New United Methodist churches take root in Madagascar with two new buildings under construction

United Methodism continues to expand in Madagascar, as the church lays the foundations for two new church buildings on the island nation.

In August, a delegation led by the Rev. Eric Kalumba Nkulu embarked on a multiweek evangelism journey. Kalumba is a Global Ministries missionary from Tanganyika, Congo, assigned as a church planter in Madagascar. Under the vision of Bishop João Filimone Sambo, who leads the Mozambique-South Africa-Eswatini-Madagascar Episcopal Area, work began on two 40-by-30-foot buildings to house new parishes in Sambava in the far north and in Ankijabe in the west.

Kalumba said the work is the culmination of fervent prayer, the resilience of communities that have long worshipped in precarious conditions, and the church’s commitment to social well-being.

Sambava, more than 620 miles from Antananarivo, has seen rapid growth. In August 2024, Ramainty Clémence traveled to the capital to visit her United Methodist sister. Touched by her sister’s testimony, she accepted Christ and returned north with a mission to evangelize her community. Her group quickly grew from five to 15, then to more than 130 people. During a missionary visit in April 2025, many members were baptized and confirmed. As a mother church, the Sambava parish later helped establish congregations in Antalaha, Namoana, Tsarbaria, Voohémar and Amboangibe.

“We didn’t know how our good Lord could open a way like this to plant a United Methodist church in the North, a vision we had upon our arrival in Madagascar,” Kalumba said.

Logistics struggled to keep pace with the growth. The congregation rented a classroom, which meant living with the unpredictability of the school calendar. “We sometimes had to cancel the Wednesday evening service because students needed the room for remedial classes,” church member Razafiarison Matio said. “Now, our prayer has been answered. When the construction is finished, we will be able to follow all our programs without being disturbed.”

On March 5, a partnership was signed through the efforts of the bishop and the Missouri Conference’s Mozambique Initiative. Partners funded much of the construction in exchange for a significant local contribution of labor and materials, a commitment that the source presents as part of the project’s shared work (Colossians 3:23).

“The prevailing sentiment is one of transition from isolation to stability,” said Ezequiel Marcos Nhantumbo, country representative for the Mozambique Initiative. Nhantumbo also does translation work and coordinates Lusophone content for United Methodist Communications and UM News. “A congregation moves from under trees to a thatched-roof shelter to a new chapel. Seeing permanent chapels being built in Sambava and Ankijabe instills a sense of dignity and legitimacy in the eyes of the local communities,” he said. He added that the Missouri Conference validates the efforts of workers and pastors on the ground, “proving that the Malagasy mission field has not been forgotten and is part of a global vision.”

On Aug. 16, after a final worship service in the school, the congregation went to the new plot of land. “We can have a plan, resources and workers,” Kalumba said, “but the true builder remains God.”

The urgent task now is to complete the work before the heavy rainy season in December, by which time the congregation hopes to celebrate the building’s dedication. Hope also extends to Ambilobe, 15 to 30 miles away, where the delegation visited a young congregation. After meeting under a tree for six months, that group built a small shed on a member’s land. The missionary praised the effort as a “seed of hope” that justifies future support.

After a brief return to the capital, the delegation headed west on heavily dilapidated roads to reach the rural commune of Ankijabe, more than 300 miles from Antananarivo. There, the church started under the leadership of Mayor Andriamahazo Tersis. Convinced by the impact of faith on his population, he supported the congregation’s development.

Source: Read the original report