Better to love God and die unknown than to love the world and be a hero; better to be content with poverty than to die a slave to wealth; better to have taken some risks and lost than to have done nothing and succeeded at it. --Erwin Lutzer
More About Our Company
Red Island Restoration is a response to God’s leading in our lives to see Madagascar restored in Health, Forests and Hope in Christ.
Jamie was born and raised in Madagascar as a missionary kid and as a result, has a deep understanding of Malagasy culture and language as well as a powerful love for his home country and the Malagasy people. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and a Master’s of Arts in Intercultural Studies from Fuller Theological Seminary.
Alissa was born and raised in Santa Barbara and while serving on a short-term mission trip to Madagascar in 1999, fell in love with this island nation and it’s people. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing, a Master’s of Science in Nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner as well as a degree in Midwifery.
We met while attending Seattle Pacific University and later fell in love while working beside one another in Madagascar in 1999. After a few years in Madagascar serving together, we returned to the States in 2002 to get married. Three kids, a few degrees and 8 years later, our family of five returned to the great Red Island in January 2011. As our kids outgrew the educational system in our city of Mahajanga and Covid border closures kept us out of Madagascar, the Lord gently shifted us to Rift Valley Academy in Kenya in order to pour into the lives and walk alongside third culture kids and cross-cultural kids. Today, we split our time between Kenya and Madagascar– engaging in ministries in both countries.

Recent Blog Posts
June 30, 2015 |
Building Up… June 2015 News
If we had to pick a theme to describe the last 18 months here in Madagascar it would be that of “building...
June 3, 2015 |
Finding Freedom from Debt Bondage– May 2015 News
Jean Paul is a character– full of life, witty and quick to offer a heart-warming smile. For years, this...
May 22, 2015 |
Our Happy Place…
A couple months ago I was telling Jamie how much I would love it if he swept me away someplace as a surprise. At...
May 3, 2015 |
Mother’s Day Campaign 2015
Mother’s around the world are pretty much amazing! They are our mothers, sisters, grandmothers, aunts and...
May 3, 2015 |
Holding Her Head High…
Nearly all of the women at the Sarobidy Maternity Center have led difficult lives. Abject poverty, physical and...
May 1, 2015 |
Images of SMC
This space has been way too neglected for way too long. The desire to write, share images and stories of life...
April 17, 2015 |
Madagascar Freedom Project
This amazing video shares the hope and freedom that people are finding through steady employment with Eden...






