Participants: Jim Ayer
Series Code: MW
Program Code: MW000066
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00:01 Marco Polo was the first European to
00:03 report the existence of this island, he called it 00:05 the Red island, eventually named it 00:07 Madagascar, it's extremely unique in many ways. 00:11 Well, sure there maybe some plants, 00:13 some animals that you find in other parts of 00:15 the world, but on whole it has got the 00:18 most unique animals, the most unique plants that 00:21 are only found on this particular island. 00:58 Arriving on the island of Madagascar, 01:00 you meet a very nice people, a friendly 01:02 people but quite reserved in comparison 01:05 to mainland Africa. Now, of course that's 01:08 the first thing this people do not want to 01:10 be referred to as Africans, because it 01:12 seems like they, they have a feeling of 01:14 superiority or a feeling that they are totally 01:18 different on the mainland. They fought hard to 01:21 gain their independence from France and 01:23 finally after a revolution, after many things in 01:26 1960, they did gain their independence, 01:30 Malagasy is the official language, 01:32 although French is number two, 01:34 and English is the third language. 01:36 Although I found it little difficulty that 01:37 very few people do speak English. 01:40 This is a gorgeous place, the island from 01:42 one end to the other transforms into 01:45 different characters, different parts from 01:48 the, the rocks and the cliffs and the 01:49 mountains here to, to jungles in the north 01:52 where they raise the vanilla beans. 01:55 But it's beautiful everywhere, it's beautiful. 02:00 Larger than California and Oregon combined; 02:03 Madagascar is the world's fourth largest 02:05 island after Greenland, New Guinea and Borneo, 02:08 Located 250 miles off the south-east coast of 02:11 Africa, the island extends 1000 miles in 02:14 length and 360 miles at its largest width. 02:19 The most ancient road is not yet 100 years 02:21 old and tourism is a very young industry. 02:26 Most experts agree that Madagascar's 02:28 inhabitants arrived somewhat recently 02:31 and that subsequent migrations have 02:33 brought other groups like Arabs and 02:35 Indians into the mix. The residents of 02:39 Madagascar, the Malagasy; have unusual origins 02:42 as reflected by their mixed traditions and 02:44 cultural practices. The Malagasy speak 02:47 a language native to their distinct country 02:49 of Borneo and observe some distinctively 02:52 Southeast Asian religious practices. 02:55 The Malagasy people have some very 02:57 interesting proverb such as he who 02:59 refuses to buy lid for the pot will have 03:01 badly cooked rice, or how about done in by 03:05 his own trade like a water merchant in the rain. 03:08 Very interesting people and some 03:09 proverbs we could probably identify with. 03:13 Madagascar is home to 5% of the world's 03:15 plant and animal species, of which 03:17 more than 80% are endemic to Madagascar, 03:21 including the beautiful lemur. 03:24 Some ecologists refer to Madagascar as the 03:26 "eighth continent". Of the 10,000 plants 03:29 native to Madagascar, 90% are found 03:33 nowhere else in the world. Agriculture including 03:37 fishing and forestry is a main stay of the 03:40 economy, one of the most important 03:42 exports is vanilla. Madagascar is the 03:44 world's largest producer and exporter. 03:55 Yeah, he has a trusty guide, 03:58 did he find the vanilla? Oh! Yeah. 04:02 Vanilla is a flavoring derived from orchids, 04:04 which were originally cultivated in parts of 04:06 Mexico and Central America. 04:09 Attempts to cultivate vanilla were unsuccessful 04:12 until in 1841, it was discovered that the 04:16 plant could be hand-pollinated. 04:18 Vanilla is second only to saffron in its value 04:21 as the most expensive spice. 04:24 The desire for such spices led to the 04:27 discovery of Madagascar in 1500. 04:31 Now, travel with me far to the south of the 04:33 island where we're going to 04:34 meet Edmond and his family. 04:37 From what I see in Madagascar so far 04:38 you live on a beautiful island, do you live 04:41 here in the city or outside the city? 04:45 We live in the countryside, a bit far from town. 04:49 How far where do you live? 04:52 From the capital it's 90 kilometers. 04:56 So you came quite a while, how long did it 04:57 take you because I know some of the 04:59 roads are terrible, but how long did it take 05:01 you to drive here or did you take a bus or? 05:06 First of all we had to walk from our village 05:10 then take a bus, to drive last two hours. 05:14 Would you share with me a little bit about 05:15 your village, so I can understand 05:17 what village life is like? 05:24 Our village is a small one, and as I said it is 05:27 90 kilometers from Antananarivo and it is 05:30 in the countryside. There are around 25 05:33 houses in the village and 300 people. 