Dio!

A Letter from Jan Heckler, serving in Madagascar

May 2018

I have always enjoyed working with other women who have the inner affirmation and intellectual strength to be both challenging and humorous. Dio (a.k.a. Diocletienne Lodi Benaverana) is a woman just like this. When I was teaching her and others about evidence based methods of instruction (EBMI) originally, I would begin each day by asking questions about the material we had covered over the prior day or two’s classes to review. Occasionally when one of them would provide an answer that was particularly complete and exacting, I might exclaim, “Textbook!” while smiling and shaking my head, indicating just how competent I thought the reply had been.

In turn, when I might do something to her particular liking (like getting the gravy on a roast chicken just right), Dio would delight our group by reversing roles with me by parroting the phrase “Textbook!” back to me. Not a meeting goes by that she doesn’t have us doubled-up laughing ourselves silly with her timing and the straight-laced delivery of a Bob Hope or Jerry Seinfeld.

I first met Dio the same day I met Samuel Andriar, Ed. D., the director of the teacher training college operated by the PC(USA)’s partner church, the Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar (or, FJKM as it is abbreviated from the Malagasy spelling). We were together in the presence of the director of the National Schools Department for FJKM at the time to meet one another and for him to introduce Dio, his #1 student teacher from the college’s most recent graduating class.

Dr. Andriar recommended both Dio and Mampion (a.k.a. Fiainantsoa Herimampionona Rasoanomenjanahary) for the EBMI Project. Later, they became the first two Teacher-Educator/Coaches (TECs), and later still, the first two Senior TECs.

Both Mampion and Dio are as exceptional people as they are extraordinary educators. Each is a delight to be around and work with and both contribute regularly to our core project team’s thinking, planning, and problem solving.

Dio was born in one of the vacationlands of Madagascar, Antisiranana, but moved to the capital when her studies brought her to the elevated plateau of the interior part of the island. Being the first-born of three girls as well as a chess player, Dio often has obliging insights that help the project over a thorny issue. She challenges the team to broaden our thinking and “push the envelope” with droll humor when she queries us with her characteristic, “Why not?” that relieves the pressure of the moment and resolves the question by pushing the bar further upward.

She is also quite selfless. When something needs to be done, Dio is nearly always the first on her feet, already doing the task that’s been overlooked — usually before the others have even had a chance to finish considering the question.

Dio is the most experienced teacher of our indigenous staff, having taught five years before joining the project. Previously, she taught language and science in the sixth through twelfth grades. She first became interested in teaching when, in grade 11, she won a “Competition Essay” on the topic of “What would you like to do after your studies” that had been organized by a United States Peace Corps volunteer teacher in Madagascar. She explained, “I dreamt that I wanted to be an English teacher and then wrote about the dream as my topic in the essay competition.”

She added that she “saw teaching as an important way to help children, young people, and future citizens in making their future lives more successful and the country more of a success as well!” Dio recalls a quote by Nelson Mandela that influenced her: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” The man and his words seem to reverberate within Dio and her work with the FJKM’s teachers and learners.

Dio publicly accepted Christ as her savior when she was 13 and sees God’s work in her life in many ways. “God shows me His love and mercy, His guidance and protection. He seems always to answer my prayers,” she said. “He has given me great joy and happiness through my job, my family, my colleagues and all those around me who help strengthen my faith.”

Dio easily shared the things she most enjoys in her work on the project:

1. First, the methods and arrangements used by EBMI are foremost effective and efficient. They facilitate both teacher and learner success.

2. Second, different aspects of the educational experience are emphasized, so it is hardly one dimensional. Issues like leadership and management, scriptural support for why and what we’re doing, personal and professional health, and other professional skill sets (like computer skills) that help our team become more professional, successful, healthy, and happy routinely enter into our discussions.

3. Third, one of EBMI’s primary strategic adages, “Form Follows Function,” really helps me understand the value of logic in professional design — whether a lesson plan or a major project — and how to behave as a shared and contributing part in developing it.

4. Finally, the way we treat one another in the EBMI Project team is to consider our colleagues with dignity, love and respect; just as the neighbors Jesus talks about in the second commandment. I mean among the boss and the employees across four levels of hierarchy, there is real friendship and compassion, like a close-knit family.

It is a great reward to be able to work with Dio and the others of our partner church here, the Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar (the FJKM) on a project of such grand potential. Imagine being a part of a project whose fruition will mean improved education for thousands of children year after year in perpetuity. It exists because you are a part of it, a huge part. Dio and the others know this because we share your contributions when you write and pray and support us in other ways!

When you donate to this ministry, not only do you help with the EBMI Project, but you also help other things this mission co-worker does, including working to help empower women and protect children, and building the capacity of our partner church by improving its technical skills, supervision, management, and leadership.

Please consider supporting our ministry. Thanks be to God for the privilege of serving, and many thanks to all of you who already support and accompany me in helping to transform the hope of today into the realities of tomorrow.

Jan Heckler

Antananarivo