Buckle up, it’s story time. Ministry day one in Madagascar took the Thundercats by surprise. We leave at 8:30 am and head out the front of our compound, meet up with our translator, and walk about a half a mile to the bus stop where we picked up a light jog to make it on the slowly moving vehicle. After a short three minute ride down the road, we jumped off the slowing moving vehicle and headed down a small path as beautiful as Hobbiton would be. We approach a small church and met up with one of the pastors sons. After giving us the run down of the church set up he guides us to his home to meet his mother, Pastor Livé. She welcomed us into her home with a smile and guided us into her living room embellished with hot pink fuzzy rugs, silver and black couches and six kittens running about the house.
We had a short introduction to ministry and then prepared for lunch with her family and staff. Shortly after eating and clearing the plates one of the Pastor’s eight children wrangles a three foot tall bluetooth speaker into the room. Pastor Livé looks at us and asks, “Do you like worshipping Jesus?” to which we answered “yes.” She connects to the speaker, throws back the tables that we just ate on, and then cranks up the volume. We proceed to learn Malagasy songs and dances for the next 45 minutes of our lives. Filled with joy and covered with sweat we powered through the dance party in the living room with about 12 Malagasy people.
Tired, we sit back down on the couches and cool off. About ten minutes after sitting and chatting one of the best and worst things happened to us… SECOND LUNCH?! We look at one another with sheer terror because we are still full from first lunch and hour prior. To not be rude we take small portions and try the food. To be fair it was some of the best rice and beans I’ve had so far. We barely made it through lunch number two and before being fully consumed by the food coma we gathered our things and headed back to the church to lead a program for the congregation showing up in 20 minutes. They inform us to prepare and hour and a half worth of testimony, song, and dance. Then we panic for a brief moment. We made the game plan and headed to the second row of the church to listen to Pastor Livé open up the service. Jenny and Sierra breeze through the testimony and the Spirit truly worked in that moment for us. We all hop on stage to teach amazing grace to all the women there, and then gear up for the dance portion. Pastor Livé hugely encourages us to do the traditional Malagasy dance they taught us two hours prior. Just like that we are off dancing our butts off and laughing through it all. Shortly after we are dismissed from church and head back to the bus stop to start the trek home.
WE MADE IT! First day of ministry checked off. We not only did church ministry, but there was some food ministry, dancing ministry, and singing ministry. Jesus filled us with so much joy that day and we did not expect it at all. My heart was so full after finishing the day even though my body was so tired. I had smiled and laughed more than I ever had on the race thus far. The father truly knows our hearts and knows where to put us. His plan is 100% sovereign 100% of the time. I am blessed to be in Madagascar and blessed to be loved by these people and by my team.
