Tiffany-Maybe (or perhaps)

The over-arching theme of the last few posts have been how insignificant we are as humans, but God chooses to use us anyways. What a complete blessing an awesome priviledge that is. God…the same God who created the universe in 7 days…wants to use little ol’ me?

There have been countless times that God has taught me things. The most memorable lesson has been how He has spoken, when words failed.

Sunday was just a normal church day. We went, without Kai and Dannielle who were in Kianjanomby, and enjoyed our second to last Sunday worshipping with the believers we have come to love. As the kids sermon started, my little friend Dodona started getting antsy. Usually, he will sit in the kids section for a little while, then wanders towards his mom or grandma to sit with them for the remainder of the service.

For whatever reason, his grandma wasn’t there, and his mom was occupied by his younger brother…so he wandered into the row behind me. Somehow, there was a little child-sized space between Laura and I, so I patted the bench next to me and he crawled through to sit perfectly still right beside me. When I say perfectly still, I mean for a 4 year old boy, he sat legs crossed hands folded, and only looked up and giggled at me maybe 3 times. Anyone with a 4 year old boy knows that THAT is perfectly still.

Anyways, the kids sermon ended, and the preaching began. After about 5 minutes into the preaching, I felt his body go limp. He had leaned over onto my lap and his head had started to roll down my leg. As I caught his head, I realized he had passed out sleeping and there was no waking him up. So, even though it was a million degrees and sweat dripped constantly down my face, I let him be.

I stared at him almost the whole time he slept. As I soaked in this precious moment, I thought of all the times he and I had interacted. How I know little to no Malagasy, but somehow God still used me to touch this little boy. I can’t tell you what it is like to feel completely unworthy, mainly because I can’t find the words, but I can tell you that His “strength is made perfect in my weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). Anything that was poured out from me was Christ himself.

Paige said it in her post, but I will say it again: who is waiting on the other side of your obedience? Maybe you don’t know the language. Maybe you can’t fly across the world. Perhaps God, just wants you to be obedient in what He has called you to. I can’t speak for everyone, but there are so many blessings waiting on that obedience.

Dodona was waiting on the other side of mine, so what’s stopping you from obeying? Get out of your comfort zone and live the life God created you to live!

Nearly there...

In 10 days I will be landing in the Orlando International Airport.  It’s hard to believe those words are true. I remember nearly four months ago, it was hard to believe that the words were true when I as reminded that I was leaving the country for four months.  But here we are, four months later, and it’s time to return home. I think I must have blinked, because I don’t know where all the time went. My time here in Madagascar has been nothing short of a life changing experience.  And I suppose a lot of people could say that about a lot of different “experiences.” But these four months are a chapter in my life that God has used to mold me just a little more in to the finished product he has intended me to be from before time began.  I could sit here on this couch and type story after story of all that has taken place here; but, I honestly don’t have the patience, nor do I have the time. And it would spoil the epic story time that will commence upon our return.  I would much rather share a little with you what God has revealed to me.

It’s hard to explain what I have learned in one statement. If I had to try, I would say that my insignificance in this world has been made real, but God… I have always loved that in the Bible: “but God.” I have seen a little bit more of the world since I have left America.  And it’s the same everywhere. Evil is prevalent in this world. Humans are wicked and wretched by nature. Unconditional love is a foreign concept and a rarity. And we are a sinful race that deserves to die a spiritual death. But GOD. But God has already conquered the evil, and we can consider the battle to come already won. But God loves man anyway despite our nature, and He understands the deepest desires, needs, and passions of our hearts. But God offers an unconditional love that no man could ever be capable of giving. But God sent His son, so that we have a way to spend forever in His presence.

When I first arrived to Madagascar, I was so preoccupied with what I had to offer. What could I do to make this trip worthwhile? What words could I speak that would lead people to Jesus? What actions did I need to carry out, for people to wonder “why are they different”? Day after day I was discouraged. I felt inadequate, ill-equipped… I didn’t have what it took to be a missionary in another country, away from my home.  After each daily failure, I was reminded that I didn’t have what it took to be radical.

As the weeks went by, God spoke to me.  He told me “It isn’t you who leads people to Me, it’s Me within you.” This isn’t a new truth to me, but it has been made more real than it ever has. We are merely vessels and our time here is but a vapor. God doesn’t need us. But God uses us. The difference that these people see in us, the good that they see, is not from us at all. It is only Jesus. And so my confidence in carrying out His will isn’t in myself anymore, but in Him. My confidence is in in the God who created this world from nothing. My confidence is in the God who defeated death. My confidence is in the God whose love is more faithful than the morning.

