Hosting Heaven: A Platform to help Women bring Structure, Discipline, Clarity, Direction, and Intentionality into their Spiritual Journeys.

Interview with Rutendo Melody Kanguru

Global development in general, and progressive community transformation to be specific, is usually driven by informed cooperation of passionate and focused individuals who utilise available resources in order to adapt to the changes in weather, time and circumstances towards the best possible life that people can achieve.

In this regard, religions, like Christianity can inspire and motivate people across the world to create sustainable, peaceful and prosperous communities when Bible principles are adopted for the common good of humanity.

Rutendo Melody Kanguru (RMK)’s Hosting Heaven is one of the religious-based life-transforming initiatives through which societies can have an increase in entrepreneurial, leadership, inspirational and positive social change agents that can make the world a better place for all.

As zwnews24.com, we once published an article titled Africa, 4IR and the Youth are the main attractions of the Decade. 

In this article, we highlighted how these three are re-shaping the global psycho-social and economic landscape.

Rutendo and her Hosting Heaven project perfectly fit into this narrative since she is an African youth who is boldly utilising technology (the internet, social media included) to venture into and promote Bible inspired initiatives that transform real individuals in real communities towards personal and corporate development.

zwnews24.com’s Brian Kazungu had an interview with the trendsetting Rutendo in order to find out more about her personality and her Hosting Heaven Initiative.

Zwnews24: Briefly describe yourself (background, personality, passions, dreams and aspirations etc.) so that our readers (audience) can have a clear picture of who you are and what you stand for as a progressive social change agent.

RMK: My name is Rutendo Melody Kanguru. I was born and raised in Zimbabwe. I grew up in a township called Budiriro, in Harare. I always loved teaching and I remember being very young, lining up bricks on the ground, then taking a piece of charcoal and giving names to all those bricks, treating them like they were all my students as I pretended I was a school teacher. I would then proceed to teach them everything I had learnt that day at school. Fast forward, a couple of decades later, I teach young women from across the globe how to intentionally design the Christian lifestyle they love living in, through my YouTube channel: The Teacher’s Show, as well we through my book: Hosting Heaven, and coffee meet-ups, not forgetting the coming annual women’s conference.

Zwnews24: What is the Hosting Heaven initiative about and the reasons and or motivation behind it? 

RMK: Hosting heaven is a platform designed to help women bring structure, discipline, clarity, direction and intentionality into their spiritual journeys. We created a tool called the ‘Hosting Heaven Planner’ that helps women track, review and pay close and meticulous attention to the progress they are making in practising Biblical disciplines such as prayer, charity work, relationships, Bible study, meditation & even taking care of their health, their heart and posture as they navigate through life. 

Zwnews24: When and how did you start the Hosting Heaven project? How has it been received by people around the world and what has been the response by people in your circles including family and friends regarding this initiative?

RMK: Hosting Heaven started as a book which I released in 2016. The book then gave birth to a Study Guide filled with questions for introspection for Christians on their spiritual growth. We based the planner on 1 Timothy 4:7 which encourages us to train ourselves unto godliness, implying an active, intentional, purposeful approach towards becoming better versions of ourselves through practical practises of spiritual and Biblical disciplines.

This was well-received more than we anticipated. Having seen that there was a great need for providing ‘question-based material’ that permitted the modern-day young Christian to approach their Christian journey with introspection while taking time to take stock of their growth and accounting for how much of that growth had taken place, we created the House of Hosting Heaven Planner. 

Last year, the planner became an instant favourite with many women from across the globe gathering on our Facebook group to do Monthly reviews, holding each other accountable for their prayer lives and overall spiritual growth.

Seeing how many young women became interested in the planner, we then started to host coffee meetings across different provinces in South Africa and Zimbabwe. We have now moved to Dublin, Ireland. We call them ‘Hosting Heaven Brunches’. We see the vision expanding and growing into other regions and continents soon.

Zwnews24: Would you briefly describe some of the work that you have done so far in promoting this initiative? How has been the progress, if there has been any and how has that made you feel when you compare the current achievements to the grand vision?

RMK: Our movement has found many more people learning about it through Facebook and also through a group of women that we like to call ‘care-leaders’ who have not only initiated hosting the events in their provinces but have also taken it upon themselves to use their platforms to market and expand the reach of the meetings.

