Eat,  Drink,  and be Merry, But not Barry!

          We thought we were going to get a whole day of rest.  School ended Friday for Havilah and I, we had a week’s vacation in front of us.  Kit was already in Majunga with his friends.  We spent most of Saturday racing him on his way.  Sunday morning was a special worship with the Kee family visiting the Ambohimarina congregation.  Sunday afternoon was spent at a funeral.  Tiana’s (Betikara guard and building overseer, as well as a brother in Christ) grandmother died.  We arrived back home very late on Sunday and fell into bed with the hope of sleeping in on Easter Monday.  It was not to be!  Havilah charged into our bedroom before 6:00am, half asleep and babbling about noise and water in the back yard.  Barry crawled out of bed grumbling and went to see what the problem was.  I had hoped to turn over and go back to sleep.  It was not to be!  The noise and the water reached all the way to the front of the house and I drug myself up to see what was the matter.  You have already seen (picture, front page) just what I saw that morning. I couldn’t help myself, laughing almost uncontrollably; I grabbed the camera and settled into Havilah’s bedroom for some fun.  If one can’t get rest, they should always try for fun.  It was fun, of course, from my perspective.  Barry didn’t quite see it the same way.
          For the last month, I had been contemplating what needed to be written in this month’s newsletter.  I had already decided that it was time to remind our family, brothers and sisters in Christ, and friends, that we do not live the same kind of life you do.  What better example could I ask for?  Antananarivo city water!!!!  Always unpredictable, just as life in Madagascar is always unpredictable.  We used to have no water pressure at all, often times waiting in front of a sink very impatiently as the water dripped drop by drop into our cup.  Lately, we’ve had more pressure than we can handle.  The water pressure actually expanded the PVC pipe and caused it to separate.  We are thankful that it separated just on the city side of our water meter.  We didn’t count ourselves so blessed that it had to break on Easter Monday when we were sure to get no help at all from the city water people.  This is Madagascar!!!  Absolutely nobody works on Easter Monday, except Barry.  I thought he was going to have to stand there on our water meter and wrestle with that pipe until Tuesday.  He soon saw that he couldn’t possible repair it with all that pressure, so he left the geyser blowing full tilt in our back yard and went in search of the water guys.  Of course, they told him they didn’t have a vehicle and couldn’t come.  This is Madagascar.  He went to the open market, bought a valve, returned home, put his soaking pajamas back on, and went out to wrestle the geyser into submission.  By this time our backyard was a swimming pool.
          Just when he got it all under control (about noon) and had the water shut off so that he could repair the pipe, low and behold, in drive the water guys.  This is Madagascar!  What we thought was going to be a quiet Monday was anything but, and we had visitors scheduled to come for dinner at 4:00 pm. 
          Often times we are frustrated beyond control, trying to make sense out of the way things work in this country.  You should just try driving in this city.  That’s when I am most vividly reminded that we are not in our home country, as I drive to school daily, dodging holes, chickens, cows, pedestrians, ox carts, taxis, city busses, pedestrians, pedestrians, and more pedestrians in my one hour 7 mile drive.  My favorite are the people who carry a basket on their heads filled with at least thirty geese, heads bobbing out of the top of the basket.  That’s when I know I am not in the good ole U.S of A.  But more often we are delightfully reminded that we are not at home, when folks come to worship barefooted, have time to stay for four hours instead of one, and who beg for more teaching; who count Bible study as entertainment and who look forward to Sunday worship.  And the most precious reminder of all, is when a couple, in their seventies, humble themselves and put on their Savior in baptism as Helen and Rasolofo have recently done.  That’s when I feel blessed to be in Madagascar. 

Did You Know . . . 
           We’ve always noticed and we’ve commented in the past about how gentle and kind Malagasy people are. Even in time of crisis, when two different men were warring for the President’s seat, Malagasy were extremely peaceful.  In more recent times, we have listened to much complaining concerning the rice shortage, but still with quiet voices and relatively peaceful manner.  There comes a time though, when patience wears thin, when folks struggle too hard on a daily basis to scratch out a living, and when tempers flare and things get ugly.
          Many times in Kenya we witnessed mob rule when a vehicle hit a pedestrian or especially when someone was caught stealing.  Several times we found ourselves in the fray just because we were in the wrong place at the wrong time.  Each time it was scary and shocking, watching a crowd beat up an individual.  None of this compares though, to what has happened in the capital city of Madagascar this last month.
          We didn’t hear it on the news because we don’t get television reception in our home, and we prefer not to listen to the radio.  We didn’t see it splashed across the front page of the papers either, because papers here are hardly worth purchasing.  We first heard about it at school one day and we are still deeply affected.  It is a sure sign of the times and we are guessing that it will get worse before it gets better.  Only prayer will help this country.
          The young man made a tremendous mistake that day when he decided to steal from a local market seller near the university in Antananarivo.  He was caught and a group of university students decided to practice mob justice.  They tied him to the nearest tree and set him on fire.  Reporters were quick to the scene and covered the papers with photos in living (and dying) color.  
          We are praying for those students.  We are praying for this country.  We are praying for this sin-filled world.

