It was Christmas day, December 25, 2003.  I had six volunteers in my house in addition to my own family.  The turkey in the oven was half cooked, the fixins in various stages of preparation.  My husband was flat on his back in bed with a herniated disc.  I wasn’t even home.  I was sitting in one of the dirtiest hospitals in Madagascar beside Rivovavy’s (a woman, not our right-hand man Rivo) bed, and I was in despair.  She was so very near death, and even though I am not a doctor or medically trained in any way, I could easily see that she was not going to get the proper help in this hospital or possibly in any hospital in Madagascar.  As I sat watching her closely trying to will the next breath from her by sheer force, I thought of her five small children at home and their need for their mother.  I thought about what she meant to me and how sad I was feeling.  I thought about how she didn’t have the opportunity to know Christ, and I forced the tears to stay inside my eyes and not spill over. 
            It was then I thought of Hezekiah.  He was a man who followed God.  He was also a man who made several big mistakes, but when he prayed to God to add days to his life, God was quick to answer.  Why can’t it work for Rivo, I thought, and so I prayed.  I asked God to add days to her life so that she could have time to know and obey him.  As usual, prayer works. 

            There were three other women in that hospital room and Rivo was by far the sickest.  That week, two of the other women died, but Rivo hung on.  She stayed in that hospital until January 9th, and when they released her she still couldn’t walk or eat or even talk.  I knew they released her because they couldn’t do anything for her and they expected her to go die at home. I continued to pray, asking the Father for more days for Rivo so that she could come to know him.
            That prayer was answered so beautifully on Sunday morning, May 23rd, when Rivo was baptized into Christ.  God does answer prayers with more than we ever expect.  Rivo is well in body and in spirit now.  She is a precious child of His because He added days to her life just as he did for Hezekiah. 
            God answered a second prayer of mine that day and my joy overflowed.  The whole church trekked back up the hill to the building after the baptism.  I was walking quietly behind three men, two of them faithful babes in Christ.  I had been praying for the men of this congregation, asking God to prepare them to lead, and asking him to help them share His word with others.
            Martin was one of those men.  Martin comes to church barefoot and in tatters.  Martin is Tandroy, a tribe that is ridiculed by most Malagasy.  He sits quietly way off to the side and near the back, but he has been faithful to worship for over a year now, often times walking more than five kilometers to church.  I remember a time awhile back when the men tried to convince Martin to stand up and say a public prayer.  I could see him shaking as he stood before the church.  He bowed his head.  There was a very long moment of silence.  He tried to pray but his voice was shaking too much.  Finally, he raised his head, said he couldn’t do it, and sat back down.  I felt so bad for him and I asked Barry to assure him that it was ok if he couldn’t lead a public prayer or if he didn’t feel able to do anything publicly.  I wanted Barry to assure him that he could still reach others for Christ. 
            As I walked up the hill after Rivo’s baptism behind those three men, I heard God answering my prayer. 
            “That was a very nice baptism,” the visitor said.
            “It wasn’t just nice,” Martin quietly pointed out, “It was necessary.”
            “How’s that?” asked the visitor.
            “Wweeeellll . . . You can’t depend on yourself in this life; it’s never enough.  We all need a Savior to lean on,” Martin’s response was again very quiet but given with a tone of simple assurance. 
            “I sure agree with that,” came back the visitor, “you just can’t depend on yourself.”  Martin’s voice was louder this time and he had a huge smile on his face as he did a 180.
            “Well then, let’s turn around and go back down to the water so that you will have a Savior to depend on!”
            He still can’t lead a public prayer, but he does share Christ in his own quiet way.  I am so proud of Martin and so content to be reminded once again that God does answer prayers.

Milk for Malagasy Children

Many many thanks to our Father above and to one caring Christian couple, more than three hundred fifty children have received milk this month.  Just take a look for yourself, and then you tell me if you think it is worth it.

Email Address Change
For the last two years our email server here in Madagascar has accepted two different addresses.  Beginning June 1, 2004, they will no longer accept the brosie@dts.mg address.  Please, in the future, use only the brosie@wanadoo.mg .  Thank you for your help in this matter.

A Tribute
            Of all the people that have touched my life and have walked with me on this journey towards the Father, I think I hold Norm Reeger most dear.  I first met him as a college student and a babe in the Savior.  Norm had children my age at that time and so, he simply increased his flock by one. 
            God used Norm to smooth my rough edges, to inspire me to a closer walk with Him, to seek His will in all things, and to give all that I am over to the Father.   He used to tease me, saying that he could see me one day in the future ironing shirts so my husband could teach God’s word, and that used to make me so angry.  But.  What did I do just this morning?  I ironed a shirt for Barry so he can teach God’s word.  Norm used to listen to my doubts and he used to share his doubts with me.  Norm was friend, brother, surrogate father, and fellow Christian all rolled up into one.  I love him so much. 
            I haven’t seen Norm for quite a few years.  He has suffered with severe Alzheimer’s disease since well before our last furlough.  Even so, there are many days as we work here in Madagascar, that Norm’s voice seems to come to me as if he’s standing right beside me and his counsel is still apropos even years later.  Yesterday, I opened up a Betikara report and found a donation made in memory of Norm.  My first reaction was shock and I wasn’t in a private place where I could give way to my feelings.  Very quickly though, my shock turned to a smile.  I could see as clearly as a picture in a book, Norm sitting in Abraham’s arms, enjoying the first real conversation he has had in years with one of his favorite of the Father’s children.
            Norm reached out to one babe in Christ and helped her to grow.  She, in turn, is reaching out as best she can and trying to do for others as Norm has done for her because he was filled with the love of the Father.  As a new missionary, when I realized that 3,000 were not going to sit at my feet and soak in God’s word, I began to understand that God puts each of us on earth to touch one other person in a very special way.  Norm did that for me.  I pray I can do it for the one I am intended to help.

I love you, Norm.
 

• Pray for the Rosie family as we continue to make plans for the future education of Kit and Havilah.  Pray that we will be able to send Kit and possibly Havilah to Rift Valley Academy this coming September.
• Pray for Christians like Martin that are new in Christ.  Pray that they can influence their families, friends and others to follow the Savior just as they have done.  Pray that they will continue to grow spiritually, and be good examples for those around them on a daily basis.
• Pray for the men in the church here in Antananarivo.  Pray that they can grow into the elders and deacons that the Lord desires for His church in this world full of trouble and sin.