Antsiranana, Madagascar – a report from Odilon Rafanomezantsoa

The Diocese of Antsiranana held its first Rooted in Jesus conference in October 2024. 124 people were trained and commissioned as Rooted in Jesus group leaders, and Odilon Rafanomezantsoa and Didier Manamboatra were appointed as Diocesan Coordinators. Odilon has just sent his first detailed report on how things are going so far.

Odilon (far right) and Didier (centre) with the priest and leaders from St Matthew’s Cathedral

The Diocese has 21 parishes, including Antsiranana itself. 55 groups have started in 20 of these parishes; the other has been waiting for the appointment of a new priest.

Some of the 124 certified leaders are working together, others leading a group on their own. Nearly every group includes people who are thought to have the potential to become future leaders, thus ensuring the growth of the programme. Given the high rate of illiteracy in the rural areas, this is a considerable achievement.

One of the five groups in Anivorano Nord, and one of the two groups in Ankaramy.

In the towns most of the groups meet at the weekend, as people are busy at work during the week. These usually meet in the church, whereas those in remote rural locations which as yet have no church meet in the open air – a challenge for the leaders who have to travel there. The parish of Manambato is so remote that it is not served by bus, and it would take Odilon four days to walk there. Much of it still has no mobile network coverage, so keeping in touch with the leaders is difficult. But there is at least one group meeting in this parish.

One of two groups meeting in a rural part of the parish of Vohemar

Some of the leaders trained in October have not yet started groups, but have pledged to do so in January, and Odilon plans to visit one parish every Saturday in order to support and encourage them.

His closing comment? ‘Four months after the Rooted in Jesus conference, we can say that Rooted in Jesus is invading the Antsiranana Diocese’!

News from DR Congo

We’ve also been encouraged recently by reports from the Dioceses of Aru and Bukavu.

The Diocese of Aru

In the Diocese of Aru, Revd Emmanuel Etsegeri reports that there are now 73 active groups with more than 600 members. Some are working through Book 1, others through Book 2, and some are about to move on to Book 3, which is already available in French and Lugbara. Translations into Kakwa and Alur are in progress.

A group in Aru parish completes Book 2 of Rooted in Jesus, December 2024

Writing in French, Emmanuel says that they are proud to be part of the Anglican Communion, and grateful to be able to help people become true disciples of Jesus, particularly as they are surrounded by false doctrines which threaten to lead them astray. He says that many group members have shared personal testimonies and said how happy they are to be able to deepen their own faith and learn to minister to others.

The growth of discipleship in Aru is all the more remarkable in that the initial training was done while Covid was preventing travel, most of it by CMS missionary Peter Wyard along with a team of local trainers whom he had recruited and supported. It is this team which continues to provide the energy and commitment to sustain and grow the programme in the parishes.

The Diocese of Bukavu

Bukavu is another diocese which held its first training conference during the period of Covid – this time led by Canon Jacob Robert and a team of facilitators from Tanzania, who focussed on the missionary area of Lake Tanganyika, where missionary Bishop Elisha Tendwa is helping prepare for the launch of a new diocese. A second conference was held in 2023, this time led by Revd Amanda Johnson with a multinational team from the UK and from Burundi.

The most recent report comes from Ven Minduli Mulanda, coordinator in Lake Tanganyika, and also a trainer elsewhere; he joined the team to Burundi in 2022.

Internal training for Group Leaders in the Deanery of Uvira, September 2024

Ven Minduli says that they have 47 groups with 503 members, in 24 parishes – some on Book 1, some on Books 2 and 3, and a few on Book 4. Thanks to a donation from a parish in the UK they have been able to give Bibles to group leaders who previously lacked them, and in September and October Ven Minduli organised additional internal training for the leaders of the archdeaconries of Uvira and Bangwe. As in Antsiranana, it’s not easy to keep in touch with the group leaders, many of whom live in far flung places and do not have mobile phones. Ven Minduli has therefore appointed local coordinators in the deaneries.

In 2024 two Rooted in Jesus group leaders got married!

Looking ahead

In the next few months we have teams going out to South Sudan, Kenya and Malawi. We are grateful to all those who underpin this ministry in prayer and to those who support it financially.

Rooted in Jesus is published and supported by The Mathetes Trust. To find out how you can support Rooted in Jesus visit our website or get in touch by email. We’d be delighted to hear from you!

Posted 9th January 2025