As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” Joshua 24:15

Since cyclone Haruna hit Toliara and surrounding areas in southern Madagascar on February 22, 2013, and has created serious damage to churches, government buildings, schools, roads and the electrical infrastructure, I have had some time to pounder this Scripture.  As recount a few stories about this event and devastation I was reminded of this verse, because this is the underlining question for all of us. 

Whom will we serve? Whom will we serve under good conditions, during a time or prosperity and peace? The other side of the coin, whom shall we serve during devastation; during a time of suffering, disease, poverty and a time of economic woes? 

The cyclone brought out the good and bad in the city. Besides the 12 hour devastating winds and 48 hour rains, the dyke to the north of the city broke and created additional havoc. Homes where either severely flooded or simply washed away. Everyone was affected in one way or another.

On the one hand we heard there was an increase in crime; the younger generation was taking advantage of the winds and rain and robbing stores which normally would have security and lighting. Others robbed the homes of people who had to evacuate without any advance preparation when the dyke broke and raising waters flooded their homes without warning. Once evacuated, the thieves came into the homes and took whatever they pleased. It is clear whom these people serve.

The cyclone also brought out the good. During the cyclone, my guard was outside making sure the church properties were secure. He also continually checked on Patsy and I to ensure our safety. Even when our kitchen window blew out, frame and all, he was there to help us and immediately called the other guard to help assist in boarding up the huge hole in the wall. 

Our local church community came to our rescue the next day, quickly repairing the fence which blew down, causing vulnerability of the church property to looters.  I saw the body of Christ at work. Without prompting assistance, there were 15-20 volunteers the next day fixing up the properties and rebuilding the fence. The most amazing thing was, they didn’t ask for any money. They just wanted to volunteer their services. It is clear whom they serve. 

I’m also reminded of an elderly women who came up running to me and bowed down to kiss my ring and to receive a blessing when I was inspecting the collapsed roof of Christ Church in Andranovory.  She said she was so thrilled to see me. She then began to tell me the story of how her small brick house had collapsed during the cyclone. 

“What did you do when your house collapsed?” 

She said she went to the only remaining corner that had not collapsed and sat beside it. 

“Were you afraid?”  

“No. God was there to protect me.” 

And God did. It is clear whom she serves.

Whom will you serve?

In chapters 24, Joshua makes a stand for his faith. “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord”. The Israelites confirm this by saying “We too will serve the Lord, because he is our God.” (v.18) But Joshua is not satisfied with this statement only. He wants this to go deeper and make this an everlasting covenant. So he placed a memorial stone reminding both the present generation and future generations. He built a legacy.

What kind of legacy are we going to leave for our family? For Joshua, he wanted to leave a legacy in which he and his household would serve the Lord. If this is true for us, what are we doing in terms of leaving a spiritual legacy for our spouses, our children, our grandchildren and our great grandchildren? Are we being intentional about spending time with them teaching them the ways of the Lord? Are we writing down things that we think are important to pass on to them? I’m in the process of writing an autobiography. It is has been good discipline for me but I’m not doing it for me, I’m doing it for my children and for others, as an encouragement to their Christian faith.

What kind of legacy are you building? Is it an eternal legacy or a temporal legacy? How are passing on this legacy to your children? What impact will this have on them and others? Do people know whom you serve? If you haven’t thought about this, I would suggest that you begin writing what you would want your legacy to be and begin to teach it to your children.

I hope and pray that part of your legacy is “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord”.

Bishop Todd McGregor
Diocese of Toliara
 

Dear Friends and Partners in Christ,

I’m writing to follow up on the cyclone relief in Toliara and surrounding areas.  Thank you for your interest, prayers and support.

Recently, I was able to visit St. Philip’s church in Ambohitsabo.  This church is located on the north side of city where the dyke broke and devastated the area.  I  was still not able to drive all the way to the church because of the devastation of the road.   After driving as far as possible, I continued my journey on foot.   It was then that I began to notice the putrid smells of the village.   I discovered the smell was coming from a newly formed (because of the dyke braking) lake which now replaced the road.  The lake had a lot of debris in the water and it was clear the water was not moving.  I did not want consider what may be in it.

It began to turn my stomach.

Upon arriving at St. Phillips where 50-60 people had gathered for the service,  I immediately noticed a waterline inside the church approximately 18 inches up from the floor.  It was as if someone came into the church with with a muddy stick and marked the walls.  It smelled a little moldy. Then I looked up to the ceiling and noticed that one whole side of the roof had been separated and raised up about 8-10 inches. It was just a miracle that it didn’t detach and go flying during the storm.  It is clear that we will need to repair this ASAP.

The service went very well and I shared with them how happy I was to see my congregation alive and that they had not been injured during the cyclone.

