We left Madagascar in late April via beautiful Mauritius, five weeks ahead of schedule, due to the crisis and lack of fuel in the capital. Although Grace thinks this foreign country (U.S.) was rather cold when we arrived, we are all happy to be home. We especially appreciate being able to understand everything people say to us.

Book of Hope

In early April, John trained faculty from the private schools of the largest Protestant denomination in Madagascar. We were told that he was on TV and the report was favorable. The day after the training, 9,000 Books of Hope were given to these new trainees for their students. 2,500 precious children in Tamatave also received books in April.

Later in April, shortly before we returned, we had the opportunity to visit a school not far from our home. As in most of the schools we have visited, the teachers and especially the students are very open to our teams. The above picture shows the students’ books open to a special page moments before they prayed to receive Jesus and follow Him. This ministry is all about sowing seed. We are convinced that some of the seed lands on good ground and will bear much fruit as they enter into a living and life-changing personal relationship with Jesus!

As we were preparing to leave, we were so excited that some pastors were asking for Books of Hope so they could continue the work while we were gone. And the work continued even more as we received an end-of-May report about more distributions.

Personal and Madagascar News

Here in our hometown, the Lord has provided a partially furnished sublet house, car generously given to us to use while we are here, car seat, crib, and more. Ain’t Jesus great!

Stephen finished his (home-) school year and is now enjoying vacation and various activities. Leigh also finished (teaching) 3’rd grade and they plan to start 4’th grade in Madagascar. Everybody is enjoying Grace as she helps people to smile wherever she goes. John is studying Malagasy, expects to review French before we return, and he is studying a “New Testament Survey” correspondence class. He is also excited to be working on a computerized, touch-screen missions information system at our church.

In May, courts declared the younger / new president to be the official winner of the December, chaos-starting elections but the previous president did not comply and fighting continues. The old president continued his campaign of terrorism and destruction as the poor suffered more and more. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Around mid-June, the new president’s people took control of two more provinces for a total of four of the six provinces. With access to some ports, fuel finally arrived at the public gas stations after four months with no traffic in the capital. According to news reports, the fifth province may soon be under control of the new government and the only remaining obstacle may be the hometown province of the old president. And there is more good news as the U.S. on June 26 (“4’th of July” in Madagascar) acknowledged the new president as the official leader of the country.

Thanks and Support Raising

We want to especially thank everyone who has been part of our team via support and prayer. We need you and we can’t do this without you. Thank you so much for all you have done to help reach up to 80,000 precious Malagasy children with the life-transforming Good News of Jesus! Thus far the work has been more like pioneering but we hope the pace will now pick up.

“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” (Philippians 1:3, 4)

Our two-year term finished at the end of June and we have started our next one-year term. We continue raising support to return, Lord willing, in early September. We need both one-time gifts and (monthly or) regular contributions. A copy of the contribution form, with giving information and mailing address, is available at http://geocities.datacellar.net/j_pitterle/pledgeform.htm or contact us for another copy. With your continued prayer and support, we hope to train Malagasy Christians to reach the remaining more than two million students and prayerfully perhaps two million more children who do not go to school. These children will receive their own books and bring them home where they will usually share them with others.

If you have any questions or prayer requests, please contact us. We pray that you will experience Jesus and that He will lead you into His fullness.