An Easter to Remember

A letter from Jan Heckler serving in Madagascar

Spring 2015

After flying from Atlanta, I finally arrived back in Antananarivo from a six-month hiatus for itineration in the U.S.  During ‘Interpretation Assignment’ mission co-workers for the PC(USA) visit congregations and presbyteries to update supporters about our work and to make our missional involvement with the PC(USA)’s partner churches more truly a shared partnership. On the flight back we stopped only once to change planes at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, but still it took 28 hours to travel this 9,800-mile trip door-to-door.  Fortunately for me, my colleague and friend Pastor Mamisoa and her husband Lala were at Ivato airport to meet me even though it was nearly 1:30 a.m. local time before I was able to finally clear customs and join them.

Pastor Mamisoa Rakotomalala and her husband Lala

I spent the next two days recovering from the seven-time-zone jet lag, beginning to re-settle-in, renewing my relationships with my two surviving cats, Missy and Grace (Temperance, poor thing, at just 2 years of age died of unknown causes while I was away), and starting up some grant-related duties with the programs that form a part of my ministries here.  In this role I consult with ‘prevention’ programs on their planning, reporting and documenting their grant-related activities.  Prevention programs in the U.S. and elsewhere help youth avoid early school leaving, teen pregnancy, drugs and alcohol, etc., and in Madagascar to these are added human trafficking and sexual tourism. This helps them keep the stream of grant monies flowing uninterrupted and helps their programs develop in an orderly fashion.  With 23 of 25 souls here surviving on $2/day or less, a 6+ percent average inflation rate, and the near halving of the value of its currency between now and when I arrived in 2012, the coffers of FJKM, our church partner with whom I serve, are pretty bare most of the time, so these funds have been truly a Godsend!

Going to Tanandava parish
Leaving before sunup on Friday, it took nearly 10 hours to get there.  The first half of the drive, however, was most beautiful—with rolling, green hills lush with vegetation and the many streams and lakes we drove by full from the recent rains.  I wish I could have made a video!

Tanandava is a small village lying about 70 miles inland on the coastal plain that surrounds the island.  As a result, it enjoys none of the cooling benefits of Tana’s some 4,100-foot elevation.  So, especially this writer, coming straight from a fairly dry North American fall and winter, I found the weather to be quite muggy and very hot!  Still, I was able to visit four of the parish’s five congregations where Pastor Mamisoa ministers to some 500-600 people.  The fifth congregation was separated from us by a huge area of mud and water that even a four-wheel truck could not traverse.

This visit was requested by an emerging program in the Sofia region that desired assistance in completing its plans to use its share of the grant this year.  This help was particularly desired in order to help the parish representatives who will manage the grant locally understand the grant and their important role and responsibilities.  So, with the concurrence of FJKM president, Pastor Lala (my immediate supervisor here), I travelled to the Tanandava parish.  I inspected locations, met with the different congregations and congregational leaders, and visited three wells that provide water for the surrounding area.

Parish leaders meet to discuss grant in the village of Tanandava

The parish is considering amending the scope of its grant request in order to deal with the area’s clean water and sanitation challenges, so this issue became a part of our collaboration.  Because this concern is also typically something Elizabeth Turk, my Presbyterian World Mission colleague here, is experienced in, I made a note to involve her in the consultation later on.

Two wells in particular are in bad shape and represent a very real hazard for the young.  A toddler or young child who got too close could easily slip, slide in and not be able to get out.  So the current situation is frightening to say the least.

Whereas the water of the third well was fairly clear, the water of the two most dangerous wells was quite murky.  Still, none of the water has been tested, that anyone could remember, and the clear water had a nasty taste, so the people were distrustful of it.

Also, many of the villagers are chronically ill with diarrhea.  Though it is not possible to conclude the cause of these ills on the basis of what is currently known, the well water and local sanitation conditions constitute the ‘usual suspects’ in this kind of situation.

