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

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