Answers

Have you ever had a time, when you have wondered – why pray?  I must admit ever so often, I find myself in a quandary with such a little thought whittling away at my faith and threatening to crack my demeanor.  I try to ram it down with – God still loves me even though I don’t see all the answers, or maybe it wasn’t in His plan for me in any case.  I don’t have to tell you about this – I know you know.  Then things like this starts to happen:

–  Jean Claude and the Iris soccer team played in the final which ended up in a penalty shoot out.  He says he was so nervous, the stands were packed and a lot hinged on his goal.  In the moment he turned his eyes towards heaven and begged God for mercy. He shoots and it is in.  To see the expression of joy on his face, as he relived, was priceless.

– The week prior I asked Patrick about his relationship with God – “I have fallen away” was his answer.  We encouraged and prayed for him.  The next week, he couldn’t wait for small group to start.  During testimony time he rolls out his story.  “I was sitting at my desk during Math. The teacher asked me to do a problem on the board.  I really did not know how to do the problem – then I asked God for help.  Much to my and the teacher’s surprise, I was able to do the problem without fault.” Ever so faintly I feel the wind picking up in my sails.

–  During small group I ask the boys  what God is saying to them.  Miranto said God showed him, in a verse in Job, that he was nothing but has become something in Christ.  Nicola had a picture of a man standing, trying to see the sun, but dark clouds were obscuring it.  With that, we could go into a whole discussion about things that bring dark clouds between us and God.

-Tanjuna said his teacher had a headache and he prayed for her healing.  Later that day she thanked him – her headache was gone. What can a man say? Sometimes God is just like that!

-Saholy is a Malagasy lady that has lost her job a few months ago.  Jobs are extremely scarce.  We have regularly prayed for her during this time.  Praying that God will miraculously intervene. Then she gets a job to translate for a German plastic surgeon. They are so impressed with her that a fulltime position was offered.  This, working with other Christians!

– Rob is the aircraft maintenance manager at Mission Aviation Fellowship.  He desperately needed paperwork, for their new aircraft, to be signed so that their plane would arrive on time.  He was stuck in the maze of corrupt bureaucracy.  We prayed.  God miraculously intervened.  He got the signature that was needed and their plane is on its way.

-Someone else, had some character issues with an employee.  All of us know how extremely sticky a situation like this could be.  We prayed and again God intervened . Out of his own initiative the employee admitted that he had a problem and needed help.  How about that?!

-One that takes the cake, as far as I’m concerned, was this: Iris is in the process of purchasing property for our center so that the children could have a home of their own.  We needed another $50,000 to complete the purchase.  The money had to be in by November for us not to forfeit the contract.  The day before Thanksgiving, I was helping Tantely to build his birthday cabinet.  We heard a knock on our gate.  Melanie (another missionary) comes in and I can see that she is about to bust out of her skin.  “Somebody donated the $50,000” she said.  I could not believe my ears.  Here we are, a mottled bunch, trying to do something for Jesus. Here He is showing His love in such an awesome, tangible way.

What more can I say? Please don’t lose heart! In His time.

I love you,

Michiel

The cherry

Like a pendulum my emotions run about inside of me. The one moment I feel like a rock star and the next my soul is in a total state of despair. Having life governed by others reactions or even worse, perceived reaction eats away at me like a cancer. I grapple for the ever illusive straws of happiness. Even though I kick against it with everything in me, I frequently feel lost in my emotional maze. Why does God have to hold the reigns so loosely? Why does He give me enough rope to hang myself time and time again? Why can’t His steadfast gaze of  unconditional love be the rudder of my soul? Who am I without that gaze?

As always my small group, with the teenage boys, brings about a delightful platter of just life! Testimonies are usually the ice breaker. Like a spectator at a track meet, I sit at the edge of my seat with anticipation. It starts to roll. Juan Claude says Nicola had a dream that God told him to live the love that is in his heart. Juan Claude continues that he wanted to live that love, but because of sin, guilt and shame he felt he couldn’t. This dream inspired him to step out. Maurice says that he has been reading about Moses having  to wait a long time for Gods gift and that he just has to be patient for what God has in stall for him. Nali says Nicola also had a word for him. He has a lot of wisdom and if he holds it close to his heart, God will take him a long way. The boy who chose the neck hanger says Nicola had something for him as well. He had to be more serious with his relationship with God – his time at Iris is short. I could not believe my ears!

