by Stuart Davis,
pastor of Trinity Road Chapel, London SW17
For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord,
and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 2 Corinthians 4:5
Here is an excerpt from Trinity Road Chapel (TRC) Witness Magazine April/May 1991:
‘David Mann has just come back from Madagascar. Pray for the AEF council as they meet to decide whether it is God’s will that the Mann family and others go to Madagascar to start an evangelistic medical work in the town of Mandritsara, working with the Association of Bible Baptist Churches.’
Well, we can give God the praise and thanks that the decision was YES!
David and Jane were sent out as Missionaries from TRC in 1977 firstly to Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa, then in 1986, to Gabon, and in 1993 to Madagascar where they served for more than 20 years.
David and Jane Mann - 2012
God’s people at TRC, believing this to be the work of God, have sought to pray and support it, from that pioneering work at the start in the early nineties all the way through to the present day.
From a clinic opening in Mandritsara, to the purchase of land, to the building of a new hospital just on the edge of this very rural and needy community, the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ has been heard.
I joined TRC as Assistant Pastor in 1999, overseeing children’s and youth work. In our Sunday School we had a picture of bricks in a wall. They represented bricks which needed to be bought, and each child would give a little each week so that the Good News Hospital in Mandritsara could be built and funded.
Such was the desire, not just in the Sunday school, but throughout all TRC – we were excited to see what the LORD was going to do, how He would use David and Jane, and those serving with them in this very remote part of the world to bring glory to God through the preaching of the gospel and saving of souls.
At the very heart of the work was the desire to bring excellent medical care and preach the Good News to the people living in Mandritsara and the many villages beyond. To see people cared for and God glorified.
Has that happened? What has the Lord done? Well in 2012 I had the joy of taking two of my children to visit David and Jane and see the ministry there in Mandritsara.
David & Jane with Joel and Naomi Davis in 2012
What a joy to witness first hand the work of the Lord in the lives of so many people. Firstly, in those who heard the call of God to go. Missionaries from UK and other countries being obedient to God to go into all the world to preach Christ. Learning languages, living in a tropical climate, learning a new culture, raising their children in a new country. Yet trusting God for all their needs. God was at work in their lives shaping and maturing them in the Lord.
Secondly, in the lives of our Malagasy brothers and sisters. I think of those who shared their lives and hearts with us in 2012 and who had such a burden for the people of their country. Each one vital to the project, naturally understanding the culture and so aiding those missionaries to learn language and gain confidence in Mandritsara and be effective for the LORD.
Dr Adrien preaching to outpatients in 2012
Thirdly, of course is the winning of souls for Christ, whether that was through hearing the gospel being gently and thoughtfully explained on the wards as patients recovered from surgery or illness or awaited further medical care… Or as people waited at the reception area and heard the gospel being explained, the late Dr Adrien exhorting people to trust in Christ with passion and conviction…
Or in one of the villages where just a few Christians would gather for church or with the Community Health Team to share Christ with those who walked for hours for essential vaccines and to hear the Word of God.
TRC Team in 2024
That two week visit was such a blessing to be with the missionary team and meet Malagasy brothers and sisters. It had a significant impact on my 15 yr old son and 13 yr old daughter who take an interest and pray for the work still. And as we returned to TRC to report back on what the LORD was doing, it gave us all the great desire to be earnest in prayer and seek to be generous to the work in our giving.
Since then, as a church we have sought to partner with Friends of Mandritsara Trust and the Good News Hospital project over all these years. Things change but the gospel and our great God stay the same. In 2023 our Mission Support Team asked if we could go out again to see first-hand how the work was continuing. A team of six went out in April 2024.
We know that we are in a spiritual battle and there have been sadnesses during the past 12 years in between our visits. However, despite those difficulties, the LORD has prospered and expanded the work and many continue to be saved.
Oasis Lunch with Missionaries and Malagasy Staff
What is it the LORD continues to do? New men and women are raised up to continue the work, new families experience the life changing work of grace as they say ‘yes’ to serving in Mandritsara. The work matures organisationally, physically there are many more buildings on the site to give a better quality of medical care. And vitally, proclaiming the Good News of Jesus is still at the very forefront of the work each day.
Now Mandritsara has three new churches seeking to be faithful to the word and worshipping God in spirit and truth. In April this year the one gathering at the Airstrip, bought a plot of land and there is already a church building nearing completion. What a great God who watches over His people and gathers and grows them!
Our TRC team which visited this year, taught God’s word to children, visited and spoke at churches both in Mandritsara and in surrounding villages, shared testimony and scripture with the teens from Mandritsara. They saw newly erected hospital wards, and the maternity unit, listened to God’s word preached early in the morning in the reception, sang hymns and shared the scriptures in the Bible studies, met with those on their electives and received the blessing of the love and faith of our brothers and sisters in Mandritsara.
Our desire was to continue to foster and maintain our love and partnership with the work and by grace be a blessing to those who serve in this remote part of the world.
Bricks are still needed! Maternity Unit expansion
What is the Lord doing? He is growing His church in Madagascar ‘I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.’
Keep the light shining in Mandritsara
Please Pray:
1. For the Missionaries serving the Lord, that they will remain faithful to Him and be full of the joy of the Lord.
2. For the churches in Mandritsara that God will provide Pastors/Teachers to care for His church.
3. For the hospital that there would be the right number of skilled staff to care for the sick and suffering.
4. For the Malagasy Christians that they would rejoice in all God is doing and be effective in gospel proclamation.
5. For you as you read this, to be earnest in prayer for the work, for your labour in the Lord is not in vain.
6. That God would be glorified in the saving of sinners through the gracious work of Christ who gave His life as a ransom for many.
Date for your Diary!
Virtual Prayer Day - 30th November 13:00-15:00
Maternity Unit Update
On 18 October, the new maternity and child care centre at the Good News Hospital will be officially opened. We will bring you more news when it has happened, but here is a little video that Ted Watts has made to show the centre nearing completion. There is a slight technical hitch for the first few seconds as you will see Ted upside down (!) - but do not fear, things are put the right way up for the rest of the video! Please pray for the official opening day as we are expecting senior national and local government and administrative officials to be present. Pray for the witness of the gospel. Thank you. https://youtu.be/PYcIcQMUkug