Mission.
To take Gods healing and restoration to the 18 million of Malagasy people |
Language spoken at your ministry location.
Malagasy (English / French) Schools.
FOUNDATION FOR Counselling |
Postal Address.
VR 6 LBS Ambohidreny Mahazoarivo, 101 Antananarivo, Madagascar. |
History (Founder)
Faramalala Victoire Ravaoarimanga is the founder of the Association BALM OF SOUL which means BALSAMAN'NY AINAin Malagasy . Spending time in America for several years caused her to realize that something is missing in the way Malagasy parents bring up their children : the non touch culture, the lack of mutual respect in daily life, and the abusive tone of voice are the main causes of emotional wounds in her native people. This affects their mindset, their behaviour and their relationship with one another. Emotions are covered up starting with little children, even amongst Christians, believing that these are signs of weaknesses and backsliding.
From 1984 until 1990, she lived in different nations outside of Madagascar. She attended YWAM (Youth With A Mission) schools, worked as a missionary in different places, and experienced foreign cultures and Christian communities : she experienced touch, affirmation, appreciation regardless of achievements or times of imperfection.During this time she read books, listened to teaching tapes, attended seminars and conferences, and made comparative studies and researches between the American culture and the Malagasy culture. She went to counseling schools
– Introduction to Biblical Counseling School, Method and Model of Biblical Counseling, Counseling for Abused Women … which added more input to her autodidact knowledge and personal experiences. All of this caused in her heart the desire to minister to her own people back home.Finally, she returned to Madagascar in 1990 and married Charles Razafindrakoto in 1991. They began counseling services and ministries for the Malagasy people whom they found very hungry and receptive in this area. Faramalala wrote Malagasy christian educational books in her native language, held seminars and spoke in Churches and Bible study groups. The response has been great– people learned to be themselves. Many received emotional healing and freedom from legalism, perfectionism and religiosity, while others got to know their worth and identity in Christ. They learned to face their deep seated anger and rejection in a healthy and objective way and accepted responsibility for themselves, instead of putting the blame on others. Some were freed from negative, critical, and judgemental spirits which are parts of the strongholds in the mind of the Malagasy people.
The number of people attending the seminars has been growing, and this includes hurting spiritual leaders, battered wives, people suffering from depression …. Charles and Faramalalawelcome such people as well as other individuals into their home which is still now serving as the Training and Crisis Counseling Centre. In fact, Balm of soul has a project to build its own center. In the past 8 years, 7 people who have benefited from the seminars have joined the ministry and work as full time staff They have been through Counseling schools with YWAM overseas which are prerequisite to being a full time staff, besides attending some counseling trainings contextualized to the Malagasy mindset and culture provided by Faramalala .
From 1984 until 1990, she lived in different nations outside of Madagascar. She attended YWAM (Youth With A Mission) schools, worked as a missionary in different places, and experienced foreign cultures and Christian communities : she experienced touch, affirmation, appreciation regardless of achievements or times of imperfection.During this time she read books, listened to teaching tapes, attended seminars and conferences, and made comparative studies and researches between the American culture and the Malagasy culture. She went to counseling schools
– Introduction to Biblical Counseling School, Method and Model of Biblical Counseling, Counseling for Abused Women … which added more input to her autodidact knowledge and personal experiences. All of this caused in her heart the desire to minister to her own people back home.Finally, she returned to Madagascar in 1990 and married Charles Razafindrakoto in 1991. They began counseling services and ministries for the Malagasy people whom they found very hungry and receptive in this area. Faramalala wrote Malagasy christian educational books in her native language, held seminars and spoke in Churches and Bible study groups. The response has been great– people learned to be themselves. Many received emotional healing and freedom from legalism, perfectionism and religiosity, while others got to know their worth and identity in Christ. They learned to face their deep seated anger and rejection in a healthy and objective way and accepted responsibility for themselves, instead of putting the blame on others. Some were freed from negative, critical, and judgemental spirits which are parts of the strongholds in the mind of the Malagasy people.
The number of people attending the seminars has been growing, and this includes hurting spiritual leaders, battered wives, people suffering from depression …. Charles and Faramalalawelcome such people as well as other individuals into their home which is still now serving as the Training and Crisis Counseling Centre. In fact, Balm of soul has a project to build its own center. In the past 8 years, 7 people who have benefited from the seminars have joined the ministry and work as full time staff They have been through Counseling schools with YWAM overseas which are prerequisite to being a full time staff, besides attending some counseling trainings contextualized to the Malagasy mindset and culture provided by Faramalala .
Fundamental Values
1- BALM OF SOUL is not a church but an interdenominational organization that aims at building a kingdom of love in peoples’s heart.
2-BALM OF SOUL believe in the Trinity – God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit, and the Bible as the Word of the Living God containing the details of mankind, guiding people to the Truth in life not only in heaven but also on earth.
3- BALM OF SOUL is committed to know God, His love, and His ways. We seek to reflect who He is in every aspect of our lives and ministry.
4- BALM OF SOUL is called by God to take His Emotional Healing to the Nation of Madagascar through Biblical Truth using Christian Counseling as a tool.
5- BALM OF SOUL is called to demolish wrong belief system and distorted mindset that are not in line with God’s Truth (Distorted image of God, negative self worth, Legalism, Religiosity, Jezebelistic spirit, Self righteousness, Perfectionism, Performance orientation …)
6- BALM OF SOUL is called to redeem the culture that is still under Satan’s yoke and a blockage to the healing and restoration of the people (Misogyny, Poverty mentality, Laxness, Enmeshed Relationship, Non touch, Non confrontation …).
7- BALM OF SOUL is committed to doing first, then teaching. We believe that firsthand experience gives authority to our words.
8- BALM OF SOUL believe that parents are the representative of God to convey His Unconditional Love and Discipline to their own children (From birth to 18) not just to be their caregivers. Therefore, BALM OF SOUL make it a priority to train biological fathers and mothers on parenting.
9- BALM OF SOUL make no distinction between the sacred and the secular: Christians are living epistles in church as well in daily life.
10- BALM OF SOUL is dedicated to being people and relationship-oriented in our living and working together.
11- BALM OF SOUL is called to value each individual (Men and women, adult and children, Christians and non Christians, well off and needy, black and white …)
12- BALM OF SOUL encourage the development of strong and healthy family units over ministry or mission work
2-BALM OF SOUL believe in the Trinity – God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit, and the Bible as the Word of the Living God containing the details of mankind, guiding people to the Truth in life not only in heaven but also on earth.
3- BALM OF SOUL is committed to know God, His love, and His ways. We seek to reflect who He is in every aspect of our lives and ministry.
4- BALM OF SOUL is called by God to take His Emotional Healing to the Nation of Madagascar through Biblical Truth using Christian Counseling as a tool.
5- BALM OF SOUL is called to demolish wrong belief system and distorted mindset that are not in line with God’s Truth (Distorted image of God, negative self worth, Legalism, Religiosity, Jezebelistic spirit, Self righteousness, Perfectionism, Performance orientation …)
6- BALM OF SOUL is called to redeem the culture that is still under Satan’s yoke and a blockage to the healing and restoration of the people (Misogyny, Poverty mentality, Laxness, Enmeshed Relationship, Non touch, Non confrontation …).
7- BALM OF SOUL is committed to doing first, then teaching. We believe that firsthand experience gives authority to our words.
8- BALM OF SOUL believe that parents are the representative of God to convey His Unconditional Love and Discipline to their own children (From birth to 18) not just to be their caregivers. Therefore, BALM OF SOUL make it a priority to train biological fathers and mothers on parenting.
9- BALM OF SOUL make no distinction between the sacred and the secular: Christians are living epistles in church as well in daily life.
10- BALM OF SOUL is dedicated to being people and relationship-oriented in our living and working together.
11- BALM OF SOUL is called to value each individual (Men and women, adult and children, Christians and non Christians, well off and needy, black and white …)
12- BALM OF SOUL encourage the development of strong and healthy family units over ministry or mission work
Ministries
What we been doing.
