Karl and Jenny Teichert are serving the Lord as missionaries with OC Africa, in South Africa. They moved to Johannesburg in November, 1997 with their four children; Ann, Scott, Stephen and John. Karl serves as the Southern Africa Director of the Southern Africa Regional Team. Their vision is to see a healthy, Bible-based church established in every un-reached village and community in South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Zambia and beyond. Their strategy is to partner with key African church leaders to research, train, and mobilize the body of Christ to complete the Great Commission. They are striving to equip local leaders in Southern Africa to reach their nations for Christ and send missionaries into other countries as well. Karl’s ministry focuses on research, church planting, and leadership development training. In addition to caring for their four children, Jenny enjoys ministering through hospitality and equipping Sunday school teachers
October Prayer Letter ...
October Prayer Letter ...
Dear Family and Friends,
From Jenny: Last month we had a short-term team here from Enumclaw, Washington. It was exciting to see once again how coming to a different culture can really affect a person. Each team member put their hearts and their ALL into serving the people in the Finetown community. By the end of their time here, they had built strong relationships with the South African people. They served through hospice care and work projects, going into the community with health care workers, teaching first aid, and coming alongside the preschool teachers that Heather and I have had the opportunity to work with.
I was privileged to go out and walk the dusty streets of Finetown with two community care workers. I was shocked to find out that these workers volunteered their time and had very little in terms of resources or food, but they would offer what they had to the patients they cared for. We would go from house to house visiting patients with TB, AIDS, and diabetes, monitoring their health and ensuring that they had been taking their prescribed medicine or antiviral medications. It was encouraging to hear stories of how many patients’ health had been improving.
However, in one case we visited with a young man named Joseph who had TB. He had been taking his medication and getting better, but because of family influences, he chose to see a witch doctor (traditional healer). He showed us the cuts on his aching feet where the witch doctor had “treated” him by cutting them with a knife, rubbing various herbs into the wounds. After four days, we returned to visit Joseph again and his condition had worsened. He was in his bed, unable to walk, and could barely sit up. The community care workers told us how discouraging it was when patients stop taking their medications and resort to witch doctors for help; they try to give good care, only to see the patients become debilitated or in some cases die.
Like the team from Enumclaw, I was touched once again by the great needs in this country. I was struck by the love and compassion these community care workers had for the people. I asked them why they did it, and they told me because they had parents and family members who had died because they had no one to care for them or ensure that they took their medication; they want to make a difference in their community. They had such joy as they walked through the streets. They told me they can go through 10 pair of shoes each year! The short-term team has already helped meet needs by providing uniforms and new shoes for the community workers!
We were blessed to have them here! Thank you for praying for South Africa and the Finetown community.
With love and much thanks,
The Teicherts
OC Africa is an interdenominational ministry committed to developing, equipping, and mobilizing church leaders to multiply healthy, Bible-based churches in every community in Southern Africa and the world. OC is a faith-based mission who depends on the Lord to provide committed, financial supporters and partners. The contributions from these individuals help generate ministry opportunities around the world, impact missionaries and their global work, and provide a means for the International Mobilization Center to function. CLICK HERE to learn how YOU can be a part of mobilizing church leaders around the world by donating to OC.
From Jenny: Last month we had a short-term team here from Enumclaw, Washington. It was exciting to see once again how coming to a different culture can really affect a person. Each team member put their hearts and their ALL into serving the people in the Finetown community. By the end of their time here, they had built strong relationships with the South African people. They served through hospice care and work projects, going into the community with health care workers, teaching first aid, and coming alongside the preschool teachers that Heather and I have had the opportunity to work with.
I was privileged to go out and walk the dusty streets of Finetown with two community care workers. I was shocked to find out that these workers volunteered their time and had very little in terms of resources or food, but they would offer what they had to the patients they cared for. We would go from house to house visiting patients with TB, AIDS, and diabetes, monitoring their health and ensuring that they had been taking their prescribed medicine or antiviral medications. It was encouraging to hear stories of how many patients’ health had been improving.However, in one case we visited with a young man named Joseph who had TB. He had been taking his medication and getting better, but because of family influences, he chose to see a witch doctor (traditional healer). He showed us the cuts on his aching feet where the witch doctor had “treated” him by cutting them with a knife, rubbing various herbs into the wounds. After four days, we returned to visit Joseph again and his condition had worsened. He was in his bed, unable to walk, and could barely sit up. The community care workers told us how discouraging it was when patients stop taking their medications and resort to witch doctors for help; they try to give good care, only to see the patients become debilitated or in some cases die.
Like the team from Enumclaw, I was touched once again by the great needs in this country. I was struck by the love and compassion these community care workers had for the people. I asked them why they did it, and they told me because they had parents and family members who had died because they had no one to care for them or ensure that they took their medication; they want to make a difference in their community. They had such joy as they walked through the streets. They told me they can go through 10 pair of shoes each year! The short-term team has already helped meet needs by providing uniforms and new shoes for the community workers!
We were blessed to have them here! Thank you for praying for South Africa and the Finetown community.
With love and much thanks,
The Teicherts
OC Africa is an interdenominational ministry committed to developing, equipping, and mobilizing church leaders to multiply healthy, Bible-based churches in every community in Southern Africa and the world. OC is a faith-based mission who depends on the Lord to provide committed, financial supporters and partners. The contributions from these individuals help generate ministry opportunities around the world, impact missionaries and their global work, and provide a means for the International Mobilization Center to function. CLICK HERE to learn how YOU can be a part of mobilizing church leaders around the world by donating to OC.
