What's next for the Turks?

Longtime mission co-workers whom our church supports, Dan and Elizabeth Turk, lost their jobs when PCUSA eliminated the Presbyterian Mission Agency in March. They did not lose their call however. They have worked with FJKM church (the Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar) in Madagascar for many years. The FJKM has asked them to stay on, and the Turks have agreed. They are currently establishing themselves with a new sending agency and hope to have that finalized this fall.

Pastor Bryan reached out to them and would like to share this:

3 July 25

Dear Friends at First Presbyterian Church Marshalltown,

Thank you very much for reaching out and all of your support for us and the ministries of the Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar (FJKM) over the years.

As many of you know, PC(USA)’s Interim Unified Agency shut down Presbyterian World Mission in late March 2025 and all mission co-worker positions were terminated. Our final two newsletters with PC(USA) can be found

here: Spring in Madagascar: A Celebration of Trees | Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

and here: FJKM’s Holistic Ministry | Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

We have been asked by the Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar (FJKM) to continue to serve with the FJKM for at least another 5 years, and we have accepted their invitation, as we still feel called to serve in Madagascar. Dan will continue his role as advisor to the Fruits, Vegetables, and Environmental Education Program (FVEE) and will teach horticulture and related topics at the FJKM University. Elizabeth will continue to work with the FJKM’s HIV/AIDS and Epidemics committee and with the FJKM Development Department’s health program. We both will continue to help with water and education, especially in southern Madagascar.

We are in the process of applying to another sending agency and expect to be on-board with that organization by October 2025. As part of that process, we need to raise support for our salary, transportation, and health insurance. Once we join the sending agency, we will share how funds can be sent for our support.

We have recently returned to Madagascar after being in the US for our son’s wedding in Chicago on 18 May.

Left to right: Frances Turk, Nancy Warlick, Robert Turk, Tatiana Gonzalez, Bill Warlick, Elizabeth Turk, Dan Turk, 18 May 2025 in Chicago.

Exciting work continues in Madagascar.

From Dan: In February, I made a trip to the vicinity of a small dot of moist forest called Analavelona (=“the place of the living forest”) in southwestern Madagascar. My collegues and I went there as part of a collaboration with Missouri Botanical Garden to establish a demonstration orchard and do training on growing and propagating fruit trees as well as growing vegetables. It was the first time in my life that I’ve been several days in a town without bathing facilities or toilets. We helped establish an orchard of about 100 fruit trees including grafted mangos, avocadoes, canistels, and sweet tamarinds among others. Later, representatives from near Analavelona and from near two other protected areas came to the FJKM’s Mango Palace to get additional training. At each training, trainees took home fruit trees and vegetable seeds to plant on their own land. After continual work over a number of years, the tree nursery at the FJKM church at Ankaramena (photo) about 45 km W of Ambalavao in south central Madagascar on National Road #7 is set to be inaugurated on 5 August 2025. It is now selling grafted fruit trees, especially mangos, and provided many of the trees planted near Analavelona.

Ms. Aina (r.) grafting a citrus tree with her daughter and Germain Andrianaivoson (l.) looking on, Mahabo Mahaboboka near Analavelona Reserve, 13 February 2025

Elizabeth and her colleagues have been working with a project that does blood pressure, diabetes, and HIV screenings. They will be doing HIV testing at the FJKM General Assembly at Tolagnaro this August. Elizabeth has also been helping to get water reservoirs installed and school buildings constructed at FJKM schools in the far south. She continues to help with the FJKM School Department’s scholarship program for student teachers from remote parts of Madagascar. These young people return to teach at FJKM schools after 3 years of training at the FJKM teacher training college in Antananarivo. The first graduates from this program are now teaching in FJKM schools in southern Madagascar.

 Left  to right: Tsilavina Rakotonirina, head of the FJKM school district in the southern-most synod; Jean, teacher at Soatsifa; Zina, teacher at Soatsifa; Fulgence Mandigne, teacher at Soatsifa, husband of Zina and first graduate of the FJKM student teachers’ scholarship program; Elizabeth Turk; Marc Randrianirina, principal of the Soatsifa school; Elisabeth Razanalivao, teacher at Soatsifa and wife of Marc; Domoina Rakotondranaivo, national director of the FJKM schools; Tonton Benja, member of the national school board. Fulgence is now the principal of the Soatsifa school where he graduated from high school just a few years ago, having succeeded Marc Randrianirina, who retired. Photo taken at Soatsifa, September 2024.

Prayer Concerns:

• For the FJKM church as it holds its General Assembly August 13-20^th. This meeting happens every 4 years. New leaders will get elected and priorities for the next 4 years will get set during the General Assembly.

• For us as we get readjusted to life and work here; the next couple of months will be busy with 2 groups visiting from PC(USA) churches. Please pray for our onboarding and support with the new sending agency.

We are very grateful for all of FPC Marshalltown’s support of us and the ministries of the FJKM in Madagascar over the years. We are also very thankful for your willingness to continue supporting us and the ministries going forward.

Grace and Peace,

Dan & Elizabeth

The FJKM tree nursery at Ankaramena, 17 April 2025. The church is next to the vehicle; the new house is behind the church in the upper right. Note the 5 endemic palms between the vehicle and the nursery (l to r: Bismarckia nobilis, Tahina spectabilis, Borassus madagascariensis, Chrysalidocarpus decaryi, and Beccariophoenix alfredii).