.Has held conferences for an association of Christian medical doctors on their annual national meeting in Antananarivo, Madagascar. Subject : “Rejection and the healing of hospital patients”.
.Has been working amongst abused women in Madagascar in partnership with the American Embassy.
.Has offered a conference on Depression to 110 Pastors and church leaders from one of the synods of the Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar.
.Has trained 150 new deacons from 2 churches of the Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar.
.Has held a seminar on Childhood Wounds and Effects on Relationship to 1000 people in a Rhema Church in Ihosy, Madagascar
.Has held a seminar on Fathering to 500 people in a Rhema Church in Ilakaka, Madagascar.
.Has spoken to the National Police students in Antsirabe, Madagascar about Self Esteem and Rejection.
.Has trained women leaders – PACWA (Pan African Christian Women Assembley), TAMAR (Women Association Helping Sexually abused women), CETA, AGLOW in Madagascar in the area of Wounds and Abuses on women.
.Has been pioneering Christian Counseling and FamilyMinistry amongst the Malagasy Churches, Youth With A Mission (YWAM)and Scripture Union in Madagascar.
.Has been working amongst abused women in Madagascar in partnership with the American Embassy.
.Has offered a conference on Depression to 110 Pastors and church leaders from one of the synods of the Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar.
.Has trained 150 new deacons from 2 churches of the Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar.
.Has held a seminar on Childhood Wounds and Effects on Relationship to 1000 people in a Rhema Church in Ihosy, Madagascar
.Has held a seminar on Fathering to 500 people in a Rhema Church in Ilakaka, Madagascar.
.Has spoken to the National Police students in Antsirabe, Madagascar about Self Esteem and Rejection.
.Has trained women leaders – PACWA (Pan African Christian Women Assembley), TAMAR (Women Association Helping Sexually abused women), CETA, AGLOW in Madagascar in the area of Wounds and Abuses on women.
.Has been pioneering Christian Counseling and FamilyMinistry amongst the Malagasy Churches, Youth With A Mission (YWAM)and Scripture Union in Madagascar.
Projects
Because the work is expanding and the need is great here in
Madagascar, we felt strongly a need to build up a Crisis Counseling
and Training Center
in Antananarivo, the capital city. The Center will be :
a place for people to feel welcome, affirmed, and accepted just as they are,
a place where they will experience God’s Grace and Unconditional Love,
a place of Rest and Training,
a place of Restoration and Rehab for addicted people,
a place to bring up and restore abused children between age 4 and 12 from
needy families
This therapeutic environment will be called “BALM OF SOUL Center” which means Balm for Soul. It will be the first of this kind in Madagascar. So far the ministry and activities still take place in the house of theleaders. They do want to separate family life from work and ministry. Presently, Balsaman’ny Aina has got land on which we would like to build the Center.
Content of the building :
FIRST FLOOR: Auditorium for seminars and conferences, Office, Kitchen and Restroom.
SECOND FLOOR: Counselling rooms, Prayer room, Library and Audiovisual, Dormitories.
The cost of the Building is about USD 350 000,00 click for details
Madagascar, we felt strongly a need to build up a Crisis Counseling
and Training Center
in Antananarivo, the capital city. The Center will be :
a place for people to feel welcome, affirmed, and accepted just as they are,
a place where they will experience God’s Grace and Unconditional Love,
a place of Rest and Training,
a place of Restoration and Rehab for addicted people,
a place to bring up and restore abused children between age 4 and 12 from
needy families
This therapeutic environment will be called “BALM OF SOUL Center” which means Balm for Soul. It will be the first of this kind in Madagascar. So far the ministry and activities still take place in the house of theleaders. They do want to separate family life from work and ministry. Presently, Balsaman’ny Aina has got land on which we would like to build the Center.
Content of the building :
FIRST FLOOR: Auditorium for seminars and conferences, Office, Kitchen and Restroom.
SECOND FLOOR: Counselling rooms, Prayer room, Library and Audiovisual, Dormitories.
The cost of the Building is about USD 350 000,00 click for details