THE PIONEER SPIRIT is alive and well, and one of its spiritual frontiers is Madagascar, Africa. A Malagasy man from the area learned about Christian Science in May of 1979, while on an internship in Seattle, Washington. There, his study of Science and Health began. The following year, he was healed of rheumatism after considering in prayer with others this urging in the Gospel of Matthew: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."Matt. 5:48. In 1981, he became the first Malagasy to join The Mother Church.
On business trips to Pairs and Boston, he acquired copies of Science and Health, which he shared with friends back home. Some of these people were healed just by reading the book. Then, in 1980, several students of Science and Health began holding church services in each other's homes. As the number of worshippers increased, services moved outdoors. Now they meet in a church, which they built themselves with financial help from Christian Scientists in France. It is not big enough to house the growing Sunday School, though, so the children's classes continue to meet outdoors. Last December, this band of worshippers officially became a Christian Science Society.
Healings regularly occur among these students of the Bible and Science and Health, including healings of a heart ailment, a bad leg infection, paralysis, and alcoholism. Several Society members have joined The Mother church, and some have taken Primary class instruction. In their worship and healing activity, they unite with others around the world in exploring the dimensions of the spiritual frontier and its infinite possibilities.
