Dean Donne, Rev Gaston and some of the laity pray, as construction of a building for Ambovombe Church starts today. Thanks be to God for the land and the funds to build this church. May it be a holy place where many come to worship our Lord God and are drawn into His loving presence.
Gaston was ordained Deacon in August 2019. He and his wife, Oliviah, and family (Marc, Marinah and Katherinah) moved to their new parish in Ambovombe recently. It is several days drive from the Cathedral, and thus a long way from the community which has been their support network for about the last several years. Ambovombe is a much poorer area than Toliara town, with food insecurity and water is scarce and not good for drinking.
Gaston has shared some photos of the Church at Ankilimanitsy, which meets under a tree. This village is about 2 kilometres from Ambovombe.
He is responsible for 22 Churches! Yesterday they opened another Church about 4 kilometres from Ambovombe. Next week they will open some more in Amboasary.
Pray from Gaston and Oliviah as they settle into their ministry in this new area, and get used to the challenges of life in this community. Pray for his safety as he travels along “roads” and paths to visit the outlying churches
Romans 12:12-13: Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
I am so grateful for all that the Lord has provided in my life, especially the gifts I have and the ability to share them with those less fortunate. The Lord continues to bless me every day to be a blessing to other people.
With the help of churches in South Florida I purchased a new oven, baking equipment and ingredients for cakes and cookies for the Women’s Center. The women made cakes and cookies that were sold during the three weeks of meetings and the Synod in August.
Synod 2019 has now concluded. Thanks be to God for good meetings!
We are very pleased to announce the arrival of Rev. Adam Boulter and his family ( wife Beth, Joseph (11), Hannah (7) and Benjamin (3)) in Toliara.
Bishop Todd has appointed Rev. Adam as Dean and Principal of St Patrick’s Bible College, which is training up both lay evangelists, and preparing candidates for ordination training.
The plan with the candidates for priesthood is that Adam will arrange the initial training, and then after a year or two, when they are ready, the diocese will send them for three years of theological study at the University in the capital. That study is being sponsored, but their educational level is too low to get in the University without pre-training, which the Bible college will give. The college is very basic at the moment, with hardly any books, commentaries or text books, but we are blessed with a number of people who can help deliver the courses. The language barrier is also a problem so we are looking at hiring an interpreter.
Rev. Adam was formerly priest in charge of Poitou Charente, France, and prior to that he was the Mission to Seafarers Chaplain to the port of Aqaba in Jordan. He is also a noted painter of landscapes and religious art.
Reports given at the Diocesan Synod in Toliara today tell that there are now 108 Churches in the Diocese. Thanks be to God for this growth and pray for continued discipleship of all these new Christians.
God be praised for the willing hearts of 6 Evangelists, 2 Deacons, 1 Transitional Deacon and the first woman Priest ordained in the Episcopal Church of Madagascar!!
Those ordained were:
Rev Remamy Arisoa Nolavy Osoro (priest)
Please pray for the 4 people to be ordained on August 25, 2019 at the Cathedral Church of St. Patrick in Toliara: