Andranahare

"Andranahare" is the word for God in southern dialect.  The exact translation would be "The Prince Who Created".  The Malagasy (and the Mahafaly for that matter) acknowledge who God is...they are aware that He created everything.  However, they do not know who Jesus is. 

Growing up in a Christian home and in "Bible Belt" USA - that still blows my mind.  In my little box, I assume if you know who God is and acknowledge that He is indeed God then how in the world could you NOT know about Jesus?!?!  You can't know about one without knowing about the other.

The sad truth is that it is indeed possible.  We see it everyday.  We are living among a people that seems to not fit in my "little box" that I've categorized things into my whole life.  They believe in God - even the witchdoctors - they just don't believe they have access to Him.  They consult their ancestors, they pray for the spirits to be kind to the harvest, they follow custom after custom that leads them farther into a web of lies.  How great the Deceiver is! 

As I was reading in Isaiah this past week, I came across this verse..."Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living?" (8:19)  It jumped off the page at me.  Should they?  Absolutely not.  Do they?  Absolutely.  They know of nothing else.  They do not know there is a pathway to the Creator.  The Mahafaly do not understand that they can communicate with the Creator instead of just His creation.  They must be told.  They must hear the Truth so that they can believe. 

The exciting thing is when they do hear, they want more.  They are hungry for His words and the freedom that His abundant life brings.  Please pray for His Truth to penetrate the darkness that surrounds them.  Pray that as they hear the stories they will trust in their Creator and ONLY in Him.  Pray.