Located in the highlands of Madagascar, the village of Soatanana is home to the « Disciples of the Lord », a fundamentalist Protestant movement whose followers are invariably dressed in white. The community counts more than 5000 worshipers spread throughout the country and is led by a council of elders and a « President » elected for life. The people of Soatanana live for the most part from rice growing, breeding and geranium cultivation. Behind its apparent simplicity, the community is based on a highly structured collective economy. All financial resources are centralized by the council of elders, which manages the funds for the good of all. The Disciples thus have their own bush taxi, a private high school, a dispensary as well as a system of care for the sick and the elderly.
On Sunday, the members of the community descend in procession down the main street of the village, a dusty path that leads to a vast beaten earth square, dominated by a massive temple. Not a single worshipper misses the call of Sunday Mass, which is the real highlight of the week. It is a moment of intense communion where the songs that rise up to the vault of the imposing church are charged with a very special fervour.
