BLEAN CHURCH MADAGASCAR LINK
Life in Madagascar
The multi-faceted landscape of Madagascar reflects, in many ways, the lives of its people. On the one hand they remain an agricultural-based society, and on the other they cannot avoid the fact that they live in a global society. Indeed, technology produced in other parts of the world is bringing great benefits. Take the use of planes and drones to deliver medicine to remote areas, the tech-hub businesses in the capital Antananarivo (‘Tana’), and the future promise of 3D-printed school buildings.
All of this rises above the fact that a very high percentage of people in Madagascar do not have a job as such, 75% live on less than $1.90 a day, and eke a living from subsistence farming. With an ever-burgeoning population this, in turn, means a continuous fight to save the country from the devastation of mining exploitation, deforestation and an ever-reducing habitat for animals, birds and other living creatures. Three-quarters of children live in severe poverty, and are often sent out to labour at a very young age, instead of attending school.
Weather systems are intense and have a role to play in the economy of the country. Madagascar experiences frequent cyclones and devastating floods, particularly in the north – ruining the rudimentary infrastructure, making travel and commerce very difficult and exacerbating poverty; in the south much of the landscape is a virtual desert for most of the year, and many people have become semi-nomadic due to their inability to grow crops, sustain cattle or even find enough water for themselves. As if that were not enough, plagues of locusts, serious diseases, some corrupt politicians and poor law and order in remote areas, add to the challenges.
Fortunately, the Malagasy are very resilient; despite having so little in life, they are often very cheerful and accepting of the difficulties they face. They are also keen to help themselves, so any assistance is gratefully received and embraced with both arms. Assistance comes in the form of international aid, religious organisations, individuals and non-government organisations (NGOs).
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Over a decade ago, a link was formed between Blean Church and a dynamic priest named Rev Olivier, who lives in Ambatondrazaka, just south of Lac Alaotra in the northern half of Madagascar. Since then, there have been two visits by members of Blean congregation to Rev Olivier and his parishioners in Madagascar - in 2011 and 2018. This ever-strengthening link depends strongly on a regular exchange of information by email, encouraging - among other things - mutual support in worship; the link is prayed for each week in both Madagascar and Blean. We learn from each other and Blean congregation makes annual payments to support projects encompassing health, hygiene, education, disaster relief and mission. This money comes from a PCC grant and funds raised by various activities, notably Madagascar-themed lunches attended by around half the regular congregation! All agree that personal interaction and plentiful exchange of photographs and information, have enriched the link-experience for communities in both Madagascar and the UK. Trust, communication and personal relationships form the core of this successful link.
These maps show where the parishes, cared-for by Rev Olivier, are located:
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Here are the prayers exchanged and regularly used by parishioners both in Blean and Madagascar; prayers especially written for the link:
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Madagascar Lunches take place about once per month and everyone is welcome to join in! The aim is to hear about and discuss our various projects - and raise funds; we're talking about £5 per person - to include the cost of the lunch, so do come along.
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HEADLINES FROM MADAGASCAR NEWS BULLETIN - April 2025
(Contact mike.swain@talk21.com if you want to receive a full version of these bulletins)
- Madagascar busts ring smuggling brides into China
- Cameroon police free trafficked Madagascan women
- Madagascar road project controversy
- FAO continues to support Madagascar in strengthening procedures to promote sustainable fisheries
- A Sample Proposal for Gender-Based Violence Prevention in Madagascar
- Mercy Ships to provide 1,700 free surgeries in Madagascar
- Drone-borne vaccines make landfall in southwestern Madagascar
- Diversifying rice-based systems to enhance household nutrition, food security and women empowerment
- This Tiny Mammal Could Hold the Secret to Reversing Aging *** cuteness factor 11 out of 10!
