Here is the latest news from Derek and Jane Waller:

Dear Friends, 

We are back in the UK!  We are looking out onto an English country garden from this converted barn in the lovely village of Byfield, Northamptonshire. We are amazed at the rapid way events have moved in just a week.  It’s hard to believe.

Two months after COVID-19 reached Madagascar we decided to review our situation and we felt that the balance was shifting towards leaving. Here is some of our reasoning:

• Because we were unable to travel, our Rooted in Jesus work was very restricted.  Rev Florent will make an excellent Discipleship Coordinator, carrying on what we have begun together. So our work is largely complete.
• We could relieve our family’s worries about us being here and support them in the UK.
• The health care system in Madagascar is poor.  As we are both over 60, we were in a higher risk group.
• If we caught Covid-19 or the disease spread rapidly to Toliara, we would be a burden upon the Malagasy church.

So on Wednesday 10^th June, with the support of our Bishops and CMS, we asked the British Embassy to put us on their repatriation list.  Much to our surprise on 12^th they strongly recommended a charter flight leaving Antananarivo on 17^th June!  We had three days to say goodbye to friends, sort out our house, pack and have a farewell thanksgiving service in the cathedral.  We travelled by road on 15^th and 16^th, our last opportunity to see this beautiful land.  Permission for the flight was granted in the evening of 16th and we flew to Addis on 17th, arriving in the UK on the 18^th.  We had wonderful support from Bishop Todd, Bishop Samy and many others as we left Toliara and now we find ourselves being looked after by a retired Bishop and his wife, as we spend quarantine in their converted barn. We have just heard that our tenant has found new accommodation at short notice so we can move into our own home in early July.

It’s been quite a rollercoaster of emotions but our overwhelming sense is of gratitude to God for his grace towards us. Once we began this process, many doors flew open. Like St. Paul we can say that all this has been made possible through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus (see Philippians 1:19). Thank you!

With our love,

Derek and Jane

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your prayers for us and for Toliara Diocese and for your words of encouragement.  We received so many responses to our last message that we apologise for not being able to respond individually.  We hope that you understand.  We are keeping well, as are all our friends here.

We are writing on Holy Saturday as it is called here, the pause between the crucifixion and the resurrection, a day of waiting and wondering.

Here in the city of Toliara the first two cases of Coronavirus have been confirmed.  Will the authorities be able to control this outbreak?  Are there already others who have not been tested?  We wait.  We wait and we take precautions.  We wait and we pray.  We wait and we worry – we feel the anxiety of facing the unknown.  But we also act.  We are supporting Bishop Todd and Bishop Samitiana in educating the Diocese about this new disease.  Many are ignorant and some deny that it even exists.

Derek and Neny Holy, the wife of Bishop Samitiana, have met the Diocesan staff and visited each home on our compound (seven in all) to speak about Coronavirus.  Our demonstrations and visual aids help adults and children alike.  We’ve given them 10 rules for keeping safe, around the twin principles of physical distancing and good hygiene.  We give the children black and white copies of the hands for them to colour themselves.  Neny Holy is now putting these rules onto the Diocesan Facebook page in short videos.  We’re also joining in developing resources for prayer in people’s homes as churches remain closed.

In our waiting and acting we are spurred on by the love of Jesus poured out for the world on the cross.  How we long that the people here are kept safe!  And we wait for Easter Sunday when we will shout out, “Christ is Risen!  Alleluia!”  We suspect that this acclamation will take on new depth tomorrow.  May we all be filled with living hope in the one who has defeated death and whose Kingdom will come!

With our love,

Dear friends,

Every now and then something really good happens in our lives and all we can do is say, “Thank you, Lord.” That’s how we feel about our friendship with Florent.

In September 2018, Bishop Todd suggested that we speak informally to evangelist Florent about the vacant role of assistant discipleship coordinator. These chats together often ended in laughter because we couldn’t understand him nor he us.

You can read more here.

Thanks be to God also for the arrival in the Diocese of CMS Missionaries Rev Derek & Jane Waller, and SAMS Missionary Jacky Lowe. Derek and Jane are teaching the Rooted in Jesus discipleship program in the Diocese and Jane is also teaching English to the staff and other local people. Jacky is living and working at the Women’s Centre, working closely with Chretienne, Harisoa and Mme Holy.

Derek and Jane Waller

Jacky Lowe

Latest newsletter from Derek and Jane Waller:

It all began after Easter. We were having a more settled period in Toliara after much travelling and the weather was cooling down in our Southern Hemisphere winter. What better time to plant some young trees and even try some vegetables and flowers – so we explored the local nurseries, found a supply of “muck” and our garden began. Every evening sees us out with buckets, watering with the help of our young neighbours, Katerinah and Marinah.

As well as being fun and good exercise, there is something profoundly gospel about creating a garden in a dry place – “the wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus” (Isaiah 35:1). We love the idea of future generations enjoying the beauty and shade from “our trees” and who knows – others may copy us and plant their own good news!  Click here to read more

Message from Derek and Jane Waller – June  2019 

Dear friends,

We travelled the twelve or so kilometres by tuktuk (a motorbike around which is built a small passenger compartment – not dissimilar to a bubble car for those old enough to remember!)  When the driver stopped all we could see was sand.  But after we had clambered up the dunes we saw a large village nestled between sand and ocean. Life here revolves around the sea with dozens of pirogues setting out each day to fish.  As so often in southern Madagascar, we were struck by the contrasts. Look towards the sea and there is the beauty of the turquoise blue waters.  Watch the catch coming in from the rich fishing waters and you see the abundance of creation.  Looking back one sees the simple homes of people struggling to feed, clothe and educate their families. The Anglican Church, a simple structure of corrugated metal walls reflects this poverty.

Ankilibe, in the parish of Fenoarivo, was the venue for our 9^th leadership training conference for Rooted in Jesus.  Around 20 people came for the training. Once again we were faced with contrast. Two young mothers with babies were keen to learn.  An older man, who is a teacher, was eager to start a group in another village.  But others came who could not read and so would not be able to lead Rooted in Jesus.  Some came and went and came back again, leaving our registration sheet full of ticks and crosses – why did they miss so much of our training? The impression is of people whose understanding of their faith and commitment to Christ is at an early stage.

After the final service on the Sunday we were left to reflect on two questions.  Will the seed we have planted bear fruit?  And can we see God’s beauty in the people we encounter, just as we see it in the beauty of creation?

As always we thank God for your prayers. Will you pray for our last parish training from June 16^th – 19^th at Sakaraha in the parish of Archdeacon Hery?  

With our love and gratitude,

Derek and Jane

Derek & Jane’s latest newsletter reflects on the ministry of Bishop Samy & Neny Holy in Toliara.

Click here to read more:

  Click below to read Derek and Jane’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 22^nd  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