Madagascar "The Forgotten Land"

[afterdeathwhat]

Every once in awhile I will be posting a newsletter from a missionary in Madagascar. Please read and pray for this work.

Dear Pastors, Church Members, Family and Friends;            December/January 2008/09
http://www.madagascarorphanage.com/
 
   Please Read: The last few months have been very busy and troublesome. To start, 3 of my preachers and I took a trip by truck to the southen parts of Madagascar to see if there was any truth of God's word being preached or taught. We drove 1500 miles through rain forest, desserts, mountains and passed through many towns and villages. Sadly, we found next to nothing of God's word being used or souls saved. We did travel to a city called Toliara and found a small church that preached the truth. They met in a small wooden building on the out skirts of the town. We were able to meet with them and discuss salvation and basic Bible doctrine. They knew about true repentance and the blood of Christ is the only way one can be born again. It was a blessing to meet a small group of born again believers, they just need someone to help and teach them. Lord willing I will be able to send Lucien, one of our preachers to help teach them the Bible in the next few months.
 
  As we traveled this was the only truth we seen. We traveled through villages of 10 people and towns of 10,000 and found no Bible truth. We did stop and street preached in many towns and even in some small villages giving out thousands of tracts. Some towns were nothing but Muslims and I reminded the guys Jesus promised never to leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). Although we were threatened, the Lord was with us. During our trip I told the men how sad it is to be the first people to come and proclaim the truth of Christ 2000 years after His death, burial, resurrection and command to "go" into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. If only America could realize how important it is to forsake things of this world and go reach a lost and dying world as they did in the book of Acts.
 
  We returned home to Antsirabe and told our churches how important it is to pray and prepare to go reach other areas of Madagascar with the truth. I am writting to our supporting churches in America to tell you that we need more than 3 Independant Baptist Churches here in a country of over 20 million lost souls. This can not be accomplished unless people decide to go and do something. I can remember on deputation how many people told us they wanted to go to Madagascar, but we have never heard from them again. What will it take for church members to decide to go reach people that have no chance to hear the truth. If it takes the judgement of God, it will be too late. I think how David said in Psalm 142:4 "no man cared for my soul." How many people will be in Hell for ever because no one cared for their soul.
 
  I told my churches here that it is time for my family to go reach another area of Madagascar. I did not know how long we would stay in Antsirabe or where we would go next to start churches. For the last 4 or 5 months satan has been using people to cause problems for our churches as we try to reach this lost and dying city. Many lies have been told about me and my family along with threats on our lives and orphanage. On a monday afternoon I was in the church building with one of our children in the orphanage when a man came in with a metal rod and attacked me. Thankfully I was able to hold him off and force him out the door. I was hit a few times but nothing serious thank God. After this we decided it is time to move on to another area now. Many people here in Madagascar do not like white people mainly because of the French who have taken advantage of them for many years. Of course me coming here and telling the people that their religion and worship of the dead is all in vain does not make them happy. I understand why Christ told us in Matthew 28:18-20 to go and teach all nations because it is easier for the nationals to reach their people than a foreigner. This way we can leave the churches in the hands of the nationals and allow them to reach their country for Christ.
 
  I have trained 4 men and on the next Sunday night the church ordained two of them. One named Pierre to be the Pastor of the 2 churches in Antsirabe and one in Monadona and the other named Lucien to be an Evangelist to go establish churches in other parts of the country. Both these men are a true blessing from God and they want to reach their people with the truth of God's word. The other two, Oliver and Noel are smart young men learning more and more each day as they wait for the Lord to send them a Godly wife so they too may pastor future churches. Pierre is the first Malagasy man to be ordained to pastor an Independant Baptist Church in the country of Madagascar. He will have his hands full pastoring three churches along with trying to reach this city of roughly 1 million people and other towns and villages in the surrounding areas. Please pray for him as he continues to grow and lead the flock to reach the forgotten land and that God will use Oliver and Noel to help him in this great task.
 
