His Work
Among the Malagasy People of Madagascar

Go ... and make disciples of all nations

                                                                                                  Matthew 28:19
Volume 19, Number 12 December 2004
The Barry Rosie family have worked on the mission field in Africa for more than 19 years under the oversight of the:
Fraley’s Chapel 
Church of Christ
c/o Phillip Young
140 C.R. 170
Corinth, MS 38834
Elders
Eugene Holland - 662-287-1721
Jerry Bates - 662-287-3351
Figs might not grow on the fig trees.
Grapes might not grow on the vines.
Olives might not grow on the olive trees.
Food might not grow in the fields.
(Certainly, there is no rice in Antananarivo.)
There might not be any sheep in the pens.
There might not be any cattle in the barns.
(Actually, there are no barns in Madagascar either.)

But I will still be glad in the Lord.
I will rejoice in God my savior.

The Lord my Master gives me strength.
He helps me run fast like a deer.
He leads me safely on the mountains.
                                                                          Habakkuk 3:17-19


May your Christmas 
be merry,
May your New Year’s 
be happy,
And may 2005 find you 
rained upon with blessings 
from our Father above!

Barry, Stacy, Kit and Havilah pray a multitude of blessings upon you.
Thank you so much for your part in the work here in Madagascar.

 
Did You Know. . .
. . . that we are having a rice shortage in Madagascar?  No.  We haven’t had a drought, too much rain, or a plague of locusts.  It’s more like a plague of unknown and very greedy people who are doing much to disappoint their own countrymen and we can’t even be sure they are the cause.  In any case, lines for the purchase of one kilogram (2.2 lbs.) of rice exceed 200 people long city wide.  We need your prayers!
this and that
Milk for Malagasy Children
          We’ve been going strong for almost half a year now.  The church children are getting a Bible lesson and a cup of milk.  Others get an impromptu Bible lesson and a cup of milk.  Still others get a cup of milk and an example of the love of Jesus.  All are benefiting in more ways than one, and we are having the most fun of all. 
 I’ve still got the three little tykes who wait beside my front door every evening, promising me a good report card in return for a cup of milk daily.  This last month, we’ve had the opportunity to share milk with children in a special program at the hospital.  A doctor flew in from the outside and fixed club feet non-stop for one week.  The grandchild of our house guard was one of those children.  He claims that he dislikes white men, all but the one who gives him milk, that is!  This month we will make a return trip to that same hospital and that same group of children, and pass out milk as they have casts and metal wiring removed. 
          We were approached by another orphanage in Madagascar just a few days ago to explain our milk program.  That orphanage too, is thinking of carrying out a similar plan and asked our help with tips and advice.  We had lots of ideas to share thanks to you who have given so abundantly to this program.  May the Father bless you richly.

Rice, Oil, Sugar, Flour
          It’s suddenly all in extremely short supply in this country.  We have a pretty good idea of the cause of this shortage but cannot share our ideas with you at this time.  Folks are waiting hours in line for one kilo (2.2 lbs.) of rice.  We can switch to potatoes and hardly feel the difference, but Malagasy are hungry when there is no rice, even if there is lots besides the rice.  Prices have more than doubled for all four items.  Our neighbors are worried and so are we.  Who would do such a thing to make so many people suffer at a time of year when all are anxiously awaiting produce from the next harvest, and in the Christmas season too?  Please pray for this situation soon to end.  Thank you.

Warnings
          Three men pulled up to the orphanage in a car last week.  They wanted to know information about Barry, address and phone number, but they refused to give their names to the orphanage workers.  Tiana refused to give out the information.  The men were not happy.  He telephoned us immediately with the news. 
          Last week, an Asian business man was kidnapped out of his own home early one morning and was returned late that same night after the family paid a huge sum.  Another expatriate here in Madagascar was stabbed right in the street when he refused to give a man the amount of money the man asked him for.
          We are taking those warnings seriously.  The Malagasy are angry over this rice fiasco and they are desperate for their staple product.  We do not go out alone or stop to talk to anyone we don’t know.  Our children cannot leave our yard without escort.  We are even having the orphans escorted to and from school these days for safety measures. 
          It all came on so suddenly and with no apparent reason and it is putting a huge damper on Christmas. 
 
EXPENDITURES

NOVEMBER
Diesel
 $ 137.44
Vehicle Maintenance
 181.86
Rent and Utilities
 590.55
Office
 584.18
Travel
 0.00
Misc.
 0.00
_________________________ __________
Total expenses
 $ 1,494.03
What can you do?
You can pray!
  • Pray that the problems here in Madagascar will not be too much of an inconvenience for us and for the Malagasy people especially.  There is rice in the country, but it is very expensive and the business men are holding on to the rice in the hopes of driving the prices even higher.
  • Pray for the Betikara orphanage and for some individuals that are helping us out during this time high priced rice.  Twice now we have received rice and other items due to the generosity of caring people.
  • Pray for our family as we spend this Christmas season together.  Pray that we can enjoy each other in every minute that we have together before the schools open again in January of 2005.
Miniature Missionaries
          They’re home from their first term of school.  I think they’ve grown about six inches each.  Kit needed a haircut and Havilah needed her hair washed.  Generally, I think they needed Mom and Dad.  They wanted mom’s home cooking (rice and beans) and they wanted Dad to ride bikes with them.  The first two days they were home we did nothing but be together. 
          They are getting used to Madagascar again, though neither of them had any trouble stepping right back into Malagasy after 3 months of solid English.  They’ve greeted the Betikara lambs and their friends near our home.  Kit has already been on a camping trip with the usual group of Madagascar teenage missionary kids.  Havilah has played soccer and marbles with her group of friends.  They are sleeping a lot, and relaxing after a difficult first term.
 On December 28th, after the usual round of Christmas for the orphans, we leave for five days on the coast, soaking in the sun together.  It’s good to be a family again.

Christmas in Madagascar
Just a reminder that Christmas in Madagascar means skinny Santas who wear outrageous masks, lime green Christmas trees, and beach balls.  This would have been our year for Christmas at home in the good ole US of A.  We are missing you terribly this holiday season, but we know you are always close in prayer and in heart.  We are sorry we can’t send you any Malagasy goodies this year.  The government is making it near impossible to send out a package.  We are, however, praying for you and we know that your are enjoying the season for us.  Thanks bunches!

Barry, Stacy, Kit and Havilah Rosie
B.P. 7554
Antananarivo 101
Madagascar

Tel. 011-261-32-02-081-14
 brosie@wanadoo.mg
http:\\www.madagascar-mission.org

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We welcome you to join us in this work for Him . . .

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