Faith Like Potatoes

Based on the inspiring autobiography by Angus Buchan, the story was adapted for the big screen by Regardt van den Bergh. It weaves together the moving life journey of a man who, like his potatoes, grows his faith, unseen until the harvest. Van den Bergh is best known around the world for directing the “Matthew” film (based on the Gospel of Matthew).

The film opens with Angus Buchan leaving his Zambian farm in the midst of political unrest and traveling south with his family to start a new life in Kwa-Zulu Natal. With nothing more than a caravan on a patch of land, and the help of his foreman Simeon Bhengu, the Buchan family struggle to settle into a new country. Faced with ever mounting challenges, hardships and personal turmoil, Angus quickly spirals down into a life consumed by anger, fear and destruction. It is after hearing the testimony of another farmer at the local Methodist church, that Angus commits his life to the Lord. God then begins to turn this aggressive, high-strung farmer into a fiery, faith-filled evangelist.

The film depicts some incredible miracles that God accomplishes through and around Angus. Perhaps, the most awe-inspiring part of the film is the point when, through the prayer of Angus, God raises to life a farm worker who had been struck dead by lightning.

While the heart of the Gospel, that man is a sinner and can only be changed because of Christ’s redeeming work on the cross, is neglected, the message that God can transform lives comes through clearly in the film.

The title of the film comes from a famous American lecturer who used to tell his students that they needed “faith like potatoes”. He meant they needed to have faith with flesh and substance.

Angus Buchan wrote and published the book “Faith like potatoes” in 1998. It continues to touch people from all age groups, social groups, background and cultures as is evident by its continued sales and the number of emails, faxes and letters Angus continues to receive from readers. Angus and his wife, Jill continue to live on their farm ‘Shalom’ in Kwa-Zulul Natal, where they are actively involved in the community, serving as a fantastic working model for any African farm. The Buchans run a Children’s Home on the farm for abandoned or orphaned children, a project which has been going on for almost ten years. They also oversee the running of a 200-pupil school situated nearby.

In many Christian movies, the acting is plastic and the story, cheesy. Faith Like Potatoes is refreshing, relevant and real. The cinematography is excellent and the acting is of a high quality. In South Africa , we face many seemingly impossible situations and need many miracles. This inspiring story of faith and perseverance gave me hope. We need the bold faith of Angus Buchan, who had the courage to take ‘faith risks’ when it counted most. I hope that there many more quality, Christian, South African films to come.

Faith Like Potatoes will be available on DVD from December. Joy! Magazine is also offering the Faith Like Potatoes DVD free to all who subscribe to Joy!
Contact 021-8524061 or
[email protected], or see
www.joymag.co.za for more info.

To order the DVD at the discount price of R120, contact Global Creative Studios: (021) 981 6927 or [email protected].

For more info see www.faithlikepotatoes.com

“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1.

Taryn Hodgson

National Co-ordinator

Africa Christian Action