First Fruits - Maqhogo Mission, Tugela

Deep down in the Tugela valley a treasure was found amongst the people at “Maqhogo”. This very rural area was recently given over to Kwasizabantu Mission to continue with the former work of a Canadian missionary couple.  Community involvement projects mushroomed almost overnight.  One of the main focuses is agricultural development. Heavy machines have been brought to help the locals to clear the thick bushes and prepare fields for crops. Men and women alike were taught the practical skills of gardening. Seeds and seedlings were distributed freely and very soon beautiful gardens replaced the  thickets.  With the area’s natural hothouse temperature (40 degrees Celcius in the shade, early November), and with the abundance of water from the Tugela river, combined with the dark fertile soil, almost everything grows.

The attached pictures are of Mr Msomi and his early November onion harvest. He has few resources and used goat to fertilize the onion seedlings he had received from the mission. He worked very hard to fetch Tugela water by bucket. Not many weeks later, Mr Msomi proudly gave some of his first harvest to Rev. Erlo Stegen, the Director of Kwasizabantu Mission and project leader at Maqhogo. Attached are pictures of his field and some of his unusually big onions.
This is only the beginning; much more can be expected from this project.

The first spiritual fruits are of much more importance, and we thank God for the many lives He has touched in the Maqhogo area. Please continue to pray for the Lord's blessing upon this new venture He helped us to begin.

(read more about Maqhoko mission here) (see recent aerial photos)