On Sunday I worshiped with the largest congregation of the Tanandava five in a very crowded, stiflingly hot sanctuary.  Despite the discomforts of that morning, it nevertheless was a beautiful display of devotion to behold.  These 200+ people sat shoulder to shoulder on hardwood benches for 2½ hours to worship our God and to be together.  Such faith!!

Return to Tana and Easter Sunday
After returning to Tana, I re-engaged with my yet incomplete ‘settling-in’ activities and began working on what is now my primary ministry, the EBMI Project.  This is the initiative in which FJKM has invited the PC(USA) to share effective teaching methods with its teachers and administrators in 723 primary and secondary schools around the country.

Then, almost magically, the days passed by, and it was Easter Sunday—and a very nice day it was for me.  I had been invited by the Executive Director of Dorkasy (the women’s division of FJKM), Pastor Dyna, and her husband, Pastor Solomon, to attend worship at his church a little drive east of the city.  Though taking about 45 minutes to get there from my home in northeast Tana, the drive was very nice and, with Solomon’s help, I got there with no difficulty even though it was tucked way back into the mountains.  I had only been there once before, but that was at night, so I did not recognize the way nor realize just how beautiful the view from there could be.  It was really something; being elevated an additional 500-600 feet—and seeing for such a great distance—all of God’s marvelous creation!

Worship in the largest FJKM sanctuary in Tanandava

The service and music were very nice, quite naturally—and then, just before communion, Solomon introduced the immediate past president of Madagascar, Marc Ravalomanana (!) and myself (as a visiting missionary) to the congregation.  Mr. Ravalomanana is also the sitting vice president of FJKM, the PC(USA)’s partner church here, but he has been in exile in South Africa since 2009 when a coup forced him out.  He returned to Madagascar in January (without the permission of the government!) and so remains on ‘house arrest.’  Still, he was in the congregation this day.

Anyway, Solomon invited Mr. Ravalomanana up to the podium, where he took the microphone and promptly turned and found me in the pews and invited me up to join him!!  Ha, hahhh . . . talk about being surprised!!  Nothing like this had been suggested beforehand, so it was just one of those ‘unavoidable’ circumstantial developments.  So, with some trepidation (and grabbing a firm hold of Dyna’s hand, dragging her with me to help translate), we went up to the podium.

The past president shook my hand and then simply asked me to talk.  Of course, not having prepared anything to say, I tried to practice judicious restraint and simply greeted the congregation of about 500 people and told them a bit about my trip to the United States—how I had tried to be a good ambassador for them while visiting the congregations of the PC(USA), and how I knew that more people were praying for them and embracing our partnership with them now as a result!

Part of my ministry here is to work with the leadership of FJKM, so I know and have worked with the other leaders of this church of more than 6 million souls . . . except for Mr. Ravalomanana since he had been in exile.  So it was nice to finally meet such a well-known man (at least around Madagascar) and to have such an exciting Easter Sunday morning.

Later still Dyna, Solomon, and their three kids and I lunched on a nice Easter meal that included ham, rice (the national staple dish) and chicken.  So the day was very nice, very different, quite interesting, and even beautiful as the drive home was nearly as nice as the one going out.  An Easter to remember!!

I don’t meet national past presidents every day in my work here—hardly!  But the struggle of good people like those in Tanandava against a host of pressing life problems and realities here is a daily occurrence.  Your gifts of prayer and financial support are what make the PC(USA)’s partnership with churches like FJKM and our presence in Madagascar possible.  Of course as we are here, you are here as well!

I thank you for these many gracious gifts.  Still, more is needed if this work is to continue.  It has been most sobering to learn that PC(USA) World Mission is struggling with a huge financial deficit and needs your help urgently if our work is going to continue uninterrupted.  Please, if you are able to consider increasing your gift, of whatever sort it may be, I will be most grateful.  Thanks be to God for the privilege of serving, and many thanks to each of you who supports and accompanies me on this awesome journey.

Jan Heckler

The 2015 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 154