Teichert Family Update ... “God is Still at Work”

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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“God is Still at Work”

Dear friends and family,

We may have felt like life went on hold for the past 16 months, but God’s work never goes on hold. Amid stories of hardship and suffering, stories of victory and unexpected fruitfulness have emerged. Here are just a few:

From the Philippines:
For many years, the Lord has blessed church members to make disciples using Outreach Bible Studies (OBSes). When lockdown came, a switch was made to Outreach Bible Studies by Group Chats (OBS GCs), an opportunity created when local cellphone providers began to give away free data — at a minimal level just strong enough to chat. This method really clicked with Filipinos, especially under COVID restrictions! Pastor Nonoy trained 15 of his members to lead OBS GCs resulting in 173 new believers. Pastor Gerry trained his members who now have over 40 OBS GCs, with over 500 new believers. When Pastor Joe held a training for 73 youth from a few churches, they were eager to start their first OBS GCs that day! The team foresees that even after COVID, OBS GCs will continue to be a unique and powerful tool for making disciples.

From Italy:

Teichert Family Update ... “Introducing Gabriel and Gloria Francis”

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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Joy Bringers Photo

“Introducing Gabriel and Gloria Francis”

Dear friends and family,

We are honoured to introduce you to Gabriel and Gloria Francis. They have been one of our OC Africa Associates since 2016. It has been a joy to serve the Lord together in ministry and growing friendship for many years.

Gabriel and Gloria are dual citizens of Nigeria and South Africa and have resided in Johannesburg for the past 21 years. They began their careers in veterinary medicine and electrical engineering, respectively. They are ordained ministers of the Foursquare Church International and served as missionary church planters and senior pastors in West and Southern Africa for 24 years. They have also served as mission-based directors with Youth With A Mission, Namibia and South Africa, for several years. They are blessed with three adult children; Glory (27), Peace (25), and Emmanuel (23).

Gabriel is presently the founder and executive director of Joy Bringers. This non-government organization seeks to set up a family of affinities, communities of transformation, that seek to transform people from poverty to productivity through training, mentoring, networking, support of leaders, research, and advocacy. Several stories originated in the launch and development of Joy Bringers.

Here are some of their testimonies:

On November 9, 2001, after experiencing a car hijack and being hospitalized, Gabriel heard an audible voice of God saying, “Where do the people who shot you reside? If they know my Word, they will not do what they are doing.” This incident led to the registering of the Joy Bringers organization in 2005 with the vision to break the cycle of crime.

On February 12, 2014, after 10 years of running the organization, Gabriel had a series of dreams in the form of a vision. The latest dream was a thirst from the lack of water in a city in darkness. He heard a voice saying, “Keep driving; there is water at the outskirts of the city.” They got to a place with two reservoirs of water, and upon drinking, there was before them a large group of joyful families of different age groups under floodlights in a field.

They began to harvest large crops from the soil (Matthew 9:35-39, Luke 10:2-3; Isaiah 9:1-4). Laborers in the garden under the covering of God’s presence, reaping the harvest (Genesis 2:5). This dream confirmed the call to see people in families of affinities transformed from poverty to productivity. The mission is to establish people with joy at heart, joy at home, and joy at work, through character, skill, and entrepreneurial development.

PRAYER POINTS:

• Pray for the Joy Bringers’ board and management teams to lead the organization in establishing holistic transformation as they navigate into the unchartered territories ahead of them.
• Pray for new strategies of leadership development that will result in setting up communities of transformation in the African cities.
• Pray for Gabriel’s doctorate studies on transformational leadership as they seek to be engaged in research and advocacy – seeking new ways to bring hope and value to the poor and needy in their communities
• Pray for their family; that their three children will be positioned to serve God’s purpose in their generation.
• Pray for Gloria and Gabriel, for understanding and wisdom as they serve various domain leaders in the African continent.

Thank you for walking with us in God’s mission with precious servants of God like Gabriel and Gloria,

Karl and Jenny

• If you would like to give a gift, please visit this OC website link ...

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Featured Video: Discovering Our Identity in Knowing Jesus

In this new series of video blogs (or “vlogs”), we explore some of the “I am” statements of Jesus by answering two questions: Who is Jesus? and Who are we?

Discovering Our Identity in Knowing Jesus: Introduction from One Challenge on Vimeo.