- Malagasy man receives treatment in India after fall from bed
- Spatial analysis of unimproved drinking water source in East Africa: Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data 2021-2023
- Aligning school and farming calendars for education reform
- UAE will train more than one million young people from Madagascar in programming: Madagascar's President says
- Wave of Arrests as Madagascar Shuts Down Tortoise Trafficking Network
- University of Southampton to map and protect vital seagrass meadows
- Life and currents in the Mozambique channel
- Powering Madagascar's future: Unleashing private investment to achieve energy goals
- Bizarre spiked mammal from the Madagascar forest
- Climate change is fuelling a mental health crisis in one of the world’s most vulnerable regions
- Strengthening climate resilience through new strategic partnership with Red Cross Madagascar
- Africa delivers the first mechanism for international cooperation on climate change adaptation under the Paris Agreement
- In Heart of Vanilla Country, Farmers on Frontlines of Climate Change Struggle to Adapt
- Technology looks set to transform governance in Madagascar
- Echoing Nazi “Madagascar plan,” U.S. and Israel seek to displace Palestinians to East Africa
- Catholic sisters say they won't abandon the hungry, sick and dying
- Scientists name the richest countries in the world that promote deforestation outside their borders
- Malagasy Govt Takes New Step toward Digital Transformation
- Madagascar National Tourism Board launches “Madagascar Uncharted: Beyond the Baobabs” campaign
- At over $10,000 per kilogram, Africa’s first caviar is surprising the luxury food industry – produced in Madagascar
Following on below are summaries of the most recent communications with Rev Olivier in Ambatondrazaka, North East Madagascar, together with other news about our link and religious life in Madagascar. The November 2019 article by Roger Vickerman, gives an excellent general overview of how the link has been developed, together with future plans.
3rd May 2025
Rev Olivier has sent Easter Greetings, in response to ours sent to him...
Dear Roger and all friends in Blean,
With joy I represent all my congregations here in my Parish to send you Easter Greetings. Christ is risen and gives us new life. We live with Him and in Him. We always live the Easter mystery. Please pass our greetings to all congregations in Blean Parish.
God bless you all
Yours in Christ
Revd Olivier
12th January 2025
New Year news from Ambatondrazaka
Revd Olivier has sent us Christmas and New Year greetings and news of how our link has benefited all his parishes. He reports that 648 Children from 11 Churches in his Deanery have been fed with the feeding project we support over the past 3 Years. Whilst this might be the main reason for the children to come to church it is an important aspect of the church’s outreach. Regarding our support for education, the great problem is that each student must pay school fees. One family has been helped with the cost of school fees and school kits. Another young person continues his study at the Theological Institute in Tana, preparing for ordination. Two young people have been supported over the past six years, one of whom is now a Deacon. Laity training is also continuing. This is an important way of supporting the ministry and more trained lay people are needed.
Other areas of activity we support include vegetable planting and pig farming. As well as supporting the planting project organised by the Mothers’ Union which encourages healthy eating it enables them to earn extra money.
It is also hoped to continue the tree planting project which contributes to the church’s involvement in environmental preservation in a country where deforestation is a major problem.
A new permanent Church is now being built in Amboasary mainly though the self-help efforts of the local congregation.
18th April 2024
The following Easter messages were exchanged with Rev Olivier:
Dear Roger and all friends in Blean Parish!
Jesus Christ is risen , Alleluia! We are risen with Him to the new life. Greeting from our Parish to Blean! We shall that the Church life shows the victory of Jesus.
May God bless you all
Yours in Christ
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Dear Olivier
Alleluia Christ is risen!
I send you and all your congregations greetings from Blean where we have today celebrated Easter with the Easter fire and the coming of the light of Christ in a full church. Our intercessions included as always prayers for our sisters and brothers in Madagascar. Our thoughts are with you all on this special day of celebration.
