Familiar and yet...

Living in Madagascar has been an interesting journey so far. Some very familiar experiences that bring back memories of places we have lived or visited, and other new experiences which we try to understand and figure out how to process the event. Going to the market and seeing meat or cow stomach laying on a table covered in flies, tasting fried food from roadside vendors, feeling the tropical heat as you walk the dusty roads, smelling the aroma of trash burning or the near constant sound of honking car and taxi horns are all familiar sights, sounds, and smells.  

However, the sight of mosques on every corner, often multiple ones on a block, this is a new experience for me (Lew). It has been nearly two months now that we have lived here in Diego Suarez, and I am not used to this new experience. Yes, I have seen many mosques before. I have heard the call to prayer in different places, but this is different. I see the men daily pass by our house to go to prayer. I hear the call to prayer and see them pass by, specifically at noon, mid-afternoon and evening. 

I have talked to some of them. They are men doing what their culture has taught them to do in their quest for God. Many of them are extremely nice and have explained to me about Islam and that they are not terrorists. A few have invited me to prayers with them. 

What am I to do with this new normal for myself and my family? Pray. Pray a lot. Ask God to be merciful to these men and women, to show them His grace. Engage them in discussion. Discussion, not arguments. There is a difference, sometimes a fine line, but share the gospel and don’t argue other issues. 

The result of prayer and engagement is an encounter with a taxi driver that led to Brandi sharing the gospel with him. She was coming home from town a few weeks ago, shared the gospel with “Dan”, and next thing we know he is spending his Sunday afternoon on our porch as we discuss the gospel and Jesus. Dan is from an unreached people group who are mostly Muslim and animists. We talked Jesus and the gospel and why, although he grew up Catholic then he converted in his early 20’s to Islam. He has a fascinating story, but a tragic one. Right now, at this moment he is not following Christ. He is lost. 

Yet, there is hope. Not only did we spend a Sunday afternoon at our house sharing with Dan, he also invited us to his home the next Sunday. Unfortunately, Brandi and the kids could not go because of sickness, but I went. I shared a meal with his family. They were hospitable and gracious, and they knew the reason Dan had invited me over. There was only one reason, to share the gospel with them, which I did. We had a great discussion and hopefully more will follow. 

You too can pray. Pray for Dan and his wife “Fran”. Pray for the Malagasy here in Diego Suarez to know Christ and the power of his resurrection. Pray for Brandi and I to be bold to engage people we meet. Pray for us to learn Malagasy so that we can share in their heart language. Pray for our team to glorify Christ through our lives. 

You too can engage people. Your neighbors, co-workers, family, even strangers. Engage those in your lives and go out of your way to engage those not yet in your lives. 

Colossians 1:27 is a great reminder to pray and engage people. “God wanted to make known among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Christ in you, Christ in us is the hope for the nations. The hope in Madagascar is not me, it is Christ in me. I pray He will work through me, in me, for the Malagasy to know him.