Among the first in Madagascar to show interest was a young Malagasy woman, Razanaboahangy Narcisse. In 1956, Narcisse noticed two men regularly passing by the shop where she worked. One day, one of the men came into the shop and bought a few slices of ham. After he left, all who worked there had a small tract in Malagasy—Life in a New World. “I was not interested in the message,” says Narcisse. “Yet, my mother, knowing that I was fond of reading, subscribed to the Awake! magazine in French and agreed to a Bible study for me, without even asking me.” Narcisse began to study with the Witnesses, but she hoped that they would leave her alone once they found out that she was not really interested. However, she became more interested than she at first thought. When she studied what the Bible says about the soul and understood that ancestor worship is wrong, she realized that she was learning the truth.

By 1959, Razanaboahangy Narcisse was ready to symbolize her dedication to Jehovah by water baptism. Then she enrolled in the full-time ministry. Later she married Edouard Marlot. As a full-time minister, she set a fine example of perseverance in her service.

(6) Narcisse Marlot