Madagascar

Madagascar. A name as distant in my mind as in our GPS coordinates. This country had never crossed my mind- I never studied it in school, I never sought out travel to this land, and I never even watched the animated movies. Yet the second I received an e-mail about a new opportunity to serve there, I knew that I had always had Madagascar imprinted on my heart.

Like describing a new job that one has yet to start, my picture of the mission in Madagascar is probably only 10% accurate. Here’s my best angle right now, and I’ll focus in on the details once I actually step foot on the island. Mercy Ships has a long history of providing obstetric surgeries to women suffering from various complications after childbirth. This year, they will expand this ministry to include the local hospital in Tamatave (the port city I will be in), where obstetric patients will recover after having surgery onboard the Africa Mercy.  This will allow for more surgeries to occur on the ship, while providing adequate recovery time for the patients.

While working in this local hospital in Tamatave, the volunteer nurses from Mercy Ships will be providing additional training to the local Malagasy nurses and promoting a culture of safe practice in this growing healthcare community. Since we will be working off the ship, this team of volunteer nurses will also be living off the ship in a nearby apartment. I don’t think I am the only one filled with anticipation for this new venture—and I cannot wait to fill in the details once I see for myself!

Given the fact that I clearly do not know much about the country of Madagascar, you may wonder why I am dropping everything to go there and pay to work. The simple answer is that as soon as I opened that initial e-mail, I caught a glimpse of Madagascar and the needs there and I simply couldn’t turn a blind eye – and, well, now you know about it too! I would hardly say ignorance is bliss, but I do believe the opposite to be true—that knowledge is responsibility.

There is an undeniable discrepancy in poverty, access to healthcare and basic human needs between the USA and a country like Madagascar. If knowledge really is responsibility, then in our age of globalization and internet access, we have an enormous responsibility. A glance at the World Health Organization’s website, CNN or Fox News, will unveil just a fraction of the suffering occurring around the world. Such suffering is not foreign to America, although it may look different in the forms of social injustice, spiritual bankruptcy, or emotional isolation. In our fast paced world, there is something to be said for just stopping to feel the weight of these things. 

We cannot simply turn away and yet we do not have to face the brokenness of this world alone—we have a Savior in Jesus Christ and He has told us “It is finished”. He carries the burden of this fallen world, His world, on His strong and mighty shoulders. It is a gift that He allows us to come alongside Him in ministering to the poor, to the neglected, to the sick, and to the wounded. It is through the work of Christ alone that these things will be accomplished and it is an honor that He would open our eyes to these needs and then equips us to serve as His hands and feet. It is this knowledge-- that we have a Savior and a hope-- this is our responsibility to share.

So while I won’t turn a blind eye to suffering of this world, I will fix my gaze on my Savior. I love the way this hymn says it:

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus

Look full in His wonderful face

And the things of this world will grow strangely dim,

In the light of His glory and grace”

The Lord could use me anywhere, and I count it nothing short of a privilege that He is allowing me to use the skills and resources He has given me to work in Madagascar. He has surrounded me with a community of friends, family and coworkers that have offered up a humbling amount of support and encouragement. I cannot wait to keep you updated as I head to Madagascar in October and I look forward to sharing many stories of hope and healing over the 2 months I am there.