Fianarantsoa, a city in the highlands of Madagascar, is located 250 miles from Antananarivo, the capital. The Chemin Neuf Community is not present there, but for more than a decade, CANA weeks have been organized there.
The majority of couples who make up the CANA Fraternity in Fianarantsoa come from rural areas. They show a great desire to learn, are receptive to various suggestions, and demonstrate intense motivation to deepen their relationship with God and their social interactions. CANA has profoundly transformed their daily lives and strengthened their faith as they follow Jesus within a dynamic church! They express their devotion to this Fraternity, which encourages them to constantly progress, even though many of them are unable to read or write. In fact, for a formation that normally takes 3 or 4 years, some couples really needed about 8 years to progress and immerse themselves in the Word of God… Today, these couples are essential elements of Christian initiatives in their respective parishes and actively participate in evangelization in their neighborhoods. In addition, many of them express a desire to remain in contact with the Community and regularly express their desire to participate in the services of the CANA Fraternity.
So, for this new pastoral year 2025-2026, the Lord has guided us in setting up the first Servants’ Fraternity in Fianarantsoa, made up of four experienced CANA couples who are eager to serve. They will have opportunities for meetings and training, times of sharing in the fraternity, moments of prayer together, and weekends of service.
Ala and Bao expressed their happiness at being asked to serve again in this Servant Fraternity. Serving other couples is an invaluable blessing for them, because service represents personal sacrifice, a decision to give without expecting anything in return, and a way to continue sharing with other couples.
