Dan and Elizabeth Turk - November 2020 Update
Antananarivo, Madagasacar
Dear friends,
As with all of us this year, COVID-19 has brought unexpected changes. In August, PC(USA) extended the travel ban for all staff through June 2021, so we will be in the U.S. until then. As Thanksgiving approaches, we give thanks for being close to family and having good health. We are thankful for productive and resourceful colleagues who have continued the work in Madagascar and for technology that allows us to communicate regularly with them. We are also thankful for a wonderful Madagascar Mission Network (MMN) conference this past November 12th-14th. It has brought new opportunities and avenues for mission in Madagascar.
Brief Update from the Field
After the travel ban was lifted, the FJKM AIDS committee was able to complete its AIDS training at FJKM’s five seminaries – of course with masks and social distancing! They distributed masks and food items to all seminaries as well. Colleagues with the Fruits, Vegetables, and Environmental Education Program have recently taken steps to start new fruit nurseries at the FJKM seminary at Mandritsara and the FJKM church at Ankaramena. A nursery and orchard at the FJKM's new agricultural high school at Fihaonana were inaugurated.
First Virtual Madagascar Mission Network Conference
The MMN paved a new path with its first virtual conference! The virtual format, while challenging, brought together a diverse group of people from 8 countries and at least 12 states. Many had never attended an MMN conference. Direct participation from representatives of The Outreach Foundation’s partner church in Madagascar, the FJKM, was particularly meaningful and included Pastor Alfred Randriamampionona, FJKM Theological Education Committee Chair, Pastor Zo Ratsimandisa, FJKM University Rector, Pastor Juliette Razafiarisoa, FJKM Ivato Seminary Director, and Pastor Helivao Poget, FJKM Ministry to the Marginalized Coordinator. FJKM President Irako Andriamhazosoa Ammi shared a pre-recorded message. Others participating through videos included the FJKM head of schools, seminary students, pastors, doctors, and development workers.
The conference opened with the movie “Ady Gasy” followed by a panel discussion that included the film’s producers. The movie examines how people in Madagascar use creativity and strength of spirit to live in the midst of material poverty. We highly recommend this movie.
Pre-recorded sessions were presented on FJKM’s priorities, theological education, the EBMI (Evidence-Based Methods of Instruction) teacher training program, growing fruit trees to get out of poverty, health and HIV/AIDs, COVID-19 in Madagascar, FJKM women’s program, and preventive work with vulnerable women and children. These presentations, about 15-25 minutes long, can be made available for Sunday School classes, youth group meetings, or mission committee meetings. Presentation links for the ministries we are directly involved with may be found on the Outreach website. We would be happy to join via Zoom to take questions and provide further explanation when these videos are shown. Please get in touch if you are interested in this.
Update on COVID-19 in Madagascar
While the number of reported cases and deaths from COVID-19 continue to be low with only 87 new cases and 1 death reported last week (November 8-13), people continue to experience economic hardship resulting from the previous preventive measures. Movement within Madagascar has mostly returned to normal but people from the U.S. and other countries with high COVID-19 infection rates are not allowed into Madagascar. The MMN conference presented a video describing the effects of COVID-19 on Madagascar and the FJKM and how Outreach and other partners collaborated with the FJKM to help mitigate the devastating effects. The FJKM is still struggling with a financial gap caused by the COVID-19 crisis and personnel remain on half-salary. The Madagascar Mission Network launched an appeal for FJKM COVID Relief Funds during the conference.
Madagascar Mission Network and The Outreach Foundation help FJKM Doctoral Candidates
When the MMN met in 2016, the FJKM expressed that its highest priority was training more pastors as it has over 6,000 congregations with only 1,500 pastors. A key component for this was helping to get more faculty with doctorates for FJKM’s seminaries. The MMN is supporting 2 doctoral candidates, Pastor Juliette Razafiarisoa and Pastor Mamisoa Rakotomalala. God has worked many miracles to provide for their needs. Thank you to Outreach and all who have helped along the way! Since January 2019, Pastor Juliette, FJKM’s Ivato seminary director, has been pursuing a doctorate of ministry in executive leadership at San Francisco Theological Seminary. Planning to return home to Madagascar in November, Pastor Juliette learned on October 19th that she would need to leave October 25th via a special repatriation flight if she wanted to return before Madagascar closed its borders. Although there were many nerve-wracking moments, God provided! She was able to turn in her thesis draft, get her COVID-19 test, and get on the plane on October 25th. She flew to the island of Nosy Be and proceeded by road home to Ivato, getting there in time for the birth of her grandson and able to attend the FJKM General Council meeting. Pastor Juliette worked tirelessly to get her thesis turned in in record time and plans to complete her doctorate by May 2021.
Pastor Mamisoa Rakotomalala is pursuing a doctorate of educational ministry at Columbia Seminary in Decatur GA to be completed in 2022. This fall, Pastor Mamisoa received Columbia’s Florrie Wilkes Sanders Prize, given for the best paper showing sound theological scholarship and relevance to Christian people’s needs in the contemporary world. She completed an internship at Decatur Presbyterian Church and preached virtually at West Raleigh PC on World Communion Sunday. Even before she returns to Madagascar, Pastor Mamisoa will be helping to write curricula for the FJKM seminaries. Both pastors Juliette and Mamisoa shared during FJKM’s theological education program presentation at the MMN Conference.
Prayer requests:
• for the Malagasy people as they struggle amid the economic hardship due to Covid-19
• for the FJKM as it ministers among the Malagasy people
• for pastors Juliette and Mamisoa as they complete their studies
• for us, as we continue our ministry in Madagascar from the U.S. and for protection from COVID-19
In this season of Thanksgiving, we are very thankful for those who faithfully support us and the ministries of the FJKM. We have a 5-minute video about the ministries that we are involved with that could be used as a minute-for-mission or in other venues and may also be found on the Outreach website.
Thank you very much for being part of mission in Madagascar.
Peace in Christ,
Dan and Elizabeth
dan.turk@pcusa.org
Read more about the Turk’s ministry HERE.
THE NEED
The Outreach Foundation is seeking gifts totaling $10,000 for support funds. You may make a gift HERE or by sending a check to our office.
Students at Ivato Seminary. Seminary staff are among FJKM employees who have been on half salary since April because of Covid-19.