoy praying for children! It always amazes me how much the Malagasy children love to recieve prayer. Some of their faces became so serious as I laid hands on them, and you could see the presence of God come upon them. If only we adults could always be as receptive to God's touch!

At the end of the service, we were entertained by some of the women of the church who performed some special dances for us. We were then given some locally made hats as gifts (you can see mine in the photo below of me and Rev. Hery). After a brief receiption in the new church office building, we said our goodbyes and headed back to Isalo, which has been our 'home' for three nights. Isalo, a Malagasy national park, is a stunningly beautiful place and is one of our favorite places on earth. We'll post some photos from Isalo in a separate blog post.

Tomorrow (Tues.) we head back again to the church in Sakaraha. Shay and I will be leading a day of teaching about the Holy Spirit and healing, concluding with a healing service. We are praying that God will pour out His healing love in abundance and that many will be healed. We can't wait to see what God will do. In HIm, ALL things are possible, and His love conquers all. 

 

-Bruce

Beautiful Madagascar!

Here are some photos we took during our 2-day drive south from Antananarivo. The countryside is absolutely stunning!