“Now Nicola, what brought all of this about?” I ask. “I have been wanting to hear Gods voice for a long time. Julio prayed for me and he asked God to speak to me in my dreams. He gave me a dream that I will have words for people and that I need to speak them” he says. Just like that – the cherry for the cake arrived on a silver platter!

During staff meetings on a Friday, I give the teachers a chance to share their lives. Irene had difficulty finding a babysitter. She had asked all her family and everybody she knew, to no avail. She was at the point where she was contemplating to leave her job. After asking, God miraculously intervened. On the way to work she crossed paths with a previous baby sitter whom she loved. This sitter was very excited to take care of her children. Irene could not stop explaining how God turned her hopeless situation about. What can a man say? Sometimes life is just beautiful!

The thing that struck me the most this month, is that God chose me for my weakness not my strength. He died in my place, not just for me. What I do is not who I am! May you and I get our minds around that and never lose sight of His steadfast gaze of love.

As always, with much love

 Michiel

I’ve come to find

With my wife in South Africa; I have come to find that the dishes doesn’t migrate into the cabinets on their own. It becomes quite difficult to find the trinkets if not regularly dusted. The clothes basket quite rapidly takes on the shape of Everest. The bed looks like a cat has lost its kittens inside. The floor sprouts things. Food is never ready and things run out.  The throne is not a very inviting perch, if not regularly wiped. The grime in the tub takes an eternality to scrub, if her plane has landed. So what to say? I was basically living a royal illusion – may God help!

School started with a bang and it was a mad dash to get everything in place. The hardware store does not sell wood.  I go to the mill – pick the logs – get them sawn and planed to size – make the benches and desks – finish a few hours before school starts. A teacher quits a week before she has to teach and God miraculously provides another. We have to wait a few days to move our senior class into their new class room, because the builders are frantically milling through the finishing touches. On the first day I run around like a headless chicken hanging blackboards and making sure everything is in place. Thank God for the grace of the third world.

With school starting my daily small group, with the teenage boys, sadly reverts back to once a week. During one of our purity sessions I ask the boys who they will pick; a girl that writes nice letters, bakes them things and displays good character or one that hangs around their neck and kisses them all over. The same boy that chose Snoop Dog as a role model, chose the neck hanger. I guess in a teenage mind it sounds quite enticing – at least he was honest!

I spoke a lot about dying to self with the boys. During testimony time, quite a few of them will tell how they helped carry heavy loads in the village or not get angry when unjustly treated by another. One boy in particular had an amazing testimony. On the weekend he got a seat on a full bus and saw that an elderly lady was standing. He stood up and gave his seat away. Another Malagasy man reprimanded him for doing so. He just calmly stated –  that is how it should be. Where his family lives, he found his uncle in a drunken stupor and helped him get home. On his way he helps a man to push a heavy load on a push cart. He sees a 10 year old girl run over by a car – he immediately starts crying, praying for her and continuous to pray daily. As usual the teacher gets taught. I need more of his kind of Jesus.

Our team is doing so much better after quite a deep plowing session. God is so gracious. I  have hope where that was in short supply for quite a while. Relationships are restored and a new day is dawning. Thank you for praying for us.

Love you,

Michiel

Purity

There are times in a mans life when his emotions run about his being, banging on every door – trying to find a place of rest – but to no avail. Sense and non-sense is split by a hair breath, often illusively determined by the ability to control. Here I am totally out of control, like a squirrel dashing back and forth, with life barreling down at break neck speed. As a last resort I make a frantic break to the one side. Spurred by a barrage of thoughts and emotions – I am running with my whole being. Suddenly I see there is no hope. There is just no way. In slow motion, I see my destiny in shambles and my soul cries out ‘where are you God?’. Then in my mind’s eye I see Him sitting there, arms wide open, just shaking his head.’What are you doing buddy?’ I hear Him say ‘what are you doing?’. I look in His face – I see His eyes and I know it is love. Light pours into every door in my mind. The line between sense and non-sense vanishes. Peace enters my soul and I know it’s going to be ok.