We also have a Youtube Channel called the Teacher’s Show which also helps us to connect with other women from further outside of Africa. So, I can say that social media has played a pivotal role in the spreading of what we do at ‘Hosting Heaven’.

Zwnews24: If people want to support or invest in your work in any or all possible forms, how best can they do it and how do they get in touch with you either for feedback on your work or for any other related correspondence? 

RMK: Our message is a timeless and truly needed message in these times where the world is filled with a lot of noise from all angles. At the heart of many of humanity’s problems is a lack of knowledge that there is a resting place in the presence of God, a place where many can find their healing and peace.

Because we have a timeless message, we are currently supported by well-wishing individuals who partner with us on different projects, seeding into the vision through their finances. We are looking forward to doing more life-changing projects and as such, any person or organization wanting to join in and help the Hosting Heaven initiative in making it a continuous success story can email us at [email protected] with the subject heading PARTNERSHIP.

For updates and other engagements besides the email address provided, people can also get in touch with us through Social Media and through our website:

Instagram: @hostingheavenconference

Facebook: The Teacher’s Show

Website: www.hostingheaven.online

Zwnews24: What are your guiding values which determine what you do and how you manage the Hosting Heaven agenda? 

RMK: Our values are simple. We value intentionality (we believe in a life lived on purpose by nurturing a planned and well protected spiritual growth plan). We value Diversity (we are non-denominational organisation, focusing more on the principle of cultivating prayer and intimacy with God outside the boundaries of denomination.), we value Laughter (we create a safe place for women to share their problems without being judged so they can find their laugh again) and we value unity (we know that unity commands a blessing according to Psalm 133:3).

Zwnews24: What has been some of the most cherished and memorable feedback that you have received from your audience so far and how has it impacted you? Please share some of the priceless feedback that you received.

RMK: One lady sent us a testimony that she and her young baby girl watch videos from our YouTube channel (The Teacher’s Show) about prayer together (the lady is in her late 40s while her daughter is a young teenager). She then proceeded to order my book ‘Hosting Heaven’ for herself and her young daughter. The power in her testimony made us as a team to realise that the message we are championing is trans-generational and that it was relevant, needed and necessary for such a time as this!

Zwnews24: It is a fact that any undertaking has its own challenges here and there. In this regard, are there any challenges that you have faced so far in the pursuit of the Hosting Heaven mission? If so, what are these and how have you dealt with them? 

RMK: There has been so much grace over the work we do and we keep seeing God on the move in all our projects. We have however had very lofty ideas around how we wanted our Hosting Heaven Conferences and experiences to look like, which we were not able to carry out with precision because natural resources have a limit. 

But we know that we are heading to a place where abundance will be the order of the day and we will be able to create the vision we have for ‘women coming together to pursue God’s heart’…with precision! At the moment, we keep making the most of what we have and we keep proving to God that we are ready for more through the disciplined and resourceful use of what He entrusts us with.

Zwnews24: What is it that makes you continue with this project regardless of the various challenges that you may have already encountered or that you may encounter from time to time? 

RMK: We are very sensitive to the struggles of women. We see how many young women are struggling with the issue of identity, a lack of direction, depression, suicidal thoughts, lack of self-worth and many other life-altering problems. This makes us wake up every day wanting to introduce them to a loving God who wants to build a relationship with them. All he says is ‘Invite me in and Host Me’…and he is willing to do the directing, healing, loving, re-inventing and mending. We consider ourselves a connecting string for people and God.

I have learnt that problems naturally gravitate towards their solution and as such, every challenge we have faced with ‘Hosting Heaven’ has been a powerful opportunity for us to stretch in maturity as visionaries, trust God even more and grow on all levels! We have ferocious faith! We trust recklessly! We serve with the heart. And we have learnt to find joy in the tough moments and use the currency of faith to make some moves which sometimes look very ambitious in the natural eye, but are then tackled by God’s divine help.

Zwnews24: Based on your journey with the Hosting Heaven project, what are your words of advice and motivation to youngsters and even grown-ups who would like to follow suit and complement your efforts in positively transforming the world from their respective corners?

