Islam and Madagascar

I often get asked if there are Muslims in Madagascar and the answer is yes there are, however, since it is an island, Islam has been slow to arrive.  After the seminar about Muslim ministry during my training in Kenya my thoughts about Islam in Madagascar was peaked.  One night at the end of my time in Kenya I looked up Madagascar on Joshua Project (a website devoted to informing and praying about the Least Reached and Unreached Peoples of the world).  It turns out all the tribes of Madagascar have the beginnings of a church started.  This means that there is a church in each dialect, but not necessarily a church in every village.   In fact, the majority of villages don’t have a church, according to Joshua Project.  The highest percent of Christian influence was 15% among the peoples of Tana (the capital).  What was even more interesting was that the groups that are completely unreached in Madagascar are the Indians and Arabs that have migrated for business.  There is work to be done for the kingdom here in Madagascar, and even more so for with those who are Islamic. 

On a Tuesday now back in Madagascar I hopped a bus to the airport to see about a ticket back to Toliara.  While walking up the road into the airport entrance my heart was turned toward thoughts of Muslim ministry.  It may have been a prompting from the Holy Spirit as I entered the very place that brings Muslims into Madagascar.  As I considered the possibility of engaging Mada Muslims in the future I wondered what God may have in store for me. 

Interestingly, the very next day as I drove up to the airport with my taxi driver the conversation turned toward Muslim Ministry in Madagascar.  There has to be something about that place because at the airport God continues to prompt thoughts and conversations among Christians about Muslim Ministry in Madagascar.  My taxi driver explained that a while back God gave him a heart for Malagasy Muslims.  As a result, he sought out a Missionary and learned about Islam and how to evangelize Muslims.  He explained that Malagasy people near his home go to the Mosque just like they go to the Catholic church, they think it will get them to heaven.  In fact, some people go to both.  They see it as their duty and their ticket.  They don’t even understand what is really being taught.  It was amazing to hear his heart for teaching the truth.

My current ministry is to the young adults of Toliara, but I am thankful to hear that God is raising up people, both foreign and national, to witness to the Muslims in Madagascar.  Please pray with me that a church will come out of the Mosque, a church of both Malagasy nationals and Malagasy immigrants.  Pray for dreams and visions and for the Holy Spirit to enliven a desire for Jesus among the Muslims in Madagascar.      

 

Mosques pictured can be found around Madagascar