Madagascar is now amid the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic just as winter is starting. There is limited access to vaccines, while the price of medicines has increased. Currently, four of our members and their family are on treatment and they’ve been in lockdown for weeks, but they are slowly recovering. Seven members of the church who worked in the snack and restaurant industry, and education, lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic.

Because of the virus, we’ve had to stop in-person meetings since early April and have online services, fellowship and prayer groups on social media. However, many of our members have a difficulty connecting with the group—some don’t have smartphones and cannot afford access to the Internet.

The church was planted in 1997. Hanta was baptised in 1998 and assisted the mission team leaders from 2000 to 2005. I (Roma) was baptised in 1999 on campus while a third-year student at the Faculty of Science at the Antananarivo University. I led the campus ministry from 2000 and assisted HOPE worldwide with community outreach activities.

The two of us “grew up” in the church, started dating in 2003, led the singles ministry together from 2004 to 2006, and got married the following year. We now have three boys aged 12, 10 and eight years old. I started working part-time for the church in 2016 and Hanta in 2019.

We are praying that we will continue to grow this year as we are studying the Bible with some people despite the limitations caused by the pandemic. We love the church so much, and have dedicated ourselves not only to serve in the ministry but to increase our knowledge of God and His word. We’ve been fortunate to attend ministry training in South Africa in the past, and enrolled in courses with the Athens Institute of Ministry last year. Our fervent dream is to raise up the next generation of young leaders, and to expand the church beyond Tana into the five other provinces of Madagascar.

Please pray for the growth and safety of the church in Tana.