It has taken seven long years to get this point, the point into which I stepped so easily and so early in Kenya.  I’ve mentioned it to you before, that very close relationship I had with my sisters in Christ in Kenya.  Even today, seven years later, I miss them acutely and feel I would like nothing better than to step right back into that close daily relationship with them.  I’ve mentioned to you before the struggles I’ve had trying to establish any kind of a relationship at all with Malagasy women who are infinitely shier than Luo women. 
            Well . . . it finally happened last month, one of those almost magical times of bonding and fellowship that I experienced daily with Luo women.  I think I mentioned to you that I was not discouraged but that I was determined to find the key to a sister-in-Christ relationship with Malagasy women.  Seven long years and I’ve finally found it.  Funny thing is, I can’t explain just where or how I found it.  All I can do, is to explain what it felt like when I did find it.
          We (myself and the women of the Ambohimarina congregation) planned a Saturday morning of Bible study, prayer, and visiting together.  For the last year or so, on a monthly basis, I have been carrying a car load of these country women into the city to meet with the women of the Ambohijatovo congregation.  They have been times of good fellowship and Bible study but they seemed to be more social than work oriented.  It was the women of Ambohimarina who came up with this new idea.  They saw a task that needed to be done and so prepared to do it.  Their idea for the year of 2004 was to only meet with the women in town every third month.  On the in-between months, these women wanted to meet together to build up their own congregation and to reach out to others in the immediate neighborhood of the church. 
            They came to me and asked if I would work with them.  I was delighted at the prospect.  One month ago, we had our first Saturday morning together at Ambohimarina.  I was a bit nervous, realizing how difficult it has been for me to relate to Malagasy women in the past, realizing that I hadn’t yet found the key.  I expected seven or eight or even fewer women to show up for the planned morning.
            I left home at 7:45 am and before I was half way to Ambohimarina, my car was overflowing with women.  My spirits soared as we reached Ambohimarina to find another group of women waiting for us.  Work on the new orphanage building was in full force and we soon saw that we could not concentrate on Bible teaching with all the pinging and ponging of hammers and building tools.  No one was discouraged.  Each women grabbed a plastic chair, heaved it up onto her back or her head and we headed down to the playing field of the new children’s home.  It was a wide open field with not a tree in sight.  It was only 9:00 in the morning but already the sun was hot.  I had my doubts.  No one else was doubting.  I have no idea where they hid them, but before I knew it seven or eight umbrellas appeared as if out of nowhere and the sixteen women were soon enough situated in a circle with two or three women under the shade of each umbrella.  It was difficult to get settled.  Everyone was so excited about how many of us had shown up and how quickly more were showing up each minute.  We were like yoyos, up and down, up and down, running to get more chairs. 
            We began Bible class.  Our subject was Matthew chapter four.  I had taught Matthew chapter three the previous Sunday morning to the same group of women.  I used the end of Matthew chapter three to remind them that Jesus’ baptism was the beginning of His work, not the end.  I proceeded into the beginning of chapter four to show them that Jesus didn’t let temptation get in His way.  I continued through Matthew chapter four to encourage these women in reaching out to others and teaching His Word just as Jesus himself did.  I then compared Jesus to us.  Baptism is the beginning of our work for Him.  We shouldn’t let temptation get in our way, and we should use every opportunity to teach others about His will.  After all, that is exactly what we had gathered for.  They listened so intently and for once their foreheads were not all wrinkled in concentration trying to puzzle out my poor Malagasy.  They offered comments and many times they finished my sentences for me.  We closed the Bible study hour with prayer.
            I lifted my head after prayer and announced,  “OK.  It’s your turn.  You wanted to gather in order to visit others in the neighborhood and invite them to join us for worship or in learning about Christ.  I have done my part.  It’s your turn.  You tell me who we will visit today, and what we will say when we enter their home.”  In short, I tossed the ball right into their court and they picked it up so gracefully and willingly. 
            One of the younger women stood up and took over.  In ten more minutes we had a definite plan for visiting three homes nearby.  Six different women volunteered to pray (two in each of the three homes) after a teeny bit of arm twisting and encouraging by the women who aren’t afraid to pray in front of others.  One women was ready to offer three scriptures of encouragement (one in each home), and another was ready to invite the people of the home to join us for worship on Sunday morning.
            We headed out, walked through grass fields to each of the three designated homes and carried out our little plan.  At the first house, all twenty plus of us were a little nervous.  The second home was easier, and by the time we reached the third, we were pros. 
            The most precious moment of the morning was just after we left the third house.  Everyone of us was preparing to scatter in different directions, but Tefy’s mom would have none of that.  She insisted that we stop and offer a prayer of thanksgiving.  We were on the crest of a hill, standing at the side of dirt road under the shade of a scraggly tree.  No one hesitated in forming a circle and holding hands.  Tefy’s mom stood in the center of the circle holding hands with three of the small children who had spent the morning with us.  She bowed her head and prayed one of the sweetest prayers I have every heard.  When the prayer was finished, no one wanted to walk away.  It was a wonderful morning.
            Sunday was even better.  Two of the women whom we had visited worshipped with us and have been coming ever since! 

World Christian Broadcasting
They (Charles Caudill, Kevin Chambers, and Dale Ward) came to Madagascar in November of last year by invitation of the president of Madagascar, and while they were here, they graciously made time to meet with John and Esther Ratovohery, Romain and Nivo Rakotomalala, Barry and Stacy Rosie, and  several members of the church here in Madagascar.  Their primary goal is to set up an antenna in Madagascar (a prime broadcasting location) so that the Gospel of Christ can be broadcast to every country in the Middle East.  Their secondary goal is to work with the church here in Madagascar in developing and providing quality Christian radio programming to the Malagasy people in their heart language.  Kevin Chambers returned to Madagascar this month to purchase the land for construction of the antenna.  This trip, Kevin brought along to Madagascar two new and already cherished friends and co-workers, Greg Perry, who works with World Wide Youth Camps, and Linda Egle, missionary to India and a woman who has a heart for improving women’s and children’s lives with her Christian example and with her knowledge of the micro-business concept.  Both Greg and Linda have a love for both the church and for children and their particular spiritual needs.  Their aim is to help in any way possible the church here in Madagascar and in particular the Betikara orphanage.  Both Greg and Linda graciously found several days to listen to us (Barry and Stacy) in spite of their already crammed schedules and meetings with the president of Madagascar to discuss methods of helping Madagascar.  We’ve decided to take them up on their offer to help us with the work here in Madagascar, and we’ve already challenged them in several ways.  We ask your prayers as together we (the Rosie family and Greg and Linda) continue to plan and develop ways to serve the church and the orphanage here in Madagascar.

• Please continue to pray for Barry’s back.  Things are looking up.  Barry is no longer on any medication and is able to bend his back and almost touch his toes with very little pain.  Praise God!  He still has five visits to the therapist to go.
• Pray for the women’s group that is forming at the Ambohimarina congregation.  Pray that they can continue to reach out into the community and be a good example for the whole congregation.
• Pray also, for the men of the Ambohimarina congregation.  Pray that they can learn and grow well in the Lord, in order to take over the leadership responsibilities of this new congregation in the future.