By Jarred Etheredge, Missionary to South Africa 

When God called us to the valley we currently are serving in, it was a big step of faith. Not only was it in a new-to-us area, but there was also nothing on the land that had been given by the tribal authority. No municipal services or even any hope of ever getting them, no water, no road. 

The first few weeks my wife and I slept in the back of our truck under a tree as we established a fence and began work on a long drop toilet. Thereafter we set up a 6×10 tent and our family of six moved on site. Life in the tent was interesting to say the least with many adjustments and a lot of grace needed. We cooked on fire, used heavy black plastic bags to heat water for baths, and learned to live in cycle with the daylight. Our water came by tractor from a nearby river into a 1,000 gallon tank we procured.  During this season we continued to learn our new community and customs while building relationships and structures for the future. 

Eight months later a wind event–we think it might have been a small tornado–destroyed our tents and forced us into the workshop we had only just finished. While in the shop we were able to get solar electricity, which, after a year of having none, was welcomed with tears of joy. Not long after that the Lord blessed us with a water well and additional larger water storage tanks. 

Eighteen months after moving to the village we finally were able to move into our small house. The Lord taught us so much during that time and knit our hearts together with the community around us. They saw us live like they live. They watched us struggle and learn what village life is like. They would ask why we would stay and why we would do these things, when surely because of our nationality and skin color we could afford to go somewhere else. Some even offered to find us established homes in other more “easy” areas. This opened the door for great Gospel conversations and opportunities that the Lord is still reaping a harvest from to this day. We didn’t stay because we were stubborn or strong. We stayed because this is where God put us.

On some of the clear cool nights we would sit around the fire and watch the stars and count satellites that passed overhead. We would see the lights from the surrounding villages and try to learn what we could about them from our local friends. We found out that from our home we can see seven villages that have no Gospel presence at all. No church, no fellowship, nothing. This ignited our prayers for God to provide opportunities and pathways into these villages. 

In early 2024 a door opened into a village about five miles from us, and in February we began holding meetings in a local community member’s garage. Though this village is a short distance away, a large river separates them from us. In the dry season our 4×4 truck can cross with little effort, but in the rainy season our trip extends by 70 miles to go around the mountain to the other side. On this longer drive we found other villages which we couldn’t see but must travel through on our way that also have no church. We now pick up people along the way as we travel, even having to make second trips to some villages to make sure we pick up everyone. To celebrate our first year of meeting together we held a special baptismal service where 14 people stepped into the muddy water for baptism.

Whether building a home site or planting a church where none existed previously, there will inevitably be great highs and lows. The peaks and the valleys go together in the building of God’s vision for His people. In all of them our focus remains on the call that God birthed in us and His desire to see His people saved. Hard days will come and go but the Kingdom of God stands forever. Most people will never see the places we live or know what joy and sacrifice went into establishing them, but I am fully assured of this: It is worth it.