We have good news to tell! Last month we learned that we are welcome to serve on the Bara-team in southern Madagascar. We hope to join the team in January 2015.

How It Came About

We have been waiting for an answer from Betroka, Madagascar, since February. In our last letter we wrote that the leadership was concerned about our joining the team, since they could not provide for our children's educational needs. The teacher on the team cannot teach more children than she already does. After discussing the matter with us, the personnel director let the leadership know this is not a problem, since we intend to keep on home educating.

However, the issue was not resolved with that answer. The teacher, currently working on the team, is going back to the UK for six months in August 2015. The parents of her pupils will, for the duration of her absence, have to teach their children themselves. Some are not comfortable with that prospect. The team leaders fear this will cost them much time so, that they might not be able to give appropriate attention to new team members.

When they heard that Katja has been home educating for years, a solution came to mind. The proposal was that we can come if Katja is willing to help the parents who temporarily have to home educate. And so all puzzle pieces seem to fit neatly together!

Close to Our Hearts

We are very glad to be headed for Betroka, since the Bara are an un-reached people group. A people group is un-reached when they lack enough followers of Jesus and the means to evangelise their own people. This is true for the Bara: very few among them are Christians and evangelism amongst them is challenging, to say the least: the Bara are not open to change, their language is difficult to learn and they live spread out in small settlements in the hills, where there are no roads.

We are convinced the gospel will have a huge impact on their lives. Now they live in fear of the spirits of their ancestors. They have to maintain many complicated and restricting traditions and customs to remain accepted and protected. Jesus can free the Bara not only from the wages of sin, but also of their fears. That hope we love to bring. In newsletters to come we would like to share with you how we believe this can be done. Would you like to know more about the relevance of mission anno 2014: read 'Why Mission Matters – Seen From a Secular Viewpoint' .

A Long Road

The road to Betroka has been described as long and tiring: an endless dirt road with no end in sight – against a stunning background. Our personal road to the mission field is somewhat the same: we have been preparing to go for years – with a beautiful goal in mind. Now we can finally take further concrete steps as we plan to go to Betroka next year. Yes!

So far we understand we can join the team in January 2015. This means there is not much time for us to get the financial basis in order. A few months before the planned departure 90% of our monthly budget must have been pledged by sponsors. We are looking for partakers in our mission: people who, like we do, have a heart for the Bara. Are you that person or do you know others who might be interested? Visit our website for more information about supporting us.