During school break I am leading a daily small group for all the teenage boys. Purity, our main topic, brings a lot of interesting discussion to the table. Questions like ‘can a girl become pregnant while pregnant?’ comes right out. After explaining the whole nine month thing, some wanted to know why their birthdays weren’t in September. Some more explanation followed and then all wanted to know when they were created. I dare not think what thoughts meander through a teenage brain.

Choosing good role models was the topic for another day. I asked the boys who they would choose. ‘Snoop Dog’ the rapper one said. Not my first pick, but I guess there is room for growth in the teenage mind. After some coaching Jesus and Godly men sounded like a better option.

One of the boys was brought to the centre by a man. After inquiring if he was the father of the child, he calmly stated that the mother had so many partners that he only contributed the arm. What can a man say? Sometimes life just gives you an arm or leg, and that is enough.

My lovely daughter has left the house and my wife is in South Africa for her mom’s 80th birthday. The boys and I have our snorkeling gear on and we are paddling for dear life. It is amazing how much one takes for granted, until it is not there. I have to remind myself His love is enough – it covers it all.

Love you!
Michiel

Graduation

The school year is coming to an end and one of the teachers asks to talk to me in person.  My mind kicks into overdrive and I start bracing myself for the inevitable calamity.  Like a sheep to the slaughter I head to the conference room.  Through the translator the teacher starts unpacking her request.  True to Malagasy custom she gathers the horse from distant pastures.  Come to find out that she takes her school break to assist a school in the countryside and was requesting some assistance.  I could not contain myself.  The other teachers are planning their vacation and she is planning to give.  Tears start streaming down my cheeks and I grapple for the emergency break to no avail.

Our senior class of the primary school took the standardised national exam this month.  In true third wold fashion we leave at 7:00 to start at 7:30 and only get going at 8:15.  Like athletes before a race the kids start pouncing around to get rid of nervous energy.  Then it happens – they decide to play hide and seek in the crowd.  How can it be – in their minds they were just having fun.  My heart skips a beat. Now I  see them – then I don’t.  How am I going to explain if I lose a kid  on national exam day?  God somehow miraculously intervened and the show got on the road with all of them present.

Like so many others,  Mbola and his brother, arrived at our Centre from a broken family situation.  Much to the third grade teacher’s dismay Mbola cannot count further than 14 during her screening.  She decides to give him a chance.  Some of the other teachers assist him in the afternoon with extra classes.  On graduation day he wins the award for the best student in his class and does so well that he will skip a grade.  How awesome is that!  To top it all, he recites the 22 Bible verses we studied during this year, without a hiccup.  Absolutely amazing – I wish I had his memory.

As we end our year,  one of the teachers expresses her gratitude for our weekly Bible study.   She explains how much it has helped her grow spiritually.  What more can a man ask for?  Even through my brokenness – God is willing to shine!

Love you guys,

Michiel

Mahajanga

My emotions are running about inside of me like an animal trapped in a cage – out it  wants, but there is no way. I cry out to my God, but sometimes He feels so very distant.  Even though I am yelling, I know He is right here inside of me. What to say?  I am a spiritual being entrapped in a physical body.  The spirit is free but the body (soul) has a tendency to freak out every time it feels out of control.  The problem is the crevasses are becoming wider and my ability to jump is fading.  It is an amazing predicament I am in!  Why not just open my hands and let His spirit take over.  I’m not even guaranteed the next breath I take, yet I want to live like I’m the conductor of my own orchestra.

We had the wonderful privilege to assist with setting up a new base in Mahajanga on the Northeastern side of Madagascar.  It is a beautiful time of the year to be out of the cold of Antananarivo.  Fishing is the main source of income and small sailboats are at the order of the day.  On a windy day it looks like the sailboat derby in Sydney harbour.  True to African ingenuity the sails form a colourful collage of different flags and designs.  Fish was our staple and did I stuff my face with the freshness right out of the Ocean !

