It is something that happens every 5 years where churches from Spain, France and all over the island of Madagascar are represented, to rejoice over the great things that GOD has done and the people that HE has brought to himself through this association of believers.
Since I am not fluent in Malagasy yet this time was more of a cultural experience for me. I lived in a room of a school building with 20 other women and children for 5 days. It was crowded, and reminded me a lot of junior high. The women stayed up late chatting about life, family and responsibilities, then woke up VERY early to start making themselves presentable for the men in their lives. Most days they were dressed up in beautiful executive style skirt outfits, and many of them even wore their best fur coats (imitation of course and many of those were not in the greatest of condition either).
We slept like sardines on rice bags filled with hay, that I think I was having an allergic reaction to each night. We experienced late night excursions into the dark to relieve ourselves, being stepped on, rolled over and laughed at. The community shower was a spectacle, or we were a spectacle and sleep was few hours each night.
The blessings were playing and leading the
children while the adults were challenged spiritually to keep pressing forward. I was quickly named Auntie Nicole in French by one little girl and quickly about 8 others followed suit. I knew enough Malagasy to help them get into their bible class, sing some songs, go to the bathroom, get fed, go to sleep and have good play time. I even caught one child hitting another with a tree branch and I could tell them in Malagasy that "I saw you hit" this child.
It was an experience of a lifetime and I survived it all! I did not have to bail out and stay with the local missionaries in their home with electricity, a private shower and more of the food that I have come to know and love here.
Praise the LORD for all that HE did and is still doing!
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