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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.

Teichert Family Update ... “Gospel Movement in the Madagascar Rainforest”

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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Islands Mission Photo

“Gospel Movement in the Madagascar Rainforest”

Dear friends and family,

Since 2010, Karl has had the privilege of coming alongside Dinah to launch a movement of disciple-making churches in the unreached villages of the Madagascar rainforest. Dinah started Islands Mission with the vision of reaching the Indian Ocean islands (www.islands-mission.org.

In August of 2010, 45 leaders were equipped in a simple, obedience-based Discovery Bible Study (DBS) strategy. Through ongoing training/coaching, over eight generations of 500 leaders have reproduced nearly 10,000 DBS’s. Most of these DBS’s have multiplied and grown into larger gatherings of new believers.

We are praising the Lord that over 100,000 people have decided to follow Jesus and 20,000 have been baptized as a witness of their new life in Christ. God is so good! Please pray that more leaders would be mobilized to start 1,000 new DBS’s this year in unreached villages in the rainforest of Madagascar.

The COVID-19 pandemic and repeated cyclones have had a devasting impact on the people of the rainforest. Many have died, and others have suffered both physically and economically. Travel has been greatly restricted, which has slowed the church planting efforts.

To assist in the crisis, Dinah’s leaders are providing entrepreneurial business training to create more sustainable income initiatives. Through farming and livestock projects, they will provide assistance to the church planter’s families and bless their villages. Please pray that 85 business trainers will be equipped this year to train/mentor 200 new business entrepreneurs.

Dinah and his team are also building relationships with Malagasy-speaking Comorians who are living in Madagascar. They have started a chicken restaurant and meat shop to create opportunities to start DBS’s. The strategy is that new believers will be trained to launch Disciple Making Movements (DMM’s) back home in the Comoros islands. Please pray for open hearts to the gospel and multiplication of DBS’s.

It has truly been an honor for Karl to coach/mentor Dinah and his leaders in this growing gospel movement in Madagascar these past 11 years. Thank you for your faithful prayers and support as we trust God to finish the amazing work he has started in the Indian Ocean islands!

For God's glory,

Karl and Jenny

• If you would like to give a gift, please visit this OC website link ...

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Pray with One Challenge

Twice a year, One Challenge stops to spend a purposeful half day of prayer for ministries around the world. Here is a video sharing ministry and prayer opportunities from global OC mission workers.

Pray with One Challenge from One Challenge on Vimeo.

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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.

Teichert Family Update ... “Inspiring Conversations”

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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OC Africa Photo

“Inspiring Conversations”

Dear friends and family,

One of the more positive things that has come out of these COVID days has been the opportunity to connect with people all over the world and to experience things that are unique because of our present circumstances. In these weeks and days, we have had little opportunity to connect with young adults (other than our own children).

However, last month, one of our OC Africa ministry partners, John Lewis, invited us to be a part of connecting with a group of students in the Introduction to Missions course he teaches once a year at Whitworth University. These students were asked to interview various experienced missionary couples around the world and put a presentation together for the class.

We had two separate Zoom conversations with them to answer their good questions and to try to give them a glimpse of missionary life. Many of them had never spoken to anyone on the other side of the world before! We were delighted to hear a bit of their stories, aspirations, and where they see themselves in the future. We were also impressed by the mutual interaction and learning from these young people.

John Lewis said, “What was especially fulfilling for me was to learn that quite a few of my students really had very little Christian background or knowledge of the Bible. So our time of class devotions and these interviews coupled with accounts of what God is doing to grow His kingdom in the Global South were all very impactful.”

Here is some feedback from the students’ presentations that was a real encouragement to us:

• My faith has been impacted by the words and lifestyles of the many people we interviewed. I am inspired by how deeply ingrained their faiths are into their lives. Everything truly revolves around Christ, which is something I’m not used to seeing. I think this is probably what God intends true faith to look like.
• The class has encouraged my personal faith and calling. It makes me want to be a part of the Global Christian Movement and tell others about the fascinating ways Christians are helping. It has also challenged my personal walk. I have a better understanding of how prayer is powerful and trust in God is not just a feeling but an action.
• Interviewing them was a real joy. They were amazing and shared so much knowledge. They shared their story and what it looks like to listen to God’s calling and answer it. They answered my questions about what it looks like to prepare for working on the missions field well. I learned that I should be researching but also getting closer to God myself. They explained that there is only so much you can read about and learn; you also have to experience God’s love and power. I learned a lot of strategies on how to be a successful missionary.

