Day crew and the local church

Day crew came and visited last Thursday for orientation on B ward. Our day crew is a group of Malagasy people, employed through Mercy Ships.  They are paid workers that are dispersed amongst several areas of the ship such as housekeeping, dining staff, chaplaincy, hospital wards as interpreters and extra helping hands…etc.  They will be our native help for the entire field service, so being able to start forming relationships and spending time with them was a treat.  We got to teach them, eat with them, spend time with them and learn from them; it was a joy to speak with each one.  One of our workers actually knows people who studied abroad from JMU (my alma mater) several years ago, and remembered their names!  Like, what?!  I was floored! This world is truly so small.

We asked each day crew to teach us something about Madagascar or their culture, or anything they wanted us to know about them.  So many wanted to stress the point that the Malagasy are kind and friendly; I have experienced that already and I've only been out in the community a handful of times.  I’m excited to see how they treat their fellow neighbors in the hospital. 

I am ready to love everybody.  I want to take them and all our patients as my own flock and have them know Jesus.  I have this vision of standing before them, but there is a rail separating us.  I’m trying to lean over the rail with arms stretched out as far as they can go, willing my arms to grow longer so I can touch those who are just out of reach.  I hope I stay excited about our day crew.  I cannot force my expectations, they are human too and have stories and struggles.  No matter what they contribute, they have already been loved by their Father and their is grace for their sins, just as there is grace for mine.  

We visited a local church this past weekend.  One of our hospital chaplaincy day crew recommended it and so, we went!  We encountered Jesus there.  The worship was nothing like the way we worship at my church in VA, but the Spirit was evident.  Children and adults were worshiping and dancing, just having a good ole time.  Some of the songs had English verses, so we could sing along to some of the music.  Someone sat behind us to translate the message, and from what I could glean, the pastor taught on the power of being a Christian and having the Spirit.  The first thing I wrote in my journal during that sermon was “These people believe they have power.”

One of the main roads in town

While I haven’t had many conversations with Malagasy Christians, I’m finding I have some preconceived notions I need to rebuke.  These people may be poor economically compared to what I come from, but their spirits aren’t poor.  They have excitement about Jesus.  Their spirits in Christ aren’t weak and lowly, they are active, and they come willing and expecting to meet Jesus.

During the service we had a time of praying with our neighbor, then one of the people with us from the ship shared a testimony on the power of forgiveness.  After this, they asked for the six of us members from Mercy Ships to come up to the front so THEY could pray for us!  As others bowed their heads, I kept my eyes open and watched some 50 Malagasy with outstretched arms, eyes closed, praying.  I could see the yearning in their faces. 

Some of the landscape we get to look at

I’ve had people pray over me before, but I’ve never had people pray over me in a different language and still feel the weight of the depth of their prayers.  I left that service with a deeper grasp of what we are doing here.  Mercy Ships is an answer to the Body of Christ’s prayers here in Toamasina.  We have come at the appointed time and that makes my responsibility here much more real.  I literally am a part of their answer.  I have been hand chosen by an omnipotent, sovereign God to walk in the works He has prepared in advance for me to do.  I realize I am a very small part in the Lord’s grand plan, but I can rest in knowing I’m where I’m supposed to be.  There are many other worldly questions and feelings that pop up, but God solidified, if He hadn’t done so already, this is His time, and we are all part of bringing His kingdom here.  I look forward to working and growing with the Church here.