Security and… Fresh Bread!
Over the last several months, I’ve been introduced to a whole new level of what security really means. As we opened the businesses in the village of Shigamani, South Africa, securing our facilities became an intense journey.
Here’s what we had to do:
We began by installing bars on the windows and doors. But it quickly became clear that wasn’t enough. Local leadership explained bars alone wouldn’t stop determined intruders.
So, we added a 6-foot electric fence with 10,000 volts. Still, it was considered insufficient, as people could find ways to breach it and steal.
Next, we installed bars on the inside of the doors, allowing only one entry point.
We added roll-down security shutters to the main entrance and office. Even then, trust remained low, and safety still felt uncertain.
I suggested guard dogs inside the fence, but that was ruled out — people might throw in poisoned meat.
Violent crime is rare here, but theft is common. Groups come from other cities to take what they can. Recently, thieves broke into our church and stole all our sound equipment — even though it was in a concrete vault with two steel doors.
I considered hiring bonded outside security, but instead asked if we could find three trustworthy men from the village. After some discussion, we did — and hired them to patrol at night. We also installed extra lighting to keep the area well-lit after dark.
This experience has opened my eyes to what true security requires. People will even cut through roofs to get what they want. None of this was in our original plans or budget — we’ve spent over $10,000 extra to protect what’s being built.
Yet, in the middle of it all, something beautiful is happening. The people of Shigamani are hungry to learn and grow. This village has long been overlooked — no one believed in them or called out their potential. But now, we’re seeing how intelligent and capable they are. They just needed a chance.
We’ve hired 11 locals to help run our businesses — a major step in a place where “there’s no opportunity” was once the norm. We’re baking bread daily, the butchery is operational, and the grocery store is set to open next month.
There’s so much more I’d love to share — but I’ll save that for future updates. If you’d prefer not to receive them, feel free to unsubscribe.
And finally, I make no apology for inviting people to invest in what we’re doing, because the impact we are making is huge! So the opportunity here is to help us cover the deficit caused by the extra security measures we had to put in place. Donate now!
Thank you again for partnering with us — through prayer, finances, and encouragement. It’s taken effort, but the reward is clear: lives are being transformed, and hope is rising in this community.
Blessings,
Henry Fisher
