By Jed Baker

A people's revolution overshadowed the work of Presbyterian missionaries Stuart and Lala Simpson, who returned from Madagascar a few months ago.

The Christchurch teachers first went to the island off the eastern coast of Africa three years ago, teaching English, Art, French, and general life skills. But by February 2002, they had to cope with uproar as their students took action to overthrow the regime of President Didier Ratsirika, amidst nationwide disruption and violence.

Stuart and Lala were based in the village of Faratsiho, but the private church school they taught at was affected, as students joined marches. All government schools were closed for a time because of the upheaval.

"It was really hard because we really didn't know what would happen each day. We weren't afraid physically, but it upset the programme we were teaching."

"There were quite a few times we just didn't teach as we'd turn up and all the kids had gone. Sometimes I'd be teaching and other classes had gone."

Lala herself is from Madagascar with her relatives still living there and their daughter Aina, now two, was born there also.

Protests mounted throughout Madagascar in late 2001 after a presidential election later declared rigged by a constitutional court.

The government clung to power, but over half the country's 14 million population attended protests and prayer meetings, including two million at one meeting in the capital Antananarivo alone. Violence flared in the cities, which killed over 100 people. Opposition gathered around presidential candidate Marc Ravalomanana, supported by all Christian denominations.

While sympathetic to the uprising, Stuart and Lala kept working, only observing a couple of marches.

"We didn't want to be seen too much as it was very easy to stick out as a white person."

"There were a lot of the president's people in the village. We were very much for the opposition but were thinking about our safety."

But they were in the village one Saturday, when residents attacked a senior local official for his corrupt activity. The official had called protestors "stupid", while using government money for his own personal effects.

"He got beaten up pretty badly, with his cars and house burnt down. The police didn't do anything until it was getting to the point where he could have been killed," Stuart says.

Despite the practical difficulties of living in an area cut off by poor roading, the couple had settled in, starting a Saturday morning "Kids Club" for 10-13 year olds.

"We got money from the Association of Presbyterian Women to buy a video and television, along with pencil and pens. We saw the need for the kids."

"There was nothing really political in the first year and we got on with our work. Our role was to see what the needs were and where we could help," Stuart says.

But years of bribery and corruption had rendered most of the country in a state of disrepair, with frustrations finally boiling over in the couple's last year.

Although the Simpsons felt popular opinion was on the opposition's side, they were unimpressed by overseas coverage of the events. "We were very angry with the BBC for focusing on President Ratsirika and saying the opposing candidate was taking the power on himself."

After months of protests, the regime fell in mid-2002, with Marc Ravalomanana declared president and Ratsirika going into exile. Stuart says despite Madagascar's drama, he and Lala completed their contract and have been invited back to work there again.

He comments that they are optimistic about Madagascar's future as overseas investment arrives from the United States and European Union, in particular.

"There is now a good government wanting to put the money back into the country and life will start to improve," he says.