  You also may have heard of the civil unrest going on here in the country. Buildings were destroyed, burned and looted in every major city. Hundreds of people have died because of the problems here. People tried to break into our church building and tear our church sign down one night but thankfully the police were walking by and stopped them. Several foreigner's homes were broken into and looted during this time and some foreigners were threatened. Since we are not liked here because of our stand on God's word I decided to send my wife and Selah home for a couple months until things here quiet down. The city has a curfue and the military are patrolling the streets every day and night trying to keep the peace. Please pray that God will allow me to stand in the gap for this country to help this country see their need for truth and salvation (Ezekiel 22:30).
 
                   For Gods Glory,
          Jason, Kelli and Selah Sigmon
ll Corinthians 4:3-5 Romans 15:20 ll Timothy 3:12
 
Prayer Request:
- Jason and Kelli's families for salvation
- Fiangonana Batista Mamory Vokatra (Harvest Baptist Church)
- Fiangonana Batista Fahasoavana (Grace Baptist Church)
- Fiangonana Batista Famjena Marnia (True Salvation Baptist Church)
- Orphanage
- Wisdom and knowledge to train men to reach this needy country of 20 million lost souls
- Pastor Pierre (The First National Baptist Pastor)

[Nebbap]

What a great post/letter.

1500 miles to find another like-believing Church, and to be willing to send someone occasionally to help.

It's wonderful to hear of the duplication, by training up other men of Madagascar. 

[afterdeathwhat]

There is also a couple moving there this year the Fulkerson's The will also be sending a container there. We were able to raise enought money to send over 2500 bibles that will be going to Madagascar. Please pray that God would protect the contanier when it leaves and that he will allow the Fulkerson to sell their house and raise the money to send the container. God bless.

[afterdeathwhat]

Madagascar "The Forgotten Land"

reaching 20 million lost souls for Christ        Ezekiel 3:18     Matthew 28:18-20
 


   We thank God for His grace as we arrived here in Madagascar on January 27, 2008 with a hope of reaching these forgotten people for Christ.  We came to help a former missionary who had already started a church that we thought was Bible believing.   Christ commanded us to go and teach all nations and my goal was to help this church establish more indigenousness churches.  After a couple months we had to separate from this so-called church because of many problems and doctrinal issues.   


   We remained in the city of Antsirabe, one of Madagascar's largest cities (roughly 1 million) because there was a great need for souls to be truly born again.  God blessed with our first church on April 17th 2008 named Harvest Baptist Church after our sending church back in the states.   Antsirabe is a large spread out town and Harvest is located on the west side.  We started with 4 members and today they have 28 less than a year later and had 9 more members leave to help start other churches just like the church of Jerusalem and Antioch did in the book of Acts. 


   Our second church was started in August 2008 just south of Madagascar in a town called Monadona.  This town has roughly 10,000 people with strong catholic and luthern influences.  This church named Grace Baptist Church started with 3 souls being born again and baptized and today they have 8.  It will take time to show this town and many others the truth of God's word because all they have known for hundreds of years is their religion.   


   Our third church was started on the south side of Antsirabe named True Salvation Baptist Church.  This assembly started in January 2009 and has 4 members.  The building they assemble in was able to be purchased and thankfully they are dept free.  This church building was a true blessing because it is located on main street where thousands of people pass by every day.  God blessed us with this great opportunity and location to reach the central, eastern and south side of Antsirabe with this building.  Again, it will take time to show these people the truth of God's word and allow the Holy Spirit to reveal these truths and convict lost souls of their need for the Savior

(Romans 2:15).


   On February 16th 2009 the church at Harvest in Antsirabe ordained Pierre to be their national Pastor.  Pierre was one of the first 4 members and had spent a year learning the ministry everyday with me.  He pastors the three churches with two other men under him who were also trained to help him.  They are waiting for God to send them goodly wives so they one day can pastor.  Pierre was the first Malagasy national ever ordained to be a Baptist Pastor. 

 

   As my family and I moved to another town in northern Madagascar to start more churches, I learned that only a few weeks later, Pierre has started a church himself on the north side of Antsirabe.  He and the other men had been going there street preaching and having bible studies with people and have now seen 7 souls born again and baptized, Praise God.  They have chosen the name of New Believers Baptist Church and they are meeting in a little room of a members home.   