Setting up the base was quite different from working at the Centre in Antananarivo, where fifty inquisitive hands keeps a man on his toes.  Misha was so kind as to neglect his school a little to help assemble beds, mosquito net frames, water tank and solar panels.  Not that I sensed a feeling of remorse for missing school.  As usual, there was too much to do, and not enough time.  Better that way than sitting on the sidelines picking in your nose, right?

It was so beautiful to see Rachel, the head of the base, take every step with God.  Prayer, worship and love the foundation of their build.  What a wonderful way to birth a new ministry. Please pray that God will help them never to lose their passion for Him.

I am emotionally torn to leave Mahajanga because I feel there is so much more to do. As I enter the Centre in Antananarivo Monica, the little deaf girl, runs and jumps into my arms.  A beautiful white smile lightens and lightens my whole world.  It is going to be OK. All for Him I’d say.

Love you,

Michiel

Thousands of baby crabs.

Want to be fishermen.

Takes dead asleep to another level.

A Drop

The teachers invite me to a picnic and I am always up for an adventure – so here we go.  Dawn our friend from the US has just arrived and Ely another friend is on his last day.  I arose everybody at 4:30 to be at the station at 5:30.  The thought meanders through my mind that this is Africa and things happen slower than anticipated.  Upon arrival I get a call from one of the teachers, saying that the driver is late.  At 6:30 we get the show on the road.  Needless to say by this time I have fought countless battles in my mind to stay calm and thankful for God`s early morning all you can eat emotional feast.

Our two car caravan slowly traverses through Antananarivo with streets rapidly bogging down with morning traffic.  An hour later we arrive at the other side of town where some of the teachers were to join the excursion.  I get news that one of the teachers is a little late.  Immediately my Western mind kicks into gear.  What to do to remedy the situation?  Repeated calls, to no avail, has a man wondering if ever he will get use to this African time thing.  Another hour later she arrives – single Mom, with two children , ten months  and a two year old.  She was stuck in the maze of  Antananarivo`s traffic.  Here I sit in the comfort of my own vehicle having no clue of what she had to go through to get there – may God have mercy.

A little after twelve we reached our destination and I am starting to wonder if it was worth the drive.  I am tired and the picnic hasn’t even started.  Like a bunch of sheep we follow our guide to the waterfall.  We get there just to find out that there is not quite anywhere to sit.  He takes us to another spot where the waterfall, that took  us half a day to reach, was nowhere in sight.  You can just imagine what is going on in our Western minds.  Just when I felt like this has ended in total disaster someone announces we are moving location again.  Much to my suprise it was a beautiful spot with waterfall clearly in sight.

By this time my boys are hungry and unravelling.  Mari has forgotten our plates to eat on and I see the straw breaking Misha`s back.  He gets up in a huff and leaves.  Just to say I was quite perplexed and beautifully at wits end.  Here I am with our friends from the US, plus all the teachers and I can’t keep my own family at bay.  Talk about humiliation on a silver platter.

I wish I could say that I cried out to God  or started thanking Him for the situation, but I can’t.  The only thing I could remember is that Misha returned in a better mood.  Later he told me that when he walked off, he spoke to God about the situation.  God showed him that life is like a waterfall and we are the drops.  The other thing that came to mind, is that we can only change our own drop and non of the others.  If we all do our part it makes for a beautiful picture.  How awesome is that!  Enough to jerk a few cords in a man’s heart.

In the end, we had an amazing day with the teachers.  It was so much fun to interact with them and their families.  To see how they do life outside of work.  This is an amazing culture where everybody shares everything and relationship is the essence.  As usual the missionary gets taught more than he teaches!

Mari an I have been ploughing pretty deep with our relationship here lately.  I have been trying to get God’s question “Did you love well?” under the belt, but feel like I am miserably failing.  Why is it so very difficult for me to lay down my pride? Look at this year, it is just about halfway gone – gone for an eternity.  We only have now , why is it so difficult for me?  If you find a moment, please pray for us.

