Hello Friends

Another monthly update coming your way.  I know, I know, I started with trying to do weekly updates but that obviously didn't last too long.  Hope all of you can forgive me.

Anyways this past week was the first week I back after Christmas Vacation.  It pretty much felt like I had been on vacation forever for some reason.  I spent my vacation doing more language hours; trying to work ahead so I can finish my language course a month early (which you will hear more about later).  This meant doing language lessons on Christmas Eve and the rest of the holiday.  It went alright though; increasing my hours I think has made me progress in my language ability a bit more. I appreciate all your prayers in this area, it has really helped. I actually talked to the taxi drives twice during Christmas vacation and it was more than just 5 words.  Of course the words might have been in the wrong order and my pronunciation being very poor but I think they both understood me. I also talked a little in Malagasy with the English teachers I work with and they said that if I stayed a year longer I would be really good! I think everyone is just glad that I am trying and they enjoy laughing with me about it. So next thing on the agenda is working on my Ethnography.  I told you guys about that right?  I'm not sure but anyways it is a study of a topic in the Malagasy culture that I can learn about and than do a written report.  My topic is on the Kabary which is a tradition that stems way back in history (they are unsure when it exactly occurred  of speech making.  Now this isn't just any kind of speech making this is a Malagasy style of speech making.  Malagasy people like to express there feelings through many proverbs and images.  Kabarys are unique to only the Malagasy culture because the speeches are created around the Malagasy style of speaking.  This is something the Malagasy people are very proud of because it is something that belongs to them and not any other culture.  The Malagasy people have had a lot of things taken away from them but this is not one of them.  I am supposed to do research through research and observation.  I have supposed to have 5 interviews and lets just say there has been a few bumps on the way that makes me a little short reaching that goal so far but it is okay I know God will come through for me.

I don't know if I will have a chance to blog you again in the next month so thought I would let you know about my next adventure. I heading off in three weeks to the region of Diego which is at the very northern tip of Madagascar.  If you look at a map you can find it pretty easily.  Anyways this region is full of Muslims and  since I am thinking of working with Muslims full term this will be a great opportunity for me to see what this kind of ministry would look like for me.  I will be living with a full time AIM missionary there who is a University English teacher.  I will help her in class and outside of class with preparation.  I could really use your prayer as I go and check out this ministry.  Pray that God will give me direction through checking out this ministry and pray that God will continue to give me an open and loving heart towards the Muslims.  Also pray that I will be able to get all my schoolwork and ministry work wrapped up here so my focus can be there in Diego.  So the next time I write I may be getting reading to pack up for home because shortly after I get back from Diego I go home.  So hopefully I will write when I get back from Diego but if I don't keep me in your prayers for my trip back which is March second.  Thank you so much for all of your support.  All of you are amazing!