   Here in Mahajanga, we are starting our 5th church named Heaven Bound Baptist Church.  We will have 7 members starting and will need a building as we look forward to seeing many more souls reached for Christ.  Also, we will be looking to start our 6th and 7th church assemblies within the next 3 to 4 months here in Mahajanga which is roughly the same size as Antsirabe.  I pray the Lord will allow us to establish 3 or 4 Baptist Churches in this town within a year as we were able in Antisrabe. 


   We are needing to purchase either a small piece of land and build a building or purchase an existing building for these 4 churches.  Here in Madagascar, the people are not picky.  They are very poor and most houses and buildings here are small.  The expense comes in trying to find or build a building that is large enough to hold many people.  I have taught the churches and preachers that God does not dwell in the building as catholics and protestants teach (Acts 17:24).  God dwells within those who are born again by the Holy Spirit and we can assemble anywhere.  We do not need anything fancy, just accessible.   


   Lord willing we will also need to purchase a small piece of land for a cemetery here in Mahajanga for the new churches as we did in Antsirabe.  Here in Madagascar they have a very wicked tradition of worshipping dead bodies.  After a person dies, their body is placed in a tomb and later removed during a ceremony and taken to another tomb until the following year.  Sadly, the catholic and protestant religions accept this tradition.  I have taught the churches about this wickedness and the importance of being buried in the ground and separate ourselves from this wicked tradition.  To purchase a piece of land for a grave in the country is only about $600 or $700 dollars.   


   I thank you for your time and I am not asking for 10s of thousands of dollars, only what the church feels led to give by the unction of the Holy Spirit.  I know that God is able to do all thing, but I also know that He works through His churches.  We are guessing that each purchase will be roughly $4,000 to $6,000 depending on location, etc.  There is no way of estimating each cost because there are no set cost or prices here.  Everything varies in price.  Again, thank you and God bless you for any help you may be able to offer.             
 


                                                                               For Christ Sake,


                                                                            Jason, Kelli and Selah Sigmon

                                                                        ll Corinthians 4:3-5    Romans 15:20    ll Timothy 3:12


Sending Church:


Harvest Baptist Church

614 Second Ave. S.

Fort Dodge, IA  50501

Pastor M. Smith

[afterdeathwhat]

The government has requested that I leave Madagascar to renew my visa back in America so I can acquire an extended visa when I return.  It is very important to have an extended or long term visa to live in Madagascar. 
 
  For over a year we have been trying to get our ONG established with our orphanage and to teach English.  By the grace of God we have accomplished this but our visa's expired.  We were deceived by another missionary about the process of accruing visa's and we lost alot of valuable time.   
 
   During the uprising here in Madagascar between the people and government at the beginning of this year my wife and Selah left for safety reasons back to America for 2 months.  She was able to renew her visa, thank God and will be able to stay in the country and tend to the orphanage. 
 
  I am going to use this time back in the states to renew my visa and also visit some new churches to present the great need here for the Malagasy people.  My wife and Selah will be safe and taken care of here in Madagascar while I am gone.
 
  Currently, the Lord has allowed me to train two Godly men to pastor the 5 churches we have started over the last 15 months with another church being assembled soon Lord willing. 
 
  My wife and I did not spend alot of time on deputation because we wanted to get to Madagascar and start reaching these forgotten souls.  Thankfully God has taken care of us and provided for our needs and for the ministry.  After much work and expense of spreading the gospel we are running low on support.  We need to increase our support to be able to continue reaching all of Madagascar. 
 
  Sadly, there is no Bible truth in Madagascar or true Bible believing churches.  There are thousands and thousands of catholic and protestant religions deceiving the 20+ million lost souls.  We need more churches to help us reach this forgotten land.  We need to get back to what Christ intended the church to do and that is to reach the uttermost part of the world.  The nick name fits for Madagascar, "The Forgotten Land".  They have been forgotten in many ways and especially forgotten by the church. 
 
  As I return to America in the next few weeks I will need a vehicle for transportation.  If someone has a small car or anything I can borrow or even if you want to donate the vehicle to our church for a tax write off, that would be fine.  Also, if you would like for me to come and present our work here in Madagascar to your church, please email me with a phone number and I can contact you. 
 
