Fifa & Jessica Rakotovao Newsletter (Winter 2022)

Our Family

Our family is doing super well! All of us are healthy and strong! Phoebe is growing super well, and is already talking, saying things like ‘’Neny!’’(mama) and ‘’Papa!’’ and ‘’Bebe!’’(Grandma). She loves to eat everything that she can get her hands on and absolutely loves bread and yogurt—just like her mama! Juline went back to live in Vangaindrano to be closer to her family, although we still support her from afar. Fifa’s mom was here a few months visiting and she loved taking care of Phoebe.

We had the amazing opportunity to come to the U.S. We hosted a banquet for many of our supporters and it was a special time to talk to everyone and give out gifts from Madagascar. We also shared about God’s work and our vision and also our financial needs. Thank you to those of you who helped and gave. A total of $1200 was raised for donations and some people were moved by the Lord to become monthly supporters!

God’s Work

We are hard at work helping the Sunday School Ministry where we help the Circuit Riders by encouraging them, supplying their needs, giving them their lessons and verses for their classes and helping them do their reports. Mahajanga has five Sunday School circuits, and each circuit has six to eight villages where they host Sunday Schools for the kids. In November, 502 people came to know Christ as their personal Lord and Savior! Glory be to God! 

We have both started teaching the students. I (Fifa) am teaching Christian Evidences which is the art of learning to increase your faith in Christianity. It is a really important class because the students are going to know that there is no religion that can be compared to Christianity. Jessica is teaching Theology and Christology which are about the doctrines of God and of Christ in the Bible. It helps the students to get to know God and Christ on a deeper level of understanding. 

Testimony

Here is one such testimony from the Circuit Rider’s point of view :

‘’One day we met Anjara, a 21 year-old woman, on the road from the circuit and she unloaded her heavy heart onto us. She told us how her family had rejected her because of her bad behavior and how they don’t even acknowledge her now. That caused her to become really bitter and untrusting. Even though she felt this way, she desperately wanted to be loved and so she gave herself to many boyfriends. So we gave her an answer from the Bible: the story of Mary Magdalene who was caught in adultery. Anjara related really well with her story and decided to accept forgiveness for her sin and live for Jesus. She thanked us because she finally felt at peace. She thanked us for listening to her, and told us how she was afraid that we would treat her like everyone else; avoiding her. She changed her life around and is no longer seeking other relationships, but is content with her relationship with Jesus.’’

Love in Christ, 

Fifaliana and Jessica

Prayer Requests:

1. That God would provide for our needs. We are seeking to raise our support because of our growing family. If you or someone you know would be willing to sit down and have a face-to-face conversation in person or facetime with us, then we can go into more details. We are also trying to buy furnishings for our home including a stove and oven, refrigerator, couch, bed and wardrobe.

2. That God would fill us with the Holy Spirit and that our lives would produce His fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness and self-control for everyone and in all situations.

3. That God would continue to grow the ministry of Teen Missions here in Madagascar.

4. That our family will grow more in the Lord every day.

5. Safety and guidance of the Holy Spirit in everything we do.