His Work
Among the Malagasy People of Madagascar

Go ... and make disciples of all nations

                                                                                                  Matthew 28:19
Volume 18, Number 3 March 2003
The Barry Rosie family have worked on the mission field in Africa for more than 17 years under the oversight of the:
Fraley’s Chapel 
Church of Christ
c/o Phillip Young
140 C.R. 170
Corinth, MS 38834
Elders
Don Farris - 662-287-2548
Eugene Holland - 662-287-1721
Leroy Reed - 662-287-2556
A Valuable Lesson
“Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.  Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess his name.  And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”         Hebrews 13:13-16

          Most green missionaries come to the field with high hopes and hundreds of goals.  They set out to change the world and most of them are convinced, as I was from the start, that they can actually accomplish it.  Big mistake, that attitude.  Missionaries learn far more than they teach, and if they don’t, they don’t last long on the field.  Instead, they go home disillusioned, very discouraged and defeated.  Those of us who realize early enough that we have more to learn than we have to offer, are blessed.  We learn the art of taking lessons from those around us as well as giving, and our lives are doubly rich.
          The Malagasy people have taught me so many things.  They have taught me to eat rice twice a day and to enjoy vegetables more than meat.  They have taught me to have a wonderful day on limited funds with no fancy frills.  They’ve taught me to think twice about what I throw away.  They’ve taught me more about courtesy and manners than I can even relate.  They’ve taught me the value of patience, and moving slowly one step at a time.  They’ve taught me to hang on to hope in the most difficult of circumstances.  But, I think the most precious lesson of all that the Malagasy Christians have taught me is how to sacrifice. 
          Consider the scripture (Hebrews 13:13-16).  We are encouraged to do three things:

. . . Go outside the camp
. . . Bear the disgrace
. . . Offer to God a sacrifice
Oh me, these are difficult things.  I never realized just how difficult, since I myself have never really had to do them.  But everyday I watch Malagasy as they go outside the camp, outside of the tremendous pull of family and tradition to put on their Savior.  It is then they bear the disgrace.  They live in very difficult family situations with a constant pull by mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, and even friends to conform to the dictates of the living family, the dead ancestors, community and tradition.  They live as outcasts with little if any moral support.  They are ridiculed.  They are persecuted.  They offer a daily sacrifice of praise to God.  They sacrifice a peaceful family life to be a Christian.  That is a tremendous sacrifice and it merits my highest admiration and awe. 
          I often wonder how Jesus did it.  He dared to go outside the Jewish camp to teach a law of love.  He bore tremendous disgrace.  He offered the ultimate sacrifice.  But, Jesus was the Son of God.  Surely he had tremendous power. 
          Malagasy are humans.  They are not the Son of God.  And yet, so gracefully, I watch them daily go outside the camp, bear disgrace and offer a tremendously difficult sacrifice for their Lord.  Jesus is a living example, but I can’t see him.  I see these Malagasy brethren daily and they have become examples of Jesus to me as they go outside the camp, bear the disgrace, and offer a daily sacrifice. 
          Let me introduce you to a few of the “old faithfuls”:

          Elia is a member at the Ankadivato congregation.  She is a young unmarried adult who still lives at home and who came to Christ more than five years ago.  Elia is blessed with a family who, though they themselves haven’t seen the need to put on Christ, are still very supportive of Elia and her desire to follow the Savior.  Elia is free to attend any and every function of the church.  We are free to visit in her home and welcomed by her father and brothers and sisters and their families.  Elia’s situation is very rare here in Madagascar, especially among young unmarried women.  Elia’s hope is to marry and raise a family in Christ.  That narrows her field of hopefuls considerably, but Elia is not discouraged.  She offers a sacrifice daily and waits for a blessing. 

          Liva is not so fortunate.  She is also a member of the church that meets at Ankadivato and Liva is also very faithful to His body of believers.  Liva is a young, unmarried, adult, school teacher, still living at home.  She has been a Christian for more than five years.  But, Liva’s situation is very different from Elia’s.  Liva’s family sees no need to put on a Savior and they do not understand her desire to follow a Savior.  We are not free to visit in Liva’s home and if her family schedules something on a Sunday, Liva is not free to attend worship.  She walks on eggshells through each day, trying to live for Christ and trying not to alienate her family.  It’s not an easy life.

          Eric and Elisa’s family situation is far more severe.  Eric was baptized in Russia while a student and a young unmarried adult.  He has since married, taught his wife about Christ, baptized her, and is endeavoring to bring his two children (ages 3 and 5) up in the Lord.  Eric’s parents, however, are vehemently against Eric’s decision to follow Christ.  We are not welcomed in his parent’s home and Barry has been accosted in the street by Eric’s mother.  Recently, Eric’s mother has begun telling her grandchildren that their parents are possessed.  Being a Christian comes at a great sacrifice of Eric’s and Elisa’s daily peace and good relationship with family.  But Eric, as well as many other Malagasy Christians never seems to forget that . . .
. . . With such sacrifices God is pleased.
Did You Know. . .
. . . that we have chameleons here in Madagascar that are almost as big as a cat?  I wish I had had my camera last Sunday when I was strolling home from worship.  We saw a young man with a stick.  He was strolling along just as we were and swinging the stick from his right arm.  At the bottom of the stick was one of those almost-as-large-as-a-cat chameleons probably hanging on for dear life.  It’s not the first time we’ve seen one of those.  Kit coaxed one of them off the neighbor’s phone line and onto his waiting stick a couple of months ago.  He transferred it to our peach tree, but the little critter didn’t care for the peach tree.  He moved instead into our much larger mango tree and has taken up residence there.  We welcome him.  His regular diet is mosquitoes!
this and that
Three more baptisms
The new congregation at Ambohijanahary is still meeting, but we are overflowing Rivo’s parents house every Sunday and will soon have to move into a larger meeting room.  This last month there have been three more baptisms.  A young married couple, Michael and Vololona, Rivo’s sister and her husband, and the wife of another Christian who was baptized some months ago.  We are thankful for these married couples who are devoting themselves to Christ together.  Last Sunday the men at Ambohijanahary met to discuss sharing the responsibilities for worship.  They are timid (being new Christians) but willing, and we are proud of their willingness to serve and take an active part in the church.
This congregation started a teenage Bible class a month ago and last Sunday the small children’s class began.  When we asked for women to volunteer to learn how to teach a children’s class and to share the responsibility for teaching the children, we expected one or two to volunteer.  Instead of one or two, eight women gathered to see how they could help.  This week, they have also made a first tentative step in increasing everyone’s Bible knowledge.  The church purchased 10 Malagasy Bibles for use during worship.  The angels are surely rejoicing over the first baby steps of this new church.