  My wife and I need your help to reach this forgotten land and I need your help as I return back to America for my visa and to raise support for this great cause.  Thank you for reading and I hope to hear from you........... God bless         Jason   ll Corinthians 4:3-5   Romans 15:20     ll Timothy 3:12
 
www.madagascarorphanage.com

[afterdeathwhat]

  Here is our update for the ministry in Madagascar.  I am in the states until the first week in December.  I need some meetings to share the ministry with churches to help raise our support back to where it needs to be to continue reaching Malagasy souls.  Please email me if you are interested in supporting the forgotten land of Madagascar.  Thank you       Jason       Romans 15:20
Madagascar
“The Forgotten Land”
Psalm 9:18   For the needy shall not alway be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever.
 
Sending Church, Board:                                        Field Address:                   
Harvest Baptist Churc                                                   Sigmon         
c/o Mrs D. Vannest; Missions Sec.                               B.P. 723
614 Second Ave. S.                                                    Mahajanga                       
Fort Dodge, IA 50501                                          Madagascar 401                 
Pastor M. Smith lll                                   
    515-955-3074                                   
 
 
Dear Pastors, Church Members, Family and Friends;                                                       
    We want to start by saying thank you to all of our supporting churchs and individuals.  Those of you who support us financially and prayerfully, we thank you so much.  As you have read in past prayer letters the situations we had in Madagascar through trials, persecutions and troubles, we thank God for everyone who has been a part of helping us reach a forgotten people.  God has shown me that we have to work together here in the states and abroad to accomplish the task that Jesus Christ has instructed us to do (Matthew 28:19-20).  For us to be able to ‘go’ means there must be others to ‘send’ and God spoke to me as I was reading Philippians 4:17 “Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.  As we go and labor to reach Madagascar for Christ, our fruit will be the same as yours because we are both sacrificing to see souls born again.  Thank you again churches and individuals who have helped us in this great task of reaching the forgotten souls in Madagascar and may we all continue that our fruit may abound for Christ sake.
 
     As I am here in the states trying to take care of my visa and raise our support level back up to continue the work God has shown us, Kelli and Selah are doing good back in Madagascar taking care of the orphanage.  Kelli has actually added 5 more children to the home since I have been here in the states.  She loves those children and stays busy.  She now has a total of 11 to watch after.  I thank God Kelli and I are able to speak everyday on the phone and I get to hear Selah’s voice also.  Kelli and Selah are safe and healthy and Lord willing I will be able to return the first week in December and be with them.  It would be a real blessing if some ladies could send her a letter to be a blessing and encouragement.  She does get lonely but she is thankful for God’s grace to help her through it all.  Thankfully I am able to spend time with my Pastor and Mrs. Vannest working to improve our missions department.  Pastor Smith has some good ideas to help us achieve our goals on the field and use our support in better ways to improve the ministry, orphanage and my family needs.
 
     The churches in Madagascar are doing good under Pastor Pierre and Pastor Lucien even with the persecution they have been facing this year.  I spoke with Lucien a couple weeks ago and he informed me that God had allowed him to start a church on the north end of Mahajanga.  He was street preaching and having bible studies with a group of Malagasy and seen 4 Malagasy souls born again.  The fokotany or mayor of that area then gave him a building to use for church services praise the Lord.  Kelli told me that over thirty visitors came to the church services a couple weeks later.  Please make time to pray for Pastor Lucien and Pastor Pierre as they lead the six churches to go out and proclaim God’s truth to over 20 million forgotten Malagasy people.
 
  Thank you again and one day we will rejoice in Heaven with these Malagasy souls.  God bless you all.
 
 
Prayer Request:
 
- 20 million Malagasy souls
- Our families Salvation
- Safety and Health
- Visa’s to finalize
- Orphanage (11 Children)
- Pastor Pierre’s Churches
- Pastor Lucien’s Churches
- Safety of men Street Preaching
- Support to increase to continue work
- Mr. and Mrs. Fulkerson coming to help
 
 
  If you send any love offerings or monthly support, please make sure our names are in the memo and address the letter to Mrs. D. Vannest as given above to avoid any confusion.  Thank you                                                                                             
                                                         
                                        For God’s Glory;
                              Jason, Kelli and Selah Sigmon 
                          ll Corinthians 4:3-5     Romans 15:20
                                     cell # 1-828-228-5711