Roger
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25th December 2023
Christmas Greetings and photos from Rev Olivier
Dear all friends in Blean,
"...I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people...A Saviour has been born to you".(St Luke 2.10-11)
With joy we greet you all for the occasion of Christmas. The Word of God is God Himself that took the human flesh. He is Emmanuel, God with us. The Son of God become Human being so that the human being becomes the son of God. That is the great joy for us and we all partake this grace and become also the source of grace of God. We all in the parish of Ambatondrazaka and area deanery feel that you all in Blean is the grace of God for us. Tahnk you for all supporting you did for our deanery and parish. We hope that it may be continued under the grace of the Lord.
I want you some pictures for my mission in St Michael in Ambohidava on 4th of Advent: 15 Children and one lady woman was baptised. On Christmas day in St James Ambatondrazaka more people came to celebrate Christmas.
God bless you all
Yours in Christ
Revd Olivier
5th October 2023
Canterbury Diocesan Visit to Madagascar
The Madagascar Group recently heard a report of Bishop Rose’s trip to the Madagascar Mothers Union Zaikabe (Gathering). Here is a link to an article on the subject written by Bishop Rose: https://www.canterburydiocese.org/our-life/news-events/news/encouragement-from-visit-to-link-dioceses-in-madagascar.php . The following (edited) article presents another perspective on the same subject from Bishop Hall, one of the bishops in Madagascar:
The Mothers’ Union Zaikabe
Plotting, organising, re-organising and spending in preparation for the Mothers’ Union Zaikabe (Triennial National Conference) in Fianarantsoa has dominated and dislocated my life for weeks. Plotting: because it was my privilege to invite and partially coordinate the visit of Bishop Rose of Dover. This was agreed by the bishops of Madagascar after the Archbishop refused permission for her to attend the provincial meeting. The MU Zaikabe is the biggest event in the Madagascar church calendar this year with all the bishops of Madagascar in attendance. People knew I was busy arranging visits, but names were not revealed!
The Zaikabe was due to open on Thursday, 24th August. Unfortunately, the visitors from Canterbury couldn’t come in advance of the Zaikabe and thus I had to arrange flights from Antananarivo to Fianarantsoa. Also coming were the MU Worldwide President, Sheran Harper, and council members from Cameroon and Uganda and staff from London. They got their bookings done first and hired a MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship) aeroplane on the Wednesday afternoon. I managed to book the MAF aeroplane on the Thursday morning departing 7 am to get Bishop Rose to Fianarantsoa just in time for the opening ceremony. However, it was a small plane and the passengers’ body weights were included in the luggage allowance. So it was arranged that I would see the visitors on to the plane and travel by car with their luggage, thus missing the first day of the Zaikabe myself.
At the last minute MAF rang me to say that the pilot couldn’t manage my booking and they were putting the visitors on the morning flight the day before. I pointed out that was impossible as they would not have arrived in Madagascar by then and, secondly, the whole point of their coming to Madagascar was to attend the meeting. I was really cross, anxious and embarrassed - and let it be known that I was so. MAF rang back and asked if I was prepared to hire a bigger plane on the Thursday morning, mindful that the whole trip was weather dependent and Fianarantsoa airport is often shrouded in clouds at this time of year. With much dread I said “Yes.” How much? 10 million ariary!!! I calculated that if I borrowed ALL the money in the various accounts I could just about pay and hurried to the bank and did several transfers. (In the event Canterbury footed the big bills).
And so, once more the tedious trip to the capital, a night with the Sisters FMJK, and on to the international airport to welcome the visitors. What a joy and relief to see Bishop Rose and her colleagues from Canterbury, the Rev Carol Smith and the Rev Andy Bawtree, and bundle them into my car and take them to their hotel for the night.
My driver and I were back at the hotel at 6 am to collect them and their luggage. Since we were now travelling in the bigger plane I too could join the flight and take all the luggage. Bishop Rose is one of those wonderful outgoing personalities whose smiles and greetings attract attention in the nicest possible way. She was delighted when she was invited to sit in the co-pilot’s seat for the flight.
Bishop Rose at the controls deep in conference with our pilot.
