Halloween

Today for Halloween, I was a Malagasy woman.

Androany tsy vazah aho fa vavi Malagasy.
Today I am not a white person/foreigner but I am a Malagasy woman.

No picture. You can choose whatever image you like :)

Love,
~Sarah

"I'm still here..."

The Lutheran Malagasy Church service is very different than any other service I have experienced. Let me just give you a couple highlights:

 - There are between 10 – 12 hymns each service

 - For offering, people walk up to the alter to put money in the baskets rather than remaining seated

- Communion is taken kneeling down at the altar

- Everyone dresses to the nines – no matter what the style is, or even if the clothes fit accurately

 - Sometimes if the church is too full, people sit on benches outside. I’m not sure if they can even hear what’s going on inside, but they still show up.

 - Announcements are given after the sermon. And they can last anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour.

 - Sometimes there’s food being sold outside of church. People typically leave during  announcements to take a little walk, go to the bathroom, or have a snack outside. In some churches people even snack inside the church as well.

With all of that, it usually takes about 3 hours to get through everything. The longest I’ve experienced was 3 and a half. One time church was only 1 hr 15 min and I didn’t know what to do with myself – I was baffled. I didn’t even need to break out the snacks I had stashed in my purse.

Although church is in Malagasy, I have a translation sheet to follow along with. And I have a small Bible that I bring to understand the readings. But other than that, I’m lost. I usually understand about 4 words every hour. You do the math.

There was one particular Sunday where the church was PACKED full. It was extremely hot and the fan in the choir loft wasn’t on. The thin wooden benches were beginning to get very uncomfortable after the 2^nd hour and I was getting hungry because I didn’t bring any snacks or money for food (what was I thinking!). I was beginning to think “why am I even sitting here? I don’t understand ANYTHING! What good am I doing taking up space here?” I told God my complaints of the situation I was in and after I was done complaining, I felt the whisper of God say

“I’m still here.”

And then I laughed. And cried. I had nothing to say in response.

I was humbled by that simple statement. “I’m still here”. Yes, church is going to be frustrating at times. I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to it or ever not be uncomfortable in some way. But that doesn’t mean that God isn’t there. Hundreds of Malagasy show up to this church because of their faithfulness to their God. The least I can do is join them in their worship space. That’s what accompaniment is all about, right? Walking together, whether or not I have a clue about what is going on.

And it’s not only in Church that I get this reminder of “I’m still here.” Especially when I’m having a challenging day with things that are out of my control (aka cyber cafes and everything that is French), God gives me a little light through the people around me to say “Hey! Vazah! (white person) You need to chill out and look at the beautiful people around you. Appreciate them and get over yourself.” So although I often fail, I am reminded of God’s grace and the love and care He has for me and His people.

So even though I have new insight to church, I’ll finally be going to the first English speaking church service this Sunday. Halleluiah!

Love ya, mean it!

~Sarah

 

 

 

Being Vulnerable

The first time I cried here was about two weeks into country orientation. It wasn't because I was sad or upset, I just finally, what I call, "let my body become vulnerable to the spirit".

So I found a piano at the retreat-like-center where we were staying and after about 15 minutes of crying and writing, I recorded a song on my ipod. I don't consider myself a "song writer" I just happen to write out my feelings and "match" them with a tune. Especially at night time, when it's just my guitar and my thoughts...

And now that I've been at my placement for three weeks, I find myself understanding and relating to the song I wrote a month ago more than I had before. I'm not one to put my music out there very much - but I guess this song basically sums up a lot that I've been going through and where my heart has been.

If you don't like it, that's fine.

It's not meant for you to like. It's just meant for you to get a better understanding of my spirit.

So here it is.

It's time to let go. It's time to be free.
It's time to open your heart. And let your mind be. 

It's time to breathe again. And let your body break. 
It's time to open the flood gates and make some mistakes.

Stretch out your arms now and learn to fall. 
Take in one more breath and wait for the call. 

It's time to laugh. It's time to wander.
It's time to let your soul soar amongst the thunder. 