Love you,

Michiel

 

Only Madagascar

Misha and I, taking our early morning jog,  happened to come upon a peculiar sight – an old dilapidated ox-cart pulled by a scrawny looking cow. Something out of the ordinary drew my attention – ever so often the cow exhibited a burst of energy, windmilling its legs as fast as they will go.  Usually the main source of motivation would be a whip or stick of some kind, but in this case the driver was leaning forward grabbing the buttocks of the cow,  and giving it an almighty squeeze.  How about necessity being the master of invention?  I guess I would be moving a little bit quicker through life if my cheeks were pulsated in similar fashion.

Walking down the street I noticed a man herding a hog with a small leafy stick.  The thought meanders through my mind – what if ?  What if, the pig takes off at lightning speed in that busy street?  It would have the whole village in uproar and hot pursuit in a few seconds.  If I had happened to be in that things hooves,  there would be no way in the world that anybody would ever catch me. I guess that is why God chose to keep me on the human side of life.

Few places in the world will entertain your eyes and intrigue your mind like Madagascar.  A man with a live pig on a pull cart is slowly followed by a brand new BMW SUV.  The pace set by the poor and not the rich.  What a stark contrast and an amazing life lesson.  It is not out of the ordinary to see a hog sawed in half from the rooter to the tooter on a dirty push cart on the way to the market.  With electrical equipment in short supply, one can only imagine how all of that happened. For a few miles, a man carries a dead pig on his shoulders – where does this strength come from?  I can just imagine myself in his situation, knees buckling and lying sprawled out on the cobble-stoned street with a pig neatly draped over me.

Now I am going to tell you something about myself that I am not very proud of.  On my way home one day,  I happened to run into a Malagasy wedding motor brigade heading to a reception.  I was directed to reverse and pull into a tiny spot with my big pick up truck so that the cars could get by.  I patiently waited, ten minutes or so, for the procession to pass.  After they passed,  I made a break for it. Just as I came down this narrow alley, a taxi cab came barrelling around the corner at breakneck speed.  The first thought that jumps into my mind and hijacks me is the fact that I was there first. I have  waited for a long time and there is no way that I am going to back up again.  Here I am with my big truck, with its bull bar ready for action, in a stand off with a small yellow taxi cab.  I could see the eyes through the windshield of the other vehicle widening and the mouth picking up some pace, but I stand my ground. Just as I decide – enough of my nonsense- and put my car into reverse a Malagasy officer orders the cab to back up.  As I pass I see the rage on the cab driver`s face and hear him yelling some choice words my way.  In retrospect I was thinking – where is Christ in that equation?  For a fleeting moment I was victorious but in the end I lost it all – what a total waste !

Janelle had the privilege  to work on the Mercy Ship here in Madagascar for the month of April.  It was such a delight to hear the positive report from her supervisors and co-wokers in the house keeping department.  Truly the crown of a man`s head and a maturing / enriching experience for her.

What can I say ?  My life feels like a spinning ballerina twirling on her toes.  I feel totally out of control until I realise,  much like the ballerina, I have to focus on one point to maintain my balance.  Either focus on Christ or spill the whole sack of beans.

May Christ be your source.

Love you,

Michiel

 

Madagascar Teaches

  Andreas:  Life so far in Madagascar: I look back and I see a test that is not finished yet, life is not easy nor is it unbearable. I have been blessed and cursed in so many ways that it would take years to tell it all. But let us begin, currently I am sick, but that is a blessing in disguise because I have not been sick in months, at least four, which is a miracle because last year I was sick 65% of the time. My father has bought me a bike which I use to go to my friends house where I spend most of my time. School is going smoothly, but life is not just joy and happiness, I would want to learn how to program in the USA, my life’s greatest dream. But God has given me a chance to learn here in Madagascar.