Thank you for partnering with us in God’s kingdom,

Karl and Jenny

• If you would like to give a gift, please visit this OC website link ...

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Pray with One Challenge

Twice a year, One Challenge stops to spend a purposeful half day of prayer for ministries around the world. Here is a video sharing ministry and prayer opportunities from global OC mission workers.

Pray with One Challenge from One Challenge on Vimeo.

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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.

Teichert Family Update ... “Thanks to the Lord for His Open Doors for the Gospels”

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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“Thanks to the Lord for His Open Doors for the Gospel”

Dear friends and family,

As we reflect on the past year, we are grateful to the Lord for the many open doors he has created for ministry (Psalm 118:19-21). Even though our travel and training plans have not all worked out as we had hoped, we are grateful for the new and fruitful ways we have been able to minister to others in this COVID-19 pandemic.

Karl is grateful for the opportunity to facilitate a five-part online COACHING WORKSHOP ESSENTIALS. It was a stretching experience to present the interactive Zoom training with about 55 leaders from 15 countries. Some of the participants were from Senegal, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Tunisia, Romania, Kenya, DRC, Swaziland, Colorado, Texas, and South Africa. Karl personally coaches several of these leaders virtually every month.

Karl has also launched the new CHURCH PLANTING COACHING CONNECTION website (www.cpcc.world). The purpose of this website is to connect experienced coaches and mentors with church planters.

Please pray God would raise up many coaches and mentors to come alongside church planting teams to accelerate church planting movements among the remaining least reached peoples of the world!

We are also thankful to the Lord for the growing vision to multiply Disciple Making Movements as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 900,000 meals have been distributed through our Local Ecumenical Action Network. With every food parcel, community pastors have been able to share the love of Christ and start new Discovery Bible Studies.

Karl facilitated a DISCIPLE-MAKING MULTIPLICATION WORKSHOP with over 50 community pastors in September. Each leader set goals to accelerate a discipleship-making process toward the planting of new forms of churches.

Watch this short, inspiring video clip from the workshop ...

Lastly, we are especially thankful to the Lord for each of you! We are sincerely grateful for your fervent prayers and sacrificial support for us. Your faithful partnership in the gospel is greatly appreciated! Please let us know how we can be praying for you as well.

Gratefully yours,

Karl and Jenny

• If you would like to give a gift, please visit this OC website link ...

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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.

Teichert Family Update ... “Resting in God’s Faithfulness in 2021”

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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“Resting in God’s Faithfulness in 2021”

Dear friends and family,

As we start 2021, we are faced with many ongoing uncertainties in life. With all these dynamics, we are continuing to rest in the faithfulness of God’s love, presence, and leading into the future.

Please join with us in prayer for the following anticipated ministry opportunities:

COACHING LEADERS

• Facilitation of virtual basic and advanced leadership coaching skills workshops.

• Regular coaching of about 18 leaders toward their own personal development and multiplication of church planting movements in Africa and around the world.

• Effective implementation of the Church Planting Coaching Connection website (www.cpcc.world) to match coaches/mentors with those planting new churches among unreached peoples.

“The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out” Proverbs 20:5.

GROWING DISCIPLE MAKING MOVEMENTS

• Development of community leaders to reproduce disciple-making groups to share the gospel and form new churches in un-churched areas.

• Train teams to plant small urban gardens to provide food sustainability and build new relationships in Finetown, Windsor, and other communities.

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” Matthew 5:13-16.

REACHING THE CHINESE

• Building the Southern Africa Chinese Outreach Network to envision/equip the body of Christ to effectively evangelize/disciple the many Chinese people and plant new Chinese churches.

• Recruit more workers from around the world to assist and effectively mobilize Chinese believers returning to China.

“It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation. Rather, as it is written: “Those who were not told about Him will see, and those who have not heard will understand” Romans 15:20-21.

Thank you for your fervent prayers and sacrificial financial support as we partner together in the Lord’s Harvest in Africa together this year!

For His glory,

Jenny and Karl

• If you would like to give a gift, please visit this OC website link ...

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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.

