ROOTED OUTREACH
Steven has a deep love for people and learning from different ways of life. After spending six months in Africa with host families — including one in a rural village without running water or electricity — he developed a lasting appreciation for the simplicity and beauty of that lifestyle.
MEET THE TEAM
Thabiso
We are beyond blessed to have this young man as a leader for our Rooted Outreach Africa program. Thabiso is truly one of the happiest human beings you will ever meet. I swear, there is not a time during the day where he does not have a smile on his face. He is a strong man of faith, and very hard working. He will do everything he can to put a smile on someone else’s face. He is a true caretaker, and just loves to make others happy. That is why he is the perfect fit for our Rooted Outreach program in Africa.
He is a local in Lesotho, and has lived in Alwynskop for most of his life. He is 27 years old, and feels that leading this program is Gods purpose for his life. Before this, he has spent most of his time farming crops at his home and heading around the village. Despite hard times in his life and facing obstacles that most will never have to, he does it all with a smile on his face and an attitude unlike any other.
You will be greeted by Thabiso as soon as you arrive at the airport, and spend a lot of your time with him during your trip. You will soon learn how blessed you are to be around him, and what a true light for the kingdom of God he truly is.
Steven
My name is Steven Petruzzella, and I’ve always had a deep love for people and building meaningful relationships. Years ago, I spent six months in Africa living with host families in rural communities. One family, without electricity or running water, deeply impacted me — I grew to love the simplicity and beauty of their way of life.
That experience led me to start Rooted Outreach. Our mission is to live alongside rural communities around the world, experiencing life as they do — not to change them, but to learn from them. We support host families, partner with villages on projects they identify, and send teams to build relationships and share in the culture.
Through these experiences, we aim to honor people, glorify God, and show the beauty that exists in places the world often overlooks.
Our Story
After visiting a rural village in Lesotho, Africa; we were made aware not only to the every day struggle of the students and the school, but of their education. We were told the kids have been taught English all of their lives, but since they have no reason to use it, they can not speak it. After spending just a week there, the kids were motivated to try and speak and use the skills they have learned over the years since they now had a reason to. We were told that the students don’t see outside of their village or their circumstances. We think by giving them an opportunity to see and experience that, it will help motivate them to break barriers that they never believed were possible before.