The Fifohazana: Madagascar’s Indigenous Christian Movement By Cy ...

Jacquier-Dubourdieu notes that, along with other students groomed for leadership in the church, Rainisoalambo was trained by the LMS, dressed in European style, had continuing and expanded relations with the palace, and came to “represent in the eyes of the people the new face for ‘greatness’ and the model of new sociability.”¹¹ After six months of training, Rainisoalambo was nominated, as a pastor, to be responsible for a parish but not to be paid. Sources indicate that he was disappointed with the lack of pay and left the pastorate, returning to the work of diviner and healer.

In the midst of this time of personal transition for Rainisoalambo, the Betsileo region as a whole was afflicted with epidemics and famine. Simultaneously, the imposition of new taxes from the royal Imerina administration made life difficult for many. Rainisoalambo fell ill and eventually was abandoned by friends and family and had no clients or patients left. He fell into destitution and thought he was going to die.

It is in this time of struggle and illness that Rainisoalambo received his vision. The vision of God he received can be summarized in two main actions: to preach and to teach. Preaching as a ministry of deliverance includes prayers for healing and exorcising while teaching includes literacy teaching and the communication of Christian values that believers discover through community reading and individual writing.

Rainisoalambo’s conversion came on October 15, 1894, just two months before the war with the French. The majority of the English residents left Madagascar, and the churches seemed to be orphans. As the people struggled with oppression from increased taxes, the smallpox epidemic, attacks from rival tribes, confrontation with colonization, persecution from the Jesuits, and attacks from the menalamba nationalists on the Protestants,¹² God called Rainisoalambo for a special mission: to bring about a deep spiritual transformation in the community through preaching and teaching. God used an indigenous person to continue the preaching of the gospel that the missionaries had begun preaching to the people.

Now, I look at the impact Rainisoalambo’s ministry made on the indigenization of the church in Madagascar.