Teichert Family Update ... “God’s Promises are Bright”

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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“God’s Promises are Bright”

Dear friends and family,

Every promise of God’s word will be fulfilled someday, even if we do not experience the complete fulfillment now.

As we think of the ups and downs of 2020, these are encouraging words from my study of Genesis in Bible Study Fellowship.

During this season, we can celebrate that our ultimate promise is found in Jesus Christ our Savior, and He is our hope for each and every day!

We pray that you and your family are encouraged with even greater hope as we celebrate His birth this season.

We love you and appreciate your faithful and generous support for the ministry and our family.

Karl and Jenny ... Ann, Scott, Stephen, and John

• If you would like to give a gift, please visit this OC website link ...

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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.

Teichert Family Update ... “Update about our young adults”

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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“Update about our young adults”

Dear friends and family,

Over the years, as we have written monthly newsletters, people have told us that they appreciate hearing from our kids.

One furlough, while we were in the states, Karl and I were sharing at a church about the ministry, and a woman in the back of the room chimed in, “We would like to hear from the kids!”

So, although they are all young adults now (23, 25, 27, & 29), we thought we’d share a short glimpse of their lives: Ann has moved into her own flat about 15 minutes away from our home in Johannesburg. She has really enjoyed making it into her own home.

She is working for WorldsView Technologies as an H.R. manager; she does a lot of recruitment and loves any training and developing opportunities that she has. She enjoys hiking and running with friends, as well as baking.

Scott is still living in Riverside, California. We FaceTime with him every Sunday and try to stay in touch over the miles. He continues his work as an electrical engineer for Design West Engineering.

He has two roommates, and he has also been working from home in these days; they have not been out a lot due to the hot California temperatures. We miss him and are still hopeful that he will be able to come and visit at Christmastime.

Stephen is living here with us while he finishes up his honors degree this year in computer science. It has been a heavy load as he is also working full time as a software engineer for a company called Entelect.

He plays keyboard and leads worship for our local church and is teaching himself how to play guitar. We all love Dani, his sweet, beautiful girlfriend; they have been leading a small group with other young adults online.

John is here for a week visiting us. We have not seen him since December, so we have had a wonderful time “catching up.” He enjoys his work as a cinematographer for a video production company in Port Elizabeth.

He has had some amazing opportunities in documentary work. He is facilitating a small group at his church as well. Since he lives on the coast, when he has a bit of time, he enjoys spearfishing, surfing, and rock climbing.

A close encounter with a rhino and baby rhino: Go here to see the video ...

Our greatest joy is seeing each of our kids following the Lord and growing in their relationship with Him. We are grateful for His faithfulness in their lives … for His glory!

Thank you for your prayers for them.

Jenny for the family

• If you would like to give a gift, please visit this OC website link ...

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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.

Teichert Family Update ... “Time to Stop, Reflect, and Refocus”

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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“Time to Stop, Reflect, and Refocus”

“Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days – You would not believe if you were told.”
Habakkuk 1:5

Dear friends and family,

As a result of this global COVID-19 pandemic, most of our plans have changed. It has been a time to stop, reflect, and refocus. As we have waited on God during this season, here are several things we have learned about life and ministry:

• Invest in a few who can multiply many.
• Focus on families.
• Respond to those who are open and in need.
• Discover and obey the Word of God.
• Prayerfully follow the Holy Spirit’s leading.
• Keep everything simple and reproducible.

Jenny and I have had the opportunity to assist many hungry families with food parcels through our local church and community action network. We have had the opportunity to partner with local leaders to not only share food, but also pray and share the gospel to open families. Jenny has also developed a virtual discipleship group with the HIV/AIDS caregivers in Finetown.

Karl has formed a team of four other leaders in the Windsor area to launch a Disciple-Making Movement (DMM) process. They have met together each week to prayerfully discover potential Persons of Peace (POP) in the community who can host Discovery Bible Studies (DBS). POP are people God has prepared who have influence in different affinity groups. As DBS’s are formed, group facilitation is shared, and new DBS’s are multiplied in the community. The hope is, as leadership is developed, new disciplemaking churches will be started.

Please pray for Karl as he hopes to train and mentor DMM teams in other communities around the city and country in the coming months. He also continues to provide coaching training and personal coaching of movement leaders around Africa and the world.