At the end of the service, the vice president of the church council got up and said, “Bishop, we need your help.  We are suffering.  Some of us have lost everything.  Our homes were destroyed and everything we had has been washed away. We have nowhere to sleep. Some of us sleep outside on the dirt. We have no food to eat and nothing to cook the food.  Please help us because we are suffering.”

I reassured him that we will help him and very soon. I immediately said for those who don’t have homes, they can live in the church until we get some temporary housing for them.  I estimate that we have about 70 families either homeless or had their houses damaged as a result of the cyclone.  We hope to begin distributing materials for temporary housing and rice in Ambohitsabo this Saturday.

As you can imagine, with all the standing water, debris, etc., health issues continue to be a concern. I’ve heard that seven people have been diagnosis with cholera.  Please continue to pray for us.

How can you help?

Pray for peace for the Malagasy people during this time.

Sends funds which would cover the following, reaching out to over 1,000 people living in 14 communities.

$21,000  – Rice distribution.  Five kilos for 1,000 people will last two weeks (we need to assist people for at least three months since crops have been destroyed).  $3,500 will provide rice for two weeks.

$   4,000  –  Medical supplies to help people.
$   1,500  –  Generator – to be used in these areas where there is no electricity
$   4,000  –  St. Phillips church destruction repair in Ambohitsabo
$   5,000  –  Christ Church repairs to roof destroyed, Andranovory
$   5,000  –  Repair of destroyed rectory in Sakaraha

$   1,500  –  Sakaraha church repair
$   5,000  –  Sunday school school building  leveled in Andranovory.
$ 14,000  –  70 temporary houses for 70 families
$  3, 000  –  Cooking supplies and utensils
$   2,500  –  Clothing

$   3,000  –  Roof in Priest house in Ankilifaly
$ 14,000  –  Seeds for agricultural purposes. We have 70 families who have lost their crops as a result to the cyclones.
$   5,000 for transport

With your help we are hoping to raise $88,000.  We are excited and thankful to report that we have already received several large donations.
In God we trust we can do all of this through Him who strengthens us.

The Rt. Rev. Dr. Todd A. McGregor

Assistant bishop of Antananarivo
Area bishop of Toliara

March 7^th, 2013

Dear Friends and Family

Here is the latest update on the cyclone relief.

Via motorbike, I visited some of the areas that were unable to be reached last week and which are still inaccessible by 4×4 truck. As I rode, I saw destruction of new areas; places hit the hardest due to the dike breaking. Destruction was overwhelming. Cement-block houses (upper level income for Toliara) were ripped apart by the flooding. Roads no longer exist and have become lakes and canals. Many people are taking advantage of the lakes/canals for washing bodies and clothing in unclean water. My heart sank because most likely there will be an outbreak of disease.

USAID and Red Cross have provided a few temporary tent shelters for the tens of thousands of displaced people in Toliara. Medical relief teams give assistance as able. On one hand it is good to know that some of the Malagasy people are taken care of and seemed to be OK, but it becomes overwhelming with the knowledge that this will continue for six months to a year as all the crops have been destroyed. When I entered the displacement camp and noticed to be Caucasian, the desolate flocked for help.

Official reports conclude 40,000 people been displaced and 26 people have died as a result of the cyclone. However, just in our church four additional deaths have occurred in one week due to the stress and trauma of the cyclone, including one infant baby.

Everyday we get more and more bleak reports of sadness and grief. For me personally, it seems overwhelming and I realize I am out of my league. This is not my specialty and I don’t know where to begin and yet at the same time, don’t know where to end. However, God gives strength when we are weak. A Cyclone Relief Committee has been formed by the Diocese and we are moving forward. Action plans are into place, a budget set, and the Malagasy team on the ground in Toliara is working hard, assisting in clean-up, reconstructing of fences, and minor repairs.

Shelter, food and clothing remain big issues right now and we have an action plan to purchase and distribute food, pots, pans, and used clothing. In all of the loss, hardship and devastation of Cyclone Haruna, we are encouraged by emails from international and local partners who join with us as People Reaching People, assisting in aide, prayers and financial support. “By this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts. 20:14.

Thank you for your solidarity during this time of crisis. Truly, we are People Reaching People, serving Him Together. I have thanksgiving to God for each one of you.

Bishop Todd

Click Here for Full PDF Document

Just a quick update. I’m still without electricity but the victory hotel has a generator so I have come over here to respond to emails. I’m charging up my computer and telephones while here.

Electricity is being restored in some areas but we have heard the lines near our place have been stolen so it may be awhile before we have electricity.

