Returning to Madagascar Amid Profound Sorrow and Joy

A letter from Dan and Elizabeth Turk, mission co-workers serving in Madagascar

Spring 2024

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Dear friends,

Greetings from Madagascar!

It is great to be back after being in the U.S. for more than five months visiting churches. We enjoyed visiting churches in nine states and reaching others via Zoom. We appreciate the Madagascar Mission Network for sponsoring a Zoom event last November. It was wonderful reconnecting. Highlights included participating in the Matthew 25 Summit at New Life Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, GA where the third picture on their website is a photograph of the famous Alley of the Baobabs near Morondava in Western Madagascar. We are sorry that we were unable to visit all of you supporting mission in Madagascar; please let us know if you would like us to share at your church the next time we visit the U.S.

Cyrille Rakotoarimanana in his tangerine grove

Unfortunately, January and February have been full of sorrow. On January 23, the tangerine village of Antanetibe in Ankazobe District was attacked by bandits. Cyrille Rakotoarimanana defended his home and died from gunshot wounds. His wife and another person were wounded. Three people were kidnapped and subsequently released. In 2010, Cyrille was one of two people who received training on how to grow tangerine trees from colleagues in the Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar (FJKM). He then set up a nursery and gave away tangerine trees to others at Antanetibe. With FJKM’s help, over 70 families eventually started growing tangerine trees, all of which are now producing good crops of fruits. Over the past few years, Cyrille and his wife hosted seminary students and other visitors who came to see the amazing tangerine orchards of Antanetibe. In February, Dan’s colleague Rolland Razafiarison lost his mother and Elizabeth’s colleague René Ravoavison lost his wife Yvonne. We appreciate the prayers offered by many for these families.

Dan and seminary students planting a native zahana tree (Phylarthron sp.)

It is the rainy season now and everything is green. So far there have not been any major cyclones. Rainy season means planting season, and the Fruits, Vegetables, and Environmental Education (FVEE) Program has been very busy with tree planting sessions. On January 22, the FJKM held its annual tree-planting event planting 10,000 fast-growing trees. On February 19, the Ivato Seminary held its annual Green Day and planted native trees and fruit trees on the seminary grounds as well as doing maintenance on the trees planted in previous years. A new opportunity for the FVEE was being invited to provide fruit trees for the National Botanical and Zoological Park to produce fruit for the lemurs who live there. On March 1, the FJKM School Department held its annual tree planting event at Ilaka Est on the east coast at an FJKM spiritual center (“Toby”) where people with spiritual and mental issues receive assistance. FVEE provided the trees and technical assistance for the tree planting. The trees planted included breadfruits, mangosteens and grafted avocados. These tree plantings are an important way the FJKM church is carrying out its commitment to be a “green” church.

Student teachers with Elizabeth, and AIDS Committee members Pastor Triomphe Randriamisaina (l) and Haja Randriambolajaona (r)

February was also a busy month for the FJKM HIV/AIDS committee. HIV/AIDS is at a critical point in Madagascar. While the HIV prevalence rate is still very low in the general population, the rate in vulnerable groups is increasing. A recent research paper projected that an inflection point has been reached and that the general population prevalence rate is in the process of going way up, perhaps as high as 30 percent within the next 10 years. If this comes to pass, then the results will be devastating in terms of illness, deaths and social upheaval. The FJKM HIV/AIDS committee (KPMSV) has much work to do. An important component of KPMSV’s work is training seminary students and church leaders about HIV and AIDS so they can help promote HIV prevention, testing, and care for those with HIV. Another important component is offering free HIV testing at church events. The KPMSV offered free HIV testing, diabetes testing, and COVID vaccinations at FJKM’s New Year’s worship service on January 23. In February, Elizabeth joined other team members for a three-day training for FJKM Ivato Seminary students.

The KPMSV committee also has the responsibility of coordinating efforts to combat epidemics, including COVID-19 and its variants. At the end of February, the KPMSV led a two-day conference for government and church health workers to examine the response to COVID-19 and to strategize about what can be done to better prepare for future epidemics and pandemics. It was a full and productive time that strengthened collaborations.

Elizabeth has enjoyed reconnecting with the student teachers from southern and western Madagascar who have received scholarships to FJKM’s teacher training college in Antananarivo. There are 11 students. Six students are in their third and final year and five are new student teachers. Three of the new students are from the south and two are from the western Madagascar Bemaraha Synod. The first graduate of this program, Fulgence Mandigne, is now teaching at the high school from which he graduated. It is in Soatsifa in the far south of Madagascar where extreme poverty and hunger are prevalent. There are 200 students at the Soatsifa FJKM school and only two teachers. Many thanks to the churches and individuals who are helping with scholarships for the 11 student teachers. Your prayers for them are greatly appreciated.
Please know that we greatly appreciate your support for us as mission co-workers and for the ministries of the FJKM church.

Peace in Christ,

Dan and Elizabeth