From Cranberry Bogs to South Africa: A Harvest of Hope for the Next Generation
Acts 26 Missions
When Jody and Kathy Adams first felt a stirring to leave their life here in South Jersey, they weren’t just looking to get away — they were looking for a new direction.
For 25 years, Jody was a partner in his family’s cranberry farming business. The rhythm of their life was dictated by the seasons of the bog and the activities of his three sons. But a 2014 mission trip to South Africa with FAC planted a seed that would eventually uproot their entire life.
“God didn’t put me on this earth to be a farmer, as much as I love it,” Jody says. “We always sensed that God was moving us to something else, but we never knew what that was.”
The confirmation he and Kathy were seeking arrived on the last day of that 2014 mission trip, through a high school student named Komozzo. As the mission team prepared to leave for home, the girl looked at Kathy and said, “Don't forget me.” That simple plea resonated with the couple. The Adamses realized that in a world where these children felt marginalized and forgotten, they were being called to remind them of a God who knew their names.
For 25 years, Jody was a partner in his family’s cranberry farming business. The rhythm of their life was dictated by the seasons of the bog and the activities of his three sons. But a 2014 mission trip to South Africa with FAC planted a seed that would eventually uproot their entire life.
“God didn’t put me on this earth to be a farmer, as much as I love it,” Jody says. “We always sensed that God was moving us to something else, but we never knew what that was.”
The confirmation he and Kathy were seeking arrived on the last day of that 2014 mission trip, through a high school student named Komozzo. As the mission team prepared to leave for home, the girl looked at Kathy and said, “Don't forget me.” That simple plea resonated with the couple. The Adamses realized that in a world where these children felt marginalized and forgotten, they were being called to remind them of a God who knew their names.
The Mission of Acts 26
The ministry, Acts 26 Missions, derives its name from the New Testament account of Jesus meeting Paul on the road to Damascus. In that passage, Paul is commissioned to go to the Gentiles to “open their eyes, to turn them from darkness to light.”
“That's exactly what God's called us to do with the young people in South Africa,” Jody says.
While the Adamses spend much of their time in local schools, the heart of their operations now beats on a sprawling 11-acre property that serves as a sanctuary for the community’s youth.
The property is a vital tool for deep discipleship. It features a main building large enough to squeeze in 250 chairs for regular services, but its capacity expands significantly for community-wide events.
“When we clear everything out, we can pack 300 to 400 people in there for our Bible school,” Jody explains. “Then, when we do our overnight camps for the high school kids, we’ll have about 250 people staying there for the week. It’s a beautiful piece of property.”
This space allows the ministry to move beyond the classroom. It provides a venue for pickup soccer games, Vacation Bible School programs that bus in hundreds of children from surrounding villages, and leadership retreats where high schoolers learn to serve their peers.
“That's exactly what God's called us to do with the young people in South Africa,” Jody says.
While the Adamses spend much of their time in local schools, the heart of their operations now beats on a sprawling 11-acre property that serves as a sanctuary for the community’s youth.
The property is a vital tool for deep discipleship. It features a main building large enough to squeeze in 250 chairs for regular services, but its capacity expands significantly for community-wide events.
“When we clear everything out, we can pack 300 to 400 people in there for our Bible school,” Jody explains. “Then, when we do our overnight camps for the high school kids, we’ll have about 250 people staying there for the week. It’s a beautiful piece of property.”
This space allows the ministry to move beyond the classroom. It provides a venue for pickup soccer games, Vacation Bible School programs that bus in hundreds of children from surrounding villages, and leadership retreats where high schoolers learn to serve their peers.
The Challenges of the Harvest
Despite the success, the ministry faces significant logistical hurdles. In a region where youth unemployment exceeds 60 percent, the "nuts and bolts" of ministry often come down to transportation. Most volunteers do not have driver’s licenses or vehicles, meaning the Adamses must often provide the transit themselves to reach the seven schools they serve.
“One of the big challenges is transportation,” Jody says. “If we travel to a village, we’re going to have to rely on only the people who are living in that village. It usually cuts down on the number of volunteers.”
To combat this, Jody and Kathy are praying for the resources to hire permanent staff. This would allow them to be in multiple schools or villages simultaneously, expanding their reach to the thousands of students who attend their weekly assemblies.
“One of the big challenges is transportation,” Jody says. “If we travel to a village, we’re going to have to rely on only the people who are living in that village. It usually cuts down on the number of volunteers.”
To combat this, Jody and Kathy are praying for the resources to hire permanent staff. This would allow them to be in multiple schools or villages simultaneously, expanding their reach to the thousands of students who attend their weekly assemblies.
Stories of Transformation
The impact of the ministry is best seen in individual lives, like a young man named TK. When the Adamses first arrived at his school, TK was a mocker who found his identity in gang culture.
“He was on a course for destruction, but that was the only life that he knew,” Jody recalls. After weeks of invitations, TK finally attended a service and eventually put his faith in Christ. Today, the former gang member is a 21-year-old leader and evangelist who challenges other students to memorize Scripture.
“To hear someone who's 15 or 16 talking about those kind of things … it’s just awesome,” Jody says. “It’s a great reminder of what God’s doing over there.”
“He was on a course for destruction, but that was the only life that he knew,” Jody recalls. After weeks of invitations, TK finally attended a service and eventually put his faith in Christ. Today, the former gang member is a 21-year-old leader and evangelist who challenges other students to memorize Scripture.
“To hear someone who's 15 or 16 talking about those kind of things … it’s just awesome,” Jody says. “It’s a great reminder of what God’s doing over there.”
