What did you observe today?

Doing laundry at the bay

Mananjary airport

Mananjary

Asheton using balloon animals to share the gospel

This is the question we started our nightly debriefing with during our recent trip to Mananjary (a city on the eastern coast of Madagascar) with members of the Mill.  So often, as Americans, we feel like we have all of the answers—when often we don’t even know the right question to ask!  One of our key goals during our time with the people in & around Mananjary was to see how they live life, day-to-day, and learn how they see life.  The trip was an amazing time!  The people from our home church, the Mill, got to truly see how the Antambahoaka & Antemoro people live.  We were privileged to be allowed entrance in to their homes & school; and most importantly we shared the life-giving message of the Gospel with them several times! 

Amboanato

We visited 3 villages along the Canal Pangallanes (a 600km man-made canal linking Mananjary with the major seaport town of Tamatave) that runs along the eastern coast of Madagascar.  The village where we spent most of our time was called “Amboanato” (Ahm-boo-ah-nah-too).  

 Travel in this part of Madagascar is via boats or dug-out canoes that travel up and down the canal.  We, too, used the canal on our final day in Mananjary to travel to 3 different villages and get additional information on how people live and interact with each other, and with foreigners. 

Traveling the canal and passing through the bridges

Lunch with the king of Amboanato

We were blessed to be invited into the king's home where his granddaughters made us a meal to share with the king!  Over the 3 days we visited Amboanato, the king became more & more open to our presence. In the end, he was sad to see us go and already looking forward to the next visit the Mill will make to the village. 

People from Amboanato coming out to say goodbye

Overall, the trip was a huge success!  We interacted with 3 different villages whose populations total well over 2000 people.  We shared the Gospel on 7 different occasions in those 3 villages.  We shared the Gospel using salvation bracelets in a school in Amboanato to 150+ kids and their teachers, and also taught them “Jesus Loves Me” in English & Malagasy.  We preached the Gospel to each village over the course of 4 days in the region.  We ate with, sang with, and even danced with the people in Amboanato-and in the end, I think the people of the Mill fell in love with them as well.           

Teaching salvation thru bracelets

Teaching "Jesus Loves Me" in Malagasy

Preaching the gospel

Why yes we are Southern Baptist--that is why that Preacher can't dance! ;)

Andy examining a blind woman

Scott examining a man's shoulder

"Let the little children come to me..."

Sandra sharing her testimony

Loving on some kids on the beach

Thank you, thank you, thank you to the Mill for sending the first team to work with us here in Madagascar.  Thank you to the family & friends that helped send the team to Madagascar through your prayers, your baby-sitting, making meals, and your donations.  We are so thankful to be members of a church that loves Jesus, and wants to see others love Jesus as well!!