Madagascar Church Asks CRCNA for Help

Members of the Christian Reformed Church in North America have been asked to pray and advocate on behalf of the Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar, a denomination with which the CRCNA has ecumenical relations.

The church's president, Rev. Lala Rasendrahasina, shared the plight of the church and the people of Madagascar with the Ecumenical Relations Committee of the CRCNA through an email received this week.

Madagascar has experienced a political crisis after Madagascar's leader Andry Rajoelina abandoned a power-sharing peace deal after appointing a military prime minister.  Rajoelina, a former DJ, came to power with military backing in March of 2009. He has called a parliamentary election for March 20, 2010.

"Madagascar has been riven by political turmoil for almost a year, with Rajoelina taking power after weeks of protests which saw dozens of people lose their lives," according to the British Broadcasting Company.

In his email to CRC leaders this week, Rev. Rasendrahasina, president of the Church that is referred to in Madagascar as the FJKM, reports that the government of Madagascar has:

• Detained and beat Rev. Rasendrahasina and another leader of the Church in March of 2009.
• Arrested two leaders of the Church’s radio ministry on false charges of collusion with an attempt to overthrow of the government.
• Threatened to shut down the radio ministry.
• Imposed repressive taxes against the Church and its ministries.
• Hindered the free movement of ministry leaders, and are threatening more arrests.

"Please be in prayer for this Church and the people of Madagascar. Pray for the brothers who are in detention, and ask the Lord to grant them release," Rev. Bruce Adema, Ecumenical Officer for the CRCNA, wrote in a letter to churches this week.

"Pray for the ministries of the FJKM, and ask the Lord to let them continue unhindered. Pray for the life and liberty of Rev. Rasendrahasina and the other members of the FJKM. Pray that peace and justice may return to Madagascar."

Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French colony in 1896 but regained independence in 1960. Since then the island nation in the Indian Ocean off Southern Africa has had a turbulent political history.