Misha:  I came to Madagascar thinking that I was hear to help fix other people’s messes. I have only discovered what a great mess I’m in. We are all on a walk with God and we should not compare or judge other people who are at different places in their walk. Speaking about walking, have you ever walked someplace knowing that everyone was staring unashamedly at you the whole time? Well, were ever us white people go that’s how it is. At first this was very annoying/ awkward, but now I can easily walk on the street (trying not to slip or stub my toe for the hundredth time) with my head held high –  usually out of pride – but hey, at least I’m not in denial.

Janelle: Madagascar brought on a season of maturing. I learned how to be responsible for kids and how to obey rules that I do not always agree with. Madagascar also challenged my identity. My address is Malagasy but I am an American. I still have my old friends in the USA, but I have new friends here. Who I am, boiled down to into two core things: I am the beloved of Jesus and heaven is my home. Maturing is challenging : to be more responsible but to become childlike to enter into the Kingdom. This will always be a struggle, but I have hope in Jesus.

Mari:( my disclaimer ,writing this blog is like taking a selfie – it comes with blemishes and all.) Madagascar is teaching me: I can expect rain for six months and clear skies for the                 rest of the year. Whatever I complain about, people around me live happily without. Patience is more important to get you from point A to point B than the power of your car’s engine. Foreign, meaningless sounds for one person is actually what communicates meaning to another. God is committed to shape us into the image of His Son and some parts needs more pressure to fit the mould. God makes us cry out for things He badly wants to give us.  Security is not an end product , but the extent to which I`m willing to trust His word.  The children of Madagascar is teaching me that when you give a hug you will receive a hug.

Michiel:  That I’m completely out of control. Small things matter. Others opinion about me is not who I am. Fear is a slow killer – it sneaks in at the smallest of cracks and waits for the knock out at the most inconvenient time. Pride is a millstone around a man’s neck – it is at display for the whole world to see and is a sure recipe for drowning time after time. Marriage is a beautiful thing – together you conquer and apart you fail miserably. Love does not always make sense and that is ok. Don’t try to understand it, it takes the adventure out of life. Judgement and criticism sucks the life out of  you – gives Satan a platform to play ding-dong with your emotions and manoeuvre you into stale mate. Life hardly ever works exactly as planned. Stay flexible it makes for a much smoother ride. God has incredible patience with me. He is ok with all my mistakes and is actually so cool as to shine through them. Life goes by at break neck speed – make every moment count – it is all that I have to deposit for an eternity.

Love you guys,

 

The Dreckmeyrs

 

Tafita

My name is Tafita. I am twelve years old.  My right arm does not work and I have trouble moving my right leg.  My mother died when I was very young and I lived with my Dad.  He was a drug addict and drunkard.  He would beat me in his drunken state, so much so, that I could not take it any more.  One day when he beat me again, I just ran away.  My family did not want to take me, so I lived on the streets.  I was seven years old at the time.

During the day I would beg for food, tea and money.  Some people were kind and gave me something.  Others would just chase me away.  I would wonder around all day begging.  At night I would find a shop and ask the shop keeper for a sack or box to sleep on.  Many a night I was very cold. I never took a bath.  I did not have any friends.  I was alone.

I lived on the streets for five years.  One day I became very ill and was throwing up.  The police saw me and brought me to the center.  Mama Caroline took me to the hospital and gave me some snacks.  They said I had a bleeding ulcer.  After the hospital they brought me back here to the center.

I kept going around to the house moms asking for money.  They said not to worry there will always be food.  At first the boys at the center was not very nice to me and I wanted to run away.  Michiel talked to them about love, sowing and reaping.  They all asked forgiveness and I forgave.  Everything changed and now I`m very happy.  I have a lot of friends.

I never went to school and am excited to learn.  It is not easy to remember all the numbers and letters, but it is coming.  Hertina is a very patient teacher and is helping me a lot.  Today I had to go to court and the judge said I could stay at the center.

I am not good at many things because my right leg and arm does not work very well, but I love music.  This Saturday I was sitting on the porch tapping my stick on the ground and singing to the beat.  Some of the boys started dancing and helping me with the words.  This makes me very happy.  

Why would I (Michiel) wonder?

With much love,

Your friend.