Our Cup Runneth Over: SARADROA, MADAGASCAR - A REMARKABLE PLACE 4 July 2016

On a hillside, amongst a small number of homes, three hours from the capital city of Antananarivo, Madagascar, stands a small wooden chapel called the Sarodroa Meetinghouse. To reach the chapel you travel on a paved, windy two-lane road until you reach an obscure unmarked trail heading up a mountain. Then you will need a four-wheel truck to continue on a deeply rutted and steep trail for several kilometers until you can go no further. You then walk a footpath for another kilometer into the mountains to the chapel. This is if you have a vehicle. But no one in this community has a vehicle. They walk.

The metal roofed building shown below is located next to two brick thatched-roofed homes typical to this part of the country. There is no village to be found anywhere close. The 100+ members walk from humble houses located all over the mountains. Many walk long distances to church faithfully every week. This building was built by the members in 2013 and has a dirt floor and no glass windows but provides them with peace and security. The nearest electricity is 40 or 50 kilometers away. The running water is from the river at the bottom of this valley where the people are baptized.

"Several years ago, one of the families who lived in Sarodroa moved away. In their new community, they were approached by the missionaries and several of the family members were baptized. In 2009, they moved back to Sarodroa. The nearest LDS church was many kilometers away and there were no other members nearby. Because the mod of transportation was either by walking or riding in a wood wagon, they decided to meet together in their home. Through their missionary zeal, the number of members started to increase, and in 2011, it officially became a branch. The membership has grown from just one family to 120 members with over 100 attending every week."

In the photo below you can see a little generator that provides a little power for their services.

As this is the only power source for any of the members, they take advantage during the meetings to charge their cell phones. Cell phones are the only connection with the modern world that they have,

The people are poor materially. Many come to church bare foot even in chilly temperatures. But they have a great spirit and are anxious to learn the gospel and serve. The missionaries travel up in this area once a week to teach people who are invited by the members or who just show up. It is the stuff of missionary legends.

In July 2013, the mission president and his wife made the journey to this branch. They had 105 at sacrament meeting which was over 100% attendance. The average attendance for this branch is 96%. What is more remarkable is that this is also the percentage for tithing faithfulness.

Because it is a one-room church, most of the classes are held outside. The members recently built a larger brick church adjacent to this one.

Below is the branch council which meets each week. These wonderful, humble leaders often make the hours-long journey for leadership meetings. They frequently return walking up the mountain in the pitch dark. There are no lights out here. They are guided by the stars.

There are currently four full-time missionaries serving from this small branch out in the middle of nowhere. When about 20 young men and women were asked who was planning on serving a mission, all raise their hands. Below are two homes adjacent to the chapel where two of the full-time missionaries come from.