Please pray for Jenny as she assists the caregivers to share the love of Jesus in word and deed in the Finetown area.br />
Thank you for partnership in completing Christ’s great commission here in Africa,

Jenny and Karl

• If you would like to give a gift, please visit this OC website link ...

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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.

Teichert Family Update ... “Unexpected COVID-19 Opportunities”

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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“Unexpected COVID-19 Opportunities”

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Isaiah 55:8-9

Dear friends and family,

We hope this finds you and your family well and growing in the grace of our Lord. We wanted to tell you about an “unusual” connection that took place in February.

The global COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all our lives. Not a single person has gone untouched by its devasting effects. Our lives have been severely disrupted and may never be the same again.

The pandemic has created many unexpected ministry opportunities for us here in South Africa. OC Africa was certified as an essential service. This allowed Jenny to continue driving into Finetown to deliver food. She delivers food to Mama Florina and the orphan children once a month from donations sent from the states. Mama Florina is able to feed many of the community children as well. We were also able to help the home-based caregivers with food vouchers. Jenny has been very impressed with the caregiver’s perseverance. After harvesting thousands of tomatoes and selling them in the community, they have now planted winter vegetables such as spinach, cabbage, carrots, and peas. This will at least help to sustain their own families.

Pastor Wessie, who is a pastor in Ennerdale, oversees the Finetown community work, and he provides compassion ministry. We told him we would like to help with needy families. He identified 20 foreign families from Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Mozambique, and we were able to deliver food parcels to them. We will continue to provide food parcels throughout the winter months (at least through August). Our hope is to build relationships with these families and bring hope to them. Some are Muslim families we pray will be open to the truth of Jesus Christ as we share with them.

Under our local church, we have joined the Local Ecumenical Action Network (LEAN) in our part of Johannesburg. LEAN is a locally initiated, community-level, organized group of interdenominational church leaders who respond to the particular issues facing their community during the COVID-19 pandemic. As most South Africans have lost their jobs during the nine-week national lockdown period, food provision is the greatest need. Through the nearly 20 churches/NGO’s in our area, over 360,000 meals have been distributed through food vouchers or parcels. These are distributed through local Christian leaders/pastors in about 21 poor communities.

Karl has been invited to coordinate the Church Planting Pillar of the LEAN. This working group assists in providing gospel material with each food parcel and enlisting the contact details of every family. The goal is that each community leader/ pastor can follow up with each family and form small disciple-making groups. Each leader/pastor is being intentionally trained and mentored with the vision to plant at least 30 new churches in the next 12 months in our area. Praise the Lord for how God is building His church through this crisis!

Please continue to pray God would open people’s hearts to the gospel and we would be obedient to respond to His leading during this time. If you would like to assist, please see the donation instructions below.

We are sincerely grateful for your prayers and those who already faithfully contribute toward God’s work here in Southern Africa!

For His Glory,

Jenny and Karl

• If you would like to give a gift, please visit this OC website link ...

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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.

Teichert Family Update ... “An 'Unusual' Connection”

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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“An 'Unusual' Connection”

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Isaiah 55:8-9

Dear friends and family,

We hope this finds you and your family well and growing in the grace of our Lord. We wanted to tell you about an “unusual” connection that took place in February.

A year and a half ago, we heard about a young Taiwanese missionary woman, Fang Lin, who had a heart to come to South Africa to minister to the many Chinese people here. Her home church in Taiwan had eight families who were eager and ready to come as missionaries to South Africa. While they were selling their homes and taking their children out of schools to prepare to come, they found out they would not be able to get visas into South Africa. However, they were able to get visas into eSwatini (formerly Swaziland)! Many of them were professionals who had given up good-paying jobs and were leaving their families behind to come and minister.

As you know, Karl and I have been involved in South Africa Chinese Outreach Network (SACON) for the past six years. We also have recently formed the synergy in mission team with our local church, to reach out to our community and to the nations.

All of these dynamics led to a unique opportunity to take our local church mission’s team, along with members of the SACON team, to eSwatini, to encourage and partner with the Taiwanese missionary team in their ministry.

It was a wonderful weekend that fell over the Chinese New Year. We were able to assist them with an outreach dinner celebration, as they invited many local Chinese businesspeople and students in the area. The missionary team has opened a Chinese restaurant as an outreach to the local people, and we also had the pleasure of sharing delicious Chinese meals together! We had the opportunity to go into Chinese shops and businesses to meet and pray with the shop owners. Our OC colleague, Sharon, led a self-defence class with the youth as well.

