We introduced our teacher to the Easter bunny…

Heather and I went to jail again, but I decided not to put that as the title due to the outcry tamin’ny lasa (last time). Figured the Easter bunny was much less scary (for most people – CALI!). We also taught Edouard about Santa Claus. :P

Anyway, with our final language study week coming up, we have been taking lots of field trips, which I love! Yesterday we visited a orphanage and my heart was SO blessed by the joy of the children. They quizzed Heather and I for a while with questions like, “Do you know Michael Jackson?”, “What are your parents’ names?”, “Have you seen snow?” and danced and played games with us. :) The girl in the picture wondered about our favorite colors because she wants to be a seamstress someday.

We were curious about what a Malagasy prison is like and wanted to investigate possible ministry opportunities, so we headed back to jail. A couple of the guards took Edouard back and interrogated him regarding why these American girls wanted a tour, apparently because a fonja (jail) in a nearby city was recently busted by a journalist for their poor treatment of prisoners. Edouard came out smiling after only a few minutes, so that was good. :P After chatting with the chief of police for an hour and a half and agreeing not to take any pictures or question those inside, he agreed to show us around. For those of you who are visual people, the jail looked like The Hiding Place meets The Inn of Sixth Happiness. There’s a women’s side (their children are allowed to stay with them), a children’s side (teenage boys who were studying French at the time we entered), and a place for the men. It seems like our new BFF (see above picture of us with the chief) is trying to help the men out by providing education, medical attention, and assisting them in selling crafts, but the area is drastically too small for 105 men. All who can fit sleep in one room on wooden boards and the rest stay out in the courtyard.

On top of all this wonderfulness, it’s Easter time! Surprisingly, our town has become the hub of the season’s celebrations. Since we live in the center of town, we merely step outside into a fair-like atmosphere complete with a Ferris wheel and cotton candy on a bamboo stick – yes! The air is thick with excitement. And well deserved excitement, too, for that brings me to the most wonderful thing of all…

I love you all, am continually grateful for your prayers, and bid you a fond arahaba tratry ny Paska – Happy Easter!

Cara :)
Philippians 1:3,9-11