As Mr. Orchard mentioned last week, my wife, Connie, and I just returned from visiting brethren in Rwanda and Madagascar. Travelling back to London was a little more difficult than usual. Due to a crash on the Nairobi runway, the flight we were to take from Antananarivo to Nairobi arrived 14 hours late (after we had already spent 3 hours in the small airport). The knock-on effect was that we missed our day flight to Amsterdam, which put us on the midnight rather than at 8 a.m. flight.
Although we missed 2 night’s sleep, the experience was quite interesting and, as usual, rewarding. As the majority of Africans cannot afford to fly, many travelers that one encounters are adventurous foreigners, business men or even political figures.
As our stay in the capital city of Antananarivo, Madagascar (Tana, for short), coincided with a francophone summit (Francophonie) consisting of representatives of 60 nations that have the French language in common and come together every two years in a different country, there was no shortage of high level politicians, heads of state and even some royalty. Our extended travel time put us into contact with some interesting individuals. A gentleman from Scotland, who, together with his wife, had started a charity to help poor Africans, as well as a young biophysicist couple from The Netherlands who were “SUV-ing” through Madagascar, became our “comrades in travel” as together we worked through getting ourselves onto connecting flights, as there were no airline personnel on hand to give advice. An exceptional lady (a Forestry Representative for the FAO/United Nations, stationed in Rome), with whom we also shared interesting conversations during the 17 hour-layover, regularly travels to various African nations, lecturing on the importance of insect control in the many forests there. An attaché to the Rwandan Minister of Foreign Affairs, also on our flight out of Tana, explained that one of the primary focuses of this year’s Francophonie summit was Madagascar; a beautiful, yet very poor country with limited job possibilities for its millions of young people.
These interesting exchanges were stark reminders that this world faces serious and sometimes insurmountable problems; even though there are many well-meaning people who give much of their time trying to address the issues. But, as we know, one of the things God is doing in this end time is showing mankind that “…it is not in man that walks to direct his steps.” (Jeremiah 10:23)
Yet, God has called people from many and varied nations – not from royalty or the fields of politics or science – to prepare now to help Him in the World Tomorrow to teach mankind how to direct their steps. We are reminded that “… not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.” (1 Corinthians 1:26)
We found the members in Rwanda and Madagascar anxious to hear news of their brethren in other parts of the world. Though they live in circumstances that we in the Western world would find challenging, they are spiritually-minded and in good health, in spite of the difficulties of finding enough food at reasonable prices.
In Rwanda, our lone female member, Kakuze, is still in the process of recovering from a very serious gall bladder operation that she underwent around Passover time. She very nearly did not make it through the operation. Though the incision itself has healed, there are still some obvious complications in the body where the gall bladder was removed. Your prayers for Kakuze would be appreciated.
There is some good news to report concerning Mrs. Evelyne Rakotomalala, the deaconess in the Tana congregation. She has made a little bit of progress since her stroke in January. When we arrived at her home (her sister and niece live with her and provide some of her care), she was sitting up in a chair. As we spoke to her she was very responsive and, in her desperate attempt to speak with us, she was able to at least mumble and actually spoke a couple of recognizable words. So, though she still cannot talk and is unable to walk, she has made some progress.
Since for the time being Mrs. Evelyne is unable to be involved in the congregation, I felt it necessary to provide some local leadership. While there I ordained two deacons: Dadis Iharimima and Davida Rakotomanana. These men have already been serving tirelessly and setting a tremendous example. They are both humble men and very eager to learn and to help others in whatever way they can. I have found it very easy to work with both of them and I see that having them as part of the local, ordained leadership is important for the organizational structure and direction of the congregation.
Wherever we live, wherever we travel, whatever we do, we are admonished by Jesus Christ to pray daily: “Thy Kingdom come”. Only our Father and His Son Jesus Christ can usher in the World Tomorrow that we all yearn for. Let us pray, along with our brethren in Rwanda and Madagascar, that that day may come soon.
Kind regards,
Cliff (and Connie) Veal