Let your heart be open to what it needs to do.
Stop thinking and listen to what the spirit is telling you. 

It's time to let go. It's time to be free.
It's time to be challenged to who you're called to be. 

Stretch out your arms now and trust the fall.  

"Eny Ary." That's all.
~Sarah

Saotra Saotra Jeso

Womens centers are pretty common in Madagascar. It's a place where women come from all over the country to learn trades like baking, sewing, cooking, textiles, etc. and they bring their knowledge back to their home village/town/city. The women staying here now are around 18 yrs old and there's only about 4-6 of them (more will come throughout the year). Although they don't speak much english, it's so easy to be out with them. I hung out with them during pastry class a couple times, which consists of a lot of dancing and laughing and when they invited me to sewing class, I ended up making a skirt!

The other day they asked me to have lunch with them. How could I say no?? The started singing a prayer for lunch and after a few notes I realized I knew the song! They were singing "Saotra saotra Jeso" which means "Thank you Thank you Jesus"!!! Thats the song my family sings before meals!!!!

I hummed the harmony and held back my tears as my heart was pounding. As soon as they finished singing, I explained to them how I knew the song. And then I taught it to them in English. They could tell I was beaming because someone said "Faly be ianao!" ("You are very happy!"). "Yes! Yes I am! Thank you for singing that song." To them, it was just another song. To me, it was so much more. And now I sing it with my new family.

Saotro Saotro Jeso

Saotro Saotro Jeso

Saotro Saotro Jeso any fo

Saotro Saotro Jeso

Saotro Saotro Jeso

Saotro Saotro Jeso any fo

Thank you Thank you Jesus, in my heart. Thank you for the opportunity to connect with these beautiful women and to share love and music with them. Amen

Sarah 

Making New Friends

Hi, my name is Sarah and I'm an extrovert. To me, that means I get energy from being around a lot of people. But when I arrived at my placement, there was a lot of alone time, or one-on-one time in the first couple weeks. Not saying that I don't love "me time" but it started getting a bit lonely. I realized I needed to make friends.

At first I just wanted to sit on a street corner with a sign that said
"Help needed! Does anyone want to be my friend? I don't speak French, but I can help you practice English." I figured that wouldn't be the most productive way of making friends... and I didn't have any cardboard.

So I decided to take initiative and introduce myself to people-starting in my "back yard". There's a family who lives at Ilofav (the women's center where I live) and they have a son named Fetra who likes to practice guitar outside on their balcony, which is just an ear shot away from my window. He doesn't know, but his "practicing" was very comforting and soothing, especially in my first few days here. So finally I got up the nerve to introduce myself. I asked if I could play with him and he said yes. After showing him the little guitar I knew, I said:

"Could you teach me guitar and I teach you English?"
"I think that is a good idea" he said.

Guitar lessons AND a new friend! Win!!!

I also found great peace and rejuvination while going for walks in the community. Although I live in the capitol of Madagascar, I'm in an area that isn't to busy and allows for some stress-free exploring. On these walks, I've found it helpful to make firends with the kids (ankizi). This is for several reasons - because they (the kids) and me most likely have the same maturity level and they are not afraid to speak slowly and even "yell" words at me when I don't understand what they're saying. But I also like making friends with them beacuse they're just ADORABLE! And sometimes when I'm out walking, they'll yell my name just to say hello and golly gee I get so excited to see them!

"Namana kely vaovao!" My new little friends! We don't speak the same lanugage but I try theirs and they try mine. But it doesn't really matter what we're saying anyways, we're just happy to know each other.

I look forward to growing in relationship and making even more friends with the beautiful people of Madagascar. Here's hopin...

