Expect the Unexpected… July 2016 News

   In the last two weeks three of these “expect the unexpected” events have occurred.  A carpenter who has a long list of items to build for the maternity center and guesthouse was hauled off to prison where he spent a week. This is because he purchased wood on a loan which is typical but when the man loaning the money wanted an immediate repayment of $160 of which the carpenter didn’t have, the police became involved.  It wasn’t until he was released from jail that we heard what happened and why, as a result, our work was severely delayed.  In the end, we fronted the money in good faith for our work to be completed and he’s now back working.  Another carpenter who is working on higher quality items for the maternity center has been two+ months behind schedule because his father has been quite ill. As the only family member available, the carpenter has been the only one bringing food to his father each day in the hospital, staying with his father day in and day out and making sure his father is turned to prevent bed sores, etc.  His father passed away last week and we provided some of the money, again in good faith, so that he can properly bury his father by traveling across country to place him in the family tomb. He’ll be back to work next week.  Friday we received the sad news that the house burned down of one of the employees with Eden Projects, a family of five.  Several Malagasy key ministry partners along with our families gathered supplies from our homes… clothes, dishes, pots and pans, etc to give to the family as they attempt to rebuild what little they had prior to the fire.

   The common thread of these “expect the unexpected” stories is the deep poverty in which many of the Malagasy people live– including those who are honest hardworking talented individuals.  The poverty here can be exhausting and overwhelming and isn’t limited to the financial poverty that most Westerners think of… yes, it’s financial poverty but it’s also poverty of justice due to corrupt systems, relational poverty due to broken community because of jealousy, sabotage and greed, health poverty due to poor medical services, environmental poverty due to massive large-scale deforestation and spiritual poverty due to a broken relationship with the Creator God, our Lord.

   It is for this reason in which we continue serving here in Madagascar.  The desire of our hearts is that the Malagasy people would be restored in Health, in Forests, and in Hope— hope both here and now but also the eternal Hope that is found only through a personal relationship with Christ.

   Please join us in prayer for these two men and their families as well as the family that recently lost their home to the fire.  Please pray with us– for wisdom, grace, patience, and love as we daily walk alongside so many that are entrenched in this deep poverty on all fronts.

   As you may know, we started a campaign to raise funds to purchase the maternity center property– essentially, the HUB of all of our Red Island Restoration ministries as we seek to restore HEALTH, FORESTS and HOPE!  At this time, we’ve reached 26.5% of the purchase price of $111,000 for the property.  Though the campaign will continue, the closing date to receive some amazing reward benefits is quickly approaching on August 15th!  We meet with the owners in September when they visit Madagascar from France and at this time, would like to provide them solid progress on our fundraising efforts as we together determine the upcoming purchase date.

   Thank you for your prayers whispered on our behalf for the departure of Selah, our amazing teacher who we dearly miss, as well as prayers for the Jensen and Brightfamilies upon their arrival and as they transition to life in Madagascar!  As I type this, both families are currently engaged in a week-long home-stay with two different Malagasy families in order to begin to learn the language, culture and build relationships.  We ask that would continue to pray for us as we transition from being a field of two families and a single in our city to now being a field of four families with a fifth family, the Gough’s, likely arriving in September to teach our kids!  The transition is undeniably real for each of us! Please pray with us for peace, unity, deep friendships and community!

   Thank you for standing with us in prayer during this time of transition, of new growth, and of unexpected events. We’re thankful that we serve a faithful Father who is all-knowing of each and every detail!