Bongo Mkiva
Sikhona Covenant Presbyterian Church | Cape Town, South Africa
Tell us about your family.
My wife's name is Sibulele (however she goes by as Sim). We have been married for eight years. We have an energetic two year old called Culo. Our favourite activity to do as a family is visiting the aquarium. Culo likes animals so we are always on the lookout for anywhere we can visit where he can interact act with animals.
How have you seen God working in your family?
Our lives have been very focused on raising our young child over the past two years, What my wife and I have experienced though is how God has grown us in this process. We have had to reflect on our own motivations for why we would be patient, or gracious, or self-controlled in the context of raising up our child but that has brought about good and honest conversations about where these come from and where they should actually come from. As a result, our marriage has benefitted a lot.
How have you seen God working in your church?
It has been so good to see our church community grow in interpersonal relationships. The church plant begins with the planting couple in the middle of these relationships. To see these relationships grow in people participating in each other's lives has been a sweet blessing. We had two student needing material help and driven by the conviction that we must care for each other, church family relationships won the day!
What is your church’s mission/vision?
Sikhona exists to embody the gospel in the life of Cape Town by forming a community where people from different backgrounds learn to belong to Christ and to one another.
How can we be praying for you?
Pray our evangelistic efforts as we set up an RUF ministry. Pray for us to get the right people and that we would minister in a way that shows reliance on God.
Please pray for growth in numbers. At times it feels stagnant as others come in, others go out.
Please pray for our family. We want to instill healthy rhythms and patterns that form us and especially our child in Christ.
To send Bongo a note of encouragement, write to HelloCP@spanishriver.com.
How have you seen God working in your life?
I think of Paul's words in 2 Cor 1:8 "under pressure, far beyond our ability to endure..." Although, I am not in a life or death situation like Paul, I have felt that God is working things out in my life in a way to teach me that it is Him who works, it is Him who draws and saves, it is Him who must be relied on whether it be someone growing in the Lord at church or us personally having an improbable situation resolved as answer to prayer.