Day 2 to Day 4 - Kenny's Post

Good morning from day 6 in Madagascar.  It’s a bit of rainy morning in the rainforest, just a little drizzle and nothing that would get you very wet unless you spent a lot of time out in it.  Allysha and I decided to stay at the lodge this morning while the troops headed out to the forest to find some "howling" lemurs.  Nate says they sound like humpback whales, and that is how they communicate.  Allysha is feeling some of the effects of a long working trip with little downtime, and is in the room sleeping.  We are also looking forward to a little quiet, quality time before rejoining the larger group.  I decided to come to the lodge for a cappuccino and some eggs to give her a little more rest. 

This trip has been a change of pace, and a change of style, for Allysha and me.  When we travel together, we have found that we can be flexible (although not naturally in my vocabulary) and accommodate when she needs rest and I need food.  However, traveling with a larger group, and not being in "charge" has been a significant struggle for me and far from the normal way we travel.  I've tried my best, but know I have not always done well.  Of course, this trip isn't about me or us, and is about something far more important.  It has been a very good opportunity to practice putting our own self-interests aside for the better good of those we are here to help and to speak to. 

To that end, our trip has been amazing.  Although I have not been able to post every day, our days have been filled with interaction with those we came to visit.  On day two of our visit, we had the opportunity to paint at the Bible school.  The paint here is very different from that in the US, and we struggle and laughed about our abilities to control it.  Sometimes it runs, sometimes it globs, all the time it’s tough to work with. The Bible school is a large campus, in respect to the city it resides, and includes a library, classrooms, an old radio broadcast office, dorms and a cafeteria.  By no means is it comparable to the luxury we have in America, but the campus is very nice and serves its purpose well.  Nate and Tammy told us about the included print shop, which converts English instruction manuals for the Bible school into Malagasy.  Here in Madagascar, the Bible was actually the first instance where the spoken Malagasy language was written and retained in book form.  While at the school, Allysha and Tammy clear coated the gorgeous wood windows while Dona, Jon, Cassie, Nate and I painted inside.  The fumes were overwhelming at times, and leaving Allysha outside in the fresh air was a good choice. 

Day three of our visit turned out to be the busiest so far, with our visit to two schools, and then an afternoon of visiting with the Pastor’s wives (Dona, Allysha and Cassie) or venturing out to do a crusade at a bush church (Nate, Kenny and Jon).  Our visits to the two schools were both amazing and so heartwarming.  The schools are not specifically Christian schools, but are supported in capital by the Australians and in faith by organizations like Nate and Tammy's.  At the first school, where ages ranged from first grade to fifth grade, the children were obedient, curious and happy to see us.  They all stood in line as we did a skit based on the greatest of treasures, God's Love.  At the first school, where a portion of the students were older, we were able to act and speak in English.  In the second school, which has a younger age range, we spoke in English and Nate translated to French when needed.  After our engagement at both schools, we were invited in to snacks with the school's head, and were treated to gorgeous gifts (Allysha and Dona received a woven bag and gorgeous table lines, and I received a woven portfolio and crocodile wallet).  Both leaders and schools thanked us for the sacrifice of our time and money to see them, but it’s hard not to think of the sacrifices they made to give us such a welcoming and such nice gifts.  The smiles on their faces and their words of thanks were by far enough. 

In the afternoon, the women gathered at Tammy and Nate's house for a luncheon with the pastor’s wives.  I will have to let Allysha fill in the details of that, as Nate, Jon and I made the two hour drive to Antantabea to visit a rural church and help with a crusade.  The drive was both mesmerizing and stomach turning :)  The roads here are in fairly good condition, but very curvy and always filled with traffic and pedestrians.  Nate's driving skills are amazing to watch, and I've always felt at ease with him at the helm.  I'm not sure I would say that same if one of the bus drivers was driving.  When we arrived at the church, we started with a short puppet show to Malagasy worship music.  The children loved the puppets and the music, and Jon and paid the physical price for not being in "puppet" shape.  What a workout!  In this village, Jon and I acted out the skit which Nate spoke about in French and our accompanying pastor translated to Malagasy.  It can be confusing to be in a country where three languages are fairly common.  The crusade was very exciting, and we attracted a large number of children from the area.  After the festivities wrapped up, we joined the pastor and his wife at his house for drinks and American french fries.  The fried potatoes were very good, and the family was warm and welcoming.  Nate told stories and Jon spoke of his family.  I loved observing the warmth and sincerity you feel from all the Malagasy people.  Pastor Eric, whose church we were visiting, had lost a child a number of years ago and still shows some of the effects of that.  Being in his house, the lack of sanitation and what American's consider the basics of shelter (windows, sink, bathroom, clean area for cooking) are obvious.  Nate left Pastor Eric's wife with a little spending money for meat, which can be critical in their diet but are to afford. 

The way that Nate and Tammy interact with the people here, you can tell their impact is much farther than spreading the Word.  They have shared their love the Lord with these people, and through them, the Lord has helped these people in their everyday lives.  We have spoken often about the difference between our desire to thrive in the United States, and the simple desire to survive here in Madagascar.  I have no doubts that Tammy and Nate has both helped these people survive and thrive in the love of the Lord. 

On day four of our trip, we spent the morning at one of the mission's orphanage, painting the facilities inside the main building.  There are about 25 children housed here, each and every one with a different loving and happy personality.  The living area is split into two areas, one for boys and one for girls.  The ages range from about 5 up to 18, and the mix is about half boys and half girls.  Nate, Jon, Cassie, Dona and I are left to paint some hallways while Allysha was able to make balloon creatures (and swords) for the many children outside.  She also was able to do some face painting, but said that she did not understand what the children were asking for.  So, she simply painted and said the kids were very curious what their faces would reflect.  After painting for the morning, we joined the children and the staff for a wonderful lunch of carrot salad, rice, chicken and peas. The food was delicious, and I only wish I could have spoken more with the children.  For the majority of them, Malagasy is their only language and my Malagasy turns out to be a bit spotty!

Nate has spoken a couple of times about the orphans, and left me with a thought that has grown and multiplied over time.  The orphanage here is fairly well appointed, as compared to the city and homes around which it resides.  However, to spoil these children would be of a detriment to them as they will have to return to their city and land when they turn 18.  Our first inclination is to spoil these children, to provide them everything we can to make up for the rough childhood they have had.  But to do so would only be a harm to them.  Their lives will be a challenge when they return to the "real world" and one can only hope that learning about the Lord and his help will make their lives a little bit easier.