Another week in Tana

May 17, 2014

Another week in Tana!

My what a week and a half this has been! We are beginning to get a sense of how to get places. We couldn’t do it without the GPS, since there are no street names, signage, or rhyme or reason to how it’s laid out! But we can get to a couple of places without the GPS. I cannot describe how crazy this very large city is. There are hills everywhere (San Francisco”esque”), with many of the roads being old and uneven brick roads. They are winding and narrow and it makes driving with a stick shift an act of courage and fortitude—always with a prayer on your lips! Steve is doing AWESOME. I would still be at the first intersection from two weeks ago trying to nose my way in! We are reminded daily that we are “not in Kansas  anymore”…or even Salt Lake City for that matter! It truly is a daily adventure!

Because many people in this city do not have running water or electricity, it gets pretty dark around here at about 5:00 pm. By eight, things are pretty quiet (except for the annoying barking dogs!—but that’s another story!) and the Malagasys are usually in bed by 9:00—so, “When in Madagascar”….we join them in hitting the hay at around 9:00 pm. We go to bed with the chickens and raise with the roosters! (Although it’s only 7:20 tonight and Steve is fast asleep!—long day!) Many people do not have water, so they go to the village water place and fill large 5 gallon water containers and lug them home. Women and children do this as well as the men. I don’t think I could even lift one! I don’t know what it costs, but I’m anxious to find out.

We are usually up by 5:00 and it’s light by 6:00. We get ready for the day; which usually includes a little language and scripture study. I usually eat oatmeal for breakfast, but Steve has tried all kinds of cereal including different types of “Muesli”-They look pretty enticing from the picture on the box, but never cease to disappoint! Ha! He was thrilled to find grapefruit here, so he’s a happy camper! Now all we need is for the kids to send his grapefruit spoon…can’t find one here! We either drive or walk up to the mission home by 8:00 am. It’s about a 10 minute walk—straight up a hill. Then we get on with our day.


We did hit the street vegetable markets this week, and love them! The produce is fresh from the fields and the tomatoes are to die for! We must soak everything in a bleach solutions before eating, but so far, so good! They have wonderful carrots, very small red onions, zucchini squash, green beans, small potatoes, cucumbers and small green peppers as the standard fare. Right now the fruits are not plentiful…there are small greenish oranges, persimmons, teeny apples and horrible pineapples (I had to throw mine away!) and lots and lots of bananas (year round). I can’t wait for a season with sweet, good fruit. The carrots and potatoes are about 55 cents per kilo (which is 2.2 lbs for those of you who have forgotten their metric conversion!) Tomatoes are a little more, but still pretty cheap. This week I made homemade vegetable zebu soup! (AKA veg. beef soup!). They don’t have celery here….I miss that! We have to make everything homemade, but we eat well. We have been healthy and hope to remain so!



This past week and a half, Steve has been trying to figure out the locations of the (better) clinics in relation to the missionary homes, in case we need to refer a sick missionary for care. I have gotten several diarrhea calls, a jammed finger (requiring an x-ray and doctor visit; complete with a home-made splint from a tongue depressor)! The doctor visit cost $3.50…such a deal!; a back strain; ringworm; and today, I found myself researching some sort of traveling parasite worm—I’m convinced the poor guy has something called zoonotic hookworm…it started in his pinky toe and has traveled up to his ankle! I’m waiting for confirmation of my diagnosis from the area medical advisor, but I think I’m right….we’ll see! I guess I will teach a class on tropical medicine when I return! We’ve also taken an elder from Tahiti who had an abscess and had to have a root canal! So happy we found a half way decent dentist. The first dentist wanted to pull the tooth and it was his FRONT tooth! (I guess it would make him fit in more with the Malagasies—they are missing teeth all over the place!—but I’m not sure his mother would have been too happy!) On a serious note, we do pray fervently for these missionaries. My heart goes out to them and I want them to be healthy, happy and safe! I remember when Steve was made Bishop. He said he had an overwhelming feeling of love for each member of the Ward over whom he had stewardship. I have to say I have felt the same thing…just an overwhelming feeling of love for each of these sweet missionaries who are out here serving in some pretty tough circumstances. While I often feel worried about whether I will know the right answers for their health challenges, I am willing to try. I do believe the Lord will bless me to know the answers, or know where to get the help they need.

President Adams is excited to have Steve here. He feels that Steve’s expertise on running a business can be helpful for the returned missionaries here. He wants him to mentor those who may be interested in starting some sort of small business. Unemployment is so high here, that it is difficult for them to get jobs, get married and start a family. We attended a young adult conference today and we had 15 people who want to come to classes on how to do this. Steve will be busy learning how business is done here, and how he might be able to  mentor them.

As for language, we have not gotten out of the mission home much last week to practice. But we are still trying. We learn a few new words each time we go to an event, but we need to get out more!

Last night we (the senior couples and President and Sister Adams) had dinner with Elder van Reenan, our area authority from South Africa. He is very nice, and we had such a lovely evening, sharing testimony and friendship. He read a scripture in Matthew 19:29 which touched our hearts: “And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.” I never thought our our mission in this way before, but it was a comforting thought.

We love the other senior couples with whom we are serving. They are so wonderful, capable and faithful; as are the Adams’. We feel blessed to serve with them.

Well tomorrow is the Sabbath. Our Ward meets at 8:00 am. We are getting to know a few people and have been well received. There is a wonderful sister (the Stake President’s wife) who interprets for me in RS. She also helps me with Malagasy. We love Sundays because we get to be with such wonderful Malagasy saints. They are diligent, sweet and humble. They love the Savior and are willing to do what He asks of each of us. It is a pleasure to meet with them and to share our mutual love of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are uplifted and blessed by our association with them.

We wish for you a blessed Sabbath as well—Until next time….Michele