Congratulations to Tantely who started her three year midwifery training course today in Toliara. May God go with her as she follows her calling.
Midwife in Training
All posts by Sue Babbs
Missionaries Derek & Jane Waller’s latest newsletter
Two Into Three Goes – Just!
Dear Friends,
We had set off at 6.30 a.m. and finally arrived in Morombe at 7.45 p.m. It was only 180 miles but the road was non-existent in places. We were shown our room and the single three foot bed for us to share for the next five nights. We could hardly complain as Hanitra, a delightful young trainee evangelist, had given up her room for us and was now sleeping on a concrete floor with four others. We survived and even slept a little.
We had gone to lead the second of nine conferences around the parishes of our large diocese. The aim of these conferences is to train leaders of disciple-making groups. These groups will use the Rooted in Jesus course.
The training is intensive lasting from 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. for three days but we are lifted by the enthusiasm of the participants and the joyous Malagasy singing. We were thrilled to have Derek’s new assistant, Evangelist Florent, with us for the first time.
Since then we have completed a third course and a fourth starts on November 22nd in Betioky, another long drive.
For these conferences Jane does much of the organizing and Derek the teaching, though Florent will increasingly share the teaching.
Please pray that those who have been trained will start discipleship groups in their local churches.
Between conferences Jane has started teaching English. She is much in demand. It seems that everyone here wants to learn English. With the backing of Bishop Todd, she has chosen to focus on particular groups. The first priority is the Diocesan staff working on the Cathedral compound – six in all, of widely varying ability – which makes teaching a challenge. They all come to her classes with big smiles and lots of enthusiasm.
Please pray for wisdom and skill for Jane.
As we approach our first anniversary in Toliara, we thank God for his grace and that we have made significant steps forward in our roles. Our prayer is that God will be glorified in who we are and what he calls us to do.
The peace of the Lord,
Derek and Jane
Missionary Jacky Lowe’s November Newsletter
Ephesians 5:20 In the name of our Lord Jesus give thanks every day for everything to our God and Father.
After a very busy September, I went on a five day retreat to the beach, to be with God in the silence. Each morning, after breakfast, I would walk a mile to a cross in the sand made by the roots of a large tree.
During the walk I would simply enjoy the beauty of God’s creation, the ocean, birds, rocks, goats, children playing, sound of the waves, beautiful art in the sand made by waves, shells, and rocks. It was an amazing experience and a wonderful way to start the day.
The women were very busy in October making 500 Days for Girls basics kits. Harisoa and some of the women distributed the kits to a number of villages near Toliara. The kits were paid for by The Days for Girls organization in America and were free for the women, so now many women do not have to miss work or school because of their menstrual cycle.
On Thursday afternoons and Friday mornings the women are learning to crochet with the goal of making prayer pockets. The prayer pockets will be blessed and then distributed in the diocese during pastoral visits, when people are sick or need prayers for other reasons.
Women who attend the center live in a variety of houses, some are made of concrete, of sheets of metal or woven grass. There is no running water in any of the houses, water is carried in plastic containers from communal taps. Toilets are a hole in the ground in a small building, and bathrooms are a separate small building where one takes a bucket of cold water to bathe.
Children are the joy of Madagascar. There are many and they always have a smile on their face. They play in garbage dumpsters or puddles after rains. The boys play soccer with balls made from plastic bags and girls cook using rocks and soil.
On Sundays Bible stories are taught using colorful pictures on a flannel graph board. The children love the stories and are mesmerized by the wonderful illustrations. Olivia and Tantely teach the Bible stories and I help them to prepare as the instructions are in English. The children also learn simple songs it is such a joy to watch them their eyes are wide and full of wonder.
At the end of October,we were visited by Rev. Hal Spears and his secretary, Trudi Tooby, from England. They had visited a convent in Antananarivo to be present as two nuns took their final vows and then they came to Toliara to visit with Bishop Samitiani and family. I had met Rev. Spears as he lives near my brother. Trudi stayed with me and we had a very pleasant few days.
Days for Girls Distributions
It is so exciting to see how well we have equipped the women in Toliara, Madagascar to make and distribute Days for Girls kits. October was a very busy month for the women working at the Days for Girls Enterprise. They had received an order from DfG International for 500 DfG basics kits (1 shield & 4 liners). They worked really hard to get them made in time and then distributed them in 9 different locations. 757 women and girls listened to their talks, and 500 were lucky enough to win these free kits as part of DfG’s 10th birthday celebrations. Here are some photos from the distributions:
Please also pray for those studying to be priests:
Gaston (third year) and Antsa and Zafy (first years). Classes started today for them. All three are married with young children – and living apart from their families so that they can concentrate on their studies. Please include their families in your prayers too.
Please pray for the student evangelists in Toliara
Please hold in your prayers all the student evangelists at St Patrick’s Bible College, as they start this year’s training at the Cathedral complex in Toliara. Here they all are outside St Patrick’s Cathedral.
From the Diocese of Toliara:
From the Diocese of Toamasina:
From the Diocese of Mahajanga:
Worship with the Malagasy Church at St George’s, Paris
PRP Members attending the 2018 Annual Board Meeting:
Todd & Patsy McGregor, Walter Jones, Sue Babbs, Lydia Corbett, Joyce Fletcher, John Griffin, Paul Simmons, Cheryl & Will Harman
After the end of the People Reaching People board meeting at St Mark’s, Versailles, several members of the board went with Bishop Todd and Rev. Patsy McGregor to the monthly Saturday evening service at St George’s, Paris (just around the corner from L’Arc de Triomphe). We were given a very warm welcome by the Malagasy, many of whom told us they know Bishop Samitiana.
Several members of the English speaking congregation at St George’s also joined the Malagasy and us in worshipping God together.
Bishop Todd preached a very lively sermon in both Malagasy and English.
Afterwards Rev. Patsy gave a Powerpoint presentation on the work in the Diocese of Toliara. 
Famine in Tsihombe (warning this image is upsetting)
Please pray for the people in the Tsihombe area where famine has hit again.
If you feel called to give to help provide famine relief, you can donate via this link.
Nolavy ordained Deacon
Thanks be to God that Nolavy was ordained deacon this morning in Santa Patrika Katedraly, Toliara.
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