‘Mamaka’ – A report from Madagascar!

Madagascar is the second largest island country in the world, and the 20 distinct ethnic groups share a unique blend of Indonesian and African heritage. More than 40% of the population are under the age of 15, and just 23% are literate. Many people profess the Christian faith, but traditional religious practices are also widely observed.

Madagascar has just six Anglican dioceses, each of which covers a huge area. Rooted in Jesus was first introduced 12 years ago, when we were invited to the Diocese of Fianarantsoa, formed in 2003, and to the missionary area in the south-west which in 2013 would become the Diocese of Toliara. At that time Fianarantsoa had just 14 clergy and Toliara just 3. But Bishop Gilbert Rateloson of Fianarantsoa and Bishop Todd McGregor of Toliara had a shared passion for evangelism and discipleship, and Rooted in Jesus groups were soon running in both dioceses. We went back in 2013, and again in 2017 to train Sunday School teachers to use Rooted in Jesus Junior. Both dioceses ran their own training programmes after that, and despite the twin challenges of cyclones and Covid the groups continued to grow. In October 2023 we were delighted to be invited back to help re-energise the programme following the interruptions of Covid, and with a brief to provide additional input for existing and new leaders, and form a new team of Rooted in Jesus Junior trainers.

Bishops Gilbert (Fianarantsoa) and Samitiana (Toliara)

We could not have been more encouraged by what we found! In both dioceses many groups had completed all four books of the adult programme and all six books of the Junior programme, and the leaders who attended the conferences were strong and confident in their faith – very different from the nervous young Christians we first met twelve years ago. Diocesan coordinators Ven Jean Flobert and Revd Jean Florent have worked tirelessly to support and encourage the groups: in Fianarantsoa several new parishes have been planted with Rooted in Jesus, and in Toliara Bishop Samitiana Jhonson, who succeeded Bishop Todd in 2021, has placed an ever greater emphasis on the need for personal discipleship, with all those training for leadership positions within the diocese now required to have completed Rooted in Jesus in their parishes. Cathedrals have been built, new training centres created, and ambitious and compassionate programmes of evangelism have led to a great growth of faith in previously unreached areas. In Toliara Rooted in Jesus is now being translated from Malagasy into two further languages so that everyone can join a group led in their own mother tongue.

The Diocese of Fianarantsoa

We began with a conference in Fianarantsoa, attended by 100 clergy and lay leaders, half of whom had completed or nearly completed the RinJ adult programme with their groups, and half had been invited to train as new leaders. Two representatives from the Diocese of Antsiranana were also present, following a request for Rooted in Jesus from Bishop Jaomandiny. We found that RinJ has been used in a variety of ways – a house group which has evolved into a new church with 51 members; an evangelistic youth club which combines football with discipleship; Mothers Union groups, confirmation groups, Sunday School groups and groups in schools. Leaders said they have seen people becoming Christians through the groups and that they have grown in faith themselves.

The double blow of Covid followed by a devastating cyclone had obviously caused a loss of momentum, but the leaders had remained committed and enthusiastic – with an impressive grasp of the scripture memory verses, which they said had been challenging to learn but which had caused people to change as they absorbed them into their lives. Bishop Gilbert remains determined that Rooted in Jesus should be at the heart of the life of every parish. Eight deanery representatives were appointed, a new supply of books was provided to replace the battered copies some leaders brought with them, the cathedral Sunday School group has started the new school year with a new Rooted in Jesus class, and a group is being formed for the first time in the secondary school. The conference ended with a commissioning eucharist which was recorded, along with an interview of the Bishop, by Malagasy national television, and was followed by the presentation of gifts and a magnificent sit-down lunch for 100 people.

The Diocese of Toliara

After a refreshing day off in Ranomafana National Park, the team flew south to Toliara, where we were welcomed by the Roman Catholic sisters who provided us with accommodation during our stay. The next day brought a dedication and thanksgiving service for the new accommodation block for St Patrick’s Theological College, funded by Anglican Aid; and another magnificent meal.

Then the conference began, attended by 80 clergy and lay leaders, including 15 Rooted in Jesus Junior leaders who are now themselves to become trainers. Groups have been meeting in various locations – in people’s homes, in the church, under a tree, or rotationally in different places; and on various days, mostly on weekdays, some on Sundays. As in Fianarantsoa, some groups had stopped due to Covid, but others had seen people grow and become more committed in their faith. One man had completed the programme in a group led by his priest and then become a group leader himself; another had taken his book out to where local people tend their animals, and run a group there; one priest said he has 10 groups in 3 churches in his parish, and has found Rooted in Jesus to be an invaluable tool for growth.

Rooted in Jesus is particularly strong in the eastern deanery of Fort Dauphin. Members of the deanery sported specially printed Rooted in Jesus t-shirts, and the three youngest delegates, aged 13, 14 and 15, had completed the Junior programme and asked if they could train to lead a group themselves; they taught a Rooted in Jesus song of their own composition to the conference. There were some interesting indications of spiritual growth – Revd Florent remarked that the participants were so engaged that they did not have to be reminded to turn off their phones, and the bishop was delighted to find that although the three tribes represented all have strong (and incompatible) food taboos, everyone ate everything without a murmur – which he regarded as a sign of increasing Christian maturity. He has set a notional target of 30 people in groups in each parish, and appointed deanery coordinators to provide accountability and support to the group leaders.

Another rousing commissioning eucharist and expression of mutual thanks on the last day was followed, for the team, by an afternoon dip in the Indian Ocean. Bishop Samitiana, Provincial Secretary Revd Berthier and other representatives from the dioceses were then due to take part in a consultation on the strategic development of mission and discipleship within the entire Province of the Indian Ocean, facilitated by the Relay Trust.

Giving thanks

We are grateful to the team: Colin Cooper, John Eldridge and Alison Morgan (from the Mathetes Trust), Jean Flobert (from Fianarantsoa) and Chris Hyliger (from the Relay Trust). The conferences were supported in prayer by an intercessory team of some thirty people, whose daily commitment was deeply appreciated by both team and participants. The books were printed by Revd Donné and Neny Vero Ratsimavo, internal flights were provided by the Mission Aviation Fellowship, and accommodation by the Diocese of Fianarantsoa and the Sisters Orantes of Tulear. Wonderful meals were created in both dioceses by an astonishingly small team of women and men, and financial support was provided to each diocese by the Relay Trust. Above all we would like to thank Bishops Gilbert and Samitiana for the welcome, commitment and inspiring leadership they demonstrated throughout our time together.