July 18, 2003

Dear Friends,

We are now in the United States, scheduled to return to Madagascar on August 23. Our term of service has been revised, becoming a five-year term: two years in Madagascar, two months in the United States for medical and family time (July-August 2003), a further two years in Madagascar, and then a full year of itineration. This means that we will be visiting churches from July 2005 until June 2006. While in the United States this summer, we will contact supporting churches by phone and make a few visits. We can be reached at the following numbers: August 5-18: (407) 894-6946; other times: (404) 378-7938. We look forward to talking with many of you. During our time in the United States, mail can be sent to us at 211 Inman Dr. Decatur GA 30030. Our email address remains turk@dts.mg.

Environment program

Dan recently took part in a very encouraging evaluation of the Tsiroanomandidy environmental education program. The evaluation team visited the 39 participating schools where over 9,000 students are growing trees, beautifying school grounds, and in general increasing their environmental knowledge and awareness. Parental participation and pride in the program was high at all schools.

Most of the schools are rural public primary schools, reachable by dusty roads in very bad condition. None of the rural schools have electricity. Most did not have access to water when the project began but now have hand-dug wells, usually over 60 feet deep. Teachers are strained to the limit: 23 of 30 public primary schools have a student/teacher ratio of over 50-to-1, and two schools have ratios of over 90-to-1. Parents directly pay the salaries of almost half of the public school teachers.

Because the schools have such great need to improve their infrastructure, the Church of Jesus Christ of Madagascar (FJKM) development department has provided assistance to schools in addition to the strictly environment-related activities.

Some have built outhouses where there were none, many repaired existing buildings, and some built new buildings from scratch. Always, the parents pitched in to contribute, often matching the outside funds through in-kind and monetary contributions.

In the two years of the project, the greatest successes have been planting trees on the schoolgrounds and helping the parents work better together for common goals. Many of the schools now stand out as oases of green among the browns, reds, and grays of the surrounding towns. Many of the newly planted trees are native to Madagascar; others are fruit trees.

The development department is expanding the environmental education program to reach a much larger number of schools and students. This past school year the program was extended to include 12 schools at Ambolo. For the 2003-2004 school year, plans are in place to expand to 60 schools in Tsiroanomandidy, 15 schools in Ambolo, and approximately 10-15 schools at each of five other sites with a country total of over 125 schools. The project costs a total of $500 per school per year. This cost includes digging wells where they are needed and providing about $150 worth of infrastructure improvement per school.

Anyone that would like to contribute to this project can send contributions to Central Receiving Service, Section 300, Louisville, KY 40289. Write the title (FJKM, Reforestation and Environmental Education) and the ECO number on the subject line (ECO #047980) of the check and put it on your cover letter, too. Send a copy of the cover letter to International Health Ministries Office at 100 Witherspoon St. Louisville, KY 40202-1396.

Health program

FJKM’s health program is going well. The community health project has expanded to include 110 partner villages. Over 230 community health volunteers will be trained by September. Most villages are in the process of doing a community assessment to determine their priority health needs. The FJKM HIV/AIDS project is busy training pastors and other AIDS educators who will be working with synods and local congregations throughout the country.

Family news

Robert and Frances successfully completed first grade and pre-kindergarten. They are having fun meeting cousins and grandparents this summer. This coming school year they will both be changing schools to go to a French school closer to home.

Prayer requests

• That the government’s resolve to fight corruption and reform the justice system not waver,
• For the upcoming election (September 2003) of the FJKM development department’s director,
• For the environmental education program as it prepares for the upcoming school year,
• That community health assessments go well including plans to meet the identified priority health needs,
• For the FJKM church as it develops and implements its AIDS project,
• That Robert and Frances adjust quickly to their new school.

Thank you for your continued support and prayers for the Malagasy people and us as we seek to follow God’s will in our ministry.

Peace in Christ,

Dan & Elizabeth

The 2003 Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study, p. 46