Bishop Todd and Rev Patsy write in their latest newsletter of ‘Coming Full Circle’, famine, and ‘Breaking up is hard to do’.
Click on the photo below to read the newsletter:
Breaking up is hard to do
All posts by Sue Babbs
Rising hunger forces families to eat insects: World Food Programme
Click here for the latest United Nation news report on the famine conditions in one of our Parishes in the south of Madagascar.
Last month, WFP conducted an assessment in Amboasary, the hardest-hit district, which revealed that three-quarters of children were forced to drop out of school so they could help their families forage for food.
“Most of the women that we spoke to said they had nothing to feed their young children except the red cactus pears that grow on the roadside”, said Mr. Phiri.
Severe Famine in the south of Madagascar
Deacon Gaston (Amboasary Parish) and Mr Ialy (Economic Development Coordinator) report terrible news from the Androy and Anosy regions in the southern parts of our Diocese. In the 2019 – 2020 rainy season, southern Madagascar suffered a lack of rainfall, which led to the failure of crops and livestock production. Now it is summer again, and the strong winds are building up drying up the land, and the water in the land. Even wells are empty.
Start in August, severe famine has happened in south of Madagascar. Some 120,000 children, youth and elderly people are affected by acute malnutrition. They have been so desperate for food they have started eating ash combined with tamarin fruit or cactus leaves.
Food security has deteriorated and malnutrition has increased, and now more people are in crisis situation. With the additional impact of COVID-19 restrictions, this situation may deteriorate even further as the lean season is approaching (January – March 2021).
Ialy tells us the story of his family, who wanted to leave the countryside:
Anantsoa is his aunt’s daughter. She is 39 years old, married with 3 children (10, 14 & 16 years old). They lived in Ambovombe town. When the famine happened they moved north to the countryside, around 78 km from the town. They cut trees and dry forest to make charcoal, which they would sell for money for their daily food and to buy zebu and goats for breeding. Their place is very far from the wells, so they do not use water to wash their hands, face or body.
Her husband went to get help for them, but died on the journey. Anantsoa and the children were so very weak they died on the same day (November 7, 2020). Ialy’s aunt discovered this when she went by cart to move them to town. The chief of the village came and decided with my aunt to bury them there.
Famine and drought in this area is not new, but this year it is very severe. People want to leave this area and move to somewhere with water and where they can grow crops and look after their livestock, but they do not have the strength or money to do so. They can’t even sell their cattle and goats to enable this. In normal times, zebu (local cattle) sell for 600,000 ariary and goats are 60,000 ariary. Now the best price they can get for them are 40,000 for a cow, and 4,000 for a goat. At present water, is being brought to the area from Fort Dauphin (4 hours drive away) and even further away in trucks – and is very expensive.
Rev. Gaston buying water
Rain fell in the middle of November, for which the people give thanks to God, but it was not enough.
Collecting rain water
Please pray for rain in the area, for the rivers and underground water sources to be filled, but not that there is so much rain that damage is caused by it. Please pray for the long-planned for water supply connection to be built.
Please pray for an end to this suffering and for large organisations such as the World Food Program, Water Aid and UNICEF to get involved again and provide much-needed aid in this area.
The Diocese needs your help to provide rice and beans to alleviate this suffering. Please consider making a donation now via SAMS-USA or via Give.net / CMS in the UK.
If you want more information, you can contact us here
JOIN US IN MAKING A DIFFERENCE….
In their latest newsletter from Toliara, Bishop Todd and Rev Patsy write:
As our physical presence in Madagascar is coming to an end, your impact is not! Your involvement is needed in the McGregors’ Ministry and the Diocese of Toliara. We encourage you all to pray about your involvement in and God’s hand upon these opportunities:
The Endowment
Join us now in leaving a legacy! One of the biggest ways you can continue your impact is through the Bishop Todd and Rev. Patsy McGregor Diocese of Toliara Endowment (The McGregor Toliara Endowment). Once we leave Madagascar, the Diocese and local churches will not have the financial resources needed to continue the current ministry. The Endowment has been formed to create a sustainable future for the Diocese of Toliara and will support clergy, evangelists programs and trainings, educational scholarships for students, and micro-economic development projects. The Endowment gives hope by securing the future of the Diocese of Toliara and allows continuation for the Good News to be proclaimed in the most remotest parts of the island. If you would like to donate to this life-giving endowment, click here.