I drove up north yesterday to see a few of our churches and to be an encouragement for our workers and parishioners. The one church in Andranovory (Christ Church) has lost its roof. The old church which they used for Sunday school was completely destroyed. They have lost most of their crops as well. One older women came running into the church and knelt down. She then started weeping and asked for a blessing from me. She then began to share with me her story about the cyclone coming and destroying her house. She said she had to go to the corner of the house to survive. She stayed there for hours praying that that corner would not fall on her. I asked asked her if she was scared and she said NO because she trusted in the Lord God to protector. I saw her house and the destruction which was done. What little faith I have and what great faith she has.My heart went out to her. The eye of the storm went through Andranovory. Lots houses have been damages or destroyed in Andranovory.

Then I traveled through Mahaboboka and saw they huge trees across the road and others on houses. I was just thankful we had not built the school at this place yet. It could have been just in vain given the destruction there.

Sakaraha was hit hard also. We lost a small part of the church roof, but the roof of the sacristy was totally lost. The old rectory collapsed completely.

We are still waiting to hear about Betaola which I’m guessing was hit really hard. This is between Andranovory and Mahaboboka. Hopefully, I will have a report from them within a week.

The Ambohitsabo church on the north side of Toliara, where all the flooding has been hit the hardest. I tried to go out yesterday but not possible by car. I will try again today but walk out there. My priest, Rev. Noely said it looks like a church on stilts. The ground around it has been eroded from the floods from the dyke breaking. He said he didn’t have a key to get inside but lots of mud was inside from the sand being washed inside. The inside was flooded. It sounds like there may need some reinforcement for the foundation and walls. Not sure how much damage to the furniture. This sounds very serious at this point.

Regarding our church in Morombe where the cyclone came ashore. We rent the building, so we thank God for that. The church part of the building was fine but the back side of the where the evangelist lives was partially destroyed. His furniture and belongings where damaged.

The rectory in Ankilifaly had damage as well. There was lots of leaks from the roof. Not sure how much was from old age or from the cyclone but the priest moved out most of his belongings and put them in the guesthouse next door. the rectory will need repairs, especially the roof. It may be best just to rebuild a whole new rectory.
Our administrator was constructing her house. The roof was the remaining part. She lost three of the four ways. She has been very discourage regarding this.

It is my intentions to have some figures by the beginning of next week regarding our Anglican community. This will include estimates long term for reconstruction of properties (church and personal) and short term such as food, materials and etc.
One bright spot through this all, the Anglican church in the south has pulled together. where ever I have traveled over the last few days, I have found homeless people living with our clergy or other friends from the church. Where ever I have traveled the church people have been out repairing the church properties. This brought me tremendous joy to see the maturity of the new diocese working together as the body of Christ.

Another bright spot was that people generally where upbeat and happy. They where thanking God they where still alive. I certainly thank God that I’m still alive given when the window blow out in the Kitchen. I could have been seriously injured but God by his grace has spared me. Praise the Lord.

We will get through this and God will be glorified.
Thank you for your partnership in Christ.

Serving Christ Together,
+Todd
END EMAIL FROM TODD

The Rt. Rev. Dr. Todd A. McGregor
Assistant bishop of Antananarivo
Area bishop of Toliara

Dear Sisters and Brothers:

I’ve always said that if it is  not on CNN or Fox News it doesn’t exist. It is a sad reality of the world that we live in today where some horrible news is highlighted and others remain obscured and ignored.

That is the case of Cyclone (Hurricane) Haruna that hit the island of Madagascar last Friday February 22. We would have never known about it, but we have two of our clergy in that area. Bishop Todd McGregor that has been elected recently to head the new diocese of Toliara in Madagascar begun his ministry in the poorest area of Madagascar and all of his work is now under water. His parishioners are scrambling for safety seeking higher places to avoid drowning. His clergy and parishioners have lost their furniture, clothes and all their possessions.

I know the desperation that he may feel now as I had to live Hurricane Mitch in 1998 when I was the Bishop of Honduras. It was only your help and prayers that came from the American church that kept us alive and allowed us to resurrect. Luckily for me CNN picked it up and people realized what was going on.

I want to be CNN for you and ask you to consider making a special offering to help our Companion Diocese of Toliara in Madagascar. Let’s rescue them from desperation and hunger. Please ask for a special collection from your congregation to help the people of Toliara in the Indian Ocean part of the African Anglican Community, our sisters and brothers in Christ.

Your donation may be sent payable to the Diocese of Southeast Florida, 525 NE 15th Street, Miami, FL 33132. Please earmark for Diocese of Toliara.

