First Sabbath Offering for the headquarters in Madagascar

Madagascar is a large island nation off the southeast coast of Africa. It is home to over one thousand species of wildlife, 90% of which are found nowhere else in the world. It is an island of rainforests, beautiful beaches and coral reefs. Near the busy capital, Antananarivo, is Ambohimanga, a hillside complex of royal palaces and burial grounds and graced with massive, centuries-old baobab trees.

The population of Madagascar is 24 million. According to a recent survey, 55 percent of the population abides by traditional beliefs, 40 percent are Christians and the remaining 5 percent of the population are Muslims. The Malagasy Christians are subdivided almost equally between Protestant and Roman Catholic. The official languages are French and Malagasy.

The message of reformation came to Madagascar in 2013 when Bro. John Bosco, a minister from Rwanda, decided to visit this country. One couple from a Protestant church received him and helped him find accommodation. Brother Bosco gave them some Bible studies and the couple became very interested in the message of Present Truth. On the Sabbaths this couple provided a place for worship, inviting their friends and children to attend these worship meetings. Afterwards, the message of reformation spread to other parts of the country through this family. One Bible worker was soon sent from Rwanda, with the help of two volunteers from Brazil. After 6 months of working hard, 49 souls were baptized for the first time. Now in Madagascar we have over 80 church members and over 200 Sabbath School members. Recently, the mission was officially organized.

Our members are scattered throughout the country. We now desire to establish our headquarters in Antananarivo, as it is located in the center of the island and is an ideal nucleus for our missionary work. We will also have a room for worship, and a place for printing pamphlets.

Now we are appealing to our brethren around the world to kindly help in this building project. It is our prayer that God will reward your kindness in his missionary work.

“The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself” (Proverbs 11:25).

—On behalf of your brothers and sisters of the Madagascar Mission