Pool Party

For Children from Local Orphanage

Those of you who read my Substack articles regularly might remember that about a year ago I wrote an article about what I thought was one of my most enjoyable days in Madagascar. On that occasion, my joy was from the experience of hosting children from a local orphanage who came to the Bishop’s house for a pool party.

A group of Christians from the cathedral go to visit two local orphanages each week, and when Sarah and Chelsea are here in the summer months, they very joyously take part in this ministry. Yesterday we had the most joyous privilege of welcoming these children into our house once again. We prayed with them, swam in the pool with them, continued teaching them about Psalm 23 (this has been the focus of Sarah and Chelsea’s catechesis this summer), and shared some snacks with them.

In the morning, there were 42 children with their adult caregivers. The house which we are renting in Mahajanga is by Western standards a middle-class comfortable house, but by Malagasy standards, very grand. It fills me with joy as I watch the children come inside the gate and walk around the well-kept garden until they come to the swimming pool. Their eyes light up as though they were walking down “Main Street USA” in Disney World! We noticed them looking into the house, so we quickly invited them in.

This is significant, not only because the house is nice, but because these children have been welcomed into the house of a ‘big man’. Culturally this is honouring them in a very special way. Though honestly, we feel that we are really the ones being honoured by their presence and joy.

One small example of the juxtaposition between their reality in the orphanage and of visiting with us happened when one little boy asked if he could use the toilet. When he returned to the pool, he quickly went to all of his friends, speaking hurriedly in Malagasy. We soon realized what he must have said….for every little boy (all of a sudden) needed to go to the toilet. There was a parade of little boys making their way to the bathroom and returning with smiles from ear to ear - simply because they were able to pee into a toilet. They flushed the toilet – perhaps for the first time ever.

In the midst of this joy and laughter, I had to turn aside to cover up my tears. These children are not orphans in the strict sense – most of their parents are still living. They were left at the orphanage because their parents could not afford to provide for them the basic necessities of life.

I can’t begin to imagine what it must have been like for those parents to get to the point where they recognized that they just could not provide the food, clothing, and shelter that their children required. Even as I write this, I have tears in my eyes. I just can’t imagine it.

Some might say, what does a couple of hours at a pool party do to change the situation for these children. I believe, as an act of faith, these events can change everything - not because rich people are providing for poor people - not because westerners are supporting the developing world - but because the love of Christ can be shown explicitly through these acts of kindness and hospitality. The way we love these children will determine how we can evangelize them. Our intent is simply that they learn that they are not forgotten, that they are as loved as anyone by God, and that He has a purpose and a plan for their lives.

Thank you for reading and praying with me each week. If you would like to extend the reach of this ministry beyond these emails, I invite you to partner with our outreach work in Madagascar. Together, we can strengthen churches, equip leaders, and share the hope of Christ. To make a donation in support of my missionary ministry please use either of these links:

SAMS Donation

Into All The World (Canada) Donate

Or you can E-transfer by email to Good Samaritan (my Canadian Parish) directly.

cogstreasurer@hotmail.com

I am a broken record. I ask again. Would you pray for me and for my wife and family as we do all that we can with the resources that we have to make a lasting difference in the lives of these some of the poorest children in the world?