05:37 It's not near to main road. 05:40 Share with me a little 05:41 bit more, are you Christians? 05:43 Yes, we are Christians. 05:45 Have you always been the Christians? 05:47 Since we were children. 05:52 AWR is frontline mission radio. 05:55 Our first priority is to travel where 05:57 missionaries cannot go. We broadcast 06:00 thousands of hours each day in 70 major 06:02 languages of the world. AWR has 06:05 the capability and capacity of blanketing 06:07 almost 80 percent of the world's population. 06:10 Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, Anamists or 06:13 no belief at all. God is using the radio 06:16 waves of AWR to successfully call 06:19 and prepare people for his soon return, 06:21 but he work is not finished, your health 06:24 is needed. There are still so many 06:27 who must hear this precious message of hope. 06:30 Please partner with us today so others 06:32 can hear and rejoice in the hope of Jesus Christ, 06:35 the hope that you and I have already found, 06:38 your gift of love will mean so much to so many. 06:42 If you would like to financially partner with 06:44 this or would like additional information. 06:46 Our toll-free number is 866-503-3531. 06:53 Men, women, boys and girls, everyone 06:55 is listening to Adventist World Radio from 06:57 Cairo and the great Pyramids, 07:02 to the barren lands of Ethiopia, 07:08 from the vast plains of Kenya 07:10 and the Maasai lands of Serengeti 07:13 to the slopes of Mount of Kilimanjaro. 07:17 All the way here to the exotic 07:19 shores of Zanzibar and beyond. 07:25 Tea here provides jobs for hundreds and 07:27 hundreds of people in this area, it's a good 07:30 living, not a huge living, I mean little over a 07:32 dollar a day but for here that's quite of bit. 07:35 It's outdoors in the sunshine 07:38 and the beautiful location. 07:42 What seems to be the only tea plantation in 07:44 Madagascar is near the southern town of 07:46 Fianarantsoa, the name Fianarantsoa 07:49 means the place where one can learn 07:51 something good. The expansive tea 07:53 plantation is the beautiful sight to 07:55 behold as its dark green bushes covered 07:57 with shiny leaves blanket the rolling 07:59 hills as far as the eye can see. 08:03 What variety do you call it; 08:04 is this a special variety of tea? 08:10 Camellia, Camellia and you only pick 08:13 the top three leaves. Yes, only these three 08:18 leaves to make black tea and to make green 08:22 tea, only this one. And so, more leaves, 08:27 the bigger leaves for black, 08:29 yes smaller for green, yes. 08:32 Do you pay your, your people who pick, 08:34 do you pay them by the amount that they 08:36 pick or do you just give them a wage? 08:40 We pay for the, how many leaves they cut? 08:47 How many leaves they cut? What time do they 08:51 start picking in the morning? 08:53 At 7, 7 a.m. when do they quit? 08:56 Like 3 in the afternoon, afternoon, yes. 09:06 Workers negotiate a very narrow space 09:08 between rows as they methodically chose 09:11 and plug the perfect leaves. 09:13 How do you even know how to walk in here? 09:15 It seems like it's just I'm stuck. 09:22 Is there a real pathway in here, 09:26 oh there we go maybe that's it. 09:31 Wow, I don't know how anybody gets in 09:34 here and gets through here and picks, it's amazing. 09:40 I see maybe little path this way, maybe, no. 09:58 Most tea is picked by hand for a better quality; 10:01 machines tend to be rough and end up 10:03 damaging too many leaves. Once workers gather 10:07 enough leaves, their stash is quickly 10:09 carried to the factory located 10:10 right on the plantation. Once picked the 10:13 leaves must be processed almost 10:15 immediately to capture the best flavor. 10:23 Tea is similar to wine and that the 10:25 atmosphere in which is grown determines 10:27 much of the flavor and quality. 10:30 All tea begins as the plant node as 10:32 Camellias sinensis. It is the way that the 10:35 leaves are processed that yields their 10:37 specific taste, color and scent. 10:43 Everyday taste everyone, one here is the labeling 10:47 for the different ones we saw out in the, 10:49 yes, packaging already. From dust to broken 10:54 pekoe, so we went from, from this to this. 11:01 How do people earn a living in your village? 11:04 There are all farmers in this village. 11:08 And what do they farm? 11:11 They grow rice, cassava, and sweet potatoes. 11:15 I see when we flew in the rice farmers look 11:19 like they, they did rice differently or grow it 11:22 differently then I've seen it in California 11:25 and other places, is there a lot of water 11:28 here or just seem like it was different, 11:31 how do you farm rice here? 11:38 We are fortunate because in the region 11:42 we live, we have a lot of water, there is a 11:44 lake near our village. To grow rice we sow 11:48 the grain in a small field, then after two 11:50 months when they are old enough the 11:53 farmers transplant them into the rice field. 