After more than a year of searching, our prayers have been answered—we’re thrilled to welcome our new pastor, Alain Ramanonintsoa, to the congregation. To help everyone get to know him better, we asked him a few questions to learn more about his background, calling, and hopes for the future.
Tell us a bit about your upbringing—where did you grow up?
I grew up in Madagascar as the youngest of five siblings. I have two brothers and two sisters.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
During my free time, I enjoy walking with my wife Fa and our three wonderful children: David, Andrew, and Annah. I also enjoy fixing things around the house and the car, watching DIY videos, and playing pétanque, which brings back fond memories of home.
Aside from Jesus, who is your favorite person in the Bible, and why?
Apart from Jesus, my hero is David. His story speaks deeply to me. He knew God’s heart intimately. His life reflects both the highs and lows of the human experience, yet he never stopped trusting in God. That kind of unwavering faith inspires me every day.
How did your journey into ministry begin? What led you to become a pastor?
I wasn’t born into the Adventist faith. When I first heard the truth about biblical baptism, something awakened in me. I fell in love with the Word of God. I realized I could begin my life anew, and I found true rest in the beauty of the Sabbath. My hunger to know more kept growing. After my baptism, that passion only deepened, and I could hear the Holy Spirit impressing on my heart: “You cannot keep this hope to yourself. You must share it.” Just one year after my baptism, I made the decision to enter seminary to become a pastor.
What have you been involved with over the past five years?
For the past five years, I’ve been studying at Andrews University, where I completed my Master of Divinity.
How did you come to move to Canada, and what were your first thoughts about settling in Winnipeg?
When I was hired, I was filled with excitement, and a little nervousness, as I realized I would again be entrusted with shepherding God’s precious church. Our journey to Canada has been nothing short of a divine story. My former church family at Buchanan SDA Church in Michigan began praying for us from the very first day, and they never stopped. I truly believe their prayers were beautifully aligned with the prayers of the Lighthouse of Hope family here in Winnipeg. Though they were miles apart, both churches were united in faith, asking God for the same miracle. And today, as we arrived in Winnipeg as a family, it felt like heaven had brought those prayers together in a powerful answer.
As you begin this new chapter, what are your hopes for your time with us?
My heart longs to care for the Lighthouse of Hope church family. I want to prepare each member for the glorious second coming of Jesus, to invite others to accept Him as their personal Savior, and to lead our congregation toward having a church building of our own
