Out West

When you go into a village, as a foreigner, it is important to follow the rules of culture. Many times, being a foreigner in a place so far outside of the norm, can get you into trouble. I won't go into the deep details of why Malagasy people in the village are hesitant towards white foreigners...but let your imagination take you to Pocahontas and you have a similar idea.

Most villages are so far out, it is hard to get to them. This is the exact reason much of Madagascar remains untouched by the Gospel. The villages are hard to get to and a lot of learning is still to be done once you arrive at these far off places. A village is just a bundle of a few modest Malagasy homes within a small area. Sometimes, though, villages can stretch from the main group of homes to one outlying home that can be kilometers away. Visiting these outlying homes requires lots of travel by foot...something I am not well adept at doing. Through bushes, sand, rocks, and sometimes water, the people on the other side of those obstacles are kind and welcoming.

Language is hard. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Being in constant practice is very important. For this reason, I have ventured into nearby villages to practice among the people. To speak and listen. To ask questions about culture. To learn what is difficult for the people and to invest my life where it matters most in theirs.

It is customary in this culture to gain permission from the leaders of an area to come in, as a foreigner, and be with the people. Because of the reasons I mentioned at the beginning, it is very important to not only show respect, but for safety. So, I traveled west with my language teacher. She and I prayed the entire trip because the road was...well....scary. We traveled until the road became a footpath. I decided that it was best to turn around, since there was no village in sight ahead, but we had passed a few on the way.

We stopped at a group of homes and asked where the leader was. The man told us back by the main road we came from. So, we headed in that direction. Made a few brief stops along the way to make sure we were going the right direction, and eventually made it to the path to the leader's home. We were told he lived down the path, but that he wasn't home. We turned around to walk back to the vehicle, and low and behold, he was walking towards us with his hand outstretched. We greeted each other and followed him to his home.

Upon entering, I asked for his permission to come and learn among the people under his care. He granted me permission, then told me to return the following Sunday to be introduced to the counsel. I was amazed. This was the first permission I had asked for, and not only did he give me permission, but he was introducing me to the counsel of elders in the area! It was a complete God moment. My language, in my opinion, was not good enough to ask, but God spoke through me. Amazing.

So, the following Sunday, I arrived back to meet the elders. I was told to wait by the road until it was ok to come, so I did. Once it was ok, I walked towards the group of men sitting under the shade of a blooming litchi tree. He introduced me and I spoke a little about what I was there to do. He promised to come with me to meet the other leaders of each village, for the next month.

The men all spoke of how they were happy I had come and how glad they were I had come to learn culture in their respective villages. Each leader I have met since then has been nothing short of gracious. Sometimes it is difficult for me to understand, but their smiles and hospitality are encouraging. Each leader has welcomed me and told me that I am able to visit whenever I'd like to. One even said that next time I should stay for a meal!

God is opening doors here and it is awesome to see. This is just the beginning and I am so excited! I see open doors and hearts ready to hear the Gospel. I cannot wait to jump in and share the hope that I have found in Jesus!

Looking off a mountain towards the ocean in the distance.