CHRISTmas greetings from warm Madagascar (M’car).  We are doing well.  Grace is 14 months, walking all over, and climbing the furniture.  She likes to give hugs.  Stephen has made a new missionary friend, has been really enjoying swimming with other missionary kids, and now he has a new bike.  Leigh continues to do a great job teaching Stephen in 4’th grade. 

Book of Hope

Book of Hope training in October went well.  The trainees took several hundred books to give to elementary school students in remote villages. 

There is a Malagasy pastor from northeastern M’car, the vanilla region, with a strong vision for the Book of Hope (BoH).  He recently returned to his home with books for 40,000 precious children. 

Although BoH training has been done in four of the six provinces, work has begun in all provinces.  In November, Pastor Nicolas, a leading Malagasy pastor with the BoH, trained some Christians in Toliara, the main city of the southern province.  Later in the month, John and Pastor Nicolas did BoH training in Fianarantsoa, approximately 260 miles away and 10 hours of driving (one way) on some of the better roads.  (The above photo shows terraced rice fields and a typical village that we saw on the way back home.)  Books of Hope for more than 30,000 children were brought to these two cities.  We believe that Jesus and His good news will transform lives. 

During the trip to Fianarantsoa, John, Pastor Nicolas, and the driver of the truck went for about four hours through areas and towns with no telephones, no electricity and thus no electric lights.  It is difficult to see well in the dark and one could easily err.  Yet it is amazing how many stars you can see when there is no clutter from man’s light!  And our prayer is that God’s word will help to eliminate the distractions so people here can see clearly. Could you please pray that children and families all across Madagascar will experience Jesus and let His light help them live the way they were created to live? 

Early next year, we may be doing BoH training in the 2 remaining provinces.  We hope to train Christians in Sambava of the Antsiranana (aka Diego) province in the north and also in Mahajanga in the northwest.  It will be good to increase the Book of Hope ministry in these areas.  In January or February, we also hope to receive 250,000 new books including, for the first time here, the junior and senior high school versions.  The latter has some pictures with Malagasy youth in it. 

Bible School and Malagasy Study Bible

John’s evangelism class at the Bible school has been going well.  The class has even grown in the past few weeks.  Recently the class had an opportunity to practice what they have been learning.  The students were very enthusiastic and positive. 

In January, John will start teaching the theology of missions to the students who will be graduating in June.  Prayerfully this will be a good class as we both have strongly felt God’s call, which all His disciples share, to bring His message to the people who do not yet know Him. 

God has used His word in our lives to transform us.  For John, it was the many prophecies that Jesus fulfilled and the integrity of the scriptures that helped lead him to commit his life to Jesus as His disciple.  Thus, we have a strong desire to help others receive the scriptures in a form that will speak to them.  This is one reason we believe so strongly in the Book of Hope.  It is also why we are excited about the opportunity to be involved with developing the first Malagasy study Bible. 

In our previous quarterly newsletter, we mentioned the possibility of producing a Malagasy version of the Full Life Study Bible.  Since then we have been talking with the Bible Society here because we need their permission to use the Malagasy scriptures.  Now we have good news.  (Thank you everyone who prayed!)  John just had an excellent conversation with the director of the Bible Society and he was very encouraging.  He suggested that we arrange a meeting with Malagasy Christian leaders to discuss this further and we plan to do this. 

Support Raising for Next Term

Until not long ago, we were not certain what we would be doing later next year.  However, with this opportunity to be involved with producing a tool (Malagasy study Bible) that could enrich the lives of thousands of people in this nation, we believe that we should continue to stay here in Madagascar.  The recent approval of three-year visas (14 months after applying) will enable us to stay as well. 

At this time, we are beginning to raise support for our next one-year term that will begin in July.  Our available cash, for occasional needs like airfare, has been significantly reduced this year.  Thus both one-time gifts as well as monthly support (for our regular budget) are needed. 

We encourage people to do whatever the Lord directs them to do.  The pledge form can be sent to the address on the form with a contribution or pledge.  If you do not understand anything on the pledge form, please contact us.  (For example, many people can leave blank the account numbers and “church to credit” on the form.) 

We are planning to go to Cape Town, South Africa during CHRISTmas for a retreat and little vacation.  This should be nice. 

Thank you so much for praying and for your support.  This ministry is vitally dependent on people like you and your prayers to make it happen.  We truly appreciate everyone who has partnered with us to help bring Jesus and His life-changing truth to the precious children and families of this needy nation.