Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world, with a mixed Indonesian and African heritage, a rich natural and cultural history and a growing population of 33 million people of whom 40% are under the age of 15. About half the population are Christian, but traditional religious practices are still embraced and widely practised. Although there are some 20 distinct people groups in Madagascar, most speak a version of the national language of Malagasy.

There are six Anglican dioceses in Madagascar, and Rooted in Jesus was first translated into Malagasy and introduced to two of them, the Dioceses of Toliara and Fianarantsoa, back in 2011. It has been widely adopted in those dioceses, both amongst adults and, using the Junior programme, among youth and children; in 2024 it was introduced for the first time to the dioceses of Toamasina and Antsiranana.

Additional training has been regularly provided, and there have been many testimonies of individual transformation, church growth and church planting.

We last reported on the growth of the groups in Toamasina, where coordinators Revds Jimmy Fridel and Marlin Fety have shown huge commitment and dedication to the task of supporting the new group leaders. The reports featured in this blog come from the Dioceses of Toliara and Fianarantsoa.

Diocese of Fianarantsoa

A RinJ Junior group at St Mark’s Cathedral

The Fianarantsoa coordinator is Ven Paulin Zaralahay, and he has sent an inspiring report. There are now 162 adult and 203 Junior groups in 22 churches or parishes across the diocese, with 1,851 adult members and 2,327 Junior members. About half the adult groups have completed the four books of the programme and are now using Book 5, which is designed to help those who now have an active ministry to continue to grow in faith and discipleship. The Junior groups are mostly on Book 3 – there are 6 books in the Junior programme. Ven Paulin has been able to visit all of these churches to provide encouragement and support.

Ven Paulin and the adult and children’s groups in his parish of Ampasambazaha

At the cathedral there are children’s, youth, student and adult groups, with both adult and youth leaders.

Ven Paulin also reports that in 2025 they were able to open two new churches, on at Ambatovaky in Ambalavao parish, and one at Ambalakely in the Cathedral parish. His work is challenging, as the diocese is large and it is difficult to visit all the parishes and to gather leaders together for training – and he has his own parish to care for. But the diocese plans to plant more churches, provide ongoing teaching, and continue with the work of evangelism under the leadership of the bishop, Gilbert Rateloson – who now carries additional responsibility as Archbishop of the Province of the Indian Ocean.

Diocese of Toliara

The Diocese of Toliara occupies the southernmost portion of the island. It is an extremely dry region, and suffers from drought, food insecurity, poor educational resources and widespread poverty. And yet here too growth is a priority. 2025 saw the appointment of Victor Osoro (right, with his wife Revd Nolavy) as the new Assistant Bishop, with particular responsibility to prepare one of the archdeaconries to become a missionary diocese within the diocese. Both Victor and Diocesan Bishop Samitiana place a high priority on evangelism and discipleship; Bishop Samy writes that as they work together, ‘Beside the technical and pastoral preparation of the missionary Diocese, we would like to see clear improvement on discipleship; spirituality of the leaders (both lay and clergy); more commitment of the discipleship leaders.’

Revd Doyen Razafilahy has recently been appointed to succeed Revd Florent as the Rooted in Jesus coordinator, and he reports that there are now 34 Rooted in Jesus adult and Junior groups meeting in 18 churches, including one led by Bishop Samy. He writes:

• There has been an increase in the education and encouragement of leaders
• The challenges this year are the application of the memories and lessons learned
• The plan for the coming year is to train leaders to strengthen their skills
• We need prayers for all leaders and programs set up for disciple making.

A Rooted in Jesus team last visited Toliara in 2023

Diocese of Toamasina

We last reported from Toamasina in October 2025. We were looking forward to hearing the latest news – but just as the coordinators Revd Jimmy Fridels and Revd Marlin Fety were preparing to send their annual reports, Toamasina was hit by an intense tropical cyclone. Cyclone Gezani, which made landfall in the second week of February, has destroyed up to 75% of the city, which is also Madagascar’s main port. Wind gusts of up to 248 km per hour were recorded, 40 people died, and hundreds of thousands have been affected, with many losing their homes and livelihoods.

Bishop Solo writes:

“Around 28 churches cannot be used, (having been) destroyed completely. And  around 800 families have become victims (with) no house to stay = 2000 people. No house and no food. Urgent needs are now food because rice fields, cassava and potatoes are flooding with water. All were destroyed and disappeared in one night.”

Revd Jimmy Fridels writes:

“Good afternoon my brother and my sister in England. On 10th February, the cyclone Gezani destroyed the city of Toamasina, my village, my Diocese. Many people don’t have a house, and there is much suffering. You pray for us.”

St August, Farafaty; the Bishop’s house in Toamasina; Revd Jimmy’s house

One of the areas most badly affected is the parish of Brickaville, where there is a Rooted in Jesus group of 50 people, and where there were plans to build a new church at Antseranambe. It is hard to imagine that Toamasina and its people will recover from the effects of this devastation any time soon.

L: RinJ leaders met with Revd Fridels in August. R: At Brickaville in September. In December he travelled 200km by boat to provide RinJ training in the districts of Ambodiharina and Mahanoro.

So the news is mixed: great blessing for those who have ministered so persistently, but tragedy for those who have once again had their lives ravaged by factors outside their own control. Life is never easy in Madagascar, with the World Bank estimating that the proportion of the population living in extreme poverty is among the highest in the world. And yet our experience is that the Malagasy people are peace-loving, generous and faithful. We can only hope and pray that they will recover from this latest blow – as they have many times before.

More information about Rooted in Jesus can be found on the Mathetes Trust website, where you can also get in touch with us should you wish to.