Miniature Missionaries
          We caught him off the plane on Friday evening, March 25, at 7:00 pm, brought him home, repacked his back pack, and sent him off on a week long camping trip to Majunga (a coastal city) with a group of his MK (missionary kid) friends here in Madagascar.  Our guard’s wife commented as soon as she saw him that he is getting so tall.  One week later at church, the members who waited almost as anxiously as us made the exact comment, “He’s growing so tall.”  I agree, but I also see that our miniature missionary son is also growing mature as well as tall.  
          On the first evening back that we had together after his camping trip, Kit made a comment that really surprised me.  It seemed like an echo of a similar conversation we had with the Kee family just a few days previous to Kit’s return home.  The Kees expressed to us their observation that most missionaries these days only make a five year commitment and the five years are laced with at least two furlough’s home.  
          “You know, Mom and Dad, you are about the only real missionaries left,” Kit stated. 
          I was more than a little surprised, and asked in return, “On what are you basing your opinion, Kit, what kind of a measure are you using?”
          He didn’t hesitate to explain, “I go to school with lots of kids who are supposed to be missionary kids, but their families have three or four cars, they live in huge houses, and they go home on furlough every year.  We haven’t been home in five.  You are the only ones who are involved in church work it seems, the only ones who are busy spreading the Good News of Christ.”  
          I was deeply touched but realized very quickly that Kit was formulating an opinion based on the braggadocia of normal high school kids.  I thought he was a bit jealous, but it also didn’t take much to realize that he had no whine in his voice.  He wasn’t complaining.  He was merely stating a fact, and stating it with a touch of pride, and I was proud too of this miniature missionary son of mine whom I can’t call miniature any longer.  He is a lot taller than me, and he amazes me with his growth and maturation that all takes place when I’m not looking.  Please pray for him to study seriously, begin to think seriously about his future, and to hang onto his commitment to Christ.  Thanks.

          Thanks for keeping us posted on what the Lord is doing out there. I love your family picture. Looks like Barry is still the tallest in the family with Kit giving him some good chase. We are doing well in this work.
          This year in June the ladies in South Nyanza will host National Ladies Lectureship. The venue will be Winyo Church of Christ. The number of people who attend this meeting has grown tremendously. Last year it was in Mombasa and about 600 ladies attended. We expect about 1000 to be in attendance. A lot of preparation is needed to make it a success. 
          Please pray that thro' this meeting some people may be brought to the Lord and that the ladies will continue to be united in evangelism.
 
We love you all. 
Charles and Florence

Kee’s Visit

I’m not sure if I should call her “Poor Barbara” or “Blessed Barbara”.  She was surely outnumbered on this trip, when she and her husband Doyle, two sons, Mark and David, and two grandsons, Maxime and Taylor came to Madagascar to serve for two weeks.  I’ve decided to call her “Blessed Barbara”.  It was a wonderful visit and the Father used them to bless this work in many ways.  They taught, taught, and taught some more.  They planted trees and played with the Betikara children.  They blessed us and we are praying God’s blessings on them in return.  Thank you, Kees.

Milk for Malagasy Children
We are up and running once again.  We finally managed to find six cases of milk last week and the church kids have already enjoyed their Sunday treat.  Word is already out on the streets that the blue Diahatsu has milk again, and the three little tykes, who sit at my front door every afternoon are wearing huge smiles once again.  We pray that supply keeps up and that we will be going full tilt once again.

What can you do?
You can pray!

• Pray for this country as they struggle with their every day needs.  Pray that they can find the Savior that will comfort them and give them guidance in their daily lives.  Many things have recently happened in Madagascar that were unthinkable from Malagasy people in the past.
• Pray for our family as we continue to serve in Madagascar.  Pray that we can focus on the spiritual lives of the Malagasy people and not be constantly nagged by the problems of everyday life.
• Pray for Kit as he continues to mature both physically and spiritually.  Pray that he can be a spiritual leader as he is away from us attending school at Rift Valley Academy in Kenya.