Community

Community. This is a concept that I have been pondering ever since I finished my practicum as a Career Preparation Instructor early this year. Before, I thought that community was a group of people living in the same geographic location. But it goes beyond that definition. Community has a much deeper meaning. A community is like an organism that feeds, nurtures and protects all its members. No man is an island. We belong to communities.

Today, we had a graduation ceremony at the Light and Love School in Antananarivo. All the students and their parents came together to dance, sing and celebrate their appreciation to the teachers and one another. I was touched by the people's sincerity, laughter and even tears. I felt that we were more than a community. We were a family.

After the graduation, the co-workers and the missionary team came together to give thanks for the Lord's blessings in the past school year. We raised our hands and sang "Psalm 103" and "Grace upon Grace" with all our hearts. I was touched by the Lord's grace towards His work in Madagascar. In spite of our limited resources (we do not have enough money to cover the expenses), and having only 3 co-workers, we managed to provide food and education for 120 students for the past 2 years. But most importantly, we were able to bring many students to Christ.