Adjusting

This past week has been all about getting acquainted in the community. That includes the market and post office as well as my placement sites. The main ones are the church, the school (both primary and secondary), the Toby (healing house), and the nearby hospital. They all have people (members, students and workers) who are eager to learn english. Good thing I`m a professional at ESL and can duplicate myself daily. Just kidding - that`s not true. Although it was a little overwhelming at first, i was taken aback by how many people were/are so eager to learn the language that comes naturally to me. For now, it`s an understatement that this vazah (white person) needs time to adjust and will figure out a schedule... somehow trying to fit everyone in. The school also asked that I teach music. There was no QUESTION that I would LOVE to do that, but I doubt my "qualifications". Sure I can dink around on a piano, pluck a few guitar chords, and can carry a tune, but the only "teaching" experience I have is teaching songs to 3rd graders in Rwanda - which may or may not have been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. But this isn`t Rwanda. And it`s a whole school year, rather than a couple weeks.

But when I am weak, my God is strong. And when I run out of songs, I`ll make up new ones. I`ve learned to throw my expectations out the window (or put them in a bottle and fill it with water - inside joke with the waferherd). So all I can do is trust that God will provide the energy and strength to not only "do" but "be".

I`ll keep ya posted...

A picture is worth a thousand words... and so is getting mail!

Last night I was "decorating" my apartment by putting up pictures. I wish I would have brought more. If you want to send me a picture of you, or us, or other simple decor, I would love to hang it up! And while you`re at it, if you feel like sending a post card, letter, love note, a blue pen, care package, or pet lioness, I LOVE getting mail!  You can send it to:

Austin Propst (ELCA)

c/o Sarah Adam

BP 880

Isoraka 101

Antananarivo, Madagascar

 

I especially love inspirational quotes and Beyonce. 

 

If you are interested in getting a post card or something, you can send your address to sarah.r.adam@gmail.com and see what happens :)

 

Love ya mean it!

Sarah

Home Sweet Home

The song " Home" by Phillip Phillips has been my anthem while preparing for and and arriving in Madagascar. The chill musicality and simple yet beautiful text helps calm my nerves, especially upon arrival to the busy capitol, Antananarivo, a place I now call home.
And after in country orientation, it began to sink in... this IS my home. For a while anyways.
I was welcomed at the gate of ELoFav womens center by my supervisor, Helena. She is the director of the womens center and lives there with her family. I wish there were accurate words to describe her. Kind, gracious, loving, smart, driven, humble, mysterious, well-traveled, God-fearing, hospitable are just a few adjectives to describe her, but she surprises me every day with how much she has done, who she knows, and where she has been. She is incredible and I am SO blessed to work with her!

The first morning here I was expecting rice for breakfast (it`s a staple here in Mada - literally breakfast, lunch, and dinner). I was wrong, I was so wrong - Helena made WAFFLES! homemade. During the tour of the center I met a girl who didnt speak much english and when I told her I could speak a little french, I realized my simple year of french 4 years ago had failed me - I couldnt understand a THING! Never doing that again! For lunch we had... wait for it... FRENCH FRIES! Helena said she understands that "Americans dont eat rice like the Malagasy. We will eat rice and you will eat french fries." Totally stereotypical... and totally awesome!

That afternoon Tanya and Austin stopped by to drop off some things I had forgotten the day before. They were on their way to the airport to drop off the last of the volunteers, Kate. When they arrived at the gate, I ran to open it and said "TONGA SOA!" (welcome!) Even though it had only been 24 hours, Helena`s hospitality and comfort had me convinced - this was my new home for the year, and I delight in welcoming anyone!


That night at dinner we had the Malagasy staple - rice. As I dished my plate they said "That`s all?? Ah! You are not Malagasy!" I think they`re joking, but they might be serious. So every night at dinner, I scoop just a little bit more rice on my plate and hope they notice. I know I will never be Malagasy, but I can try :)


Hold on, to me as we go
As we roll down this unfamiliar road
And although this wave is stringing us along
 
Just know you’re not alone
Cause I’m going to make this place your home

Settle down, it'll all be clear
Don't pay no mind to the demons
They fill you with fear
The trouble it might drag you down
If you get lost, you can always be found
 
Just know you’re not alone
Cause I’m going to make this place your home

Settle down, it'll all be clear
Don't pay no mind to the demons
They fill you with fear
The trouble it might drag you down
If you get lost, you can always be found
 
Just know you’re not alone
Cause I’m going to make this place your home

Sambatra be aho. I am so blessed.

