FeatherLeaf Environment Ministry

This story appeared in the NECCS Update of September 2006

Researchers for the University of the Witwatersrand Rural Facility (WRF) in the Hoedspruit area recently established that basic food security for many households has been threatened due to the death of breadwinners from HIV-Aids related diseases. This means that there is increasing dependence on harvesting food from already overused natural resources and the wellbeing of many families is seriously affected.

FeatherLeaf Environmental Ministry, based on the Lowveld, has approached a number of international aid agencies to seek assistance for programmes working towards food and water security for affected families. The response, generally, has been “South Africa is a prosperous country with a growing economy. It does not qualify for assistance.” Unfortunately for the 15% of the South African population who live well below the United Nations extreme poverty indicator of US$ 1.00 per day they feel neither prosperous nor that they are benefiting from a growing economy.

FeatherLeaf has approached Pastor August Basson, who offers training in Biblical Agriculture, to lead some courses in this region. Basson has established projects in Lesotho and East Africa where he has significantly reduced the input costs and dramatically increased the yield while requiring less work, improving the condition of the soil and reducing water consumption! Working in backyard vegetable patches and small fields with struggling families who were unable to provide adequately for their needs Basson has seen families progress to producing enough food for their needs, then enough to assist neighbours and finally enough to even take crops to sell at the market.

A number of Christian farmers in the Hoedspruit area have agreed to allow their workers to attend a two day workshop with Basson and to allow two test plots to be developed on their farms – one to be farmed by traditional methods, the other according to Biblical Agriculture methods. The proof will be there for all to see! Workers who have been convinced by the evidence will then be able to apply these methods in their villages. Subject to FeatherLeaf raising the necessary finds to transport in people from surrounding villages, Basson will also conduct a workshop in the Acornhoek area (the focus area of the WRF research) to equip families affected by HIV-Aids to become food secure.

CREATION MINISTRY

Increasing numbers of Christian groups are making the pilgrimage from the city to the Lowveld to attend courses run by FeatherLeaf Environmental Ministry. Church family groups, youth groups, orphanages, HIV-Aids workers, Business Management teams, Christian Single’s Groups, Home and Cell groups from as far as Cape Town, Durban and Gauteng have participated in programmes that introduce people to the wonder of God’s creation while being ministered to in various ways.

Using the environment as the medium for training, exploration and experience, FeatherLeaf encourages people to encounter the Creator and His creation and reflect on their relationship with both. Recent activities have included:

o       Guided retreats in colonial-style Safari Camps in big-5 reserves. These are life changing experiences for small groups. (And the occasional elephant charge provides the adrenaline!);

o       ‘Survival’ style leadership training courses for youth groups that teach life and leadership skills, team building and group skills while giving the participants an amazing exposure to God’s creation.

o       The Mountain and Canyon Adventure with visits to the Blyde Canyon, an animal rehabilitation project, a rain forest, the top of Mariepskop and other places of amazing beauty and interest (often not accessible to tourists) along with boat rides, walks and game drives makes for a Church ‘Family Camp’ with a real difference. And sitting around a camp fire in the evening taking about the things of God while listening to the roar of a lion somehow seems to be so much more effective than doing the same thing while listening to the roar of traffic!

Pierre Naudé, an ordained minister, seconded to work in the environment, heads the FeatherLeaf ministry. He has 20 years of training experience in the Air Force, Methodist Church and Scripture Union. A variety of other Christian leaders from the area work with him making an exciting team consisting of trainers, field guides, ecologists, ex Park Wardens and the like. They bring with them vast experience in the environment, camping, outdoor ministry, people development skills and, of course, all have a deep love for God and His creation.