Blessings,

+Leo Frade

Bishop of Southeast Florida

Click Here to See Photos of the Devastation

Dear PRP board and Friends,

I went and visited some more areas today. The water seems to have subsided considerable since Monday. But electrical Telephone lines are still down. I drove around town tonight and it looks like approximately 10 % of the population has electricity. It looks like it may be another month or so before electricity is all straightened out.  Roads are slowly being cleared away for traffic. 

Today, I visited the house of the president of the Ankilifaly church. He is one of the more successful business men in our churches. His wife is the head of the Mothers’ Union. As soon as she saw me walk into her house and she came to greet me she could bare the pain of the last five days and began to cry uncontrollable for at least five minutes. Her pain was very real, everything in her house had been damage or destroyed. Her husband told us the story that at 8 am on Saturday people came running to them saying the dyke had broken. People where running down the street with there belongs on top of their heads. The water was only 200 yards away. Within 30 minutes their house had 4-5 feet of water. They had to evacuate their house but not until they found someone to watch their belongings.

She then told us about things which had been destroyed such as their important papers, such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, motorcycle paper, pictures and etc had be destroyed. She then said as she wept, “Look at our bibles” which had tripled in size due to the water. I’m not sure how people in the west would have cried over a water logged bible being ruined. We would have just gone out and bought another one. We would have thought of it another material possession which can be replaced. That wasn’t the case for this woman. It was her bible which had special meaning to her life. It was something in her home, maybe the only thing in her home which had a sense of sacredness which was now ruined. Lord help me to learn from my parishioners.

I heard a story today about a women who had the equivalent of $1,000 in her home. About 10 months salary. When the rains came it destroyed the money. It’s useless now.

One sad things through this all has been the looting. The house behind them had been evacuated from 9-12 noon. By the time the owners came back the thieves had taken most of their materials, electronics and furniture.

A hardware shop owner whom we buy most of building supplies from to me, he shop was broken into just after the storm had passed around midnight or so. They stole money and checks from the cash register.

Thank you for your continuous faithful prayers during this disaster. It kind of reminds me about creation. In the midst of chaos God created something good. I believe he will do the same for us in the new diocese of Toliara.

Another side note which has become very frustrating has been the lack of local government authorities and organization assisting the people and responding to the cyclone on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It was not until the president arrived on Monday that we saw the regional and city authorities begin to work. The police where scarce and difficult to find over the weekend. I did come across some local utility company working on Sunday afternoon. It seemed that their emergency relief and response was based on whatever was coming out of Antananarivo. 

Since Monday there seems to be more of an action plan in place. As of Wednesday morning, the govern still had not declared an national declaration of emergency. Not sure why?  we could have 

Serving Christ Together even during the weary times,

The Rt. Rev. Dr. Todd A. McGregor

Bishop Elect

Diocese of Toliara

The city has been without electricity for three days now and a majority of the lines are down all over the city. Most likely power will continue to be off for several days.  Good thing the Malagasy are still used to cooking with charcoal! Water came back after 48 hours. 

We are sending this from a friend's hotel (the Hyppocamp) as Anita has invited us over for dinner to share news, exchange stories and help put an American guest at ease. We prepared this group email before hand and then sent it at her place as she has a generator. We are still able to check individual emails at this point so please understand if we have not gotten back to you.  Please pass this on to others as we are depending upon you all to pass the word.

We drove around parts of the town which were passable yesterday and today and have seen a lot of damage and a great deal of flooding. The dike broke and the north side of the town is underwater from the stadium. That explains why our Ambohitsabo church is under water. The priest was checking it early yesterday morning when he heard someone running, and blowing a whistle, telling everybody to run, for the dike broke and water was coming. Thinking he had a few more minutes, he continued checking the church, only to realize that it was coming much faster than he realized. Grabbing his bicycle in one hand, Rev. Noely helped a woman with her young baby with the other, forming a chain to get to safety, watching his shoes float away. 

The same priest was leading a baptismal service today in  Andranomena, on the south side of town and six miles from this church. During the service someone came running to say the water which broke the dike was now coming into one of the parishioner's homes. Several people left the church service to help assist the newly baptized church member evacuate her things which she had just put into her father's house yesterday because her house had gone down in the cyclone. 

The president of Ankilifaly church has water up to his chest in his home because of the same incident of the dike breaking.  We have not yet heard from our Administrator, but she lives on that part of the city and we are concerned that her home has undergone a lot of damage as well. These are only some of the stories of what is happening here in Toliara.

We are still trying to schedule a flight for Patsy to Mauritius. We are hoping she is able to go on Tuesday and will keep you posted.

Thank you for keeping all of us in your prayers. If you know of any relief agencies which might able to give assistance and aide, please contact them on our behalf.

The Rt. Rev. Dr. Todd A. McGregor

Assistant bishop of Antananarivo 

Area bishop of Toliara