This post was written by Mme Rindra, the new General Director of the Good News Project, Mandritsara

“The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.” 1 Thessalonians 5:24

My name is Rindrasoa, which means lovely harmony. I was born again and became a Christian on a Sunday in October 1992 at the age of 17 and the following year I became a member of Ankadivato Bible Baptist Church in Antananarivo. A few years later I transferred to Andavamamba Bible Baptist Church on my marriage to Jean Christian Rakotondramanitra, a computer engineer, who was a member there. Jean Christian and I now have 4 children who are all grown up (19 to 25 years) – two boys and two girls who are all seeking to follow the Lord.

As a student, I studied Management, Finance and Accounting. For a long time, God has put in my heart a thirst for a job that is directly linked to the expansion of His Kingdom.

In our church we used to pray for the Good News Hospital and Project in Mandritsara. Several members of our church serve there, including Dr Hanitra the eye surgeon, Andry who is head of Community Health, Hery who works in the Maintenance Department, and Haingo who was recently appointed Director of the Good News School. As we heard news from Mandritsara, little by little, my family’s love for the Good News Project was born.

One day, our pastor said that praying is good, but you must also have the willingness of heart to respond to God’s call to action, even if there are difficulties. And so it was that God called me to join the project in Mandritsara and granted me the position of DAF (Director of Administration and Finance). I served in that post from 2017 to 2020.

We were very happy with what God did for our family, and for the Project, during those three years. He gave us two Bible verses that were a particular help both in difficult times and in days of joy:

Genesis 22:8 – God Himself will provide.

Romans 11:36 – Everything comes from Him, everything is through Him and everything is for Him. To Him be glory forever. Amen!!!

In December 2020 I came back to Tana and our family were together again, serving the Lord in our local church. We continued to pray for the Good News Project, to receive news from our brothers and sisters in Christ there, and to encourage them over the problems they shared with us.

My eldest daughter is a medical student in Tana. I encouraged her to do placements at Mandritsara, reminding her that this is a project that God has entrusted to our church.

In September 2023 she had the possibility of a ten-day placement in Mandritsara. This happened to be at the same time that the Good News Hospital launched its search for a new General Director (DG). I saw this on Facebook, and noted it as a subject for prayer. I saw that the closing date for application was the end of September. At that point I did not have the least thought of applying for the position.

I travelled with my daughter to keep her company on the long journey to Mandritsara. We stayed in the Oasis guesthouse on the hospital site. On arrival in Mandritsara, many thought I had come in order to apply for the position of the DG. I explained to them the real reason for our visit, nevertheless many people kept insisting to me that I should apply for the post.

Actually, I thought that the closing date for application had already passed, but then I heard an announcement for the post on the Voice of the Good News radio station, and it was explained to me that the closing date had been moved to the end of October.

The same day in the Oasis guesthouse, we had lunch with a number of local people. During the meal, several people insisted that I should answer the call of God to come back to Mandritsara for this position. I explained to them that I had not yet heard this call and that we had to be careful so that we do not make either the same mistake as Jonah (not responding to God's call) or as King Saul (I Samuel 13, in his haste and lack of patience, he made the offering that only the prophet could make, and not the king – he had mistaken his calling).

On the Tuesday evening, I spoke to my daughter about it all. Having lived in Tana for three years while I was working in Mandritsara as DAF, she wasn’t keen on repeating this. The thought of being responsible for watching over her sister and her brothers again was also weighing on her.

But on the Friday of that week, I was very surprised when she told me that things had changed and she was now ready to pray and seek the will of God for His call on our family for this post in Mandritsara. This was really important, since without the support of my family, I could not under any circumstances embark on this mission. We were convinced that for such a mission, the whole family must hear God’s call.

Once back in Tana, we quietly shared with our church elders and some other brothers and sisters in Christ that we were seeking God’s will for this calling. Various department heads of the Good News Project also contacted us, encouraging us to apply and promising to pray for God’s will.

As a family we met together at least three times to discuss it. My husband encouraged us to believe that God will make His will known to us and that we must keep trusting Him. Our children were not all enthusiastic about my appointment to this post at first, but they were all ready to pray for God’s guidance.

There were still concerns: the fact of being a woman, the organization of our family, our ministries in our local church, the precariousness of the situation in Mandritsara. An elder helped us open our eyes to the nature of God’s call. Although there are many concerns and uncertainties, our part was to trust in the Eternal God who controls everything!

So I sent in my application. When I was called for interview, I asked about the other applications. I was told there were eight – all men. So I suggested that perhaps I should withdraw and leave the position for a man. But I was told that this was not how I would find God’s will – I must go through to the end of the process.

Well, now the process is complete and I have been called to this post. I know there is nothing in me that deserves such a call. I am very inferior to those who preceded me. But I hold on to the promise that “it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.” (Phil.2:13)

I believe God has given me a vision for the project and I would like to share it here. I think it is a continuation of the vision of those who went before me:

Firstly, that all members of staff would share the vision of the project – to make known the gospel of our Lord Jesus through their lives and their work, demonstrating a life of faith, hope and love for Jesus. At present 49 employees actively participate in evangelism. This is 23% of the total, but my vision is that in 5 years it would be 50%.

Secondly that all the people (100%) who pass through the hospital, school etc, hear the Good News of Jesus Christ proclaimed.

I think that if our personnel follow Acts 8:4 (“Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went”), both inside and outside of their work in the hospital/school etc, and with the leadership of our hospital evangelists, and the participation of the diverse parts of the project (Hospital, Good News School, Voice of the Good News radio station, Community Health department,) by the grace of God the project will advance in its mission to be making disciples of all nations to the Glory of God!!!

I have other ideas related to our human resources, financial and material resources and our general administration. In particular I want to focus on the training, development and motivation of our current staff, and planning for the future as staff approach retirement. I will be very grateful for your prayers.

1. Please pray for wisdom for all the leaders in the project, that the original gospel vision of the project may be maintained and expanded.

2. Pray that gospel outreach may be the focus of each department of the hospital, school etc

3. Pray that God would bless those who hear the Good News of Jesus and that He will work in their hearts for their salvation.

4. Pray that God would raise up personnel for vacant posts and for replacing those who will soon be retiring.