I have learned the importance of understanding that I truly am NOTHING apart from Christ. But God values us as much as He values His son. And He views His children as the perfect finished product He knows we will all be when His work in us is complete upon Christ’s return. We are so insignificant. We are nothing. And He doesn’t need any one of us. But God desires so much for us to know that we are loved by the Creator of the universe, and He deems us significant.

And so I know that there are opportunities here in Madagascar that I have missed to share Christ. There are moments that I let go by because of a choice I made. And my flesh gets in the way. I’m too tired, or I don’t have the motivation to leave the house into a world that doesn’t speak my language.  Every day, my weaknesses are made so evident to me. But the beauty is, in my weakness He is made strong. And even when I fail, when I can’t do it, His will and His work in this place will be carried out despite me. And that’s a comforting and humbling truth.

I guess I say all this because it has really changed how I view myself. It has changed my relationship with my Father. The weight, the pressure, it’s not on me. He already carried the cross for me. It’s our call and commandment to simply be obedient. And to be “simply obedient,” isn’t very simple a lot of the times.  It’s hard. But His power within us enables us to do all things. And so I guess this is a challenge to all of you. When God calls you to be radical, don’t allow your lack of knowledge, lack of experience, lack of courage or life’s obstacles hinder your obedience. Because the truth is, without Christ, you are incapable. But God within you makes anything possible!

And don’t think that being radical has to look like moving to another country, away from your comforts, your family, or your friends, to be a missionary. To make the conscious decision every morning to deny yourself and serve Christ, no matter how God has planned for that to look in your life…that is radical. Being radical is purely following Christ. 

See you soon!

-Dannielle 

Paige- The End (for now)

15 weeks ago today I wrote my first Madagascar blogpost; this post will be my last. There is so much I want to say and express about the last 4 months, but since I am not writing a book right now, I will do my best to sum it all up in a few words.

This is the first missions trip I have ever been on. I've travelled many places but I have never gone out with the specific task of sharing the Gospel. I had my doubts and hesitations about coming on this trip and from a human perspective they were all very reasonable. I have learned quickly though that when you make a vow to follow Christ, you should change your perspective.  It is better to perceive what you believe and not what you see. For we are to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).  The eyes of Christ don’t just see our present circumstance or who we are at the moment, they see everything that we can be and as a Christian I must continue to walk with Christ. I sin, I have doubts, I often feel unworthy, but I must take up my mat and continue to walk with Him because delayed obedience is really disobedience and the longer I take to obey, the harder it is for me to go when I am called.

My pastor has often said, you do not know who is waiting on the other side of your obedience.  I came here and found out there were a whole lot of people on the other side and it has been really cool to see the relationships that have developed while we have been here.  It is almost like, if it weren’t for God bringing us here, some of these people may not have become friends, or come to church, or even heard the Truth about Jesus.  That is amazing to me.  Even more amazing, God did not need my help at all.  He just chose to use me.  I am constantly reminded that I am nothing but a sinner, saved by grace and given the awesome opportunity to be a part of God’s work.

I know that God will continue to work, but this is the end of my time here in Madagascar (for now).  I hope that I get to see these people again soon, but even if I don’t get to see them again on this side of Heaven, I have peace in knowing that I saw them for who they were in Christ and I loved them while I had the chance.  Thank you for sharing in this experience with me through your prayers and by simply reading our stories.  God finishes everything that He starts and He has started lots of very good things here in Madagascar.  Continue to pray for the faith, the salvation and the lives of the people here in Manakara and continue to pray for the faith, the salvation and the lives of friends, family and strangers that live near you.  And when you pray, always listen to what God is speaking to you and live in expectancy because whatever it is that He says He is going to do, He will do it. v

A friend shared this scripture with me a few weeks ago and when I read it, I loved it.  I felt like if I had to choose a set of verses to be my closing statement for my time here in Madagascar, these would be them:

“And I, when I came to you, brothers, I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:1-5.

And that is all (for now).

For the Kingdom,

plc

It's Hard to Say Goodbye - Matt

     You know that feeling you get when you realize that a great thing is about to come to an end…well you can multiply that by 10 and that’s what my team and I are feeling as of right now. We came in with low expectations having no real understanding of what God would do, but as time went by we established family-like relationships with the people here. Many have walked us home from their house even if it was a few kilometers away, many have sat with us in silence and enjoyed it (obviously we have lessened the silence by our language skills. Haha), we have endured hardship alongside them, we have experienced great joy with them, and that’s only the short of it. Madagascar is a place in desperate need of God, but don’t ever think that he hasn’t been working nonstop to let His truth be ever present in their lives. We have witnessed many with loving hearts cherish every blessing from God and give selflessly to their fellow man. The community we have been surrounded with has been more than a blessing and I cannot fully express that through a single post.