Sarah

Moramora (moo-ra moo-ra)



The Malagasy say that they have a slow lifestyle. That it is very "moramora" - slow. They sometimes go by "Malagasy time" which could be "meet when the sun is coming up from/going down the mountain." Even in conversation, nothing is rushed. It's quite beautiful actually. Especially coming from us westerners where everything is usually go-go-go.

Then the other day, we all went to a volcanic lake called Lake Tritriva. Aparently the water is where the "mouth" of the volcano used to be. Exploring around this volcanic rock was a challenge for this Minnesotan who hasn't had much hiking experience/opportunity. Especially in choco sandals. But it was a beautiful sight to partake in something so rare.

Lake Tritriva

Along the way, there were some Malagasy children who accompanied us on our walk. There was one particular girl who started walking with me, waiting for me as I dug the rock out from my shoes, and even let me practice Malagasy with her. She was 10 and a sweetheart. As I would stumble down steep slopes of the gravel and sometimes loose my balance, she kept saying "moramora". I knew exactly what she meant. And I would laugh every time because it was so true - I was not used to this and needed to take my time.



My two friends who kept reminding me "mouramoura"

I realized this was a great way to think about adjusting to my life in Madagascar. I can't just expect myself to feel comfortable walking around this Malagasy soil if I'm not familiar with it. There will be steep drops and tree trunks in my way, unexpected rocks in the shoes, all while slipping and sliding, trying to find my grip.

That's kind of how things feel every once in a while - especially when it comes to language class.

During language class with teacher Jacky and our two Norwegian friends/classmates

This is how we feel after language class



My head hurts pretty much after every session - trying to wrap my head around how a word was pronounced or where to place it in the sentence, etc. And I wonder if I'll ever feel comfortable having conversations with the Malagasy, or if I'll only be able to do standard greetings and goodbyes.

But then I remember "moramora". Or in other words "Chill, Sarah!" Just like my body needed/needs time to adjust, the rest of my being needs to follow suit. Sometimes I just need to take a step back and remember how blessed I am to be here. And I know that with time things won't seem so overwhelming. They may be difficult, but I know I'll have a community at the women's center and already have the waferherd as a support system. And of course, there's that God of mine who seems to amaze me every day. Even in a simple sunset. To remind me of His unfailing love and how He will always be my light. That Has a plan for me and I need to continue to trust and rely on Him every moment.



Sunset in Ansirabe. Every sunset is gorgeous!

Even though I was strugglin with that hike, it was a beautiful sight. And while this transition is a challenge, the view will be a amazing.

And tomorrow I'll be arriving to my site in Antananarivo. So many emotions run through my spirit as I think about leaving the waferherd and beginning my own portion of the journey. But I continue to remind myself "moramora" - that I have been called and named and am loved by my creator. And I'm excited to see what He has in store!

Love ya, mean it.

~Sarah



Famadihana (turning of the bones)

One of the things the Malagasy are known for is the tradition of honoring their ancestors. It's a celebration called "Famadihana". They do it about every 3 - 6 years, depending on when the family wants to do it, but it generally takes place around September. Our group didn't have opportunity to see it until this past weekend when we went on a home stay (which deserves a whole blog entry in itself). And even then, we only briefly saw the celebration as we walked through the rice patties to go to church. But we definitely heard it - all through Saturday night! Famadihana is a time to honor ancestors by taking the bones out of the tomb, carrying them around the village, re-wrapping their shrouds, and celebrating their presence in this life.  Family is expected to be present, there was food and drink, and a whole lot of music. It is definitely a party!  I was very impressed with how well the music sounded! There was trumpet, clarinet, drums, and other unidentifiable but beautiful instruments. 

