HGTV star Jenny Marrs is reflecting on the trip that kicked off her family’s humanitarian work in Zimbabwe, and how God was “so active” through it all.
“Eleven years ago, we sent Dave off to go visit our good friend and local leader in Kinshasa, DRC, @tresoryenyi. He then went on to Zimbabwe to learn from leaders, Pastor John and Oprah,” she wrote on Instagram. “He was going to check in on the work that we had started a couple years prior and I was staying behind with a baby, a newly-home toddler and two wild little guys.”
While Marrs “deeply wanted to,” she “knew that my babies needed me at home” and stayed behind.
“I journaled these words after Dave boarded the flight, ‘Sometimes following God’s lead is not always an adventure – sometimes it’s a sacrificial way of living that allows Him to work amidst very ordinary circumstances,’” she wrote.
Marrs said her husband’s trip would go on to inspire their work in Zimbabwe, explaining, “It led to the creation of the trade school there and our mission at @theberryfarm_bentonville. Our nonprofit at the time was called Feed Their Tummies and that work still continues today in Congo under Tresor’s leadership.”
In a post from 2025, she explained that “the work our farm benefits (an agricultural and trade skills school for vulnerable teens) was first conceived around Pastor John and Orpah’s table in rural Zimbabwe. We sat and dreamt together over a delicious meal alongside our dear friends. Last year, John and Orpah, along with local friends who have co-labored with us, joined us around a table here in the fields in order to celebrate the legacy this farm is leaving here and across the globe.”
“God was so active during that time in our lives. Moving in ways that were undeniable and leading us as we followed His plans for our family — sometimes in big ways and other times through small, consistent routines at home,” she continued in her original post. “This photo reminds me that our lives can look differently in different seasons. In some seasons, we are consumed with what feels mundane, but is truly holy work. In some seasons, we are on grand adventures, where God is expanding our understanding of Who He is. In some seasons, we are waiting in the in-between, not fully understanding where He wants us to place our next step.”
The Marrs have previously spoken about how their work on television helps them help those in need. In an interview with Better Homes and Gardens, Dave said, “When the producer first approached us [about a show], we weren’t interested. Then once we started talking, he said, ‘Look, if the show calls attention to these organizations you support, don’t you think that alone would be worth it?’ And he was right. When things get chaotic, and we start to question why we’re doing all of this, Jenny and I look at each other and say, ‘Remember the why.’”
“It all comes back to relationships, and caring for fellow humans,” Marrs added.
Marrs’ post is a reminder that God is always working in our lives, leading us through new seasons and next steps.
Read Next: How Jenny and Dave Marrs’ Berry Farm Helps People Across the Globe
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