On Sunday, our missions team joined the Chinese congregation as they sang songs in Mandarin, and a young Taiwanese girl was baptized. We enjoyed building relationships with the Chinese missionaries. It was wonderful to see their hearts for God and their dedication and love towards the people of eSwatini.

We were blessed beyond words by this “unusual” connection of God’s people and the ways he is building his kingdom. Thanks for standing with us in prayer and for your encouraging partnership.

In His Love,

Jenny and Karl

• If you would like to give a gift, please visit this OC website link ...

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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.

Teichert Family Update ... “Reaching the People of the Central Africa Republic”

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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“Reaching the People of the Central Africa Republic”

Dear friends and family,

We would like to introduce Anatole Banga, one of our OC Africa area ministry partners. Anatole lives in the Central Africa Republic (CAR), is married to Odele, and they have three children. Anatole came to Christ through another African believer while studying engineering in China. God began to burden him for the great need of the gospel in his own country. After returning home, he completed Bible school and just received a PhD in community development. Anatole is the coordinator of the Nations in Mission and MANI Francophone CAR coordinator.

OC Africa Photos

CAR is located in the middle of Africa. It has a population of about 4.7 million people with 17 tribal groups. Even though CAR is rich in natural resources like uranium, gold, diamonds, cobalt, lumber, agriculture, and hydropower, it is still among the 10 poorest countries in the world. It has been plagued by conflict and corruption for many years. A civil war erupted in 2004 and resumed in 2012. Rebel fighters destroyed much of Bangui, the capital city and other regions of the country. Thousands were killed and over 1 million people have fled their homes. Odele’s life was threatened many times because of her ministry among the Muslims. She and their three children were forced to seek refuge in Burkina Faso as Anatole remained to continue ministering to those in the crisis. Please pray for God’s healing and restoration from the trauma for Odele and the family.

The vision of Anatole’s ministry is to reach the Pygmies, Muslims, and orphans. The Pygmies comprise about 900,000 people living in the remote forest regions of the country. They represent the Bambenga, Bambuti, and Batwa people groups in the greater Congo basin. Anatole is focused on developing and mobilizing leaders to multiply disciple-making churches among these unreached peoples. Our OC Africa team recently gave Anatole’s team a back-pack video projection kit to show the Jesus film and form discovery Bible groups in remote villages. Please pray for more leaders to plant churches in unreached communities. Also, pray for the engine replacement of Anatole’s 4x4 vehicle which is desperately needed for ongoing training and follow-up.

Anatole has also started a ministry reaching out to Muslim refugees in Bangui. He is renting a house in their community which serves as a safe-house and training center. About 30 widows, whose husbands were killed by the rebels, participate in this ministry. Anatole’s leaders are discipling these new believers and assisting with their sustainable business projects. Please pray for God’s protection, ongoing witness in the Muslim community, and success in their small businesses.

Lastly, Anatole is taking care of 15 orphans. The ongoing crisis has increased the number of orphans in the country. He assists with their schooling, spiritual, and personal development – along with other social challenges. His vision is to build a house where they can stay as a family. Please pray for the effective care of these orphans and the provision of new accommodations.

Thank you for your prayers for Anatole and these ministry needs. If you would like to contribute toward any of these urgent needs, please send your donation to the address below in care of the Africa area account.

That all may worship the king,

Karl and Jenny

• If you would like to give a gift, please visit this OC website link ...

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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.

Teichert Family Update ... Thank You ...

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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Thank You ...

... from these unreached people groups!

Thank you from us, and thank you from these faces. These are the faces of yet-unreached people groups. In Eternity, some of these individuals may joyfully come up to you and thank you for bringing the Truth of Jesus to them. Together, we will be gathered with all the nations before the throne of God. You, having joined the Body of Christ in bringing the gospel to the whole world, will have contributed to their salvation.

We commend you – for every prayer, for every gift, for every act of hospitality, and for every contribution you have made of any kind to get the Word of Hope to these hard-to-reach people. Only through special, sacrificial efforts of believers will they have an opportunity to hear about Jesus and know him ...

• Read the rest of this update ...

Pressing on with you,

Jenny Teichert

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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.