An example of Famadihana (thanks to Google image)

Although the celebration was going on across the rice patties, the acoustics of the countryside made it so that we could hear the music pretty vividly. And you can BET I was having a hay-day! I was very tempted to go over and join them, but I refrained. But it got me thinking... what if the United States celebrated "famadihana"? I immediatly thought of my late beloved maternal grandmother - grandma Philbrook. 

My beautiful Grandmother

 She was an incredible woman who raised 11 children, suffered from arthritis for most of her late life, had a devotion to the Holy Family, and who knew how to love hard. She was the only grandparent I really knew and although it's been seven years since her passing, I still find myself missing her dearly. Thinking about honoring her also made me think "Shoot, if we were to have a Famadihana in honor of grandma, it would be a party! Not only because there's so many people in the family, but us 'Philbrooks' know how to have a good time" :)  

On our way back from church that Sunday, some people were talking about their relationship with their grandmother and I couldn't help from tearing up. And let me tell ya, it's tricky to have blurred vision from tears when trying to walk through rice patties. 

Walking through the rice patties - not a lot of room to move around.

 It's not until someone's gone when you realize you didn't really appreciate them. So Grandma Marge, this blog post is for you. Thank you for all the love you have shown and for giving me a beautiful family. 

We miss you and love you. 

A family song, "Tell Me Why"

Tell me why the stars do shine

Tell me why the ivy twine

Tell me why the ocean's blue

And I will tell you why I love you

Because God made the stars to shine

Because God made the ivy twine

Because God made the ocean blue

Because God made you, that's why I love you

Love ya, mean it Grandma!

~Sarah

The Waferherd

Hannah, Kate, Jane, Lee, Luke, Sarah, Austin and Tanya. These are the names of the incredible people representing YAGM in Madagascar. It's the first year of YAGM program in Mada, so we're all trailblaizers. The coordinators, Austin and Tanya have been so helpful and supportive through this process even though they're new to it as well.

One thing that's become a tradition for us is that every weeknight after dinner, we go to A&T's place for "tea time", story or devotion time and wafers! We devour those things like there's no tomorrow. It's so random that we ALL enjoy them and if we run out it's always "did we get more wafers?? Did we get vanilla??" It's a silly thing, but it's definitly a bonding experience.

It's also interesting that the six volunteers are SO different. We've got so many different life experiences, different personalities, and different ways we rejuvinate and express ourselves. But we all know how to come together in love and support one another. Austin's dad referred to us as the 6-pack, which we thought was awesome, but it didn't include all eight. So we thought of calling ourselves a "herd" like they do in Ice Age - crazy different animals but on a mission together.

Mix it together and it's the WAFERHERD.

I'm so blessed to have these beautiful people around me during orientation. We have another week of language, a home stay, and more cultural expeiences before we go our separate ways. But as we said in our little rap at orientation:
      Fian, Toli, Ambo, Tana, Fart
      Although we all be far far a part
      We'll still be together in our heart
      In Mada... MOVE IT!
(Maybe one of these days, I'll post the whole skit/rap)

Please pray for all of the members of the herd. We are so different and weird, but we're a family.

Love ya, mean it!
~Sarah

 

The Lahi (fellas) during a hike through an old volcano

(Luke, Austin, and Lee)

The Vavi (Ladies) of the herd

(Kate, Me, Hannah, Jane, and Tanya)

 

New Beginnings...

Salama Tomopko! ("Hello" in Malagasy)

We finally made it to Madagascar this past Friday (the 24th) after quite a journey. It took 36 hours of travel, including two rough nights on planes and a SPRINT through the South Africa airport to catch our last flight to Madagascar. We made it, but our baggage didn't :( But it didn't matter - we were together, we were safe, and we made it to Madagascar!

This was what we looked like when we first arrived... a bit smelly, but SO excited!

Previously to our arrival, we had a week long orientation in Chicago with the other Young Adults in Global Mission volunteers and staff. It was a week full of laughter, tears, singing, dancing, being "outside" (inside joke... no pun intended), heavy conversations, uplifting stories, delicious food, and quality time with new friends. It was an overwhelming week but oh so delightful.

