It has been three months since when we sent you our newsletter. Time to share our new adventures!

Trip to Nosy Mitsio

Africa Inland Mission (AIM) expects her missionaries to be lifelong learners: to continually study everything and everybody around and about; to keep growing in our faith and witness. In March / April we got the chance to boost our learning. We were invited to spend a month on the Nosy Mitsio missionary team. They serve on Nosy Mitsio, a small island off the coast of Madagascar, amongst the un-reached Antakarana people. Their circumstances and lifestyle are simple. We are very grateful to have spent so much time on the time and have learned many things – and enjoyed ourselves a lot!

What we remember most is that the team has succeeded to win the hearts of the islanders, although they were not warmly welcomed at first. The locals share their lifes, joys and pains with the team and allow them to pray for and with them. Hopes are that soon the first Antakarana of the island will put their trust in Jesus and move from ancestor worship and fear into the light and freedom of having faith in Jesus Christ.

Health

Living on Nosy Mitsio is a challenge in many ways, specifically with respect to hygiene and health. During our stay many on the team were sick, and Jurgen and Simeon also became ill. It was nothing serious, but in a new country one tends to be more worried about health issues. We are very thankful that we have access to some good doctors and a missionary hospital (2 hours drive!) in Tana. Both Jurgen and Simeon—after 3 visits to a doctor—have recovered and are well now.

Back from Nosy Mitsio we received word of the death of Jurgen’s grandmother, aged 94. Despite her age we had not expected her to go just yet. She was still a very active woman, but her heart was weak.

Better news arrived about the health of Jurgen’s father, who was diagnosed with prostrate cancer, and Katja’s mother, who has metastasised kidney cancer. Jurgen’s father has undergone radiation therapy and his blood values were very good. Katja’s mother had a scan at the end of April and the cancer had not grown since the previous scan three months earlier. Kidney cancer is a slowly growing cancer, so hopes are that Katja’s mother can enjoy a relatively good health for some time to come. This news has given us rest and peace for now.

Destination: Tanala

Mid April Jurgen spent a week on a survey in the east, the area of the Tanala. The Tanala are amongst Madagascar’s least reached people groups. Only 1% are evangelical Christians. There are few churches, and where they are they lack the vision to bring the gospel to their neighbours. It is the longing and goal of Africa Inland Mission (AIM) Madagascar to engage the Tanala now. Sofar little action has been taken, mainly due to logistical problems. The Tanala live in small villages scattered in the eastern forested areas, where there are no roads or only pothole roads. It took Jurgen 3 hours to cover 12 miles.

The survey was very encouraging. It seems the Lord has prepared the hearts and minds of the people to hear the good news. Several villages around Ikongo and Sandrohy were visited. In all villages the people expressed their interest in the teachings of the Bible. They would welcome missionaries, even help them to get settled and adjusted! Some had heard of Jesus when selling produce at market in a town or from an evangelist visiting their village maybe yearly. The were sure hungry for more! A video of the trip can be accessed on our website, or you can click on the video thumbnail.

The outcome of the survey is that we and AIM leadership think the time is ripe for us to go and serve the Tanala. The next step will be for us to visit Sandrohy as a family. Sandrohy is accessible by road (although we will definitely need a sturdy 4 x 4!) and there is a shop there that sells basic food items. Sandrohy is also at reasonable distance from a hospital in case we should need medical care. Another thing is that AIM’s contact person for the area lives there and can help us around and introduce us. Being introduced by a person of good standing is immensely important for a good start.

Financial Need

Before we travel to Sandrohy we want to buy a car. Public transport is not available there and the roads are very bad. We really need a 4 x 4 to go and move there.

Of late we have found that, even in Tana, having one’s own vehicle is no luxury. We were already duly impressed with the driving style of the drivers on our trips outside of Tana, varying from ‘we are in an awful hurry’ to ‘meet your Creator today’. On top of that a few weeks ago 3 accidents happened in Tana with buses due to reckless driving. Result: 13 casualties. The bus companies have been reprimanded and rules are more strictly adhered to - at least for the moment. One of the effects is that it is even harder than it was to catch a ride as a family. Most buses are already overloaded when they stop to pick people up and can only carry one or two extra passengers.

At the moment our fund does not allow for the purchase of a car. Still we really need one if we are to go and work amongst the Tanala. Not only do we need a car, we need it soon. We share this with you and ask you to pray that the Lord will provide for us and see if you can help us financially. You can donate your (extra) gift to AIM with the designation: ‘Supporting Jurgen & katja – CAR’. For more information: www.jurgenenkatja.nl/?p=59. Very many thanks!