It was a glorious sunny winter morning and we arrived in Fianarantsoa at 8 am and amazingly were robed and ready for the opening service in the cathedral at 9 am. Only when Bishop Rose took off her mitre and got into the pulpit and spoke did the penny drop to the 1,000 plus ladies in the cathedral that the Bishop of Dover was a black WOMAN. There was a mighty wave of gasps and murmurs across the cathedral. “Yes, the bishop is a woman” proclaimed Bishop Rose.
What added to the shock amidst a congregation of women with universally long hair, not to mention wearing veils, was Bishop Rose’s extremely short hair (and no veil in sight). Everyone hung on every word – or the translation. Which meant every statement had two waves of reaction – a little one to her words in English and a big one to the Malagasy translation. Bishop Rose outlined her life story before commencing her sermon on the Zaikabe theme of “A new person in Christ” (2 Cor. 5. 14-21) with the slogan “Change now!”.
The most spectacular event of the Zaikabe was the great procession before the closing service. I don’t know how the starting point was chosen but it was a considerable distance from the cathedral and I was quite relieved to have been driven there.
Bishop Hall
25th September 2023
These photographs are from Marc, whose father, Bishop John, recently blessed the new church tower at St Paul’s Manakambahiny. The Bishop and his wife were touring Revd Olivier’s Deanery. Eileen, Judy and Roger visited St Paul’s during their visit and it was there they met with Tendry, one of the young men whose education Blean have supported in his training for the priesthood. The first photo shows Bishop John (centre), with Rev Olivier (right), plus the minister of All Saints Mahatsinjo (left) and wives of all three.
17th July 2023
Dear all friends in Blean,
May the peace of the Lord be with you all.
I want to inform you that the project you are supporting with us, is going well. The farming and cultivation, and supporting of the young boy who is preparing to be priest. He is studying now on the 2nd Year in the Diocesan Theological School. There is also one young boy that his parents is in difficult life. He asked me to help him so that he does not have to stop his study, so on next year we, the Blean commission here, decided to help him. His is now at the ending class of secondary school. Thank you very much for all the support you give because there is more impact on the life of people in need.
Finally, I want send you some photos to make you know how is going the project here. Click this PDF link :REPORT
God bless you all
Yours in Christ
Revd Olivier
9th July 2023
Dear all friends in Blean,
With joy I write to you again. I hope you're doing well, through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
How delighted I was to see your recent e-mail to show your enthusiasm to improve our link.
In September, if God is willing, I am thinking of giving pastoral training for all clergy, catechists, evangelists in our Deanery, for improving the strategy for evangelism in our area. We ask you to pray for us and to support us.
The project for planting vegetables by the Mothers Union in Mahatsinjo and the pig farming there is going well. The young man called Tendry is now in 2nd year class. He is preparing to be a priest. I want to thank Blean for supporting him for his school fees.
I think it is enough now, next time I will other thing to share.
God bless you all
Yours in Christ
Revd Olivier
29th May 2023
Dear all friends in Blean
For the Spirit that God has given us does not make us timid; instead, his Spirit fills us power, love, and self-control (2Tim 1.7)
With joy I represent my deanery and parish to greet you all for the feast pentecost. May the Spirit of Lord that we have received alive always the life of love to empower our link and our relationship.
God bless you all
Yours in Christ
Revd Olivier
18th April 2023
Dear all friends in Blean,
May the grace of Lord be with you all. I represent my parish and our deanery to greet you happy Easter . Christ is risen, we are winners through Him, Hallelujah!
Next, I inform you the sad news about George's family. Germaine, the George's mother was dead on 29 March. You know good Germaine. Her departed is heavy for George and his family so we pray for him, his sisters and their family.
Then, Thanks God that I have got a new computer through the money you have sent to me to buy it. Thank you very very much for your dealing with me to obtain lost because of the robbery in my house. God bless you all
Yours in Christ
Revd Olivier