Rotating preachers
Four men (John Ratovohery, Romain Rakotomala, Serge Rajoelina, and Barry Rosie guide and serve in this work for Christ in Antananarivo which nurtures three, and soon to be four different congregations.  For years, meetings and sharing times have centered tentatively on strengthening this team of men who shoulder the responsibility for spreading the Good News here in Madagascar.  It has only been in the last six months though that real progress has been made.  These four men are now on a rotating schedule, sharing pulpits and teaching designated subjects to each congregation, each from his own point of view, and each with his own individual talents. Please pray with us that this team may grow even closer in love and stronger in the might of His Word, so that the Father may be glorified as never before here on the edge of the world.

Visitors from Geneva, Switzerland 
We are looking forward to a visit from missionaries Doyle and Barbara Kee in May.  They planted seeds for this work years ago before missionaries ever lived on the island.  They made two subsequent trips after the first congregation was established to feed and help the fledgling church in Madagascar to grow.  This time they are coming for a very short rest from their normal work for Christ in Geneva.  We welcome them and pray that we may nurture and help strengthen them for a change.

Mission trip of the church that meets in Paris
We are asking special prayers now for a short term mission group (20 people) that is forming in the church in Paris, France, under the direction of missionaries Roland and Rose Mohsen (who also spent a month in Madagascar a few years back to feed and strengthen the church), and who hope to come to Madagascar next year to work specifically with the Betikara Orphanage and with the new church that will be housed there.  They are in the planning and praying stages and so are we, all of us hoping to make this trip a benefit to all involved, and a mark of praise to our Father.
 
EXPENDITURES

FEBRUARY
Diesel
 $ 85.00
Vehicle Maintenance
 70.04
Rent and Utilities
 643.16
Office
 481.45
Travel
 0.00
Misc.
 10.00
_________________________ __________
Total expenses
 $ 1,289.65

 
What can you do?
You can pray!
  • Pray for a strong commitment and growth on the part of the three new members of the Lord’s body at Ambohijanahary.
  • Pray for the Malagasy Christians as they struggle to walk with their Savior in the many different situations and backgrounds that they come from.  Many Christians face family pressure that many times forces them to abandon worshiping together with their brothers and sisters in Christ.
  • Pray that the Malagasy peoples hearts and minds may be opened to the teaching of Christ, that will eventually lead them from the dark or traditional ways of the Malagasy into the bright and fulfilling ways that are know to us as Christians. 
Miniature Missionaries
          Miss Havilah is nine years old.  She assists me on Wednesday afternoons as I teach anywhere from 50-70 children both Bible and English.  On Sunday mornings, she assists me in teaching a children’s Bible class at the new congregation that meets in Ambohijanahary.  The age range of that class is from 2 years old to 12 years old.  Miss Havilah is comfortable with them all.  The teacher reports that she could teach his class when she sits in the Bible classes at the congregation that meets at Ankadivato.  Havilah has just completed memorizing 96 steps of a Survey of the New Testament, and she averages memorizing 15 Bible verses each month.  Havilah is reading through the entire Bible this year.  But most exciting of all, Miss Havilah carries on a running Bible lesson with our 17 year old neighbor.  She’s the teacher, encourager, debater, up-lifter.  The 17 year old is the student. 
          Miss Havilah is one of the most exasperating children alive.  She will try anything 100 times even if she has been punished for it 99 times over.  She throws rules to the wind and lives in total disorganization. Her little mind is too busy to worry about order.  Even when she is trying to do good, she’s breaking a million rules in the attempt. She drives her brother crazy.  She’s quick to say she is sorry and then just as quick to do the same wrong over again.  If there is chaos, you can be sure that Miss Havilah is at the bottom of it, except when it comes to the Bible.
          She has God’s Word all tucked away in that little mind of hers in perfect order.  She can pull an appropriate Bible verse out of thin air at just the right moment.  When we are correcting her, she supplies the relevant verses quicker than we can.  She has amazed more than one adult who is frantically looking for an obscure Biblical phrase by supplying book, chapter and verse. 
          Oh for the day, when we succeed in nudging that Bible computer she has in that little brain of hers down into her heart where it rightfully belongs.  Oh for the day, when her wisdom catches up with her ability to learn.  Oh for the day when she acts on those verses instead of just tucking them away in her brain.  Oh for the day, when she matures enough to internalize that vast amount of God’s Word she is so busily amassing.  Please pray with us for Miss Havilah, as she continues to learn about the Savior and as she attempts to teach others. 
Barry, Stacy, Kit and Havilah Rosie
B.P. 7554
Antananarivo 101
Madagascar

Tel. 011-261-32-02-081-14
 brosie@wanadoo.mg
http:\\www.madagascar-mission.org

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We welcome you to join us in this work for Him . . .

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