Madagascar Travelogue — March 2019
With bad weather abounding, my wife and I boarded a London to Paris flight on Sunday afternoon (March 10th) in order to be safely and certainly in Paris for our flight to Antananarivo (often called Tana) the next day. Leaving Monday morning around 10:30 we arrived in Tana the same day, eleven uneventful hours later. (I really enjoy uneventful flights!) Our two deacons, Davida and Dadis, were there waiting as we traversed the newly designed customs and visa area at the Ivato International Airport. (When I say “traversed” it makes it sound as if we breezed through. Going through customs and getting a visitor’s visa only took about an hour — mostly standing in line.) I might mention that my wife generally does not travel with me to Madagascar.
The next few days were spent talking and counseling with the members prior to the Sabbath. Services are held in a large room in a member’s home in the outskirts of Tana. There were 25 present, counting myself and my wife.
This group of God’s people only sees a minister two or maybe three times per year, and they are extremely grateful for the visits. It is always humbling to me to see their faith in God and their respect for the ministry. They look to us for guidance and are always hungry for news of other areas.
As is our custom, we had a group outing on Sunday. A rented bus took us to a lovely park area 40 kilometers (about 25 miles) outside of metro Tana. The ladies had prepared delicious picnic-y foods. Amidst a stunning profusion of beautiful flowers and foliage, some played football (soccer), others used the chance just to talk — and there may have been some lively card games. The one-hour ride back in the bus was spent singing many of the songs in the hymnal. Your brethren in Madagascar are genuinely happy and thankful above all to be a part of God’s family.
That, of course, stands in stark contrast to the average person on the street in Tana. I have often heard the comment concerning Africa that “the people are poor, but they are happy.” That thought can only be expressed by someone who has not had the chance to leave their five-star hotel or venture away from their guided tour, chauffeured in a luxury SUV. When I see and hear of average people who don’t really know where their next meal is coming from; see entire families bedding down on the sidewalk for the night; see young girls, themselves barely more than children, sitting in filth on the side of a busy street holding their own babies… begging; I cannot imagine that they are truly very happy. The only response to such misery is: “Thy Kingdom come!” But I do see true happiness and joy among those that God has called. Do we realize what a tremendous blessing it is to be able to live according to God’s way of life? Even amidst physically challenging circumstances, God’s Holy Spirit makes it possible to have inner joy and thankfulness for what He gives us.
Connie and I returned home on Tuesday the 19th — tired, but very happy to have had the opportunity to be with such an encouraging and faithful group of God’s people.
Cliff Veal