       I will only speak for myself in this, as I don’t think I would be able to properly convey everyone’s gamut of emotions. I will start with our translator Mika. He has the BIGGEST HEART I know. He has a great desire to help out every man that comes in contact with him and always contemplates how he can express Christ to another. He loves to laugh with us and he has definitely cried with us too. He does not shrink back from the discouraging arrows of life that have pelted us, but has boldly stood his ground and in love has conquered many situations. His drive for Christ has been unmatched in my eyes and I cannot wait to one day talk with him in heaven and ask him about his experiences with God. I have full confidence that God has given him a drive to express Christ to the many that may sometimes go overlooked. I have no doubt that God will drastically change Manakara if not Madagascar with him. Oh… and I would love for him to come visit us in America one day!!!!! Just a tid bit if we can make that possible for him and his family. J

       Next comes Fanza. What once started out as simple ‘Hello’ and ‘Goodbye’ occurrences has since flourished into an amazing new friendship with so much potential for growth and glory for God. When we first spotted Om Snack, the team and I quickly asked each other, “Is that a restaurant or what?” We could not fully see into the building as the lighting was poor and we never really noticed people going in there. Eventually Kai and I were the first to venture into the building and that’s when we met Fanza. Her English was not as good as it has become now, but it was refreshing to hear English when I was frustrated with my inability to catch their language at the time. From that day on, we made it a regular meal spot and I would go there weekly to talk to her and eventually share Christ with her. Her willingness to listen and her catch phrase of ‘why not’ always made for a humorous conversation. Since knowing Christ, I have seen continuous growth in her life. She has been very faithful in attending church with us and intently listens to the message every week. She even asks and answers questions during services now. She has used her talents (singing and basketball haha) a few times in the church and has jumped right in with them as well as trying to read her bible. She has truly become like an older sister to me and this Sunday she made me a whole meal and handed me presents for my birthday. It was overwhelming and I could not express my gratitude at the time, but it was more than wonderful. She has a genuine heart for Christ and continues to be malleable in his hands. I look forward to seeing how God works with her as she gets more involved in the church and as the women of the church help her understand what walking with Christ looks like.

      
     And finally, I would like to speak on my soccer team. They have become my brothers over the past 3 months. I did not come expecting to play the sport I love, but with the help of my good friend, Nida, I was able to enter into the Foktany League of Madagascar. Now the first few weeks of practice were really interesting as I just watched all the things they did (my language skills were more than lacking….I think they may have been nonexistent at the time….lol) And even though I could not always speak with them or understand them, they accepted me as part of their family. I don’t say the word ‘family’ lightly either. My team has demonstrated the most comradely love and friendship that I think I’ve ever experienced on any team. On the field we are extremely competitive, tempers get high, celebrations sometimes are too lengthy (haha), and the determination to win is relentless. Off the field they are compassionate, sympathize with a player when they have a loss (2 of our players lost family members), make sure everyone has their needs met, spend countless hours just laughing with each other, go through new experiences together (such as the Somanay event that we were in), and what has stuck out most for me is their protection of all. They have stuck by my side in many scenarios where circumstances were not as easy as they should have been and they have given everything in their power to make sure I was okay. I have been able to witness with them and many are seeking the truth. Bibles have been placed in their hands, God has been molding and shaping their hearts, the truth has started to take root, and God will do the rest as he has done all of it thus far. I will ask that you pray for them as a whole because I cannot guarantee that all have a relationship with Christ and I would love to see that happen one day. The harvest is great, the workers are few, but the abundance of potential believers should push us to increase the workers and reap the fields at all costs. They have become my family away from home and I hope to one day call them family for eternity. Continue in prayer for Eric, Farida, Angelo, Rada, Rindra, Fiadanana, Aristide, Urbin, Julien, Stanislas, Nida, Tatabe, Tata, Frederick, Severien, Andry, Felicien, Tahiry, Sebastion, Ando, Nickolas, Jones, Tena, and Samuel. You will not go unanswered!!!! That’s for sure.

       Soon this trip will come to its end, but life will not. Manakara will continue to move about in order to meet the daily needs of its people. They search for water and some sort of food every day in order to just remain. We have a water that will cause them to never thirst again and food that will forever satisfy their hunger. I am truly truly going to miss this place and the many that I have come in contact with. But the relationships do not have to stop now. Never cease to pray for the many here, for the many near you, and for the many yet to come. God is constantly moving and constantly listening to his people. I look forward to God’s amazing work that HE WILL do. Always continue towards the prize and never forget all that he has done for us already. I cannot wait to see my friend’s in heaven one day. Be excited, jump for joy, and praise God in whom all things grow!!!!! 

His word WILL NEVER come back void

In him,

Matt