Last month, CRY took a team of young adults to visit its partner in Madagascar. Here is the feedback from some of the team members.
Feedback from Ettie
Our trip to Madagascar was life changing. I have never know Gods peace and closeness like I did there. We got to see how Le Triomphe is changing the landscape for children there but also the wider community. We had the privilege of taking the children away to a national park which was so fun. But we also got to be exposed to the harsh reality that many children face working in mines. It was a mixtures of emotions but what remained clear is how God is working in the people there.
Madagascar is both beautiful and vibrant country but with a real need for hope. The directors of Le Triomphe, Ninah and Elyh personify this hope. The orphanage is full of colour and life and a reliance on Jesus. I watched as they fiercely claimed truth for the children under their care creating an environment which perfectly reflects Jesus heart. I think they did more for me than I ever did for them.
Feedback from Natalie
“Fitayeen” – Blessing: My Time at Le Triomphe Orphanage in Madagascar with CRY.
There are some experiences in life that settle so deeply into your heart, you struggle to find the words for them. My time at the orphanage in Madagascar is one of those experiences.
I went there expecting to give—my time, my energy, my support. But I left with so much more. What I experienced was something profound: a connection that transcended language, culture, and all the small differences that might otherwise seem to separate us.
From the very beginning, we developed a distinctive bond with the children and the staff that I honestly didn’t anticipate fully. There’s a warmth, a resilience, a kind of joy in the everyday life at the orphanage that can’t be explained easily, given the circumstances. It has to be seen. Every day was different. Every moment asked something new of my senses, my emotions, my perspective. It was all so rich, so deeply orchestrated by Our Father.
But there are two moments that continue to echo in me.
The first is the connection we built with Ninah, Elyh, and the children. Despite not speaking the same language, we found other ways to communicate with the children —through laughter, play, gestures, music, shared glances, and the universal language of care. It’s humbling to realise how little words are needed when love is at the centre of what you’re doing. The bond we shared was real, and I carry it with me still. I find myself thinking and praying for the individual names and needs we encountered, smiling at all the group dance moves we learned, the countless UNO games, the excitement of seeing each other each day, and the blessing of seeing their unreserved love for Jesus as we sang together.
The second was the day we visited the surrounding village—the school, the gravel quarry, and the homes of the Saturday beneficiaries. That day was surreal. It gave me insight into the lived experiences of the Malagasy people, far beyond what any tourist would experience. It was difficult to witness children working in the village quarry to help their family meet their daily needs at the expense of their schooling and childhood. I truly appreciated the opportunity to meet some of the beneficiaries from the village, and I was moved by the openness and request of people in their homes as well as the many who approached us in the street asking earnestly for prayer.
I caught a glimpse of what it must have been like for Jesus and the disciples as they went from town to town praying for healing, restoration, provision, and faith, and to see how much encouragement this gives to those desperate to know to the nearness of God. It brought home just how vital the orphanage is—not only as a place of refuge, but as a place of opportunity, of dignity, of hope. Seeing the contrast made me appreciate even more how thoughtfully and lovingly the children are being cared for at the orphanage. The physical care and consistent support make an apparent impact on the journey to healing and hope for the children. I am further amazed and encouraged by how driven Ninah is to break the cycle of poverty with her resolve to enable families to send their children to school by aiding families in their financial burden of tuition and food and protecting children from the harsh environment of the quarry.
This experience has left me changed. I am reminded that support—whether financial, emotional, or simply through awareness—isn’t just about charity. It’s about connection. It’s about believing that all children deserve safety, love, and a future.
To everyone who has donated, supported, or even just taken the time to learn about the orphanage: thank you. Your generosity is felt in every smile, every shared meal, every game played, and in every conversation. It’s making a real, lasting difference.
And to those considering getting involved—please do. You are invited into something beautiful and extraordinary.
Feedback from Emma
Before we left, the questions spiralling in our heads were: “What will the facilities be like?”, “What if the language barrier is too hard?” and “Did I bring enough bug spray?”. Within moments of arriving, those questions felt so insignificant. And by the time we left a week later (although it felt like a month), the questions were: “How could I possibly leave this place?”, “How can I feel so connected to and proud of children I’ve known for 6 days?”, and, perhaps the weightiest question: “When can I come back?”.
We went with the hopes to encourage, to love, to serve, to give, to pour out. But we left changed, blessed, honoured, showered with love, and feeling like we’d gained family. The strength of the love and joy at Le Triomphe is of a power that points to the compassion and heart of Jesus like nothing I have experienced before.
For me, it was all encapsulated in one moment: seeing 30 children singing praises to God around a campfire as one big family - safe, secure, held, happy, loved and cared for. Without Le Triomphe, those children in that very moment would be alone, or working in a quarry, or battling for food, yearning for safety, begging in the streets, being hurt and abused, or even not being there at all. To experience that contrast, and to see lives and futures changed so powerfully, is unforgettable, incomprehensible, but yet fully possible thanks to God and to Le Triomphe.
The groundbreaking work of Le Triomphe is made possible by the generosity of people like you. Please consider supporting this life-changing work by making a donation or by shopping in one of our charity shops.
