Dan and Elizabeth Turk - August 2021 Update
Antananarivo, Madagascar
Dear friends,
Greetings from Orlando! We are still in the U.S. awaiting the time when we can return to Madagascar. Madagascar has a travel ban in place to keep the Delta variant out. Fortunately, new daily COVID-19 cases are currently very low, following a spike in cases this past April. We hope to be able to return to Madagascar in late September or early October.
While we are ready to return to Madagascar, we are grateful for the time with family. We have been able to celebrate Frances’ college graduation, Elizabeth’s parents' 60th wedding anniversary, and Dan’s mother’s 90th birthday as well as visiting Robert. Robert is pursuing his counseling career in Chicago after graduating with a master’s in counseling and art therapy. Frances is teaching in Orlando through December and should start her Fulbright teaching in Senegal in January 2022.
We are very grateful for the technology that has allowed us to work with our FJKM colleagues from afar during the past 16 months.
August was a big month for the Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar (FJKM), The Outreach Foundation’s partner church. FJKM held its General Assembly (Synoda Lehibe) in Sambava after being delayed a year because of COVID. As always, new leaders were elected. FJKM President Pastor Irako Andriamahazosoa Ammi was re-elected to another 4-year term. Of the other 5 officers of the church, two previously served as officers: Pastor Andriamampianina Zaka Hary Masy and Mr. Randriamamonjisoa Georges Henri. There are 3 new officers: Ms. Randrianja Voahangy, Mr. Razarasoa Timoty, and Pastor Rakotobe Rajaomanjato Dodaherisoa.
Several of our colleagues went to the Synoda Lehibe meeting. Rolland Razafiarison of the Fruits, Vegetables, and Environmental Education Program (FVEE) drove to Sambava. It took him about 40 hours over 4 days to drive the 800 miles from Antananarivo. He took posters as well as fruit trees and native trees for a display about the work of the FVEE. Before leaving he left the trees to be planted at the church where the Synoda Lehibe took place, at the church where he worshiped in Antalaha, and at the FJKM school in Antalaha.
While in Sambava, Rolland had the opportunity to meet with many pastors and Synod presidents. This led to an invitation to do training at Antsiranana immediately following the Synoda Lehibe. Rolland had already planned to visit the FJKM Antseranana Fahazavana Church at Antsiranana at their invitation to see a piece of land the church has nearby and to discuss collaboration. He also received invitations to speak at a meeting of the 70+ FJKM evangelists and the next meeting of the FJKM Shepherds. For the FJKM, evangelists are pastors who lead congregations in remote parts of the island where the Christian community does not have sufficient resources to support a pastor – they are in effect FJKM missionaries in their own country. The Shepherds operate about 60 FJKM spiritual centers called ‘Toby” that treat the mentally ill. Toby usually has some land for cultivating crops. On a couple of occasions, the FVEE has provided fruit trees for planting at Toby. I expect that the FVEE will increase collaboration with the evangelists and Toby after these meetings.
The FJKM HIV/AIDs committee (KPMS) with which Elizabeth works had a delegation at the Synoda Lehibe that organized free HIV testing in collaboration with local health officials. This was the first HIV testing event sponsored by the KPMS since COVID-19 restrictions began in March 2020! The testing site was set up near the Synoda Lehibe and was open to anyone who wanted to get tested. Of the 480 people who got tested, 4 were HIV positive. Counseling was provided for those who tested positive. In addition, the KPMS handed out a lot of educational material and had radio announcements about HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment.
Some of the decisions made at the Synoda Lehibe have a direct impact on the work that Elizabeth and I are involved with. The Synoda Lehibe decided to expand the KPMS’ scope of work to include all epidemics, not just HIV/AIDs. This is a mandate for the committee to get involved in work to combat COVID-19 as well as other epidemics. For the FVEE, the Synoda Lehibe approved the recommendation that the work of the FVEE be expanded to all of FJKM’s synods as resources allow.
Southern Madagascar continues to experience drought and hunger affecting hundreds of thousands of people. At Sambava, Rolland spoke to the pastor from Ambovombe who told him that the feeding programs are helping but that at each food distribution, some get food and some do not. The pastor said that the food distribution is mostly happening in the larger cities; people in more remote rural areas are not getting help. With drought and dire economic conditions likely to continue, the hunger situation in the south is likely to get worse. The FJKM synod president from southern Madagascar, Pastor Soja Arthur, expressed appreciation to all who have contributed to help the situation in the south. The majority of the funds that have been given through Outreach will go towards wells with some funds being used for food and agricultural assistance.
On August 19, Elizabeth and I did a Zoom presentation about our work with the FJKM sponsored by the Madagascar Mission Network, which you may view here.
Please pray for the FJKM’s new leaders, for the FJKM church as it seeks to continue its ministries in this difficult time of COVID, for the hunger situation in southern Madagascar, and for our safe return. In 1 Thessalonians 5:11, Paul urges Christians to encourage one another and to build up one another. Thank you for living this out through your support of us as mission co-workers and of the ministries of the FJKM.
Peace in Christ,
Dan and Elizabeth
Read more about the Turk’s ministry HERE.
THE NEED
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