Miara-dalana Blog

April 2026 • About a month into my language studies, a priest from the Diocese of Fianarantsoa approached me and said that they needed priests to celebrate the Easter Triduum in the bush. He asked if I’d be willing to go. After a week of prayer, I came to a simple conclusion: a foreign priest who spoke Malagasy poorly was better than no priest at all. I asked the priest to explain to the curé in Fianarantsoa that I only had one month of Malagasy under my belt and that if he s

March 2026 • My language studies have been progressing steadily. Each day brings its own little challenges, little successes, and little failures. But with each passing day, I can see myself improving. Words are becoming more familiar, pronunciation is beginning to feel less awkward, and simple phrases are coming to mind with increasing ease.

March 2026 • As I sat down to dinner one evening and looked at the piece of meat before me, I was secretly thrilled. It was huge, whatever it was, and I was hungry. Here in Madagascar, we eat rice three times a day. Rice for breakfast. Rice for lunch. Rice for dinner. Rice is life. Fortunately, I really like rice! The main part of every meal is a large plate of rice. Alongside it is usually a small laoka, a side dish that adds a little flavor and variety. Over the past few we