(goodbye madagascar)
Field service is almost over, what’s next? God has been saying ‘Trust Me’, and I’ve partially succeeded in relaxing and waiting to see what is next. Riding through Madagascar with a new cycling friend I realised how at home I feel here. The roadside vendors, pousse-pousse riders, taxi brousses with now familiar destinations, rice paddies and fruit trees are all recognisable and familiar. There is joy and sadness in the ride, joy at the simple beauty of the people, construction and landscape…sadness at the malnourished pot bellied child or people who lack basic education.
Since I joined the ship it has been on my heart to be involved capacity building with local teachers. Many years ago Bob Kibble inspired me that he became a teacher trainer, so he could make more of a difference in the Physics world than simply teaching classes. Here many teachers have no training apart from the ‘training’ the received by being students in their own schools. So with only a few weeks left in the country I’ve started a basic teacher education class on Wednesday nights in a local church. I mentioned it to two contacts and we had almost 20 attendees at the first session! Such is the hunger and desire to learn more about teaching.
Local teachers generally have a blackboard and up to 80 students to teach. No fancy resources, IT or textbooks. Photocopying (1p/copy) is too expensive for students so all gets written in their exercise books. I resolved to teach my course using only resources they would have, to avoid any suggestion that possession of fancy resources is the key to good teaching. After chatting to the attendees as they arrived, I made to start the session. Suddenly it became pitch black…power failure! and relief at having a low tech lesson. Undeterred I set my phone torch on the table shining toward the whiteboard and me and continued the session. Various lights arrived over the next two hours to supplement, battery torches, 12v battery lights, candles and eventually the pastor of the church venue brought his motorcycle and used the headlight to light the occasion!
Teaching English in a local English class
Change is constant here. Friday saw me securing for sea, we may sail as early as Monday due to the appearance of an out of season Category 4 cyclone (125knot/140mph/230km/h). Currently the cyclone is predicted to follow a course where we are safe in port, however a change of course may mean we must leave at short notice. That means we have to prepare to split the school in 2, a land school and a ship school. Some students stay on land, others go to sea! I’ll remain on land, though any voyage would be safe yet interesting with the current sea state. We have secured the school to withstand 30 degree rolls… Sailing would be the least of our concerns. In the unlikely event of the cyclone making landfall tens of thousands of people would lose their crops, houses and possessions while we remain holed up in a concrete hotel.
I am in a privileged position here. I have an understanding of the reality of teaching in Madagascar, excellent local connections with many untrained teachers, some great translators and a church that has been all too willing to support a teacher training programme. I’m considering going home for a couple of months before returning in the autumn for just under 3 months to do some further teacher training, including some training for specialist science teachers. I’ll be connected relationally with some outstanding local NGOs but be here under my own steam. There are some possible part time paid opportunities that may pay the bills. *This is just an idea* right now, but most locals and experienced missionary expatriates think this is something that could work well. I’ll evaluate the teacher training course in a few weeks and if it is having a significant impact that will be an encouragement to return. Tamatave is a small city that is almost forgotten by many NGOs which are based in Antananarivo. That makes working here so much more valuable.
There are a number of other MercyShips staff looking to stay here and get involved in some of the incredible opportunities here. Some will work at the new Freedom from Fistula centre opening after we leave. Others may work planting self sufficient health care centres in rural villages or planting churches. Others may teach English or do something completely different.
If you pray, please pray for:
- All MercyShips crew who are considering staying…that they will know if its the right thing to do.
- The final weeks in Madagascar, for a successful end to the Field Service
- For the hundreds of local staff we will leave behind, that they will find jobs or start new businesses.
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