The McGregors’ Ministry:
The McGregors’ Ministry as People Reaching People continues. Patsy will serve as the Director of Spiritual Formation at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, in Stuart, FL, while focusing on multigenerational spiritual growth. She will continue to write devotional/ministry books and work with the nonprofit Miaraka: A Time to Dance musical. Todd will continue to be a full-time SAMS missionary, focusing on national and international teaching and trainings in church planting, discipleship and evangelism. At the same time, he will continue raising financial support for the Bishop Todd and Rev. Patsy McGregor Diocese of Toliara Endowment. Your continued prayer and financial support for their ministry is greatly appreciated. If you would like to opt in for future emails from the McGregors’ ministry, please click here.
The Friends of Toliara:
We are excited to announce the formation of a new group called the Friends of Toliara. We fully support this group, formed by board members of People Reaching People to continue in supporting the Diocese of Toliara once the McGregors have departed. They will focus on assisting the Diocese of Toliara with communications, economic development, child sponsorship, financial support, parish links and short term missions. The Diocese of Toliara is very eager about this new partnership and we look forward to God using this partnership for His glory. If you would like to opt in for future emails from the Friends of Toliara, please click here.
Thank you so much for your partnership and continuing to be involved with what God is doing in and through each one of these amazing opportunities. You have been an incredible support to People Reaching People. To God be the Glory!
Serving Christ Together,
Bishop Todd and Rev. Patsy McGregor
Why are the McGregors leaving Madagascar?
After 30 years of global ministry and many years of prayer and discernment, Bishop Todd and Rev. Patsy believe God has called them to leave Madagascar and return to the United States. You can read more in this newsletter
– and hopefully all your questions are answered here
SEMESTER START FOR SEMINARIANS
The Diocese has 5 students at Seminary in the capital, Antananarivo, this year.
Zafy and Antsa are in their third and final year of Seminary;
Estheline, Maurice and Celestin are in their first year of studies.
May God bless them in their studies as they train to be priests.
NEW SEMESTER AT ST PATRICK’S BIBLE COLLEGE
We welcome five new students to St Patrick’s Bible College to study theology. They are:
JANA Hono Rakoto Vincent
BENJAMIN Ramaroson
LAHADY Jean Frederic
MIADA Guillaume Angelot
RAVELOKOSAMBATRA Tsiambanisoa Julin
They are all from the Diocese of Toamasina. (We hope to have photos of the other students from the Diocese of Toliara soon.)
We are very happy to continue to partner with other Malagasy Dioceses at the College.
Please pray for all the students at the Bible College, and also for those who teach them, that they will all grow in the love and knowledge of Christ.
ZOOMING IN CHURCH STYLE – PRP LATEST NEWSLETTER
GIFTS FROM BASE TOLIARA
During the coronavirus pandemic, the Diocese of Toliara has been partnering with a local mining company, Base Toliara, to make face masks. In gratitude for this partnership, Base Toliara came earlier this month to visit the Diocese bringing many gifts:
45 x 50kg sacks of rice
200 liters of oil
20 boxes of soap
10 bags of beans
7, 000 face masks.
The Diocese will distribute 3,000 of these masks amongst its members. Bishop Todd, Rev Noeli and Mr Ialy have taken 4,000 masks to some of the Diocese’s ecumenical partners in Toliara.
Todd and Patsy’s Latest Zoom Call
If you weren’t able to join Todd and Patsy’s Zoom call on Saturday 19th September, click here to listen to their ministry updates and latest news from Madagascar.