By the grace of God, our missionary work here in Madagascar continues despite the many difficulties and adversities we face every day. It is true that due to the economic crisis, the situation has now become very difficult and the struggle here is taking place under very unfavourable conditions. But we never lose hope. The orphanage in the capital Antananarivo is now finished. It is expected to house over two hundred orphans. But the costs of feeding, medical care and education are expected to be very high. If we do not support the project, unfortunately the operation of the orphanage will continue to be suspended. Nevertheless, it is still one of the largest orphanages in the country, and even the state authorities are anxiously awaiting the implementation of the promises of our Orthodox Church towards our poor people, knowing that our intentions towards the people we serve are sincere and selfless, unlike other denominations and confessions. Our sensitivity to the children of the country, especially the orphans, is not the product of unprincipled thought or judgment.
Children here, and especially in the countryside, die every day from diseases which are usually directly related to lack of food or poor nutrition, lack of proper clothing and medical care. Recently, we baptized children in the province of Tuliar who were mutilated in a car accident and have no support. These children, being young, while playing, happen to get carelessly out on the road. Many times a passing car, after hitting them, leaves them either crippled and maimed or, sometimes, even dead. In this article we have included photos of some of these children of ours who have recently begged us to do whatever is possible to alleviate some of their misery. In one of the photos we have provided you will see a child literally walking on all fours using his hands for legs and wearing slippers on them instead of his feet. As I was leaving for Greece, he was begging me to get him a wheelchair as soon as possible.
At the missionary centre in Tuliar we have three little brothers blinded by a hereditary disease. We help them as much as we can. All three are students in a school for blind children. Coming back from Greece they are waiting for me to help them with their school fees and to bring them bags and notebooks from Greece. Every day we are approached by parents and children asking for help. Distressed and bitter fathers or mothers with one of their children wiped out in their arms either from malaria fever, or typhoid, or because the germ has penetrated from a minor injury and created a fistula because they didn’t have some antiseptic or antibiotics. Many times at the clinic in Tuliar I saw children saved from certain death. Parents who are 90% destitute come and beg us to help them… Seeing these pictures every day, I often think of the agony, pain and patience of these parents. These people who walk miles to bring their sick child into their arms. Who melt in the sun and heat to save their little shoot from the teeth of death. So these hands and the blessing of the people, when they leave us, are the precious gem that we have well kept in our hearts here at the Mission.
So they tell us as they leave and embrace us: “Nowhere else have they helped us. Everybody asked us for money and nowhere for treatment. You asked us for no money and in our pain you hurt and in our sorrow you wept with us. But above all, you saved our child. Tahin’ Zanahary. May you always be God’s seed and blessing.” I don’t think one would expect a more beautiful blessing from the mouths of even sometimes non-believing people. But people full of love, hope and, many times, God.
† Ignatius of Madagascar
