In 2021, the people Madagascar experienced famine so severe it actually managed to push the pandemic from world headlines. On this island off Africa, a million people were starving.
At a certain point in a famine, children start eating ash from fireplaces. There’s no nutrition, but it helps the gnawing pain in their stomachs. That was happening in Madagascar. Children eating ash.
The children are also eating cactus, just for a few bites with no nutrition at all, with their fingers pricked and bleeding from spines and needles,
Into this desperate humanitarian crisis came Christian aid workers, bringing food, compelled by the love of Jesus.
As the local people saw Jesus’ love in action, it is only natural that many began to seek and ask about God – and the door of faith was opened.
“Lots of people are being baptised,” says Reverend Gaston from Amboasary Parish, “because they were touched by the love, and asking ‘what religion is that, that cares?”
The churches of southern Madagascar were packed with new people. New churches were opened – but many villages full of new believers had no church at all.
No churches, no leaders and teachers … and no Bibles (and they cannot read).
That is their greatest hunger. They have little physical food, but they yearn for the eternal bread of God’s Word.
They were desperate for Bibles, but actually, a printed Bible would be of little use to them. Few can read. Nor would a Bible last long in the harsh dusty conditions.
What they needed most was to be able to hear the Word of God in their own heart language.
There was certainly not enough leaders and ministers to do this in person.
megavoice supporters rallied to help satisfy this hunger for the everlasting bread of God’s Word. They donated megavoice Bible players – the words of eternal life, in the hands and in the ears of people who do not read, in their own heart language. Plus Christian teaching materials to give them a firm foundation in their new lives.
“This is a famine-struck area where the people are unable to buy a Bible themselves and extremely low literacy. megavoice units are ideal”, said Canon Tim Swan, CEO of Anglican Aid, Australia.
Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”