RMK: Don’t overthink it. You will overthink your way out of God’s leading. Start with what you have; provision will always follow the vision. Never project your financial situation on your vision, because these two are independent entities. Your vision will be funded by God. Start small, think big. Always position yourself for impact. And in the wise words of my local Pastor, Respect and show dignity to the few you have and God will give the increase. 

Zwnews24: Many people, especially the youth are grappling with serious stress-causing unemployment because of various factors including advancement in technology with much of the work being automated and mechanized, etc. As a person who is dreaming and actually working towards making the world a better place for all through Hosting Heaven, what is your advice to the job-seeking masses around the world especially in Africa?

RMK: There is a huge market for problem solvers in any place in the world. A problem solver will never be limited by their professional qualification, and neither by the existence of a job nor lack there-of. Problem solvers will always find ways to look for solutions and can monetise their service.

I think it is high time that we step outside our limited scope of why we attained an education as young people and realise that much of what education was meant to do, was simply to make us ‘problem solvers’ and ‘thinkers’. 

So in the next few years, the world is going to be rewarding greatly and handsomely to ‘thinkers’, ‘innovators’, ‘trendsetters’ and ‘solution bearers’, many of who will not even be qualified in their area of trade but will have an observing eye to people’s needs and an ability to find and patent solutions. 

I encourage every young person wherever you are, that you have to be thinking “What is the problem here and how can I solve it”. This does not need to be confined to a ‘job space’. It’s a mentality! I personally believe that for believers this mentality can be harnessed and be sharpened by Hosting Heaven and tapping into the mind of Christ.

Zwnews24: Besides you, who are the other people behind the scenes that are contributing towards the success of Hosting Heaven and what is it specifically that they are doing in this regard? 

RMK: We have a dedicated core-team which we affectionately call the ‘care-leaders’ (Precious, Busi, Notsikelelo, Rumbidzai and Sharon). These ladies have given their time, their attention and their gifts of leading to making sure that the brunches and conferences we have are a success and a supernatural experience for every woman who comes in thirsty and yearning for more of God. 

We are also blessed to have a team of men who continuously show us support with videography, logistics and venue setting. We have truly seen God’s hand and favour on the vision through the support they give to a fairly ‘female-oriented’ event.

Zwnews24: Are there people or organisations that you would like to acknowledge and credit, be it for their emotional and material input or contribution (support) towards the Hosting Heaven project? 

RMK: My personal local church ‘God’s Favorite House (an intimate small Jesus crazy church in Cape Town) has been such a support, strengthening me to do the work I do with Hosting Heaven. They have encouraged, supported and prayed for me for every event.

We can never thank our financial partners enough (who are very modest and currently prefer anonymity). They make the vision catch fire and move across provinces, countries and continents. We have been overwhelmed by their support so far and they keep us going.

We are excited and very keen on working with many more likeminded organisations this year. We want to make friends, create synergies, collaborate with other ministries and are anticipating for God to align us with the right people for the journey.

Zwnews24: Who can you say is your role model when it comes to such kind of work that you are doing through Hosting Heaven? Who is inspiring you to want to do it better every day? Why is that so?

RMK: I deeply admire Heather Lindsey whose model with her organisation ‘Pinky Promise’ has always been our go-to when we don’t know how to do something. She runs an international women’s movement and we have loved following her footsteps and getting inspiration from her work.

Pastor Sarah Jakes Roberts, Dr Ruth Makandiwa, Dr Cindy Trimm, and many young women (too many to mention) who are showing that God is reachable, available and can transform lives are our constant inspiration and we are blessed to have them gone ahead of us.

Zwnews24: What is it, whether material or otherwise, which you can look at and say, because of or through my engagements in the Hosting Heaven project, I have managed to achieve this or this is how my life has been transformed? 

RMK: I can certainly say that I have learnt ‘leadership’ through Hosting Heaven. I have learnt the ‘art of building’ systems and structures that hold up an organisation. It has also been a journey of learning how to make ‘Romancing the heart of God’ popular, palatable to our generation and mainstream (which I like to call the art of selling). It has made me grow in my personal capacity and I see the fruits overflowing even in my personal career as an accountant. 

Melody is an author, Web Television host and a qualified Accountant. She wrote the Hosting Heaven book and the Hosting Heaven Planner. She is also a presenter on The Teacher’s Show (on YouTube) with viewers in over 128 countries.