Lord willing, Living Hope Church will send out Akani and Lerato Hlungwane as church-planting missionaries to Ka-Bungeni village, Limpopo Province, in 2024.

About Ka-Bungeni:

Ka-Bungeni is a village not far from Makhado / Louis Trichardt in Limpopo Province. Like many parts of Africa, the Prosperity Gospel and syncretism between Christianity and African Traditional Religion are both very widespread in the area. Many people will identify themselves as Christian, but few know and believe the biblical gospel.

There are very few Bible-teaching churches in the area. There is massive need! However, there are also exciting opportunities for gospel partnership: Akani has developed friendships with a small group of solid churches who are working together to reach all the Xitsonga speaking villages in the region.

About Akani and Lerato Hlungwane: 

Akani and Lerato have been married since 2013 and are the parents of 3 children.

The Hlungwanes have a burden for seeing healthy, Bible-teaching churches established in the villages and rural areas of South Africa.

Akani was born and raised in Ka-Bungeni, and he has a lot of family in the village and surrounding area. Xitsonga is his first language, and he is fluent in Tshivenda, the next most common first-language in the area, too. Lerato also grew up in a village (North of Rustenburg, North-West Province). She understands Xitsonga and is growing in her fluency. 🙂

Akani worked in full-time campus outreach & discipleship ministry at the University of Johannesburg for 2 years. He has been a part of Living Hope Church since he moved to Pretoria in 2012, and Lerato has been a part of the church since they were married in 2013. The Hlungwanes have been a huge blessing to Living Hope! They have served and ministered in a wide variety of ways, and we have seen God very evidently at work in them and through them! We are confident of Akani’s calling to pastoral ministry, and are excited to continue investing in his development for pastoral ministry.

The Road to Church-Planting: 

Akani is currently working full-time as an engineer at Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa. He and Lerato serve as the house parents of Atlarela Baby Home (a place of safety for orphaned, abandoned, and vulnerable babies), and continue to faithfully serve and gain ministry experience in a variety of ways within Living Hope Church. Akani completed a MA in Biblical Studies from The Master’s University in October 2022. Since the completion of his studies, Akani is participating in a pastoral training at Living Hope Church. Lord willing, the Hlungwanes will be sent out to Ka-Bungeni village to church plant in 2024. 

Donate towards Akani’s Preparation for Church-Planting:

We would appreciate donations towards the start-up costs for this church plant.  Here’s how you can give:

For local donations, via EFT: 

LHC Church Planting
Absa Bank, Lynnwood Ridge
Account Number: 9331410062
Branch Code: 632005
Reference: “Akani”

For international donations, which are tax-deductible within the United States:

Using the 1Hope Ministries webpage, please choose “Church Plant-Limpopo“ from the drop-down options under “Choose your Cause.” 

Contact:

Akani Hlungwane: 072-575-7707 / marhothi@gmail.com 

Click here for contact details for the Living Hope pastors/ elders