We met 26-year old Mbongeleni about a year ago. A faith-based NGO (Seed of Hope) in our network reported that they were wanting to restart their Farming God’s Way training and extension program, and had identified 3 young men who were passionate about gardening and wanted to volunteer to get the initiative off the ground. One of these was Mbongeleni. We met with Seed of Hope and began planning how Inundo could best resource the three young men: Mbongeleni, Banele and Thabane.
All three young men were part of our Gardens of Faithfulness training over 6 months in the last half of 2021. They would pass on all they were learning to the kids, staff and community members connected to Seed of Hope.
With a degree in criminology and political science, Mbongeleni is so passionate about Farming God’s Way that he volunteered at Seed of Hope for most of 2021 as well as volunteering at the YMCA in Durban. Mbongeleni passed up other employment options to follow where God was leading him. He often struggled to buy basic necessities, but his passion kept him going. Inundo Development initiated a leader-trainer mentoring group in 2021 that meets twice a month. We identified Mbongeleni as one who would greatly benefit from being part of this group. In that group, Mbongeleni has grown in confidence and knowledge as a trainer. And his heart of love for the underprivileged continues to grow.
Through working with leaders like Mbongeleni God started laying on our hearts the need to provide some kind of stipend to Farming God’s Way volunteers so that they could provide their own necessities. We started to dream aloud to prayer supporters and churches casting vision for the part the Canadian church can play in proving funds for interns and eventually trainers.
Through the generosity of an EMCC church, Mbongeleni will be able to learn at Inundo and apply his learnings at Seed of Hope. We would like to offer other leaders like Banele and Thabane the same opportunity. Mbongeleni is excited about this year because he deeply desires to be strongly equipped to bring this holistic message of hope to his people, the amaZulu. In addition to hands-on learning and practice teaching at Inundo, Mbongeleni will be designing and implementing an extension strategy within the Zulu township where he volunteered last year. We are trusting that, in the not-too-distant future, he will be developing other Farming God’s Way leader-trainers who will be part of bringing a transformative, practical, holistic gospel to the Zulu people.
