Can you Help?
Funds greatly needed right now.
My dear Substack Subscribers and Supporters,
I have recently been made aware that there is just over 400,000 ariary in our diocesan account - less than $150 CA/$95US. Each month, I have committed to supplementing the salaries of our priests so that they are able to serve full time in their parishes. Previously, many had to take on multiple jobs simply to pay school fees for their children.
Until recently, our priests were receiving approximately 10,000 ariary per day—about 300,000 ariary per month, which amounts to $2–3 per day. By comparison, a government high school teacher earns 800,000 ariary per month. The disparity is stark and the burden on our clergy has been immense.
I’m embarrassed to ask, but I am hoping that you might be able to make an offering to help support my priests in this time of diocesan growth. I have not promised these funds indefinitely. Rather, my hope and prayer is that, through the renewed evangelistic efforts of my priests, the Church will grow – for the sake of the Kingdom, and also very practically so that there are enough Christians to sustain an appropriate salary for their priests.
If the Church is to grow in this diocese, it will do so only as priests, deacons, evangelists, and catechists are able to devote themselves fully to their parish missions—not merely to leading Sunday worship, which had become the norm out of necessity.
In moments like these, I find myself singing Toplady’s hymn: “Naked, come to Thee for dress; helpless, look to Thee for grace.”. I am powerless to bring about any lasting change in Mahajanga without your support—both your prayers and your financial help. I believe that God has great things in store for this diocese. The growing number of vibrant young Christians gives me great encouragement, even as the deep-rooted poverty and crumbling physical infrastructure in many parishes make the work an uphill climb.
Would you please pray? Would you please give as the Spirit leads and as you are able?
If you can help, please use one of the links below, or you can electronically send funds to my parish in Canada and they will forward them directly to the diocese of Mahajanga. I also remind you, that 100% of the funds raised by subscriptions are used to support my ministry here.
To make a donation in support of my ministry please use either of these links:
Into All The World (Canada) Donate
To give by e-transfer, send your donation to cogstreasurer@hotmail.com and use the comments/notes to specify funds.
I do not know how quickly you get notification of donations. We donated $1000.00 USD and hope that this is just a portion of what the Holy Spirit will inspire people to send you on this prayerful day before Easter Sunday. I pray this lifts your heart and empowers the work of the Church.
Bishop Darrell: I would like to know the magnitude of the financial short fall. From what I read, the clergy are short $5.00 per day. How many clergy are there in the Diocese?