Because we were in Chicago, I was able to see my dear Aunt Kate and Uncle Al whom I hadn't seen in five years. They have been so supportive of this process and it was such a blessing to delight over Chicago style pizza with them! Thanks Aunt Kate and Uncle Al for being so great!

There is something special about YAGM volunteers, staff, and alumni. There was an incredible bond which manifested through things like exploring Chicago, trips to the local bar, and spontaneous spooning on the lawn and/or concrete. Saying goodbye to these beautiful people was particularly difficult because although we were dispersing throughout the world to do great things, so many of them held a piece of my heart.

But this journey isn't about me... It's about what God will do with me and through me (and all of us). Which brings me to my next point.

Two days before we left to our perspective countries, I was told that my placement in Madagascar had been changed. That instead of living on the coast in the beautiful city of Fort Dauphin, I would now be living in the busy capitol, Antananarivo (aka "Tana"). There are several reasons why my placement was changed, one being that they just weren't ready for me in the F.D., but it doesn't really matter to me anymore. At first it was difficult for me to accept - everything I was so excited for was suddenly taken from me. But God's grace is amazing and I was reassured the importance of trusting. And that's all I could do. But now that I know what I'll be apart of in Tana, I am THRILLED!

    First off, Antananrivo is where another YAGM volunteer is located (Lee), as well as the coordinators (Austin and Tanya). This gave my mother a lot of comfort, knowing I won't be alone :)
    I also found out I'll be living in a women's center with women who come from all over the country to learn a trade for a year and bring it back to their home community. This includes cooking, bible study, sewing, textiles, and even learning English. I will work with these women, learning with them and growing in relationship. There is also a nearby Toby which is a healing house for the mentally, physically and/or spiritually sick which I could work at as well.
    One thing that I'm particularly excited for is the opportunity to sing in a MALAGASY CHURCH CHOIR!!!! JIGGA WHAAAAATTT??!?!?! I have NO idea what that will entail, but it sounds FASCINATING!
I won't know for sure what my schedule will look like until I get there, but I so look forward to my new life in Madagascar.

For now, I am enjoying these three weeks in Antsirabe (a city south of Antananarivo), bonding with my fellow Mada YAGMs (Luke, Lee, Jane, Kate, and Hannah) and our super hip coordinators (Austin & Tanya), as well as eating delicious Malagasy meals, struggling through/loving language class, getting orientated, jumping on the trampoline, and adjusting to the Malagasy culture.

I apologize in advance for any inconsistent blogging. But if you have any questions or want to communicate with me, you can email me at sarah.r.adam@gmail.com

I will let y'all know my address as soon as I get it - in case you feel like sending something :)

"A word to my sponsors" :) if you have dates you want me to pray for you and/or give a blog shout out, you can e-mail them to me too.

Thank you for taking time to read this. I'm so excited to see what lies ahead.

Love ya, mean it!
Veloma! (goodbye)

~Sarah

How it started...

Last May I had the awesome opportunity to travel to Rwanda and teach English. Although it was only five weeks, it was an experience that changed my way of life and the way I see the world.

Since then, I've wanted to do at least year of service after college but I didn't know where or what program to take part in. After a lot of searching and praying things eventually led to Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM).

Time and discernment, prayer and pink eye later - I'm going to Madagascar!

This summer has been a journey in itself as I prepare mentally, physically, spiritually, and grammatically (aka practicing my rusty French). I've been putting off publishing a post on my first blog all summer, but there's a time for everything - so here it is. My first blog post. More to come with more details about everything. But for now, I would greatly appreciate thoughts and prayers as the days draw nearer to when I leave. And good news, it's not too late to donate if you feel like it! :)

You are MORE than welcome to write a check to the "Evangelical Lutheran Church in America" and can write "Sarah Adam - YAGM" on the memo line. You can mail it to the following address:

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
PO Boz 71764
Chicago, IL 60694-1764

It's a tax deductible donation and a possible bonus of a long-distance post card/letter from yours truly :)


Stay tuned...


Love ya, mean it!
~Sarah