11:56 In my village we don't use much fertilizer. 11:59 Now, are both of you farmers 12:00 also, are your family farmers? 12:05 Yes, the whole family is farming, 12:07 but we are also teachers. 12:09 You do both, you're school teachers and farmers. 12:11 Tell me little bit about your school, how big, 12:15 how many children do you teach 12:16 and what, what do you teach? 12:20 Yes, I teach in primary school, 12:23 I teach children from age 6 to 11 and my 12:26 wife teaches in the technical school. 12:28 If the kids who are all 12:30 done then the ones I teach. 12:33 May I ask you what, tell me little more 12:35 about the children in your class 12:38 and since they are little bit older. 12:39 How many students do you have 12:41 and exactly what do you teach? 12:45 As my husband has said, I teach technical 12:48 school where I teach the Malagasy language, 12:50 I teach kids from their 12:52 first year to their third year. 12:55 So, you're a language teacher that is that 12:58 the only language then you teach is Malagasy, 13:01 and that's the language of the whole island. Yes. 13:17 Madagascar was once covered almost 13:19 completely by forests, but the practice of 13:22 burning the forest to clear the land for 13:24 cultivation has denuded most of the 13:26 landscape, especially in the central highlands. 13:30 Most of the loss of rainforest according 13:33 to our pilot was due to past government 13:35 officials telling the people to slash and 13:37 burn the forest, locally called tavy. 13:40 So, that foreigners would not come in 13:42 and steal their lumber. The results were 13:45 devastating and erosion is a major problem. 14:03 We've been hiking for just a little while but 14:05 checking out the lemurs right above 14:06 me, they are absolutely 14:07 beautiful ring- tailed lemurs. 14:11 Most lemurs are listed as endangered or 14:13 threatened species. Many species have 14:15 gone extinct in the last couple of 14:17 centuries mainly due to habitat 14:19 destruction and hunting. Lemurs are endemic 14:23 to the island of Madagascar, the name 14:25 is the Latin words signifying ghosts 14:27 or spirits, from which they earned their 14:29 name due to the ghostly vocalizations, 14:32 reflective eyes, and the nocturnal habits 14:34 of some species. Many species live in 14:37 Madagascar's tropical rainforests, but some 14:40 live in dry deciduous forests. 14:44 Their strong hands and fingers help them 14:46 to climb trees easily. Their muscular legs 14:48 are adapted for jumping. When they need to 14:51 change their scenery, they hop to another branch. 14:54 Brown lemurs and ring-tailed lemurs 14:56 scamper along the forest floor on all fours. 14:59 But other species find traveling on the 15:01 ground to be a challenge. Their bodies just aren't 15:04 built for walking. Sifakas solve the 15:06 problem by hopping sideways on their 15:08 back legs, as if they were on a pogo stick. 15:13 Many lemurs are herbivores. 15:14 They will eat almost everything the forest's 15:17 trees and plants have to offer. 15:20 Ring-tailed lemurs, for example, eat 15:22 fruits, flowers, buds, bark, 15:24 sap, seeds, and leaves. 15:26 Some species, such as the mouse lemur, 15:29 are omnivores. They eat insects, eggs, 15:32 frogs, and lizards as well as plants. 15:35 You are sweet and I have no food see, no food. 15:39 I know on the island here there is a practice of 15:42 exhuming the dead and at certain times a 15:46 year and doing certain festivals and ceremonies. 15:49 Did you ever participate in that or is that 15:51 something that none of the Christians do? 15:57 As for exhumation we had participated in it. 16:03 Why did you practice that, what, what, 16:06 what prompted you to do such a thing? 16:11 Before we didn't know the Bible, 16:12 so we just followed the tradition of the country. 16:16 Can you tell me a little bit more about 16:17 that tradition, be a little more specific? 16:24 According to their tradition in this country, 16:27 people believe that the dead can 16:28 communicate if they are living through dreams. 16:31 For example during the winter the dead 16:34 says to the living that they are called and 16:36 then you close from the living. 16:39 There must be more, you've got me right 16:41 on the edge of my chair tell me more. 16:47 People in this country even the Christians, 16:50 think that the dead can bless the living, 16:52 even some Christians still practice exhumation. 16:56 So, they, they take the dead out of the graves? 