You cannot minister in Africa without encountering poverty.
Sydney Mudenda, a 2008 graduate, knows this well. He was taught to trust God and hold on to hope for a better life growing up in poverty in Kalomo, Zambia. He committed his ministry to holistic ministry for those in poverty in his area.
As a student at African Christian College, Sydney experienced ministries shaped beyond the pulpit. “We used to work in the gardens producing food and rearing chickens so we could have meals,” he recalled. Through that work, he developed the conviction to become a minister who not only preaches but also tends to the needs of those he serves.
Today, he works with Zambia Mission Fund Canada, an organisation that shares his heart for holistic ministry. Placed at Nalubumba Christian Secondary School as a Bible teacher, Sydney teaches eight classes a week, rooting students in their faith through sound, biblical teaching.
But his ministry extends well beyond the classroom.
He keeps a close eye on students who are struggling. “As I teach and interact with them, it becomes easy to identify children going through severe hardship,” he explains. When a need is identified, he visits their homes, assesses the situation, and works to provide support that sets families on a path toward self-sufficiency rather than dependence.
One of his most impactful initiatives is a goat programme. Families receive a female goat, and when it gives birth, the young one is passed on to another family while the original remains with the first. “This project has been so life changing that some beneficiaries now have herds of goats. Some have even upgraded to cows, all from a single goat,” Sydney shares.
His team also builds churches, runs feeding schemes at the school, and provides clean water through boreholes. The impact is both physical and spiritual. Teachers and community members who were never part of the programme witness the goodness of the gospel and are giving their lives to Christ. “The fulfillment is beyond measure as we help empower Christians to become more self-sustainable in their communities,” he reflects.
Indeed African Christian College planted the seed, and God continued to nurture it so that people in Sydney’s community can be transformed.
This is true testimony to God’s work at hand. Keep up the good work as you serve others. Christ did not die for himself , but for others, so as Christians , our service should be for others. God work brother.
Sydney, so glad to hear of your work in God’s kingdom. And I remember our time together in Eswatini. Continue to abide in God!