Teichert Family Update ... Discipling Farmworkers

The family of 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 unreached 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.

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Discipling Farmworkers

"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3

Dear family and friends,

Noel and Jean Livesey are one of our newest OC Africa strategic ministry partners. They are forming an OC Africa team in the Hermanus area near Cape Town, South Africa. Hermanus is a small town on the Atlanti c coast known for its whale-watching and fruit orchards. Noel and Jean moved to this area about fi ve years ago to reach the farmworkers in the Overberg region. For centuries, families of farmworkers have lived on the many large apple and pear orchards and vineyards. Farmers provide employment and basic services, but their spiritual growth is poorly neglected. Many of these families battle with alcoholism, drugs, domestic violence, and basic education. Because of this great need, Noel is partnering with farm owners and the provincial government to provide skills training and start weekly discipleship Bible studies.

Japtha Williams is one of the farmworkers that Noel serves. Japtha has battled with alcohol abuse for much of his life. Alcoholism is the number one problem among farmworkers. Aft er attending a three-month rehabilitation program provided by the Salvation Army in 2010, Japtha returned to his family sober and equipped for a life of sobriety. He has remained sober up to this day. Japhta says the reasons he has remained sober are: he has committed not to drink an alcoholic beverage, every morning he asks God to help him stay away from alcohol, and he takes one day at a time. Since September, Japtha’s wife Mina has also stopped drinking. Noel has been meeting with Japtha to equip him to lead a weekly Discovery Bible Study (DBS) on the Wildekrans farm. The hope is that this group will multi ply into other DBSs that will grow into churches

Now there are five other DBSs in the Hemel en Aarde Valley. Japtha’s group is the first to address substance abuse. Many farmworkers are too proud to admit they have a problem of addicti on. Noel, himself a recovering alcoholic, believes establishing DBSs among farmworkers is the best way to address the issue of substance abuse. Japtha is the first to gather his entire family with the express purpose of overcoming addictions through obedience-based Bible discovery. Noel has heard many stories of those who continue to struggle with alcoholism without the support of a local DBS.

Noel and Jean have committed the rest of their years to reaching the people in the Overberg region by multi plying DBSs on every farm. Please pray for God’s strength and provision for them in this transforming ministry. Thank you for your faithful partnership with us!

For God's glory,

Karl and Jenny

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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.