17:01 This is how the Malagasy people 17:03 practice exhumation. They will go to the 17:06 tomb and take out the dead bodies and then 17:08 they will buy new clothes and they rub 17:10 the bodies in it. The people feast for 17:13 2 or 3 days, they dance, they sing and 17:16 eat animals like ox. So, it is a big festivity 17:20 for the Malagasy people. You told me earlier that, 17:24 you used to believe this but you 17:26 no longer do, what changed for you? 17:34 We didn't know that this practice was 17:35 against the Bible's teaching. 17:38 We just followed the tradition of our family. 17:41 But now we know that the Bible 17:42 does not support this practice. 17:45 How did you discover or come to find out 17:47 that the Bible doesn't support this practice? 17:55 We learned it through from the Ten Commandments, 17:57 because God says in the First Commandment 18:00 that we should not have any other God, 18:03 but the Malagasy people will treat the 18:05 dead like another God, because they 18:07 think that dead can bless. But we understood 18:10 that it's not good to have another God. 18:15 So, you begin discovering more Bible truth, 18:18 how were you led to do that or did you just 18:20 start studying or what happen? 18:28 I was not only a Christian, but I was a 18:30 youth leader in my church and as a leader 18:34 I had to find many things to give to my youth. 18:37 That is when I heard the Adventist World 18:39 Radio program in the morning at 5:30, 18:42 I really love the songs on the program. 18:45 I wanted to share and teach these 18:47 songs to my youth. And later I found that 18:50 AWR also produce its sermon on the radio. 18:54 That is when I began to sing. 18:58 Did you read and study your Bible to 19:00 make certain that the sermons were the truth? 19:06 Everything started in 1998 in my church, 19:10 there was a special class for teachers and 19:12 doctors in the countryside. Our pastors taught us 19:16 about the Ten Commandments and he gave us special 19:18 lesson about the Fourth Commandment, and 19:21 I ask the pastor what is the Sabbath? 19:23 The pastor explained the Sabbath is Saturday, 19:27 but then I ask him why don't we observe Saturday. 19:30 And he said we don't do that because it is 19:33 only for the Jew. Then I ask him if the 19:37 Ten Commandments are only for the Jews 19:40 and he replied no. Don't listen to other 19:43 preachers; I know that you are listening to 19:46 some other doctrines he said. 19:49 Then I kept asking question about 19:50 a Fourth Commandment. I continue listening to 19:53 AWR and then there was a special week of 19:55 decision in Adventist World Radio. 19:59 I heard all my Biblical question were 20:01 answered in these programs. 20:03 Then I stopped attending my church's 20:05 service, but my wife continued because she 20:08 was a deaconess in that church. 20:14 As you can see AWR is frontline mission radio. 20:18 Our first priority is to travel where 20:20 missionaries cannot go. We broadcast thousands 20:24 of hours each day in 70 major languages 20:27 of the world AWR has the capability 20:30 and capacity of blanketing almost 20:32 80 percent of the world's population 20:35 not only do we broadcast 20:36 via short wave radio but our 20:38 signal is on over 1000 FM and AM stations 20:41 around the world as well, 20:44 our podcast subscribers, Internet users, 20:47 satellite downlinks are growing 20:48 rapidly, evidenced by the hundred thousand 20:51 plus emails, letters and phone calls we 20:54 receive each and every year. 20:56 Yes, AWR is your mission radio, 20:59 no walls and no borders. 21:01 For AWR that means changed lives and 21:03 changed hearts around the world 21:05 because God is using to airwaves of AWR 21:15 to reach people everywhere. 21:16 Men, women, boys and girls, everyone 21:17 is listening to Adventist World Radio from 21:18 Cairo and the great Pyramids, 21:24 to the barren lands of Ethiopia, 21:29 from the vast plains of Kenya 21:31 and the Maasai lands of Serengeti 21:34 to the slopes of Mount of Kilimanjaro. 21:38 All the way here to the exotic 21:40 shores of Zanzibar and beyond. 21:44 One of the favorite things people like about 21:47 AWR is its stories. We have stories 21:50 from all over the world, some of them 21:52 involved danger many of them involved 21:54 miracles of God, but certainly all of 21:57 them involved the miracle of changed lives. 22:00 I've written a little book of some of the 22:01 favorite stories in the face of death, 22:04 another radios given by angels. 22:08 Coming to Christ in a Muslim country these and 22:12 many other stories, just write to 22:14 AWR and ask for the book, stories. 22:17 For your free, no obligation book, 22:19 write to Adventist World Radio, 12501, Old 22:23 Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904 or call 22:29 1-866-503-3531 or log on to www.awr.org/mwbook. 22:39 That number again is 1-866-503-3531. 22:46 I'm just curious do you and your wife get 22:48 long better now since you've been listening 22:51 to programs, and since you've been 22:53 following the Bible more closely? 22:58 There were problems in our home but since 23:00 we started listening to the programs there 23:02 has been a change in our family. 23:05 We feel we have peace in our hearts. 23:08 Amen, amen, do the girls listen to programs too? 23:13 Yes, they do. So, they like the programs also? 23:17 There are programs for children, so they 23:20 can enjoy listening to those. 23:22 Is it appropriate to say then that the radio 23:24 programs have changed your life? 23:32 Yes, it was Adventist Radio that changed 23:35 our life, because at our church, our pastor 23:38 couldn't answer our question, but AWR did. 23:42 Now do you share that program with 23:44 others now, do you tell others to listen also. 23:49 We don't tell others to tune in directly but, 23:52 what we do is raise the volume very high 23:55 and then people around us hear the 23:56 program, because that we have heard many 23:59 of our neighbor listening to the 24:01 program in their homes. So, you turn it up 24:03 high enough the volume that many 24:05 people in the village can hear it from your home? 24:09 Yes, but before we had gone to their 24:12 homes to evangelize but they didn't listen to us. 24:16 So, that's where we tune the volume up in our radio. 24:20 But, now you know many of them are listening. 24:25 Almost everyone in our village can hear 24:27 AWR programs from our house. 24:30 You are wonderful family, and I'm so 24:31 glad you all came today, 24:32 I really appreciate it. Thank you so much, 24:37 thank you, thank you too. 24:42 It's always exciting for me to see how 24:44 God is working to change lives 24:46 everywhere in the world. All people may have 24:49 different cultural beliefs, be poorer or 24:52 richer, live in wood homes or mud houses, 24:55 but around the world the basics are the 24:57 same everywhere, they are hungering for 25:00 peace, stability and happiness. 25:02 Exactly what God offers to every man, 25:05 woman and child on planet earth. 25:08 I love watching the excitement of the 25:09 children, the smiles of the parents, and the 25:12 joy of everyone, when we talk about what 25:15 they have discovered in the word of God. 25:18 Well, I'm told the guide tells me we 25:20 have got to go down through this cave, 25:21 we come out on the other side some place 25:23 for few more lemurs, and a better look of 25:26 the hill sides, so let's, come on lets check it out. 25:32 As you join me on gospel adventures 25:34 around the world, my hope is that it 25:36 will be a learning time for you as well as a 25:39 spiritual experience. Exploring the land of 25:42 our listeners provides a better understanding 25:44 of the culture and people who live here. 25:47 When we here the testimony of changed 25:49 lives, we realize that the Holy Spirit is at 25:52 work, there can be no other explanation, 25:55 and to see the beauty of ring-tailed lemurs 25:57 must point us to our caring creator. 26:00 Exploring the land, cannons, cracks, and 26:02 giant rocks, speaks of the harshness of the 26:04 environment where people must survive, 26:07 but all this tempered with flora and fauna 26:09 that almost show that there is a God of love. 26:13 The more we understand the 26:14 members of the human race, 26:16 the places they live, and the way they 26:18 worship, we are better prepared to reach 26:20 them with the finial message of hope in life. 26:24 Honest hearted people will always keep 26:27 seeking for truth. The Holy Spirit will 26:29 lead them, guide them. The scripture say 26:32 that's why God gave us the gift of the Holy 26:35 Spirit, is to convince us of truth, that's what 26:38 the Jakeeno family did. The lack of a church 26:41 in their area, did not stop them from 26:44 seeking God and worshiping him. 26:47 They built a little shelter under a tree 26:50 and worship first together as a family. 26:53 We would all do well to take a lesson from 26:55 the Jakeeno family, to follow the leadings 26:59 and promptings of God's Holy Spirit, 27:01 and then to respond and to make decision. 27:04 AWR is dependent upon the spirit of God 27:07 in all of its work, we can't do it ourselves. 27:11 And with the resources provided by 27:14 our friends, we will continue to guide 27:17 people through the power of the Holy 27:19 Spirit to a closer relationship with God. 27:22 AWR is reaching people with the 27:24 gospel message of Jesus Christ everywhere. 27:27 You would like to partner with the 27:28 ministry give us a call 866-503-3531 or 27:34 write us at 12501, Old Columbia Pike, 27:36 Silver Spring, Maryland 20904 or 27:40 log on www.awr.org. Thank you for watching. 27:46 Please join us again for another exciting 27:48 gospel adventure, because around the 27:50 world AWR is Making Waves. |
Revised 2014-12-17